SLE
443
it would be a waste of money which they cannot well
spare to appoint a Colonial officer, with un accruing
pension, and the necessity of replacing him when on
Leave, to do work in Shanghai which could not occupy
his full time. I told Sir H. May that personally I
thought it preferable that an imperial officer should
be appointed, as Companies in China, whether register-
ed in Hongkong or elsewhere, required supervision, and
that necessarily une acquainted with affairs in China,
and responsible to the Goverment which had to control
the operations of British subjects in this country
was more likel to be of use for this purpose and in
this position, then an officer responsible to the
Government of Hongkong. His Excellency did not dis-
sent from this view; I do not think I ought to put it
higher as he had not considered i but I venture
to think he agreed in it.
}
As a result of our conversation he authorized
me to say that so far as his persunal views went, the
arrangement, he would prefer was thet the Colony
should pay a contribution to the expense of providing
for the appointment, and that the officer should be an
imperial officer who would perform the duties of deputy,
registrar