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compatible with the dignity of his station as the immediate representative of the sovereign, that he should be made subordinate to any member of the Assembly who might be elected chairman of a committee.

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

We have, &c.

(Signed) WM. ATHERTON.

ROUNDELL PALMER,

5081.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

MY LORD,

· No. 183.

(Hong Kong.}

LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Temple, May 20, 1863. We are honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Mr. Hammond's letter of the 4th May instant, stating that with reference to our letters of the 11th of November and 9th of December last, relative to the measures to be taken for pre- venting the Chinese insurgents from being supplied with arms and ammunition by British subjects, he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us, together with the previous papers, a letter from the Colonial Office, enclosing a copy of a Despatch from the Acting Governor of Hong Kong, together with a copy of a proclamation issued by him, prohibiting the exportation of military stores from Hong Kong.

Mr. Hammond was also pleased to state that the Duke of Newcastle requested to be informed whether the Acting Governor should be allowed to grant permits for the exportation of arms on receiving proof that the applicants were duly authorised on behalf of the Imperial Government of China, and it was added that his Grace proposed to approve the omission in the proclamation of the prohibition to export

'provisions or any sort of victual which may be used as food."

Mr. Hammond was also pleased to request that we would take the Acting Governor's proclamation into our consideration and favour your Lordship with our opinion upon it generally, as well as upon the points to which attention was specially called in the Colonial Office letter.

In obedience to your Lordship's commands we have taken this matter into considera- tion, and have the honour to

Report

That we are of opinion that the Acting Governor should be allowed to grant permits for the exportation of arms to applicants proved to be authorised on behalf of the

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Imperial Government, and that the omission of the prohibition "to export provision or any sort of victual which may be used as food" appears to us to be expedient. The proclamation appears to us generally to be proper and calculated as far as the circumstances will allow to attain its object.

The Earl Russell, &c. &c.

We have, &c. (Signed)

WM. ATHERTON. ROUNDELL PALMER. ROBERT PHILLIMORE.

0 16978.-19. 25.-9/66.

C

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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