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IR Arthur E. Kennedy,, who had previously acted as Governor of several Colonial Possessions (West-coast of Africa, Western Australia, Vancouver's Island, and West African Settlements), arrived in Hongkong, as Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Colony and its Dependencies, on 16th April, 1872. During his tenure of office, Sir Arthur was absent from the Colony but twice. On 15th October, 1874, he left for England but, hearing in Singapore of Lady Kennedy's death, he immediately returned to Hongkong (November 6, 1874). Again, on 11th March, 1875, Sir Arthur left the Colony on furlough and returned on 2nd December, 1875. On both occasions the Government was administered during his absence by the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. J. Gardiner Austin.

When Sir Arthur was sworn in as Governor and Commander-in-chief, an error was made in the oath tendered to him by the Acting Chief Justice (H. J. Ball) and consequently he had to be sworn in again as to the part in which the wrong oath had before been administered. Major-General Whitfield, who had administered the Government previous to Sir Arthur's arrival, remained in command of Her Majesty's Forces in China and the Straits until April 1874. A public address was presented to him, on his departure from the Colony, testifying to the respect in which he was held among the community, on account of the conscientiousness and the unassuming geniality he displayed in the discharge of his several offices.

Sir A. Kennedy had hardly anything to do in the way of diplomatic negotiations with foreign Governments, but a great