The following letter has been handed to the Hongkong papers for publication by the Secretary of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce inpériewse, at Yokohama, oth July 1889.
Sin,—With reference to your letter of the Ist March last, addressed to Commodore Church, on the subject of the survey of the Coast of China, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty inform me, and I have the honour to request you will communicate the same to the Chamber, that in arranging the distribution of Her Majesty's surveying ships, the requirements in connection with the survey of the Chinese Coast are fully considered, but that their Lordships are unable to undertake to keep a vessel perma-nantly on that Coast, to the neglect of other Imperial interests.—I have, &e, Vice-Admiral.
F. Hexvensox, Esq., Secretary of Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.