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the duty of instructing the new Harbour Master in the details of local conditions, thus occupying his time
for many months to the utter neglect of the multifarious duties to be performed by the Assistant Harbour Master, and this at a time when piracy is just beginning to feel the pressure of strong, well considered methods, and when the typhoon season is at its worst.
We would, further, inform you that wehave personally visited, and put these views before, the Managers of the Principal Shipping Companies, Messrs. Butterfield & Swire (75 vessels) Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Co., (45 vessels) The Douglas Steamship Co., (7 vessels), the Hong Kong Canton and Macao Steamboat Co.
(7 vessels), Messrs. Gibb Livingstone and Co., (large
overseas shipping agents), and in all cases these gentleman have expressed the most cordial agreement with the
views, herein set forth.
We feel that, possibly we may be raising a question which cannot be entertained in a Service where so many considerations as to preferment or seniority must carry great weight, but as the representatives of practical seamen, we submit that efficiency, ability, and proved methods of administration should have a serious bearing in the case of so important a matter as the appointment of
a Harbour Master to Hong Kong.
These, Sir, are our views and the views of the men we have the honour to represent and, being so, are, submit, a practical digest of the situation. gentleman to whom we refer has indubitably proved his worth, his ability and, more particularly, his unflagging
we
The
interest