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that if His liajesty should decide to utilise my services
elsewhere, Sir Henry Kay should succeed me, you will
perhaps desire my expression of opinion.
I am of course unaware how far in the
general interests of the Empire, and of his present
appointment, it may or may not be in any way possible
to entertain such a request, and I venture of course only
to speak from the point of view of this Colony.
5.
The very sad death of Mr Barnes has not
only deprived Hongkong of an exceptionally able officer,
who had gained the confidence and personal esteem of all
sections of the community in a remarkably short time,
but it involves the appointment of a man who will be new
to the conditions of the Colony at a time when it is of
importance that ex either the Governor or his senior
executive official should be a man fully conversant with
local conditions, and in whom the Chinese population have
entire confidence. That Sir Henray May is such a man is
shevm by the attached letter, and I feel that I could hand
over the administration of the Colony to him with confidence
that he will understand the situation better than any
other man could do. I am aware that he would himself
greatly desire the appointment.
6.
In any case I venture to urge that no delay
should occur in appointing my successor, in the event of your deciding with His Majesty's consent to transfer me elsewhere, for the events now occurring in China render it imperative that a responsible officer should represent
the Crown here.
7.
It is not improbable that the present
critical position of affairs may have resolved itself
into the dominance of one or other of the contending parties before March next, and the new Governor of Hongkong
will
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