Board of Trade
No. 31.
Lord Lyttelton to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
18 May 1846.
28 CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE RESIGNATION
-No. 31.-
Copy of a LETTER from Lord Lyttelton to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 18 May 1846.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Gladstone to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, in which you request that your petition to the Queen may be referred to the Privy Council.
Mr. Gladstone desires me to inform you in reply, that Her Majesty's Executive Government must reserve to itself the responsibility for the decision of a question of this nature, and that the Queen cannot be advised to refer the investigation of it to the Privy Council, or to any Committee of the Council.
I am, &c. (signed) Lyttelton.
-No. 32.-
29
OF MR. M. MARTIN, TREASURER OF HONG KONG.
was nationally injurious, have been rewarded and advanced. I beg the favour of your Lordship's perusal of the accompanying documents, which have been printed for their more easy reference. I ask earnestly for inquiry into the correctness of my statements.
It is true that for many years I have been seeking colonial reform. On the 5th December 1837, my petition for an amended administrative colonial department was favourably received by the House of Commons, but its consideration was voluntarily suspended by me, when the Canadian rebellion broke out, rather than embarrass Her Majesty's Government.
This petition, and the efforts I have made on the subject generally, may have operated to my prejudice in the Colonial Office, but the justness of my views are now pretty generally acknowledged, and it is respectfully submitted, that 20 years untiring exertions, and a heavy expenditure for the public welfare in a most important but hitherto neglected department—that of our colonies—are worthy the favourable consideration of Her Majesty's Government.
I have, &c. (signed)
R. M. Martin,
438
No. 32.
R. M. Martin, Esq. to Earl Grey.
8 July 1846.
COPY of a LETTER from R. Montgomery Martin, Esq. to Earl Grey.
My Lord,
29, Bloomsbury-square, 8 July 1846.
I HAVE the honour to solicit a consideration of the following circumstances. In January 1844, I was requested to undertake the duties of Her Majesty's Treasurer at Hong Kong. The office was unsolicited, and it was stated that I was entitled to higher employment, but that as our affairs and prospects in China were of great interest, my proceeding thither would be advisable; I therefore gave up my occupations at home, and fulfilled the duties enjoined.
Soon after my arrival in China it appeared to me that we had committed ourselves to an erroneously restrictive policy; that a most ill-judged selection for a British colony had been made, and that we were incurring a large expenditure without any commensurate advantage.
Believing it to be my duty, as a faithful servant of the Crown to aid in procuring an examination by Her Majesty's Government of the British position and prospects in China, I framed from time to time several reports and minutes on the subject, but perceiving that these reports produced no effect; aware that there were several influential persons in England as well as in China whose interests were in opposition to any correction of our errors; and believing that no further time was to be lost for the rectification of our affairs previous to the intended evacuation of Chusan in January 1846, I applied for six months' leave of absence, offering to resign all salary, to defray my own expenses to England, to retain my personal and collateral securities to the Crown (amounting to nearly 10,000l.), and to forfeit my position if Her Majesty's Government deemed my views erroneous; or that I had erred in seeking leave to lay before them the information I had collected in every accessible part of China.
Governor Davis thought it right to refuse the leave sought, was therefore compelled to resign, and my appointment was conferred on his relative, Mr. Mercer.
I acted in accordance with the solemn dictates of my conscience, and hastened to England, where I laid before the Colonial, Treasury, Foreign and Trade Departments various information which was deemed useful. I laid before the Board of Trade a voluminous report on the commerce, internal and coasting trade, government, population, revenue, &c. of the vast Chinese Empire, with special accounts of each consulate; of the commerce of each foreign nation, and detailed statements of the Tea and Opium Trades, &c.
I submitted to the Colonial Office and Exchequer the plan of a reduction of expenditure to the amount of 200,000l. a year, and I laid before the Foreign Office and Board of Trade propositions for opening a commerce with Japan, Corea, Siam, Cochin China, &c., regions abounding in various and valuable commodities, and containing a population estimated at 100,000,000.
For thus acting I have lost my position in Her Majesty's service, and have been, during the last 12 months, devoid of income; after having devoted a considerable period of the best portion of my life, and a large sum of money, to the promotion of the public good; while those who have acquiesced in what was nationally injurious, have been rewarded and advanced.
-- No. 33.
Copy of a LETTER from B. Hawes, Esq., to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 13 July 1846.
No. 33.
B. Hawes, Esq. to R. M. Martin, Esq.
13 July 1846.
I AM directed by Earl Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, calling his attention to your services in China, and to the circumstances under which you resigned the situation of Treasurer of Hong Kong. In reply, I am to state to you that Lord Grey concurs in the opinion expressed by his two predecessors in this office, in regard to your resignation of your office in Hong Kong.
- No. 34.
I have, &c.
B. Hawes, (signed)
COPY of a LETTER from R. Montgomery Martin, Esq. to Earl Grey.
My Lord,
29, Blomsbury-square, 14 July 1846.
I BEG the favour of being informed of the grounds on which my conditional resignation of the Treasurership of Hong Kong was received, as I have not yet been granted this information.
It will be some satisfaction to know why I am deprived of my position in Her Majesty's service, after a faithful discharge of my duty, and an anxious effort to render public services, which I naturally hoped would have merited and received the approval of Her Majesty's Government; but, which on the contrary, have subjected me to a heavy punishment.
I venture to add, that all inquiry into the correctness of the statements which caused or rather compelled my conditional resignation, have been refused.
I have, &c.
R. M. Martin.
-
No. 35.
(signed)
COPY of a LETTER from B. Hawes, Esq., to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 21 July 1846.
No. 34-
R. M. Martin, Esq. 14 July 1846. to Earl Grey.
No. 35.
B. Hawes, Esq. to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
21 July 1846.
I AM directed by Earl Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, requesting to be informed of the grounds on which your conditional resignation of the Treasurership of Hong Kong was received.
In reply I am to inform you, that it appears from the records of this office that Lord Stanley and Mr. Gladstone considered your resignation not as conditional.
743.
£ 2
1.
Boar of
Trad
El
No. 31.
Lord Lyttelton to
18 May 1846.
28 CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE RESIGNATION
-No. 31.-
Copy of a LETTER from Lord Lyttelton to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 18 May 1846.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Gladstone to acknowledge the receipt of R. M. Martin, Esq. your letter of the 13th instant, in which you request that your petition to the
Queen may be referred to the Privy Council.
Mr. Gladstone desires me to inform you in reply, that Her Majesty's Executive Government must reserve to itself the responsibility for the decision of a question of this nature, and that the Queen cannot be advised to refer the investigation of it to the Privy Council, or to any Committee of the Council.
I am, &c. (signed) Lyttelton.
-No. 32.-
29
OF MR. M. MARTIN, TREASURER OF HONG KONG.
was nationally injurious, have been rewarded and advanced. I beg the favour of your Lordship's perusal of the accompanying documents, which have been printed for their more easy reference. I ask earnestly for inquiry into the cor- rectness of my statements.
It is true that for many years I have been seeking colonial reform. On the 5th December 1837, my petition for an amended administrative colonial department was favourably received by the House of Commons, but its consideration was voluntarily suspended by me, when the Canadian rebellion broke out, rather than embarrass Her Majesty's Government.
This petition, and the efforts I have made on the subject generally, may have operated to my prejudice in the Colonial Office, but the justness of my views are now pretty generally acknowledged, and it is respectfully submitted, that 20 years untiring exertions, and a heavy expenditure for the public welfare in a most important but hitherto neglected department-that of our colonies—are worthy the favourable consideration of Her Majesty's Government.
I have, &c. (signed)
R. M. Martin,
438
No. 32.
R. M. Martin, Esq.
to Earl Grey.
8 July 1846.
COPY of a LETTER from R. Montgomery Martin, Esq. to Earl Grey. My Lord,
29, Bloomsbury-square, 8 July 1846.
I HAVE the honour to solicit a consideration of the following circumstances. In January 1844, I was requested to undertake the duties of Her Majesty's Treasurer at Hong Kong. The office was unsolicited, and it was stated that I was entitled to higher employment, but that as our affairs and prospects in China were of great interest, my proceeding thither would be advisable; I therefore gave up my occupations at home, and fulfilled the duties enjoined.
Soon after my arrival in China it appeared to me that we had committed ourselves to an erroneously restrictive policy; that a most ill-judged selection for a British colony had been made, and that we were incurring a large expen- diture without any commensurate advantage.
Believing it to be my duty, as a faithful servant of the Crown to aid in pro- curing an examination by Her Majesty's Government of the British position and prospects in China, I framed from time to time several reports and minutes on the subject, but perceiving that these reports produced no effect; aware that there were several influential persons in England as well as in China whose interests were in opposition to any correction of our errors; and believing that no further time was to be lost for the rectification of our affairs previous to the intended evacuation of Chusan in January 1846, I applied for six months* leave of absence, offering to resign all salary, to defray my own expenses to England, to retain my personal and collateral securities to the Crown (amounting to nearly 10,000/), and to forfeit my position if Her Majesty's Government deemed my views erroneous; or that I had erred in seeking leave to lay before them the information I had collected in every accessible part of China.
Governor Davis thought it right to refuse the leave sought, was therefore compelled to resign, and my appointment was conferred on his relative, Mr. Mercer.
I have also
I acted in accordance with the solemn dictates of my conscience, and hastened to England, where I laid before the Colonial, Treasury, Foreign and Trade Departments various information which was deemed useful. laid before the Board of Trade a voluminous report on the commerce, internal and coasting trade, government, population, revenue, &c. of the vast Chinese Empire, with special accounts of each consulate; of the commerce of each foreign nation, and detailed statements of the Tea and Opium Trades, &c.
I submitted to the Colonial Office and Exchequer the plan of a reduction of expenditure to the amount of 200,0001. a year, and I laid before the Foreign Office and Board of Trade propositions for opening a commerce with Japan, Corea, Siam, Cochin China, &c., regions abounding in various and valuable commodities, and containing a population estimated at 100,000,000.
For thus acting I have lost my position in Her Majesty's service, and have been, during the last 12 months, devoid of income; after having devoted a con- siderable period of the best portion of my life, and a large sum of money, to the promotion of the public good; while those who have acquiesced in what
was
-- No. 33.
Copy of a LETTER from B. Hawes, Esq., to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 13 July 1846.
No. 33.
I AM directed by Earl Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the B. Hawes, Esq. to 8th instant, calling his attention to your services in China, and to the circum- R. M. Martin, Esq.
13 July 1846. stances under which you resigned the situation of Treasurer of Hong Kong. In reply, I am to state to you that Lord Grey concurs in the opinion expressed by his two predecessors in this office, in regard to your resignation of your office in Hong Kong.
- No. 34.
I have, &c.
B. Hawes, (signed)
COPY of a LETTER from R. Montgomery Martin, Esq. to Earl Grey. My Lord,
29, Blomsbury-square, 14 July 1846. I BEG the favour of being informed of the grounds on which my conditional resignation of the Treasurership of Hong Kong was received, as I have not yet been granted this information.
It will be some satisfaction to know why I am deprived of my position in Her Majesty's service, after a faithful discharge of my duty, and an anxious effort to render public services, which I naturally hoped would have merited and received the approval of Her Majesty's Government; but, which on the contrary, have subjected me to a heavy punishment.
I venture to add, that all inquiry into the correctness of the statements which caused or rather compelled my conditional, resignation, have been refused.
I have, &c.
R. M. Martin.
-
No. 35.
(signed)
COPY of a LETTER from B. Hawes, Esq., to R. Montgomery Martin, Esq.
Sir,
Downing-street, 21 July 1846.
No. 34-
R. M. Martin, Esq. 14 July 1846. to Earl Grey.
No. 35.
I AM directed by Earl Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the B. Hawes, Esq. to 14th instant, requesting to be informed of the grounds on which your condi- R. M. Martin, Esq. tional resignation of the Treasurership of Hong Kong was received.
21 July 1846.
In reply I am to inform you, that it appears from the records of this office that Lord Stanley and Mr. Gladstone considered your resignation not as condi-
743.
tional
£ 2
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.