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544 Queen (October 29, 1878) signed by 2,218 shop-keepers. It was practically an expression of confidence in the Governor, intended as a set-off against the views of the British and foreign community, and couched in the usual inflated style of exaggerated flattery, common in China. After some significant hesitation, the Committee of the Tungwa Hospital, representing most of the Chinese merchants, also presented (November 13, 1878) a Memorial, deprecatory of the resolutions passed at the public meeting. On 5th May, 1879, the Chinese were informed that Her Majesty was pleased to receive their address. On the same day Sir John re-appointed the gentleman (H. B. Gibb), who had acted as chairman of the great indignation meeting, to a seat in the Council. On 31st May, 1879, the movers and seconders of the resolutions of that meeting addressed to the Secretary of State (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach) a complaint on account of their Memorial having been left unanswered. A few months later (September 17, 1879), Sir John, deeming himself to have scored a victory, had the satisfaction of publishing in the Gazette the resolutions of the public meeting and a series of documents connected with it, including the reply of Sir Michael (dated July 17, 1879) to the Memorial of the European community. In this reply the Secretary of State quoted statistics showing a great increase of serious crime having taken place in 1877 and 1878, admitted also that during those two years the criminal classes of Hongkong had advanced in. audacity, combination and the habit of carrying arms, and acknowledged the reasonableness of the alarm felt by residents in the Colony, but declined sending out a special Commission, believing that meanwhile all cause for fear had been removed by the action of the Governor. Nevertheless crime had continued to flourish for a little longer. On 22nd October, 1878, a coolie was beaten to death in High Street and on 17th January, 1879, an armed attack was made on Hunghom. In January, 1879, the general sense of insecurity was such that a rumour spread among the Chinese and gained credence that preparations were being made by a fleet of pirates to descend upon Hongkong