While there is no change in the British policy towards the legitimate aspirations of the Chinese people wherever authoritative tunelated it is clear that those for whom you speak have failed to make Hood their claim to govern in ac-¢ordanee with the standards of responsible modern government, hey have even shirked the responsibility of accepting the studiously moderate terms pre-ented to them for the settlement of the outrages at Nanking. H. M. Government have accordingly been forced to the conclusion, which I now convey to you, that my retention as the representative of His Majesty's Minister at the seat of a regime so, totally incapable of discharging the responsibility of a civilized Government is both useless and undesirable, and in accordance with Instructions I am, therefore, leaving Hankow forthwith, 1 have the honour to be, Your obedient servi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.