CO129-046 - Lieut. Governor Caine & Sir Bowring - 1854 [5-19/8] — Page 152

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

and it behoves

LEJ

to do what we can

to render them efficient.

The

accompanying letter from the Chief Magistrate will shew that Mr. Tong, Aika has been during the pcrioth of his service execedingly well

part

conducted and useful. His brother

mide an

Interpreter in

the

employ of

this bovernment, but now the leading

chinese Muerelant at San Franciser

has

given

incigrate.

him repented invitations to

20

that it is doubtful

whetien

if his present request were denied we Should be able to retain his services. – I would remark that I cannot consider one present staff of beterpreters to be such as the importance of the service

No.

L

149

ML

dermands. The Chief beterreter huropian, though useful in the highest deque, is not a tranciaton; his Chief merit as a

au

linquist lies in ixtran-linary acquaintance with the local dialects. of this neighoonhood

as well as of the Malayan Coninsaia, and he has some acquaintance with Portuquece and Hindostance, but the Government has not in its employ

an

European tranciator who has made it his study to obtain a critical

and Grammatical Knowledge of the written language of China, could the services of a compitent

Gentleman be obtained

for a less sum than it is found necessary

7.

1

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