CO129-006 - Sir John Davis - 1844 — Page 305

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

300

entertained, but I beg leave to state some facts relative to my former and present position by which His Excellency will perceive the peculiar circumstances under which I am placed.

Originally I accepted office on the understanding that I would be allowed the private practice of my profession, so long as it did not interfere with my public duty.

I am still liable to be superseded, and if so, my private practice being given up, and the connection with parties who would employ me severed, I should find myself alone, and without employment. I should have made an application before to be allowed either an increase to my salary as Assistant Surveyor, or to retain any private practice, but the former request having been denied to Gordon, I could not apply; nor to the latter until my appointment was acknowledged at Home; but the prospect of some higher preferment and the anxious desire to hold my appointment have been the constant inducement for me to retain it.

It is needless to mention the services I have striven to perform to the best of my ability and advantage to the Colony, almost unassisted, and in a climate such as China, in a sickly season, and where death is the frequent consequence of exposure to the sun, my duties as Surveyor requiring that I be continually liable to exposure; as well as the mental and bodily exertion necessary to perform the work; to rise before gun fire, to be at my post by daylight, to return home during the heat of the day, again to renew my work in the afternoon, and all the intermediate ...

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300 entertained, but I beg leave to state some facts relative to my former and present position by which His Excellency will perceive the peculiar circumstances under which I am placed. Originally I accepted office on the understanding that I would be allowed the private practice of my profession, so long as it did not interfere with my public duty. I am still liable to be superseded, and if so, my private practice being given up, and the connection with parties who would employ me severed, I should find myself alone, and without employment. I should have made an application before to be allowed either an increase to my salary as Assistant Surveyor, or to retain any private practice, but the former request having been denied to Gordon, I could not apply; nor to the latter until my appointment was acknowledged at Home; but the prospect of some higher preferment and the anxious desire to hold my appointment have been the constant inducement for me to retain it. It is needless to mention the services I have striven to perform to the best of my ability and advantage to the Colony, almost unassisted, and in a climate such as China, in a sickly season, and where death is the frequent consequence of exposure to the sun, my duties as Surveyor requiring that I be continually liable to exposure; as well as the mental and bodily exertion necessary to perform the work; to rise before gun fire, to be at my post by daylight, to return home during the heat of the day, again to renew my work in the afternoon, and all the intermediate ...
Baseline (Original)
300 entertained, but., I beg leave to state. a_ relative to my former. feur facts relative to and- present: position by which. His ducellency will. precive the peculiar circumstances under which. I am placed... express briginally I accepted. Office on the understanding that I would be allowed.. the private practice. of my profession, so long as it did not interfere with.. my publie duty... Iam still liable. to be superseded, and if so; my private practice. being given. up, and the connection. with parties who would employ me severed, I should- find myself alone, and without: -employment... I should have made an. application before to be allowed either. ሆነ an increase to any private practice- my salary as Assistant - Surveyor, but the former. request having been denied to Gordon, I could not apply: nor to the 1 the latter until my appointment was future. acknowledged at Home ; but the prospect of some- higher preferment and the anxious desire. have been the for. Me and constant hold my appointment... employment of inducing me to It is needlose to mention. the services I have striven to perform to the bost of my my ability and advantage to the folony, almost - unassisted, and in a. olimate such as China, in a sickly season. and where death. is the frequent consequence of exposure to the requiring that sun, my duties as Surveyor me to be continually liable to the mental exposure ; as well as bodily evertion necessary to perform. the work; to rise. before gun fire.; to be at my port: by daylight, to return home during. the heat of the day, again- work in the to renew my afternoon, and all the... intermediate
2026-05-16 15:18:52 · Baseline
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300

entertained, but., I beg leave to state. a_

relative to my former. feur facts relative to

and-

present: position by which. His ducellency will. precive the peculiar circumstances under which. I am placed...

express

briginally I accepted. Office on the understanding that I would be

allowed.. the private practice. of my profession, so long as it did not interfere

with..

my

publie duty...

Iam still liable.

to be superseded, and if so; my private practice. being given. up, and the connection. with parties

who would employ me severed, I should- find myself alone, and without: -employment... I should have made an. application before to be allowed either.

ሆነ

an increase to

any private practice- my salary

as Assistant - Surveyor, but the former. request having been denied to

Gordon, I could not apply: nor to

the

1

the latter until my appointment

was

future.

acknowledged at Home ; but the prospect of some- higher preferment and the anxious desire.

have been the

for.

Me and

constant

hold my appointment...

employment

of inducing

me to

It is needlose to mention. the

services I have striven to perform to the bost of my

my ability and advantage to the folony, almost - unassisted, and in a. olimate such as China, in a sickly season. and where death. is the frequent consequence

of exposure to the

requiring

that

sun, my

duties as

Surveyor

me to be continually liable to

the mental

exposure ;

as well as

bodily evertion necessary to perform. the

work; to rise.

before gun fire.; to be at my

port: by daylight, to return home during. the heat of the day, again-

work in the

to renew my

afternoon, and all the...

intermediate

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