[3] This allowed laws to be made swiftly and efficiently, as it was directly responsible to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in London, instead of being placed under a legislative hierarchy and answering to the Calcutta government based in India.

Letters patent granted a colonial constitution on 4 February, which allocated much power to the governor.

Consisting mostly of wealthy Asian business and professional leaders, they did not necessarily represent the collective will of the people, however.

Despite obvious control by British subjects of European descent, there was little opposition towards the system from the local Asian population, mainly attributed to apathy.

Initiatives like these were unsuccessful, as there was little support from a society widely apathetic to local politics, with the Chinese population paying more attention towards growing their commercial and professional interests and in events which were occurring in China, fuelled largely by the rise in Chinese nationalist sentiments.