648121-1893-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts — Page 6

1046 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH OCTOBER, 1893.

(Captain Miller, Captain Tillett, and Captain Anderson, to Colonial Secretary.)

SIB,

HONGKONG, 28th September, 1893.

Adverting to recent directions from His Excellency the Governor appointing us members of a Committee, over which Dr. DOBERCK has been authorised to preside, to inquire into the method adopted for the issue of meteorological reports and weather forecasts from the Observatory at Kowloon, and to suggest any improvements appearing desirable, we, the undersigned, have the honour to state that three meetings of this Committee have now been held, and it is with deep regret that we feel obliged, at this stage of the proceedings, to request His Excellency will be pleased to allow us to withdraw from this Committee, feeling assured from the Chairman's expressed opinions, both verbally and in his letter to you (H.K.O. No. 81) read at last Meeting, that, regarding our acquaintance with the subject in hand, there is in his mind a want of that confidence in his associates which is so essential to the harmonious and efficient working out of the problem before us.

At a meeting held in the Observatory on Tuesday last, Dr. DOBERCK's letter to you (H.K.O. No. 81), which hitherto had not been examined, was read at the request of the Committee, and clause 3 was taken exception to. Dr. DOBERCK admitted that the expression therein regarding the acquaintance of the other members of the Committee with meteorological research was an unfortunate one, and it was decided that a letter should be written to you withdrawing it.

Yesterday a draft of the letter which Dr. DOBERCK proposes to send was forwarded to us for concurrence, the wording of which only confirms us in the opinion already expressed, viz., that there is a want of confidence and hearty co-operation between the Chairman and those associated with him, without which the labours of the Committee must inevitably prove abortive.

Under these circumstances we feel the only course of procedure left us is to tender to His Excellency the Governor, with the most profound respect, our resignation as members of the Committee.

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

A. W. MILLER,

Master Attendant, Hongkong Dockyard.

A. TILLETT,

Marine Superintendent, C.P.R. Co.'s Vessels.

G. C. ANDERSON,

Marine Surveyor and Superintendent, Indo-China Steam Navigation Co., Limited.

The Honourable G. T. M. O'BRIEN, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.

No. 1,398.

SIR,

(Colonial Secretary to Master Attendant, Hongkong Dockyard.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 30th September, 1893.

I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 28th instant, and to acquaint you that the Governor has no alternative but to accept the resignations therein tendered by yourself and your co-signatories.

I have the honour to be.

Sir.

Your most obedient Servant,

THE MASTER ÅTTENDANT,

Hongkong Dockyard.

G. T. M. O'BRIEN, Colonial Secretary.