Sessional_Paper_1886-1887 — Page 238

235

7. The Conference will necessarily be purely consultative, and it will therefore. not be material that the Colonies should have equal or proportional representation upon it. The desire of Her Majesty's Government would rather be that its con- stitution should be sufficiently comprehensive to include, in addition to the Agent- General or other specially deputed representative of each Government, any leading public man who may be at liberty to come to England next year, and may be specially qualified to take a useful part in the deliberations. It will, I think, be convenient that I should preside at the Conference, and I need not say that I anticipate much advantage to myself and to Her Majesty's Government from the opportunities of acquiring information which will thus be afforded to me.

8. I will only add, in conclusion, that I am confident that your Government will, as I do, feel deep interest in this first attempt to bring all parts of Her Majesty's Empire into joint deliberation. However modest the commencement may be, results may grow out of it affecting, in a degree which it is at present difficult to appreciate, the interests of the Empire and of the civilised world.

To the Governors of Colonies

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

EDWARD STANHOPE.

under Responsible Government.

P.S.-My own opinion is that the best time for meeting would be the month of April or May, but I should be glad in this matter to be guided by the general opinion of the Colonial Governments.

(3.)

The Officer Administering the Government of Hongkong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

SIR,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 31st December, 1886.

I have the honour to acknowledge your Separate Despatch of 25th November last, on the subject of the Conference which it is proposed to hold next year in London, for the purpose of discussing certain questions of common interest to all parts of the Empire. I am asked to furnish you with the name of any High Officer, or leading public man connected with this Colony, who is likely to be in London, during the spring of next year, and who might represent Hongkong, should circumstances render it desirable. I beg to propose the name of Mr. O'MALLEY, the Attorney General, now at home on leave, but as his leave will perhaps have expired before the Conference meets I would submit also the names of Mr. WILLIAM KESWICK, the late senior partner in the firm of JARDINE, MATHESON & Co., and Mr. THOMAS JACKSON, the Chief Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. Both these gentlemen, who are Members of the Legislative Council, are now at home. They have been long connected with Hongkong as well as the various Coast Ports of China and Japan, and either of them would be able to afford valuable information in all matters relating to the interests of the Colony.

The Right Honourable

E. STANHOPE, M.P.,

&c.,

&C.,

&c.

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

W. H. MARSH,