The former governor of Hong Kong and Singapore, Sir Robert Black, who has died at 93, was a tough Scot, one of that special breed of imperial pro-consuls who set high standards for education, discipline and political advancement in their territories and were fierce champions for their inhabitants.
During his service he faced a showdown with militant politicians in Singapore, the tide of nearly 2m refugees from mainland China seeking entry into Hong Kong in the 1950s, and a water shortage which he ended with quiet diplomacy.