Letters from the Western Pacific and Mashonaland 1878-1891 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter xix. consul in the new hebrides. The reader may remember that in his letter of August 12, 1888, Hugh Romilly mentioned that a report had reached him from Australia to the effect that he was to be appointed Consul in the New Hebrides, a new post which it had then been decided to establish for the first time. This report, which in course of time assumed the form of newspaper paragraphs, proved to be perfectly well founded, he having in fact been selected early in the year for the appointment by the Foreign Office on the recommendation of the Colonial Office, the Consular service being subject to the former of these two Departments. No official intimation on the subject, however, was received by him till much later, nor, although he was aware that his connection with New Guinea was likely soon to come to an end on the expected proclamation of the Queen's sovereignty over the British portion of that country, did he receive any information as to when that event and the arrival of the future Administrator was likely to take place. I may here quote a passage from a private memorandum of his, dated New Hebrides, December 31 1889, to explain the manner in which the information at length reached him, and the difficulties of the position in which he was thereby placed. So far as I knew no date had been fixed for the formal hoisting of the British flag and the reading of the future Administrator's commission and letters patent. We supposed, judging from former experiences, that there would be a delay of some months, and I considered at all events that I should be advised as to the probable date when I might expect the man-of-war bearing the future Administrator. No such advice, however, was sent me, and about midday of September 4, 1888,...