CO129-301 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [9-12] — Page 638

NO.

519.

MECA

38091

Prof 29 JAN OF

Government House.

Hongkong, 28. he

634

December, 1900.

до

Jor

41459.

sir,

4450

mbc

3769

"Bastim

With reference to my telegram of the

19th instant, informing you that two cadets were nuw

urgently required by this Government, and in explanation

or the apparent, discrepancy between that telegram and my

reply to your telegraphic inquiry of the #th February, in

which I stated that no cadets were required this year, I

have the honour to drew your attention to the great

changes in the Hongkong cadet service, which have been

́ affected by the creation or no less than six new civil

appointments during the current year, some of which are temporary, but certain of which may be permanent.

R. In February last, when I had

Your telegram under consideration, there were' in this Colony two unpassed cadets, Mr Clementi and Mr Wood, whose

services were not demanded by the exigencies of the

public service, and who were engaged solely in study of the Chinese language. It is true that there was' even then

one padet post, that of Assistant Registrar General, to

which (no cadet being eligible)' I had temporarily

appointed Mr Dyer Ball. But the: Assistent- Registrar

· General requires a considerable knowledge of Chinese for

the proper discharge of his duties, and the position would therefore in no way have been improved by the addition to

the civil establishment of 8 cadets just arrived from Ingland, and therefore destitute of the necessary knowled-

ge and experience.

THE RIGHT. HONOURABLE

{ JOSEFT CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

&C.

During