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17. As regards the first of these three points, I am not inclined to add to the number of the Unofficial Members without at the same time increasing also the number of Official Members, for in a Crown Colony there must be a very dis- tinct preponderance on the Official side, and that the natural result of evenly balancing the numbers of Officials and Unofficials is friction and irritation.

With this proviso, there is, as far as I can judge, no strong objection to increasing the numbers of the Council, except that for practical working purposes the num- ber is already sufficiently large. If, however, an addition is made, it is difficult on equitable grounds to resist the conclusion that another Chinese representative should be appointed. On the other hand, this is contrary to the wishes of the petitioners as far as I understand them; and Mr. KESWICK who, in his interesting and temperate letter, which is enclosed in your despatch, advocates the appointment of an additional Unofficial Member to the Legislative Council, strongly deprecates "the addition to the Legislative Council of a second representative of the Chinese." The balance of argument therefore appears to be against any change in the present number and composition of the Legislative Council.

18. The second suggestion is that an Unofficial Member should be appointed to the Executive Council. The suggestion is made by Mr. KESWICK, and you state in your despatch that you have personally no objection to it, and that the conces sion would be very popular and not altogether impolitic.

I can well realise that the addition of a gentleman of high standing and great local experience would be a gain to the Executive Council, and I shall be prepared to sanction the proposal if you still recommend it after further considering the following points.

In none of the three Eastern colonies at the present time is there any unofficial element in the Executive Council, and I am not clear that the step would in all cases be actively beneficial, whereas I am quite clear that the existing system has on the whole worked well, and that therefore there is no strong reason for dis- turbing it.

In the next place I note that Mr. KESWICK proposes that the Unofficial Mem- ber should be of English birth. It must, however, be taken into consideration that it would be invidious and inequitable to lay down that Chinese subjects of the Queen shall be debarred from appointment to the Executive Council, and therefore the possibility of the appointment being hereafter filled by a Chinese gentleman must be reckoned with.

In the third place, you state that practically unofficial assistance in the Ex- ecutive Council "could always be obtained, if the status quo were maintained” and you add that you "invariably consult the Unofficial Members before bringing into Council measures of purely local interest." There is therefore not likely to be much practical gain from the formal appointment of an Unofficial Member to the Executive Council.

It has occurred to me that possibly, instead of making any such appointment, some understanding might be come to that in the case of discussion of specified local subjects, at any rate so long as there is no municipality in existence at Hongkong, one or more Unofficial Members should be summoned to take part in the proceedings of the Executive Council, without giving them seats on the Council for all purposes. This is a point on which I shall be glad to have your opinion,

frankly say that I appear to be two I am not prepared

18. With regard to the institution of a municipal council, I should like to see one established at Hongkong. But there practical difficulties in the way. The first is the present crisis. to sanction any important change of administration, until the future is tolerably clear and until the necessary measures for protecting the health of the Colony have

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