CO129-253 - Public Offices & Others - 1891 — Page 628

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"the whole proceeding was founded in falsehood, and crowned with falsehood." Not only do I disclose a long course of injustice and irreparable injury done to myself, but I come before my fellow countrymen in these pages with grave public scandals to denounce.

The numerous posts for which the Commander-in-Chief himself selected me (Brochure 11, pp. 6-18), and the many proofs of regard and esteem which men well qualified to judge have sent me (Brochure 13, pp. 26, 53, 54, 66), prove that, up to my last and most important command, a very high opinion was entertained about me at the Horse Guards.

During my last command, in China, everything points to the fact that I did my duty und justified in every way my selection for that responsible post (Brochures 11, pp. 48-66, and 18, pp. 138-165).

The letters written at the time show the delight with which I accepted His Royal Highness's offer to send me for the third time to Hong Kong, not for the sake of the pay, but for the love of soldiering; and upon the honourable understanding that, if I met with the success that I did, I should be saved from the guillotine-knife of compulsory retirement whilo still fit for active service, and before I attained the limit of age. But, notwithstanding my entire success and the approval of my arrangements for the war that was so generally expected, my applications to remain at Hong Kong after 1 was promoted were refused because of the backbiting of Sir George Bowen, whom I charged with cowardice and other disgraceful conduct,

The charges which I preferred against this man were not made while I was in China, for during my command I studiously avoided writing home one single word against him. The origin of the whole deplorable affair was his quarrelling with other civilians, when, although no soldier was involved

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in their bitter strifes, both sides persisted in appealing to The opinion which I then expressed of this man's con- duct has ever since rankled in his heart; but it was only upon my return to England, when I found that he had con- tinued the backbiting which he had begun out there, that I made my charges against him, charges which the authorities were afraid to face.

I have said that my applications to remain at Hong Kong were refused in spite of the grievous disappointment to my soldier's heart which this refusal entailed. I took it as

a good soldier should and made no complaint. At the same time, before leaving Hong Kong I addressed to the Military Secretary a respectful application for a K.C.B.ship, in the hope that I might receive this distinction partly as a reward for former services and partly by way of counterpoise to the refusal to my applications to remain at my post when war was so confidently expected. A copy of this letter, to which no answer was vouchsafed, will be found at pp. 16 and 17 of Brochure 2. (See also pp. 4-7 of same Brochure.)

I relinquished my command in China on the 31st March, 1885, and returned at once to England. On my return I was received by the Commander-in-Chief in the coldest manner possible, while the Military Secretary would not see me at all. My numerous applications for employment during the next two years met with nothing but refusals. What was I to do? I felt slipping from my grasp the fruits of a long and honourable carcer. I could reproach myself with nothing; but I knew I had made a bitter and unseru- pulons enemy in Sir George Bowen, Governor of Hong Kong. I knew of this man's great influence with the Colonial Office (see Brochure 1, p. 9), and I felt convinced that he alone could have been the cause of the changed Then it attitude towards me of the authorities at home was, two years after my return from China, that I first un-

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