CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 469

465

gain by this assimilation of the services is

that the rate of promotion will be more or less

equal throughout. I do not think it is

necessary to enlarge upon the abstract justice

of this policy.

144 Zor

The position of the Hong Kong cadets

mus therefore be looked at broadly, in com-

ist

parison with the position of cadets in the

Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay

States, he fore it can be said that they have

been unfairly treated as regards the deferment

of their promotion to substantive appointments;

this

and from water point of view, I fail to find

mequalities

any real grievance, or any additi

ex-

cept such as are bound to arise from time to

time owing to the irregular occurrence of op-

portunities for promotion. One out of two

1897 cadets, and one out of two 1899 cadets,

have received substantive appointments. in

Hong Kong; and the situation is much the same

in the Straits Settlements and the Federated

Malay