Colony might derive from the change, ought not for a moment be regarded as his motive for introducing it, but that a sum exceeding $200,000 per annum could easily be derived from that source, and, if the Mint were closed, the Colony would then be able to resume payment of its Military Contribution and also to dispense with the Stamp Act.
Meanwhile, however, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos had succeeded to the Earl of Carnarvon, and he, while fully concurring in his predecessor's instructions, abstained from entering into any discussion of the Governor's arguments, gave no discretionary power to the Governor such as he sought, and expressly declined (April 1, 1867) to sanction the farming system. Subsequently he specified (July 18, 1867) that the licence fees should be limited to an amount covering police arrangements connected with the system. It was on this basis that the Duke informed Sir Richard (August 28, 1867) that Her Majesty had graciously confirmed and allowed the proposed Ordinance (8 of 1866, now re-enacted as 9 of 1867) for the maintenance of order and cleanliness.
Now it must be pointed out that, up to July, 1867, the Hongkong community, though well aware that the Governor had energetically attempted to suppress gambling and to purge out corruption in the Police Force and that he had failed, knew nothing of the Governor's secret discussions with his Council nor of the sanction given by the Earl of Carnarvon and by the Duke of Buckingham to the proposed licensing of gaming houses. Moreover, those paragraphs of Ordinance 9 of 1867 which gave the Governor power to make regulations for 'the better limitation and control of gambling' were so worded that the uninitiated reader would not suspect, what the Council and the Secretary of State well knew, viz., that gambling was to be regulated and suppressed, by licensing it, under this Ordinance.
As soon as Sir Richard learned by telegraph that Ordinance 9 of 1867 would be confirmed, he disclosed his scheme (July 10, 1867) to the public, arranged forthwith the licensing of eleven gaming houses (afterwards increased to sixteen) and opened
