Sessional Papers - 1888





PAPERS LAID BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG NOV1887 - DEC 1888

Table of Contents

1. Assessment

Assessor's Report on the assessment for 1888-9

2. Births and Deaths

Returns of Births and Deaths for the Year 1887

3. Blue Book

Report on the Blue Book and Departmental Reports for 1887

4. Botanical and afforestation

Report of the Superintendent of the Botanical and afforestation Department for 1887

5. Coins

Papers Relating to the Importation of Subsidiary Coins. Presented to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

6. Colonial Surgeon

Colonial Surgeon's Report for 1887

7. Courts

Returns of Superior and Subordinate Courts for 1887

8. Education

Education Report for 1887

9. Estimates

Message of His Excellency the Governor (Sir G. William Des Voeux, K.C.M.G.) to the Legislative Council in Connection With Estimates for 1889

10. Fever Prevailing in the Western District

Report of the Commissioners appointed By His Excellency Sir G. William Des Voeux, K.C.M.G. to Enquire into the Cause of the Fever Prevailing in the Western District together With the Minutes of Evidence Taken Before the Commission (Blue Book)

11. Finance Committee

Report of Proceedings of the Finance Committee, at a Meeting Held in the Council Chamber, Hong Kong, on the 19th November 1887

12. Fire Bridage

Report of the Superintendent of Fire Brigade for 1887

13. Government Central School

Annual Report of the Head Master of the Government Central School for 1887 Presented to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

14. Harbour Master

Harbour Master's Report for 1887

15. Interpretation

Report on interpretation, Presented to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

16. Legislative Council

Proceedings

17. Lighthouse on Gap Rock

Correspondence Respecting a Proposed Lighthouse on Gap Rock (In Continuation of No.20 of 1887)

18. Lighthouse on Gap Rock

Proposed Lighthouse on Gap Rock (In Continuation of No.20 of 1887, and No.10 of 1888)

19. Main-Drainage

Report on the Separate System of Main-Drainage

20. Observatory

Report of the Director of the Observatory for 1887

21. Police

Report of the Captain Superintendent of Police for 1887 Presented to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

22. Postmaster General

Postmaster General's Report for 1887 Present to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

23. Praya Reclamation Scheme

Correspondence Respecting the Praya Reclamation Scheme

24. Receipts and Payments, 1887

Statement Showing the total Receipts and Payments in the Year 1887

25. Tonnage

Return of tonnage, & C, Entered the Colony in 1887. Presented to the Legislative Council, By Command of His Excellency the Governor

26. Victoria Gaol

Report of the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol for 1887

 

WITHDRAWN 28.MAY 1981

26557

July 3014+ 1930

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 1.

WEDNESDAY, 2ND NOVEMBER, 1887.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL), vice His Honour SIR GEORGE

PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

*1

A

""

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD) vice the Honour-

able EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY, on leave.

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

WONG SHING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,

on leave).

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

ABSENT:

The Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE, (by leave).

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 23rd September last, were read and confirmed. SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1886.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of

; Bill.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question--put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

The Colonial Secretary gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move the nd reading of the Bill.

✔APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1888.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

The Colonial Secretary gave notice that, at the next meeting of the Council, he would move the cond reading of the Bill.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Tuesday, the 8th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 16th day of November, 1887.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

די

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 2.

WEDNESDAY, 16TH NOVEMBEṚ, 1887.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL), vice His Honour SIR GEORGE

PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

""

27

1)

"

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD) vice the Honour-

able EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY, on leave.

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

WONG SHING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAvid Sassoon,

on leave).

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

""

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

""

ABSENT:

D

The Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE, (by leave).

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 2nd instant, were read and confirmed.

MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.—Read the following message from His Excel- lency the Governor :-

16th November, 1887..

HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,-I have had the honour to cause to be laid on the table of the Legislative Council the Estimates of revenue and expenditure for 1888, and I would request your special attention to them, inasmuch as after so short a residence in the Colony, my views as to the items appearing therein, and as to the omission of others, which have been proposed, may very possibly be modified under the light of your local experience.

The report of the Honourable the Colonial Secretary and Auditor General on these Estimates deals generally with their contents. More specific explanation will be given orally in Council to those Members who desire it.

I deem it well, however, to note here that there has, by an oversight, been omitted from the Estimates of expenditure an item for a lighthouse to be situated either at the Gap Rock or on some other spot, as may be settled with the Imperial Government of China; and I take the opportunity of saying that this important subject is engaging my earnest attention.

The amount of $30,000 set down for this item is as large a sum as can probably be expended on the object in question during the coming year.

I am glad to be able to congratulate you on the satisfactory financial position of the Colony. Though the balance to credit which is expected at the end of the year 1888 is not a large one, owing to the heavy demands for works involving extraordinary expenditure, the revenue is steadily increasing. with good promise of still further increase; while it will pro- bably receive a large accession in 1889 on the conclusion of the present opium contract. Several important works, such as a New Sheep Market, Slaughter Houses both in Victoria and Kowloon, and Public Laundries which are required to meet the increasing needs of the Colony, will have to be undertaken, as soon as these expectations approach somewhat neare to realisation.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM COAST PORTS.-DELAY IN DELIVERY OF-Mr. MACEWEN, in accordanc with notice. asked the Postmaster General, Whether it is correct that Correspondence from Coas Ports arriving unpaid is subjected to a delay of many hours before delivery ensues, in addition to bein charged with double postage rates.

The Honourable the Treasurer replied, That correspondence which, by some inadvertance of the sender is insufficiently prepaid, is delivered with as little delay as possible; but that which in contra- vention of postal regulations, is despatched by the sender without any attempt at prepayment, is allowed to stand over until it can be dealt with without unduly delaying the paid contents of the Mails. Insufficient postage is doubled under all circumstances. Instead of many hours it would be more correct to say some hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1886.--The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill, and laid on the table the Supplementary Estimates for 1886.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1888.-The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill, and laid upon the table the draft Estimates for 1888.

Captain THOMSETT, seconded.

Mr. MACEWEN addressed the Council.

The Treasurer addressed the Council.

The Governor addressed the Council. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be referred to the Finance Committee.

Captain THOMSETT seconded.

Question-put and passed.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 30th day of November, 1887.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 3.

WEDNESDAY, 30TH NOVEMBER, 1887.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD) vice the Honour-

able EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY, on leave.

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

""

11

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

5

WONG SHING..

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

"J

"

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

13

ABSENT:

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL), vice His Honour SIR GEORGE

PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable PHINEAS RYRIE, (on leave).

1)

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,

on leave).

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 16th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTES OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the Minutes of His Excellency the Governor recommending the following Votes in excess of the Estimates for 1887:--

C.S.O. 1901 of 1887.

ESTABLISHMENTS.

Surveyor General.

(1.) Salary and allowance to Land Surveyor in the Public Works Department,

viz.:

Salary from 1st July to 30th November, 1887, at $2,520 per annum, $1,050.00 Allowance for Chair hire from 1st July to 30th November, at $24

per month,

120.00

C. O. Desp. 117 of 1887.

C.5.0. 2008 of 1887.

Surveyor General.-Sanitary Sub-Department.

Inspector of Live Stock.

(2.) Salary from 8th September to 23rd October, 1887, (during voyage), at $900

per annum,

From 24th October to 30th November, at $2,400 per annum, Allowance for Chair hire from 24th October to 30th November, at $12 per

month,...

Harbour Master.

(3.) Pay of Crew and other contingent expenses of the Steam-launch Stanley,

(formerly Victoria), viz.:~

Engineer at $30 per month for 10 months,.

Fireman at $15

>>

>>

Coxswain at $10

""

**

3 Sailors at $ 7 each

>>

>>

""

.....

Coal, Oil, Water, &c. for 10 months,.

Moorings,

$1,170.00

$ 113.15 251.61

15.10

$ 379.86

..$ 300.00

150.00

100.00

210.00

$ 760.00 3.130.00

25.00

$ 3,915.00

Ь

C.S.O.

1526 of 1887.

C.S.O.

2658 of 1887.

C.S.O. 2530 of 1887.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Medical.

(4.) General overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steam-launch Blanche, and

hire of a Steam-launch while the repairs are being executed,

Works and Buildings.

(5.) Additional vote for repairs to buildings.

Roads, Streets and Bridges.

(6.) New posts and rails for the Garrison Parade Ground,

Miscellaneous Services.

.$ 325.00

.$2,200.00

...$ 500.00

C.S.0.

1499 of 1887.

C.S.O. 1404 of 1887,

(7.) Expenses connected with the celebration of H. M. Jubilee, viz.:-

Jubilee Service held in the Cathedral,

Illuminations of Government buildings, Employment of additional Police Constables,

Employment of Coolies at Fire Brigade Stations,

Colonial Exhibition.

8.) Re-vote of amounts voted in 1885 and 1886, as contributions towards the

expenses connected with the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, viz.:-

£500 voted in 1885 @ 3/5,

£275.11.0 out of £2,000 voted in 1886 @ 3/3,

$5,000.00

=$2,926.82

1,695.94

$4,622.76

C.S.O. 2623 of 1887.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES.

Extraordinary Works.

(9.) Repairs to damages from land-slips, fall of walls, injuries to culverts, and other damages caused by the heavy rainstorms and freshets during the rainy season of the year,.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

$6,813.00

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 18) having reference to the Supplementary Estimates, 1886, and the Estimates 1887.

The Governor addressed the Council on the several suggestions made in the Report.

SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1886.-On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, seconded

by the Treasurer, the Council went into Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, seconded by the Treasurer, the Bill was then read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance No. 25 of 1887.

PROPOSED FURTHER LOAN-The Governor addressed the Council on the desirability of raising a further Loan to provide for remunerative Public Works.

7

Colon

THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1888.-On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, seconded by the Treasurer, the Council went into Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, seconded by the Treasurer, the Bill was then read a third time.

Question put--that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance No. 26 of 1887..

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 13th day of January, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 4.

FRIDAY, 13TH JANUARY, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD) vice the Honour-

able EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY, on leave.

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

""

*)

""

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

PHINEAS RYRIE.

""

WONG SHING.

""

""

A

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,

on leave).

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 30th November last, were read and confirmed. VOTES OF MONEY PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee (No. 19), held on the 30th November last, and moved that the following items referred to therein be passed:-

C.S.0.

1901 of 1887.

C. O. Desp. 117 of 1887.

ESTABLISHMENTS. Surveyor General.

(1.) Salary and allowance to Land Surveyor in the Public Works Department,

viz.:

Salary from 1st July to 30th November, 1887, at $2,520 per annum, $1,050.00 Allowance for Chair hire from 1st July to 30th November, at $24

per month,

Surveyor General.-Sanitary Sub-Department. Inspector of Live Stock.

(2.) Salary from 8th September to 23rd October, 1887, (during voyage), at $900

per annum,

From 24th October to 30th November, at $2,400 per annum, Allowance for Chair hire from 24th October to 30th November, at $12 per

month,.....

120.00

$1,170.00

$ 113.15 251.61

15.10

$ 379.86

Harbour Master.

C.S.O.

2008 of 1887. (3.) Pay of Crew and other contingent expenses of the Steam-launch Stanley,

(formerly Victoria), viz.:--

Engineer at $30 per month for 10 months,

Fireman at $15

""

>>

""

Coxswain at $10

"}

""

3 Sailors at $ 7 each

""

""

Coal, Oil, Water, &c. for 10 months,.. Moorings,

.$ 300.00

150.00

100.00

210.00

$ 760.00

3,130.00 .25.00

$ 3,915.00

10

C.S.O.

1526 of 1887.

C.S.O. 2658 of 1887.

C.S.O. 2530 of 1887.

C.S.O.

1492 of 1887.

C.S.O.

1404 of 1887.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Medical.

(4.) General overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steam-launch Blanche, and

hire of a Steam-launch while the repairs are being executed,

Works and Buildings.

(5.) Additional vote for repairs to buildings,

Roads, Streets and Bridges.

6.) New posts and rails for the Garrison Parade Ground,

Miscellaneous Services.

(7.) Expenses connected with the celebration of H. M. Jubilee, viz.:—

Jubilee Service held in the Cathedral,. Illuminations of Government buildings, Employment of additional Police Constables, Employment of Coolies at Fire Brigade Stations...

Colonial Exhibition.

(S.) Re-vote of amounts voted in 1885 and 1886, as contributions towards the

expenses connected with the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, viz.:—

£500 voted in 1885 @ 3/5,

£275.11.0 out of £2,000 voted in 1886 @ 3/3,

.$ 325.00

$2,200.00

.$ 500.00

$5.000.00

$2,926.82

= 1,695.94

$4,622.76

C.8.0.

2623 of 1887,

EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDItures.

Extraordinary Works.

(9.) Repairs to damages from land-slips, fall of walls, injuries to culverts, and other damages caused by the heavy rainstorms and freshets during the rainy season of the year,...

The Treasurer.seconded.

Question-put and passed.

$6,813.00

BILLS READ A FIRST TIME.-On the motion of the Honourable the Acting Attorney General, seconded by the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, the following Bills were read a first time:-

(a.) The Cathedral Ordinance, 1888.

(b.) The Vagrancy Ordinance, 1888.

(c.) An Ordinance to provide for the preservation of copies of Books printed in Hongkong, and

for the registration of such Books.

(d.) An Ordinance to amend the Reformatory Schools Ordinance, 1886.

(e.) The Regulation of Chinese Ordinance, 1888.

(f.) An Ordinance prohibiting the Enclosure of Verandahs erected over Crown Lands.

(g.) An Ordinance for the Registration of Imports and Exports.

(h.) The Trees Preservation Ordinance, 1888.

(i.) The Unclaimed Balances Ordinance, 1888.

(j) An Ordinance to amend the Crown Remedies Ordinance, 1875.

(k.) The Official Signatures Fees Ordinance, 1888.

(1.) An Ordinance for the naturalization of FRITZ ADOLPH FRICCIUS GROBIEN.

(m.) An Ordinance for the naturalization of HILLUNE LOO NGAWK alias Loo KIU FUNG. (n.) An Ordinance for the naturalization of LAI SHANG alias LAI CHEK KÜN. (0.) An Ordinance for the naturalization of LAI KIT, alias LAI CHEUK. (p.) An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No 15 of 1886.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Friday, the 20th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 25th day of January, 1888.

ARATHOON Seth, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

1

1

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 5.

WEDNESDAY, 25TH JANUARY, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

the Attorney General, EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY.

""

27

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

17

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

""

""

}

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

""

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

"}

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

SWEARING IN OF MEMBERS.-Mr. H. G. THOMSETT, R.N., and Mr. A. P. MACEWEN, were, pursuant to Her Majesty's Warrants dated respectively the 11th October, 1887, and 8th December, 1887, duly sworn in and admitted as Members of the Council.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 13th instant, were read and confirmed.

QUESTIONS. Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice asked:---

in

What washing arrangement is made to keep the clothes of Small-pox Patients at the Government

Hospitals from contaminating the clothes of the general public?

Is there any system of disinfection of said clothes such as a disinfecting Chamber?

The Colonial Secretary replied.

BILL ENTITLED THE DEFENCES SKETCHING PREVENTION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE ENCLOSURE OF VERANDAHS ERECTED OVER CROWN LANDS.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

Mr. RYRIE then proposed that the going into Committee on this Bill be postponed.

Mr. BELL-IRVING seconded.

Question-put and passed.

12

BILL ENTITLED THE OFFICIAL SIGNATURES FEES ORDINANCE, 1888.--The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF FRITZ ADOLPH FRICCIUS GROBIEN.- The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretery seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF HILLUNE Loo NGAWK otherwise Loo KIU FUNG.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LAI SHANG otherwise LAI CHEK KÜN.-- The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill,

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LAI KIT otherwise LAI CHEUK.--The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Friday, the 3rd proximo, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 3rd day of February, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

13

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 6.

FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave!

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

""

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

""

HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

PHINEAS RYRIE.

""

WONG SHING.

""

་་

""

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 25th ultimo, were read and confirmed.

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.--Read the following Message from His Excellency the Governor:-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has given his careful consideration, in Council, to the question recently raised by the Honourable Mr. MACEWEN with regard to the sittings of the Finance Committee. He is informed that for a long time past, nothing has occurred at any of the meetings of the Committee, which might have not been published without prejudice to the Public Service, and he moreover strongly sympathizes with the view that discussions on votes of public money should, as a rule, be held in public. On the other hand the practice of private sittings has the sanction of long usage, and though the advantages which it possesses, or the conditions that make it expedient, are not for the moment apparent, they must be presumed at one time to have existed and as therefore possible of recurrence. For this reason the Governor does not feel justified in sanctioning a complete alteration of the practice at once, but thinks that an experiment may safely be tried, which while making a sensible advance towards publicity, will permit of private sittings when they appear for any reason expedient.

It is proposed therefore that for the future the meetings of the Finance Committee shall, as a rule, be held with open doors, and that all votes be passed in public, it being however competent for any member, either by previous notice or otherwise, to secure a private discus- sion of such vote or votes as may appear to him to require it. As the principal reasons for or against every vote can under such a system always be elicited in the public hearing, either in the Finance Committee or in the Legislative Council, it is hoped that all reasonable de- mands for publicity will thus be satisfied.

On the other hand in the event, which the Governor does not deem probable, of the new practice proving by experience to have inconveniences which outweigh its obvious advan- tages, it will not be found difficult to return to that which has been hitherto followed.

Government House, Hongkong, 3rd February, 1888.

SUBSIDIARY COINS.—Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice made the following motion and addressed the Council:-

That in consequence of the frequent inconvenience caused to the Public owing to the insuffi- ciency of the supply of Small Coins, the Council recommend increased quantities to be regularly

Mr. MacEwen will also move for previous correspondence on the subject. Mr. RYRIE seconded, and addressed the Council.

sent out.

The Treasurer addressed the Council.

The Governor addressed the Council.

14

At the suggestion of the Governor, the Colonial Secretary moved that the Council resolve itselt into Committee in order to give greater scope for discussion of the question.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Discussion ensued in Committee, and His Excellency stated that he would give the subject early consideration and lay it before the Secretary of State.

The Council then resumed and proceeded with the other business of the day.

BILL ENTITLED THE VACCINATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved, and the Colonial Secretary seconded, the first reading of this Bill.

Question--put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

The Attorney General then moved, and the Colonial Secretary seconded, that the Standing Orders be suspended and the Bill be read a second time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 1 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE DEFENCES SKETCHING PREVENTION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved the third reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 2 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE UNCLAIMED BALANCES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General informed the Council that owing to some additions which will have to be made in this Bill it will be necessary to substitute it by another Bill, and therefore asked permission to withdraw this one.

Bill withdrawn.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CROWN REMEDIES ORDINANCE, 1875.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 3 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE ENCLOSURE OF VERANDAHS ERECTED OVER CROWN LANDS.-The Attorney General moved that the Bill be recommitted.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with the addition of a clause.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 4 of 1888.

}

}

>

[

15

BILL ENTITLED THE OFFICIAL SIGNATURES FEES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 5 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF FRITZ ADOLPH FRICCIUS GROBIEN. The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 6 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF HILLUNE LOO NGAWK otherwise Loo KIU FUNG.The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do

pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 7 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LAI SHANG otherwise LAI CHEK KÜN.—— The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 8 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LAI KIT otherwise LAI CHEUK.--The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 9 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 8th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 8th day of February, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES Vœux,

Governor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 7.

WEDNESDAY, 8TH FEBRUARY; 1888.

17

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.,

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

A

>>

""

""

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

PHINEAS RYRIE.

""

WONG SHING.

71

""

.་

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE), by permission.

"}

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 3rd instant, were read and confirmed. PAPER.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following paper :--

Annual Report of the Head Master of the Government Central School for 1887.—(No. 3). BILL ENTITLED THE UNCLAIMED BALANCES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General explained that this Bill was substituted for the one withdrawn at last meeting, and moved that it be read a first time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF COPIES OF BOOKS PRINTED IN HONGKONG, AND FOR THE REGISTRATION OF SUCH BOOKS.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 10 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE VAGRANCY ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second anding of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

18

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.-The Attorney General moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Mr. RYRIE moved a postponement, and addressed the Council.

Mr. BELL-IRVING seconded, and addressed the Council.

At the suggestion of His Excellency the Governor, the Colonial Secretary moved that the Council go into Committee in order that the question may be more freely discussed.

Question-put and passed.

Discussion ensued in Committee.

Further consideration of the Bill postponed.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Thursday, the 16th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 16th day of February, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

19

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 8.

THURSDAY, 16TH FEBRUARY, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

"

""

""

""

11

""

27

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'Malley)

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Harbour Master, (HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL Chater.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

SWEARING IN OF MEMBER.-Mr. CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, having been elected by the Justices of the Peace to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. F. D. SASSOON, was duly sworn in

and admitted a Member of the Council.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 8th instant, were read and confirmed.

K

PAPER. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following paper:-

Report of the Captain Superintendent of Police for 1887. (No. 3).

BILL ENTITLED THE STAMP DUTIES AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Treasurer moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE UNCLAIMED BALANCES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with some verbal amendments.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do

pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 11 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE VAGRANCY ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved that the Council resume consideration, in Committee, of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Council went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 12 of 1888.

20

JURY LIST, 1888.-Strangers having retired by request, the Council proceeded to consider the Jury List for 1888.

The List was duly revised, corrected, and the Special Jurors designated in terms of Section 4 of Ordinance 24 of 1882.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Tuesday, the 28th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 28th day of February, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

:

21

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 9.

TUESDAY, 28TH FEBRUARY, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), rice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

"" -

""

A

:

51

""

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JoHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Harbour Master, (HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

SWEARING IN OF MEMBER.Mr. JOHN BELL-IRVING, was, pursuant to Her Majesty's Warrant dated the 7th January, 1888, duly sworn in and adinitted a Member of the Council, in the room of Mr. WILLIAM KESWICK, resigned.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 16th instant, were read and confirmed.

C. O. Desp. No. 5 of 10th

PAPERS.-Read a Despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Jan., 1888. Colonies respecting the recent Jubilee celebrations in the Colony, and expressing Her Majesty's deep regret at the unfortunate incidents that occurred at the time.

The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the follow- ing paper :--

Return of Tonnage, &c. entered the Colony in 1887. (No.).

VOTES OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor:--

C.S.0.

2043 of 1887.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recomiends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred Dollars as a $300. Colonial contribution towards the maintenance of the Royal Naval Seamen's Club.

C.S.0.

2791 of 1887,

and

It is not unusual for Colonies, the water of which are frequented by Her Majesty's ships, to give assistance to similar institutions, which provide amusement, food, and lodging for the Seamen, and thus attract them from undesirable and injurious places of resort.

The Commodore has represented the difficulty of maintaning this Club on account of the heavy cost of rent and taxes, and has requested the remission of the latter. But while deeming it right to give some assistance in recognition of the usefulness of the institution, the Governor regards this particular form of concession as likely to become an inconvenient precedent, and he therefore recommends the above vote, the amount of which is the same as the contribution of the Admiralty.

Government House, Hongkong, 22nd February, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and Eighty-eight Dollars, for the salaries of Collector, Assistant Collector and Coolie employed in the Treasury $58s. for collecting Village Taxes and Squatter's Licence Fees.

395 of 1988.

These items were inadvertently omitted in the Treasurer's Estimates for 1888.

Collector,

Assistant Collector,......

Coolie,

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

..$ 240.00

240.00 108.00

$ 588.00

22

(3.)

C.S.O.

2838 of 1887.

$210.

C.S.O.

2885 of 1887, and

36 of 1988.

$25.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and forty Dollars as an allowance for a Mandarin Teacher for Messrs. MAY and SERCOMBE SMITH, at the rate of $20 per month.

This was inadvertently omitted in the Registrar General's Estimates for 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(4.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Twenty-four Dollars, as additional pay to the Gate-keeper of the Government Civil Hospital.

The salary of the late Chinese Gate-keeper was $8 per month, the Superintendent recom- mended that an Indian should be employed at the salary of $10 per month.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Treasurer seconded.

Question--put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED THE TREES PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Treasurer moved the first reading of this

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE REGULATION OF CHINESE ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Monday, the 5th proximo, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 5th day of March, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX,

Governor.

*

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 10. COUNCIL, No. 10.

MONDAY, 5TH MARCH, 1888.

23

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VOUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

"}

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY). the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

1

>>

"}

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

>"

the Harbour Master, (HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, PHINEAS RYRIE.

R.N.).

"

>>

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 28th ultimo, were read and confirmed.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee (No. 20), held on the 28th ultimo, and moved that the following items referred to therein be passed:—

C.S.O. 2791 of 1887,

and

395 of 1888.

ESTABLISHMENTS.

Treasurer.

Salaries of Collector, Assistant Collector, and Coolie employed in the Treasury for collecting

Village Taxes and Squatter's Licence Fees:-

Collector,

for 12 months,

Assistant Collector, Coolie,

""

21

Registrar General.

..$ 240.00

240.00

108.00

$ 588.00

C.S.O. 2838 of 1887,

C.S.O.

2885 of 1887, and

56 of 1888.

Allowance for a Mandarin Teacher for Messrs. MAY and SERCOMBE SMITH, at $20

per month, for 12 months,.

Medical.

Additional salary to the Gate-keeper of the Civil Hospital, $2 per month, 12

months,

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Miscellaneous Services.

$ 240.00

$ 24.00

C.S. Contribution towards the maintenance of the Royal Naval Seamen's Club, ............$ 300 00

2043 of 1887.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers :-

Papers relating to the Importation of Subsidiary Coins. (No.).

24

BILL ENTITLED THE STAMP DUTIES AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Treasurer moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded:

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with the addition of a clause.

BILL ENTITLED THE TREES PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Treasurer moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

BILL ENTITLED THE REGULATION Of Chinese OrdinaNCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance No. 13 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Friday, the 23rd instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 27th day of March, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

{

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, NO. 11.

TUESDAY, 27TH MARCH, 1888.

55

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

>>

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

"}

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

""

1)

""

"}

""

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 5th instant, were read and confirmed.

SWEARING IN OF MEMBER.-Mr. WALTER MEREDITH DEANE, Captain Superintendent of Police, was sworn in to act, provisionally, as an Official Member of the Council.

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-Read the following Message from His Excellency the Governor :-

The Governor has directed to be introduced to the Legislative Council an Ordinance for the reservation of a European district in the town of Victoria. The object of this proposed law is fully stated in the preamble, which has been inserted in the Ordinance, as follows:- "Whereas the health and comfort of Europeans in a tropical climate demand conditions which are inconsistent with the neighbourhood of houses crowded with occupants and otherwise used after the manner customary with the Chinese inhabitants, and whereas the influx of Chinese into the Colony tends constantly to narrow the area of the City of Victoria where such conditions are attainable, and it is desirable to reserve by law a district wherein such conditions may be secured: Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof." The correctness of these statements is too well known to need further elucidation. The rapid influx of Chinese into this Colony, where they find facilities of acquiring, and especially of retaining property, which are, to say the least, not universally present in their own country, creates an increasing temptation to land-owners to pull down houses adapted for European habitation, and to erect Chinese houses in their place, which, as providing for a far larger number of people within the same area, offer the prospect of greater profits from rent. This substitution is now going on at such a rate that, in the absence of some effective check, the time is being brought within measurable distance when all but the richer European who can afford the occupation of land of exceptionally high value, will be driven altogether out of the town of Victoria, or compelled to live there under conditions far more prejudicial to their health than those already presented by the tropical climate. In view of the fact that a large leaven of Europeans is, and (in so far as can be foreseen) for a very long time will be, necessary to the well-being of the Chinese themselves, the practical exclusion from the principal town of Hongkong of those whose liberal institutions and whose indomitable energy and preseverance has transformed a bare uninhabited rock into a beautiful city and an emporium of trade second to very few others in the world, would be not merely a sentimental grievance, but a real calamity to all persons without exception who are concerned in the welfare of the Colony. With a view to prevent this undesirable result the Ordinance in question has been drafted for the reservation of a European district in Victoria. The district indicated (the actual limits of which will of course be subject to modification in Council, even if the general principle of the law be approved) is one which has always been occupied by European houses, almost without exception, so that there will be no disturbance of present conditions; and the only change proposed is the prohibition for the future of what has not actually taken place in the past, viz., the erection there of what are known as Chinese houses by large numbers of people after

26

A

the manner usual with Chinese. Under ordinary circumstances this limitation of the rights of ownership would probably be held to involve the obligation of granting compensation. There are, however, reasons which seem to remove this obligation in the present case. certain clause in the leases, under which property in this and other districts is held, has in the past been construed both by the leaseholders and by the Government as leaving to the Crown a discretion to grant, or refuse, permission for the building of houses of a different character from those previously erected; and as a matter of fact when the substitution of Chinese for European houses was in contemplation the permission of the Government has again and again been asked and has even occasionally been refused. As there has never been any legal decision on the point, this meaning of the clause may, or may not, be correct; but at all events it is one which has been generally accepted; and there is even an opening for doubt whether a single one of the leaseholders acquired his property in the belief that it had attached to it the right which, if it ever existed at all it is now proposed to withdraw. Another objection which may possibly be raised to the Ordinance is that it is what is commonly called "class-legislation." But apart from the improbability that the Governor would give his sanction to any measure involving this reproach, a very slight consideration will show that it is in no way open to it. A certain district is to be preserved in a condition such as to render it possible for Europeans to continue to live there in health; but there is nothing in the law to prevent Chinese from living there also so long as their habitation is of a character consistent with that condition. The rights of all races will thus be not less equal in this district than elsewhere, and this law so far from injuriously affecting Chinese, will as a matter of fact, be a benefit to them in common with the rest of the community, for the prevention within the prescribed district of the overcrowding which is prevalent else- where secures in permanence a comparatively open space, or what is commonly called a "lung," for the densely populated town of Victoria, and is thus more or less beneficial to the health of all the inhabitants.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a first time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

AUDITING OF DEFENCES ACCOUNTS.-Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice, asked:--

Whether

any

local audit is made of the sums contributed to the Military Authorities for the defence works of the Colony?

The Colonial Secretary replied

PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:---

Report of the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol for 1887. (No. 3).

Statement showing the total Receipts and Payments in the Year 1887. (No. 5).

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Treasurer moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

BILL ENTITLED THE TREES PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put--that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed and numbered as Ordinance No 14 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 4th proximo, at 4 P.M.

I

Read and confirmed, this 4th day of April, 1888.

ARATHOON SETHI, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 12.

WEDNESDAY, 4TH APRIL, 1888.

27

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

"}

45

130

>>

"}

">

""

the Attorney General, (Edward LOUGHLIN O'Malley

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 27th ultimo, were read and confirmed.

24 of 1888.

CO Desp: QUEEN'S JUBILEE. CHINESE ADDRESS. Read a Despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies acknowledging the receipt of the Address from the Chinese Community together with the pieces of Embroidery presented by the Nampak-hong Merchants and the Lodging House Guild on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee, and conveying Her Majesty's gracious acceptance of the same.

VOTES OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

691 of 1888. $25,000.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

C.S.0. The Governor recommends the Council to re-vote the sum of Twenty-five thousand Dollars, to be paid to the Jubilee Committee as a contribution towards the celebration and commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Her Majesty's reign,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

$25,000.00

(2.)

..$

770.00

C.S.O. 2715 of 1887. $770.

.C.S.O.

2308 of 1887,

and

C. O. Desp. No. 6 of 13th Jan., 1888.

$300.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven hundred and seventy Dollars, for the conversion of Boatmen's quarters in the Harbour Office into Offices for the Imports and Exports Departinent,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred Dollars, being a Building-grant to the Basel Mission Public School, to enable the Manager to enlarge and improve it,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

300.00

1

28

(4.)

707 of

$270.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

CS.1888. The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and seventy Dollars, as an allowance for House-rent in lieu of quarters, to the Head Gardener in the Botanical and Afforestation Department, the quarters now occupied by him being required for Departmental purposes.

Allowance from 1st April to 31st December, 1888, nine months at $30 per month,.

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Treasurer seconded,

Question-put and passed.

I

270.00

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE RESERVATION OF A EUROPEAN DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF VICTORIA. The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported with the addition of a clause.

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Treasurer, seconded by the Colonial Secretary, the Council resumed Committee on this Bill.

Progress reported with amendments.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 11th instant, at 4 P.M.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

Read and confirmed, this 18th day of April, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

=

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 13.

WEDNESDAY, 18TH APRIL, 1888.

29

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

"GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

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the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED Lister).

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the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 4th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee (No. 21), held on the 4th instant, and moved that the following items referred to therein be passed:--

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

C.S.O.

707 of 1888.

Government Gardens and Plantations.

Rent:-Allowance in lieu of quarters to the Head Gardener, from 1st April to 31st

December, 1888, nine months, at $30 per month,

Education.

c. o. Desp. Grants-in-aid :-Building-grant to the Basil Mission Public School,

No. 6 of 13th

Jan., 1888.

C.S.O.

2715 of 1887.

Works and Buildings.

.$ 270.00

...$ 300.00

Conversion of Boatmen's quarters at the Harbour Office into Offices for the Imports

and Exports Department,..

$

770.00

Miscellaneous Services.

C.S.O.

691 of 1888.

Government contribution towards the celebration and commemoration of the 50th

Anniversary of Her Majesty's reign. (Re-vote of 1887),

$25,000.00

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

PAPER.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following paper:-

The Educational Report for 1887. (No. 8).

INTERPRETATION.-Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice asked:--

Whether it is the intention of the Government to act up to the recommendations contained in the Commissioners Report on the subject of Interpretation, forwarded in September last year, which condemned in general terms the system in force in the various Government Departments. e Colonial Secretary replied.

ť

30

:

FIRE BRIGADE.--Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice moved :-

That, in view of the rapid development and extension of the City of Victoria, and the neces- sity that exists for greater protection against fire, a Commission be appointed to test the advisability of a thorough re-organisation of the Brigade.

Mr. RYRIE seconded and addressed the Council.

The Surveyor General addressed the Council.

The Treasurer addressed the Council,

The Governor addressed the Council.

The motion was allowed to stand.

BILL ENTITLED THE CORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Treasurer, the Council resumed Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Attorney General, the Council resumed Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 25th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 27th day of April, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM Des Vœux,

Governor.

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 14.

FRIDAY, 27TH APRIL, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

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the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

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་་

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE), by permission.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 18th instant, were read and confirmed. VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.S.O.

2530 of 1887.

C.S.O.

703 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and sixty-five Dollars to defray the cost of new Posts and Rails on the Garrison Parade Ground.

Government House, Hongkong, 24th April, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven hundred and twenty Dollars for the salaries of four additional Clerks in the General Post Office, at $30 per month each, from 1st June to the end of the year.

Government House, Hongkong, 24th April, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:-

C.S.O.

964 of 1883.

Report of the Director of the Observatory for 1887. (No. ).

Correspondence respecting a proposed Lighthouse on Gap Rock. (No. 10).

FIRE BRIGADE.-Read a letter from the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade on the subject of the resolution moved by Mr. MACEWEN at the last Meeting.

BILL ENTITLED THE CORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

32

BILL ENTITLED THE RATING ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the third reading of this Bill.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 15 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Attorney General, this Bill was re-committed.

Bill reported with the addition of a clause.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 16 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Monday, the 7th proximo, at 4 P.M.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

Read and confirmed, this 7th day of May, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

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=

33

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

MONDAY, 7TH MAY, 1888.

PRESENT:

No. 15.

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

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the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 27th ultimo, were read and confirined. VOTE REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.S.O.

1045 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two thousand Five hundred and $2,595.60. Ninety-five Dollars, and Sixty Cents for the Members of the Fire Brigade, in order to provide

for each Member an amount equal to 30 per cent. of his yearly salary.

Experience has shown that the salaries of the Fire Brigade have become insufficient, in view of the increased size of the Town, and the greater frequency of fires; and in the absence of some increase to the remuneration, it will probably be impossible to maintain an effective. force.

On the other hand, the supply of water under high pressure, which may shortly be expected from the Tytam Water-Works, will very possibly lessen greatly the labours of the Brigade; and this contingency renders it inexpedient at the present time to make any permanent addition to the salaries.

Until the new water-supply has been available for a sufficient time to enable the extent of Fire Brigade service required under the new conditions to be fully ascertained, the Governor proposes therefore that the question of extra-remuneration each year shall be considered with reference to the work actually done; and he recommends the above sum as a bonus for the past year in consideration of the exceptionally severe work which has been required in consequence of the unusually large number of fires.

The addition of a fixed proportion to the salary of each Member of the Brigade has, no doubt, the disadvantage that some Members will, relatively to the service rendered, be remu- nerated better than others. This plan has however been recommended, after much considera- tion, as on the whole less objectionable than any other which has been devised.

Government House, Hongkong, 7th May, 1888.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.--The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (No. 22), held on the 27th ultimo, and moved that the following vote referred to therein be passed:

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Roads, Streets and Bridges.

C.S.07 New Posts and Rails to Garrison Parade Ground,

2530 of 1887, $665.

.$ 565.00

As regards the vote for additional Clerks for the Post Office, the Colonial Secretary explained that it required further consideration by the Finance Committee.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

I

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CHINESE EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.-Mr. MACEWEN, by permission, addressed the Council on the subject of the policy adopted by the Australian Government in preventing the immigration of Chinese subjects into the Australian Colonies.

The Governor replied.

VICTORIA COLLEGE.-Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice, asked :—

The reason for the delay in the completion of Victoria College: whether the Surveyor General can name a fixed date when the Building will be ready for occupation.

The Governor said that he was not prepared to answer this question to-day, but hoped to be able to do so at the next meeting.

TYTAM WATER SUPPLY.-Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:---

Presuming that water will be supplied to the Town by next November, is there to be a new distribution for Fire extinguishing purposes, and, if so, by what date will it be completed? Is such distribution included in the present estimated cost of the Tytam Water-Works? If not, what will the extra cost amount to?

The Surveyor General replied.

PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE

Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice, asked :---

What instructions the Government have received from the Colonial Office regarding the Public Health Bill which was passed by an official majority lust session and suspended from operation pending the receipt of such instructions?

The Governor replied.

DESTITUTE WOMEN AND GIRLS.—Mr. MACEWEN, pursuant to notice, asked :---

For a return of the number of destitute Women and Girls at present in the Colony under the protection of the Government, the return to show the number in charge of the Tung Wa Hospital Committee;

The Honourable Member also called attention to the unsatisfactory nature of the arrangements at present in force for keeping and maintaining rescued Women and Girls; and moved the following resolution on the subject,-

That the Government immediately take steps to build a home or shelter of refuge for these destitute women and girls in the Colony.

Mr. WONG SHING seconded.

The Colonial Secretary replied to the question.

The Governor said he would give the subject of the resolution his best consideration.

BILL ENTITLED THE ORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Attorney General, the, Council resumed Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED THE CHINESE FUGITIVE CRIMINALS EXTRADITION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Thursday, the 17th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 4th day of June, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 16.

MONDAY, 4TH JUNE, 1888.

3.5-

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCÝ THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VOUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), rice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

""

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the Surveyor General, (JoпN MACNEILE PRICE).

"

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23

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 7th ultimo, were read and confirmed.

SWEARING IN OF MEMBER.-Mr. BENDYSHE LAYTON, having been nominated by the Chamber of Commerce to fill the vacancy caused by the temporary absence of Mr. MACEWEN, was duly sworn in and admitted a Member of the Council.

VICTORIA COLLEGE.-His Excellency replied to the question put by Mr. MACEWEN at the last Meeting.

VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.S.O.

932 of 1888.

C.S.0.

1810 of 1887.

C.S.O.

2610 of 1887.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Four hundred Dollars, for building a room over the two cells at the Magistracy to keep scales, balances, &c. for testing weights and measures.

The room used for this purpose at the Central Market will shortly be pulled down. Government House, Hongkong, 10th May, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred Dollars, for the erection of a Telegraphic line between the Gap and Mount Gough Police Stations.

Government House, Hongkong, 4th June, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Eight hundred and Forty Dollars and Forty-one Cents, being compensation to Mr. EDMUND SHARP, for deficiency in area of Inland Lot No. 670 at Belcher's Bay,

Overcharge of Crown Rent,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th June, 1888.

.$ 782.22 58.19

$840.41

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

:

36

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excel- lency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (No. 23), held on the 7th ultimo, and moved that the following Votes referred to therein be passed:- ESTABLISHMENTS.

C.S.O. 1046 of 1888.

C.S.O.

1045 of 1888.

Postmaster General.

Additional Clerks for 6 months from June 1st 1888,

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS. Fire Brigade.

...$ 720.00

Bonus to Members of the Fire Brigade, at the rate of 30% of their yearly salary,...$2,595.60

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR CHINESE.-Referring to Mr. MACEWEN'S remarks at the last meeting, His Excellency addressed the Council in favour of the establishment of a Lunatic Asylum for Chinese.

PAPERS. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:-

(1.) Report of the Superintendent of Fire Brigade for 1887. (No. 1).

(2.) Returns of Superior and Subordinate Courts for 1887. (No. 1).

BILL ENTITLED THE FIRE ENQUIRY ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE CORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE, 1888.-On the motion of the Attorney General, the Council resumed Committee on this Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 17 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Tuesday, the 12th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 28th day of August, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES Vœux,

Governor.

:

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 17.

TUESDAY, 28TH AUGUST, 1888.

37

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

A

2:

་་

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 4th June last, were read and confirmed. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE, GAP ROCK LIGHT-HOUSE.-Read the following Message from His Excellency the Governor :-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has pleasure in directing to be laid on the table the further correspondence (other than confidential) which has taken place on the subject of the proposed Light-house at the Gap Rock.

Though none of the alternative proposals recently submitted by the Governor to the Chinese Government were considered altogether free from objection, an arrangement based on them has, nevertheless, been arrived at which practically secures the object in view, viz. : the improvement of the Southern approach to Hongkong by the erection of a Light-house and the maintenance of a Light at a point where this convenience to shipping has long been very urgently required, and on the site which all competent authority regards as the best for the purpose.

This arrangement is not in all respects such as might be desired; but there is excellent reason for believing that it is the most favourable that can be obtained, and that unless it were accepted, the attainment of the end desired would again be indefinitely postponed.

In this view of the arrangement, the Governor feels bound to make public acknowledg- ment of the service rendered, in devising and proposing it, by Sir ROBERT HART, the able Inspector-General of the Chinese Imperial Customs, who has thus found the means of further- ing the interest of British trade while at the same time loyally conforming to the very natural and intelligible prejudices of the Chinese Government.

And while recognizing the means by which this benefit has been obtained, the Governor desires also to express his regret that any words used, or reported to have been used, by him in Council in connection with this question should have been considered as reflecting upon His Excellency Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin.

Nothing in the knowledge of the Governor has furnished any ground for such reflection; on the contrary he considers that Sir JOHN WALSHAM deserves the thanks of the Colony for taking the only course which was at all likely to achieve success, and for thus bringing to a satisfactory termination, a question which has been the subject of much futile correspondence with his predecessors.

In connection with this Gap Rock arrangement, the Governor had hoped to be able to secure another improvement in the lighting of the approaches to Hongkong by the removal to Waglan Island of the Light-house now at Cape D'Aguilar. But, though his efforts in this direction have so far proved unsuccessful, he does not propose to relinquish then, if such course be approved by the Council.

38

The erection of a Light-house at Waglan would be far less difficult than at Gap Rock; and it is possible therefore that the Chinese Government might be more easily induced to undertake the work with its own staff, if a sufficient subsidy were promised by this Colony..

But pending any such negotiation, the issue of which would of course be uncertain, the Governor considers that there should be no delay of the work at the Gap Rock, if the arrange- ment respecting it should meet with the approval of the Council, and receive the sanction. of the Secretary of State.

For this reason the proposal recently made (with a view to save time in construction) for placing a flashing Light at Waglan and a fixed Light at the Gap, will require to be abandoned; and it is deemed to be on the whole expedient to revert to the original plan of a flashing Light at the Gap. Placed at the same height there seems to be no doubt that a flashing Light would be much more useful than a fixed Light; and apparently Sir ROBERT HART, whose experience on the subject is entitled to very great weight, is of opinion that the greater height required for the former is a disadvantage which would not be sufficient to out- weigh this superiority.

The two Light-houses, if we should succeed in obtaining both, would thus be more costly than would have been the case if the Governor's proposal to include them in the same arrangement had met with success; but considering that there now annually enter the Port of Victoria vessels with an aggregate measurement of nearly six millions and a half of tons (a tonnage it may be remarked which according to the published returns is larger than that of the Ports of all the British Possessions on the Continent of America and larger also than that of the total of the three leading Colonies of Australia) and considering that the Southern is, if anything, the more important of the two approaches to the Island, it may be taken as certain that no expense which is at all likely to be incurred can be otherwise than very in- considerable by comparison with the advantage gained in the saving of time alone, and without reference to the losses of vessels directly attributable to the absence of Lights.

The cost which would have been saved to the shipping trade, if a Light at the Gap Rock had been provided at the time when the subject was first mooted would now amount to a sum which could probably be only expressed in hundreds of thousands of Pounds; and the Governor trusts therefore he has reason in congratulating the Council and the Colony that a want of such very great importance is at length to be supplied.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

By Command,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

Hongkong, 27th August, 1888.

VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.S.O. 815 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Thirteen thousand Dollars for $13,000. the drainage of the Wongnaichung Valley.

C.S.O. 730 of 1888.

$46.

'C.S.O.

1428 of 1885.

out.

The advantages to be found by this proposed work are too well known to require pointing

Government House, Hongkong, 18th June, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Forty-six Dollars, to be awarded to members of the Police Force as Prizes for shooting.

The above amount was realised from the sale of empty ammunition boxes which the Police Authorities recommended should be devoted to prizes.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and Thirty-one $531. Dollars for general overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steamn-launch Blanche, and hire

of a Steam-launch while the repairs are being executed.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

*

(4.)

39

C.S.O.

1476 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred and Twenty-five $25. Dollars, for supplying and fixing a new Flag Staff complete, in front of the Harbour Master's

Office.

C.S.O. 1133 of 1888. $280.

C.S.O.

Y

1878 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VOUX.

(5.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and Eighty Dollars for the salary of an Overseer at the Peak, to prevent Contractors from removing stones, cutting earth, or turf on Crown land without permits, and ensuring that all regulations and conditions on the permits are strictly observed. 7 months at $40 per month, ...$ 280.00

Government House, Hongkong, 2nd August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(6.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of One thousand Dollars as an $1,000. additional vote to the Contingent expenditure of the Sanitary Department.

The vote on the Estimates has proved insufficient owing to the purchase of an unusually large quantity of disinfectants and to other expenses incurred in connection with the epidemic of small-pox in the early portion of the year, and the more recent prevalence of cholera.

Government House, Hongkong, 14th August, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Minutes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (No. 24), held on the 4th June last, and moved that the following votes referred to therein be passed

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES FOR 1888.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Works and Buildings.

282 of 1888. Building a room over the two cells at the Magistracy to keep scales, balances, &c.

for testing weights and measures,...

C.3.0. 1810 of 1887.

...$400.00

Erection of a Telegraphic line between the Gap and Mount Gough Police Stations, ...$200.00

Miscellaneous Services.

2610 of 1887. Compensation to Mr. EDMUND SHARP, for deficiency in area of Inland Lot 670 at

Belcher's Bay, (Kennedytown),

Overcharge of Crown Rent on above,

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

...$782.22 58.19

$ 840.41

PAPERS. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:-

(1.) Report of the Superintendent of the Botanical and Afforestation Department for 1887.

(No. 18).

(2.) The Colonial Surgeon's Report for 1887. (No. 1).

(3.) Returns of Births and Deaths for the year 1887. (No. 1).

(4.) The Assessor's Report on the Assessment for 1888-9. (No. 1).

(5.) The Harbour Master's Report for 1887. (No. 1).

(6.) Report on the Blue Book and Departmental Reports for 1887. (No. 18). (7.) Proposed Light-house on Gap Rock. (No. 1).

(8.) The Blue Book for 1887.

40

QUESTION.Mr. LAYTON, pursuant to notice, asked the following question :-

Is there any truth in the rumours to the effect that an order has been given that Mendicants are not to be arrested in the Colony; and that the burning of paper clothes in the streets by the Chinese is to go on unchecked?

His Excellency replied.

BILLS ENTITLED THE FRENCH MAIL STEAMERS ORDINANCE CONTINUATION ORDINANCE, 1888, AND THE GERMAN MAIL STEAMERS ORDINANCE CONTINUATION ORDINANCE. 1888.--At the suggestion of His Excellency the Governor that both Ordinances should be taken together, the Attorney General moved the first reading of these Bills.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Bills read a first time.

On the motion of the Attorney General the Standing Orders were suspended.

His Excellency then addressed the Council.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bills be read a second time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Mr. RYRIE opposed the motion, and addressed the Council.

His Excellency addressed the Council.

Question put-that the Bills be read a second time.

The Council divided:-

For

The Honourable the Captain Superintendent of

Police.

the Surveyor General.

Against

Honourable B. LAYTON.

""

J. BELL-IRVING. WONG SHING.

""

>>

the Acting Colonial Treasurer.

the Attorney General.

>>

the Colonial Secretary.

the Acting Chief Justice.

>>

P. RYRIE.

Motion carried by a majority of two.

Bills read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bills.

Bills reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bills be read a third time. Question-put and passed.

Bills read a third time.

Question put-that these Bills do pass.

Bills passed, and numbered respectively as Ordinances 18 and 19 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORISE IN CERTAIN CASES JUDICIAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO CAUSES OF FIRE.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and explained that it was in substitution of the Bill entitled The Fire Enquiry Ordinance, 1888, which was read a first time at the last Meeting.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

His Excellency addressed the Council.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

ADJOURNMENT.---The Council then adjourned to Thursday, the 13th instant, at PM.

Read and confirmed, this 17th day of October, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

41

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 18.

WEDNESDAY, 17TH OCTOBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

""

**

""

""

""

""

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 28th August last, were read and confirmed. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. ESTIMATES, 1889.-Read the following Message from His Excellency the Governor:-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has directed to be laid on the table for the consideration of the Legislative Council the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1889.

REVENUE.

With the taxation remaining as at present the Estimate of Ordinary Revenue would have been $1,740,818, or an increase of $303,148 as compared with the estimated, and of some $253,000 as compared with what will probably be the actual, Revenue of 1888, provision requiring to be made for the largely enhanced price obtained for the new Opium Farm Contract, which will affect nine months of the coming year, and also for substantial improvement in various other items, due principally to the rapidly growing population and increasing prosperity of the Colony, and also in part, as regards Assessed taxes, to more careful rating and better collection.

It will however be observed that the actual amount appearing as the estimate of Revenue is $1,737,718, the difference being produced as follows:-Deduction has been made, for reasons given below (i) of $1,100, the amount of tax now received annually from the crews (other than the headmen) of cargo-boats; and (ii) of $47,000 for re- ductions in the assessed rates; while addition has been required of a sum of $45,000, the estimated product of the additional shipping-rate to be levied for the cost of the Gap Rock Light-house.

As regards Extraordinary Receipts-chiefly derived from premiums on the sales of land-which as representing capital are rightly excluded from the accounts of Ordinary Revenue, the amount to be expected will largely depend on (i) the result of the strong representations which have been made by the Governor with the view to the removal of the Military restrictions on the sale of the sites above the Kennedy Road, and (ii) on the approval by Her Majesty's Government of the project, about to be submitted, for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office Reserves. Allow- ing however for this item $150,000 a sum likely to be realised under any circumstances, the total receipts of the year would amount to $1,887,718.

EXPENDITURE.

The Ordinary Expenditure is estimated at $1,394,665 or an increase of $62,472 as compared with that for 1888. The apparent increase in Departmental expenses of $91,808 is due, as regards $35,474, to votes for Scavenging and for the Lock Hospital, which have hitherto appeared under the head of Miscellaneous services, and are now transferred to the Sanitary and Medical Department respectively. The real increase under this head, $56,334 (principally due to the needs of the increasing population,) will be as usual explained in detail before the Finance Committee. Some of the principal items however deserve special notice.

42

Surveyor General.

The net increase of the votes for the establishment of this Department amounts in the aggregate to $16,708. The recommendations which involve this increase have been made only after careful consideration and consultation with Mr. PRICE, the Surveyor General, who, it may be remarked, will himself probably derive no benefit from them, as to the Governor's deep regret, the Colony is about to suffer the loss of his most valuable services, he having applied to retire on the ground of ill health.

The duties connected with the Public Works of Hongkong appear to be especially prejudicial to the health of the Officers. The occasions are rare during the hot season when several of the staff are not incapacitated by illness. During the last month no less than nine Officers at one time were unfit for duty, and many works are thereby unduly retarded. As one instance out of many, the Estimates for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office property have, owing to this cause, been delayed for several months; and it has therefore been impossible to submit to Her Majesty's Government the scheme for this long-delayed and supremely important improvement, which, the Governor is most glad to announce, received early in the year the concurrence of the local authorities, Civil, Naval and Military, (the question however of the proportion of the cost to be paid respectively by the Local and Imperial Governments remaining yet to be settled).

The staff as increased by these recommendations will, in the opinion of the Governor, be not more than sufficient for the work which will, under any circumstances, be required in the coming years. A still further, though temporary, addition to the strength of the Department will be required, if there should be an immediate commencement of all the Public Works to which reference is made below.

Police.

The increase of $10,684 in the votes for this Department is principally to supply an addition to the numbers of the Force, required to meet the growth of the population.

Gaols.

The additions to salaries in this Department are chiefly for the purpose of bringing about a very necessary improvement in the staff, the remuneration hitherto given having rarely proved sufficient to be a permanent attraction to good Officers. The increase to the salary of the Superintendent, the Governor has felt compelled to recommend for reasons which will be explained in Finance Committee.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURE.

With Ordinary Revenue estimated at $1,737,718, and Ordinary Expenditure at $1,394,665, there is thus a balance of $343,053. Certain recommendations which the Governor intends to make to the Secretary of State, but which cannot be introduced into the Estimates without previous sanction, may possibly reduce this balance by a sum certainly not exceeding $60,000 leaving $283,053. Adding to this $150,000 which has been stated as likely under any circumstances to be realised from land-premiums, and $445,000 the probable balance in the Treasury at the end of the present year, there results a total of $878,053 available for the cost of Public Works and to meet unforeseen contingencies.

The Extraordinary Public Works specified in the List accompanying the Estimates are all of them urgently needed. The necessity for their being immediately undertaken no doubt differs in degree; but with the funds available, none of them, in the opinion of the Governor, can be commenced too soon. It will be seen that the utmost sum which is estimated as likely to be capable of being profitably expended on them during the coming year is $637,626. This amount can be readily afforded. For apart from the steady advance which is being shown in all the important items of Revenue, there will almost certainly be in 1890 a still larger surplus of Ordinary Revenue than in 1889, owing to the fact that the New Opium contract will be in force during the whole twelve, instead of only nine, months; while if, as there is reason to hope, the proposed works in connexion with the junction of the East and West Prayas should be, before that time, in progress, there would probably be largely increased receipts from Land-premiums, owing to the impetus which would thereby be given to building in the Eastern district of Victoria.

As regards most of these works, the mere mention of them by name is sufficient to suggest their necessity to residents of Hongkong. One of them, however, the Separate System of Drainage which happens to be the most costly, may possibly require further explanation.

The report of Mr. COOPER, the Sanitary Surveyor, on this subject fully supported as it is by the valuable opinion and judgment of the Surveyor General, has however

:

43

produced in the Governor as complete a conviction of the necessity of the work as can be justly entertained by one who is not an expert; and he is of opinion that if the view of our local Engineers should be approved by the eminent professional authorities in England, to whom the question will be referred, this Government would assume a very grave responsibility if it failed to make the earliest practicable commencement of the works proposed.

Besides the Public Works appearing on the List there are (i) some equally required which cannot be commenced at once, such as a New Harbour Office, which requires to be placed on the proposed Reclamation, and New Supreme Court Buildings, Post Office, and Registrar General's Office, all of which it is proposed to include with the other Government Offices in one large building to be erected on the site of the present North Barracks, and on the reclamation in front of it (the whole cost of these however being likely to be recouped by the sale of the sites of the present buildings); and (ii) others which, it may be hoped, will be commenced in the coming year; viz.:-

Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office

Reserves roughly estimated to cost, Government portion of Reclamation in front of the Town of Victoria, Reclamations in Kowloon, (first instalment),

Total,

...

$ 400,000

363,000

30,000

$793,000

Y

These however being all works, not merely remunerative as are some of the others, but such as will very quickly repay the whole of their cost with, in the case of the Re- clamations, a large profit in addition, the Governor is of opinion that there can be no reasonable objection to the provision of the required funds by loan, unless, as is by no means impossible, that course should prove unnecessary.

As regards borrowing funds for works which will benefit future generations as well as the present, especially such works as are of a remunerative character, the Governor believes that if the true position of this Colony were more fully known all reasonable objections against such a policy would be removed, and the interest required would moreover be reduced below the 4 per cent. which is the rate paid in respect of the last Loan. Considering the extremely small indebtedness of Hongkong with reference even to its immediately realisable assets, the Governor is decidedly of opinion that if there were necessity for borrowing a sum many times larger than is at all to be required, there could scarcely be offered more complete security for it.

For though the area of the Colony is small, its Crown lands are of an exceptional value, and a value which is morally certain to increase pari passu with the rapid growth of the population.

Without attaching undue weight to the many recent sales of land at distances of 14 to 2 miles from the town of Victoria at prices varying from 20 cents to 40 cents a square foot, or to the recent valuation (believed to be more than justified by existing market prices) of the reclamation about to be undertaken in front of the Praya at ($7,910,821, or including that in front of the Government property at) $9,714,777 it may in any case be fairly considered that these figures throw a useful light on the prospect of the future, if the Colony, as there is every reason to suppose it will, should continue to prove an attraction to the people of the neighbouring Empire.

In the absence of calamity impossible to foresee and on the presumption that the Government is wise enough to maintain the present freedom of trade, there can be no moral doubt that the 20,000 acres of unsold land in the Colony (most of which is as suitable, or not more unsuitable for building than was originally that which is now covered with houses) will eventually realise an enormous sum. Indeed at this moment, if the necessity were to arise for changing the present policy of selling without the condition of immediate building, and of thus abandoning to speculators the profit that will otherwise be reaped by the community, there would be little difficulty of obtaining from sales within a few weeks an aggregate sum equal to several times the amount of the annual Revenue of the Colony.

But besides the land, the Colony has a most valuable asset in its two magnificent systems of water works, which unlike similar works elsewhere have been entirely paid for out of income. These could readily be sold for more than their cost viz.: a quarter of a million Sterling, while the rent-charges on land already sold, would, if capitalised, produce about half a million more. When it is further considered that there is an entire absence of import-duty in connection with the trade of a port, which in respect of the tonnage of its shipping is certainly the 4th, if not the 3rd, in the world, there seems no reason why the credit of the Colony should not be at least as high as that of the Corpo- rations and Companies which borrow at 3; and it is with a view to assist towards that end that the Governor has made this special reference to the subject.

4

There would, however, be a difficulty about obtaining on the most favourable terms a loan which would be repaid in four or five years, short periods not being at all in favour with investors. Some of the funds might indeed be re-invested, as they were recouped in a road and tramway round the island at the edge of the water-a work which ought in any case to be commenced at no distant date-but even in that case, the expenditure would with equal quickness be returned from the development which would thereby be hastened of the resources of the island.

For this reason it would probably be advantageous that an arrangement should be made by which the bonds for any Loan that may prove to be required should not be issued to the public, unless the necessity for doing so actually arose, but should be deposited as security for temporary advances. By such a plan, if permitted by Her Majesty's Government, it appears to the Governor that the funds might be obtained at the Bank rate of interest; and it would have this further advantage to set against the possibility of a temporary rise of the Bank rate that it would obviate the necessity of borrowing more than was actually required at the moment. There may, as stated above, be no necessity to borrow at all, as the effective expenditure of the large surplus depends on uncertain conditions, and may not for various reasons prove practicable. In any case, the amount required on Loan cannot be estimated at the present moment. On the supposition that the highly remunerative works referred to above will be carried out by means of a Loan, it would have been quite possible to provide from the balance of ordinary Revenue and Land-premiums for the commencement, and for a con- siderable part of the construction, of another important work which must probably be very soon undertaken, viz., a New Gaol of sufficient size for the confinement of all the convicts on the separate system. This work will be a very costly one, the estimate for it being $420,000, or deducting $50,000, the sum likely to be realised from such portion of the present site as can be sold, $370,000. It is, however, one which is absolutely required if the present system is to be maintained under which there are always in con- finement and supported at the cost of the Colony, some three or four hundred aliens who have come here to practice their misdeeds from the neighbouring Empire. The Governor, indeed, believes that under the very exceptional conditions which present themselves here, there would be very fully justified a change substituting short and sharp punishments, followed by banishment, for long periods of imprisonment; in which case the number of prisoners would be so much reduced as to admit of the exclusive use of the Separate System in the present Gaol. But if, as is probable in the existing state of public opinion in England, Her Majesty's Government should be unable to sanction such a change, the provision of a new and much larger Gaol, would probably be an inevitable necessity. During the coming year the Governor intends to make strong representations on this subject; and meanwhile more time will be given to watch the effect of the severer discipline recently enforced, which has already much reduced the number of prisoners. And under any circumstances the building could not be under- taken at once without postponing a considerable number of the other proposed Works. For the Governor is advised that there will be much difficulty in obtaining the requisite number of sufficiently skilled native artisans even for the works on the list, and that it would on this account be impossible to provide for them and the new Gaol in addition.

It has been mentioned above that the balance of Ordinary Revenue cannot be es- timated with exactness owing to uncertainty as to the issue of certain recommendations which the Governor is about to make to the Secretary of State. The great rise which has taken place in recent years in the cost of living, especially in the matter of rent, demands in the Governor's opinion some consideration for the Government Officers. Those who have been appointed recently, even though as compared with their prede- cessors they may be required to do more work for emolument which is practically less, have comparatively little cause for complaint. There is however real hardship in the case of those appointed before the rise in question took place, especially those with small salaries. Some special relief also seems to be required in the case of officers appointed from England in consequence of the great fall in exchange. For their ability to make provision for the future of themselves and their families has been thereby largely decreased; and it seems right that as regards some proportion of their salaries, the difference between the rate of exchange at the time of the receipt of salary and that which prevailed at the date of their appointment should be made up to them. If this subject should be discussed in Finance Committee the Governor does not doubt that the Secretary of State would give due weight to the views expressed.

Another of the recommendations referred to is, with respect to the cost of the Gap Rock Light-house. It had been originally intended that this charge should be met by a special tax on the shipping of 1 cent per ton; and as the decision of the Government on this point was with the unanimous support of the un-official members of Council, communicated to the Secretary of State and approved by him, the probable return of

45

such a tax, viz., $45,000 appears in the estimates of Revenue. But since the above decision was arrived at early in the year, the financial prospect has much improved; and as it is a fact clearly recognised by competent opinion, that taxes on trade affect it injuriously to an extent which is by no means measured by the amount of Revenue produced, it appears to the Governor specially desirable to render such an impost as light as practicable in a Colony to which its Commerce is of such paramount importance. For this reason the Governor will recommend to the Secretary of State that the special vote for this Light-house shall be a cent instead of 1 cent per ton. By this means the burthen will be distributed over a longer period; and it is probable that in the course of a year or two the condition of the Revenue may warrant the complete relief from it which at the present moment would be imprudent. Should this proposal be approved by the Council and receive the sanction of the Secretary of State, a sum of $30,000 will require to be deducted from the total estimate of Revenue; the balance of Revenue over expenditure being also reduced by a like amount.

As regards other remissions of taxation, the abolition of the licence for cargo- boatmen scarcely needs explanation. As the number of licences was unlimited, no advantage was obtained from the tax, and such an impost on mere unskilled labourers could therefore receive a slight justification only from the fact that the licence was useful for Police purposes.

But as identification was impossible without photographs, to obtain which in the cases of some 4,000 people has been found impracticable, all reason for the tax completely fails.

The other and more important remission, for which allowance is made in the Estimates, consists of a reduction of one-and-a-half per cent. in the assessed rates-a remission which is over eleven-and-a-half per cent. of the whole of the rates paid in the town of Victoria and of course forms a much larger proportion of the lower rates paid in the country districts. The Governor had hoped to be able to propose a still larger reduction of this tax; but owing to an uncertainty which will probably come to an end in the course of a few months, and which he will then be able to explain, he is unable to do so at present lest he should thereby repeat the mistake of some years ago by taking a step which may shortly have to be retraced. The reduction actually proposed however is a substantial relief, and it is hoped that it may prove practicable to make a further reduction at no very distant date.

Another point requires notice. The present favourable condition of the finances appears to afford a fitting opportunity for drawing attention to the Imperial Institute— an object which in the Governor's opinion is well deserving of a contribution from this Colony. As Hongkong is almost entirely dependent on Commerce, and has little or no manufacturing or agricultural industry which would derive benefit from a more ex- tended knowledge of its products in England, the objection to taking part in a mere Exhibition is intelligible, and not without force. But the addition to the original project of a plan for a Commercial Museum seems in itself not only to justify, but to render most desirable, some substantial support to the Institution on the part of this Colony. The Governor understands that the excellent Museums of this kind which have been established in Germany have been a very appreciable factor in the remarkable commer- cial progress which has been made by that country in recent years; and it seems evident that a collection which is kept continually supplied with samples of the goods actually required by, or likely to prove attractive to, the peoples of all countries, cannot but be of great advantage to a community which, relatively to its numbers, possesses a commerce not only not equalled but probably not approached in magnitude by any other in the world. The Governor is therefore of opinion that without appealing to British senti- ment or to Imperial sentiment or indeed to any sentiment at all, the taking of some share in the Institute by this Colony may be advocated on purely "business" grounds; and apart from this consideration he believes that it would hereafter become for various reasons a subject of regret if Hongkong should persist in standing aloof from a Great Institution which has been deemed worthy of the support of all the rest of the Empire.

Though holding these views, the Governor does not feel that he would be justified in giving to them practical effect by placing a vote for the purpose on the Estimates without the unanimous, or almost unanimous, approval of the Legislative Council; and he refers to the subject here in order that it may receive consideration in Finance Committee.

In conclusion the Governor indulges the hope that whether his opinions as above expressed meet with the concurrence of the Council or not, the Members will at least agree with him that the financial condition and prospects of the Colony, as revealed by the above survey, may be regarded as a subject of very justifiable congratulation.

Li

b

The Governor has in this message confined himself entirely to questions of finance. He proposes, in another to pass briefly in review the principal events of the year about to close, and also as regards the coming year to mention the various subjects which demand attention, giving at the same time some general indications of the measures which he hopes to be able to submit to the consideration of the Council.

By Command,

Government House, Hongkong, 17th October, 1888.

FREDERICK Stewart, Colonial Secretary.

VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

C.8.0.

1988 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Four hundred Dollars as $400. honorarium to the Secretary for his services in connection with the Fever Commission,

also

C.S.0.

1211 of 1888.

$7,000.

C.S.O.

1946 of 1888.

the sum of One hundred and Seventy-nine Dollars and Twenty-five Cents to Mr. Cox for his services as shorthand writer.

Government House, Hongkong, 31st August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven thousand Dollars, being a portion of the amount ($20,000) required for the building of a Lunatic Asylum for Chinese.

Government House, Hongkong, 31st August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two thousand Five hundred 82,561.92. and Fifty-one Dollars, and Ninety-two Cents, being the cost of a new Submarine telegraph

cable, and expenses incurred in laying it between Hongkong and Kaulung.

C.S.O. 2227 of 1888.

The old cable, after examination, having been found unrepairable, a new one, of a type approximately double the weight of the old cable, has been laid by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. A heavy kind of shore-end cable is found necessary to withstand injuries from junk anchors, and the wear from chafing against the rocks in the harbour.

Government House, Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VŒÙX.

(4.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Nine thousand Eight hundred $9,850. and Fifty Dollars to defray the cost of the extension westward of Lower Richmond Road.

This road, when finished, will enable the adjoining ground on each side to be parcelled out into building allotments for sale.

C.S.O. 2269 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(5.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Thirteen thousand, Five hun- $13,523.29. dred and Twenty-three Dollars, and Twenty-nine Cents for repairs to damages from land-slips, fall of walls, injuries to culverts, roads, and other damages caused by the rainstorms during the rainy season of the year.

No. 126 of

Government House, Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(6.)

Desp. The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred and Fifty 2nd Aug, Dollars as a gratuity to the son of the late Mr. D. A. DA COSTA, Senior Marine Officer in the and C.S.O. General Post Office, to enable him to complete his education.

1888,

1306 of 1888.

$330.

Mr. COSTA died in May last after 25 years' faithful service, leaving his son, a lad of 14 years, totally unprovided for.

It is proposed to lodge the money in the hands of Trustees, who would see to its proper application.

Government House, Hongkong, 15th September, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these Votes be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

47

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. --The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excel- lency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (No. 25), held on the 28th August last, and moved that the following Votes referred to therein be passed:-

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES FOR 1888.

ESTABLISHMENTS.

Surveyor General.

Y

C.S.0.

1153f1888. Salary of Overseer of Works in Hill Districts, at $40 per month,-7 months,..

of

C.S.O.

1 678 of

Sanitary.

C.81888. Contingencies:-Additional vote for the purchase of Disinfectants, and other expenses

connected with Small-pox, and Cholera epidemics,.

1476 of 1888.

Harbour Master.

C.5.0 Contingencies:-For supplying and fixing a new flag-staff complete, in front of the

Harbour Office,

Medical.

1428 of 1888. Contingencies:-For general overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steam-launch Blanche, and hire of a launch while the repairs are being executed,

C.S.O.

730 of 1888.

C.S.O.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Police.

Prizes to be awarded to Members of the Police Force, for shooting,

Works and Buildings.

8161888. For the drainage of the Wongnaichung Valley,

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

280.00

.$ 1,000.00

325.00

531.00

46.00

$13,000.00

DEFENCES. Read a Despatch (C. O. Desp. 14) from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, giving the reasons for the delay in the delivery of the guns for Hongkong.

THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1887.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first read- ing of this Bill, and laid on the table the Supplementary Estimates for 1887.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question--put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1889.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill, and laid on the table the Estimates for 1889.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF JOHN WONG CHUN otherwise WONG YIU SHANG.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF TAM IU-TS'ÜN otherwise T'AM FUK- SIU.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED ÂN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LI Ó MI otherwise LI TAI FUNG.- The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

48

a

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888. The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 9 OF 1876 (GAMBLING).---The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

His Excellency addressed the Council.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE IN CERTAIN CASES JUDICIAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CAUSES OF FIRE.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Monday, the 22nd instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 22nd day of October, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils

K

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

Y

49

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 19.

MONDAY, 22ND OCTOBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

*

19

*

>>

22

23

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 17th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTE REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency. the Governor :-

C.S.O.

· 2430 & 2485

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Eight thousand Five hundred of 1888. Dollars, for building a Home for girls rescued under the Ordinance for the protection of women

and children.

$8,500.

The house will provide for a certain return in rent from the ground floor, and give sufficient accommodation above for the Home.

Government House, Hongkong, 17th October, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that this vote be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.--The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (No. 26), held on the 17th instant, and moved that the following votes referred to therein be passed :-

C.S.O.

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES FOR 1888.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Works and Buildings.

-

C.5.0, Building a Lunatic Asylum for Chinese-Estimated cost $20,000—Required for 1888, .$7,000.00

C.S.O.

2227 of 1888.

Roads, Streets and Bridges.

Lower Richmond Road, cost of the extension westward,

$ 9,850.00

2269 of 188s. Repairs to damages caused by the rainstorms during the rainy season of the year,... 13,523.29

Miscellaneous Services.

1938 of 1888.

Honorarium to the Secretary of the Fever Commission,

Payment to shorthand writer in connection with the Fever Commission,

$23,373.29

Do.

C.S.O.

1946 of 1888. Cost of a new Submarine telegraph cable, and expenses incurred in laying it between

Hongkong and Kaulung,

Desp.

No of Gratuity to the son of the late Mr. D. A. DA COSTA, Senior Marine Officer in the

2nd Aug,

1888.

and C.S.O.

1366 of 188S.

General Post Office, ......

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

400.00 179.25

2,551.92

350.00

$3,481.17

30

PAPER. FEVER COMMISSION.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the Fever Commission.

THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1887.-The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1889.-The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill. The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF JOHN WONG CHUN otherwise WONG YIU SHANG.The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 20 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF T'ÁM IU-TS'ÜN otherwise T'AM FUK- · SIU.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 21 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF LI Ó MI otherwise LI TAI FUNG.- The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question--put and passed.

Bill read a third time,

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 22 of 1888.

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE,

1888. The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

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BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 9 OF 1876 (GAMBLING).-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Progress reported.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORISE IN CERTAIN CASES JUDICIAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO CAUSES OF FIRE.-The Attorney General moved that the Council resume consideration, in Committee, of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed. Council went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Attorney General moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 23 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 12th day of November, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

Y

573

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 20.

MONDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

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17

21

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'Malley).

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN)

on leave.

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 22nd ultimo, were read and confirmed. CHIEF JUSTICE'S SEAT IN COUNCIL.-His Excellency referred to the vacancy caused by the retirement of Sir GEORGE PHILLIPPO, and stated that according to recent instructions his successors would not be ex-officio Members of Council. After referring to the valuable assistance rendered to the Council by Mr. Justice RUSSELL, Sir GEORGE PHILIPPO's successor, while Acting Chief Justice, His Excellency stated that the question of filling the vacancy was under consideration.

VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor:-

C. O. Desp.

136 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of One thousand and Two $1,200. hundred Dollars, being a gratuity to the widow of Mr. ALEXANDER FALCONER, late Second

Master of the Government Central School.

C.S.O.

2831 of 1888.

$28.

C.S.O.

2244 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Twenty-eight Dollars for the salaries of two extra Postmen for the Peak Service, at $7 each per month, for the two remaining months of this year.

These appointments are required in consequence of the rapid growth of population of the Hill District.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and Fifty Dollars, $250. being compensation to the Scavenging Contractor in respect of extra work now required of him

in the Hill District, at the rate of $50 per month from 1st August last.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

The Colonial Secretary moved that these votes be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

:

:

54

PAPERS. The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers:-

(a.) Reports of the proceedings of the Finance Committee dated the 24th and 27th ultimo

(Nos. 28 and 29.)

(b.) Report on the Separate System of Main-drainage (No. g).

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF ELIAS ISAAC ELIAS otherwise ELIAS ISAAC ELIAS ZACHARIAH.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1887.-The Colonial Secretary moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed. Council went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 24 of 1888.

THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1889.-The Colonial Secretary moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Council went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendments.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the Bill be read a third, time.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 25 of 1888.

VOTES FOR EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC WORKS.-The Colonial Secretary moved that the Council go into Committee on the Schedule of Extraordinary Public Works as set forth at page 36 of the Estimates for 1889.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Council went into Committee.

Schedule reported with amendments.

The Colonial Secretary moved that the Schedule, as amended, be passed.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED THE EUROPEAN DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888. The Attorney General moved that the Council resume consideration, in Committee, of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Council went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the Bill be read a third time.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 26 of 1888.

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3-5-

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 9 OF 1876 (Gambling).--The Attorney General moved that the Council resume consideration, in Committee, of this Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Council went into Committee.

Bill reported without any

further amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question--put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 27 of 1888.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned sine die.

G. WILLIAM DES VOEUX,

Governor.

Read and confirmed, this 19th day of November, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

57

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 21.

MONDAY, 19TH NOVEMBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS. EXCELLENCY. THE GOVERNOR

(SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.)

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART).

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27

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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREdith Deane). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN).

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

"}

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 12th instant, were read and confirmed.

* VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the Reports of the proceedings of the Finance Committee, (Nos. 27 and 30), dated respectively the 22nd and 27th ultimo, and moved that the following votes referred to therein be passed :-

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES FOR 1888.

ESTABLISHMENTS.

Postmaster General.

2331 of

CS.1888. Salaries of two extra postmen for the Peak Service, at $7 each per month, for 2

months,

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Works and Buildings.

..$

28.00

2430248 Building a Home for girls rescued under the Ordinance for the protection of women

and children,

of 1888.

Miscellaneous Services.

$ 8,500.00

C.O.D.

136 of 1988. Gratuity to the Widow of Mr. ALEXANDER FALCONER, late Second Master of the

Government Central School,

C.8.0.

.....

..$ 1,200.00

2244 of 1888. Compensation to the Scavenging Contractor in respect of extra work now required

of him in the Hill District, at the rate of $50 per month, from 1st August last, 250.00

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

$ 1,450.00

BILL ENTITLED THE CHINESE EMIGRATION CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888. --The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

158

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 15 OF 1886.--The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE EVIDENCE CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE COMPENSATION TO FAMILIES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 6 OF 1887.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO FACILITATE THE INCORPORATION OF RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.-The Colonial Secretary moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF ELIAS ISAAC ELIAS otherwise ELIAS ISAAC ELIAS ZACHARIAH.-The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Colonial Secretary then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 28 of 1888.

BYE-LAWS UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE, 1887.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction. of the Governor, laid upon the table for the approval of the Council, certain Bye-Laws made by the Sanitary Board, on the 17th instant, under Ordinance 24 of 1887.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bye-Laws reported without amendment.

Question put--that these Bye-Laws be approved. Bye-Laws approved.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 28th day of November, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART, Administering the Government.

:

Y

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

COUNCIL, No. 22.

WEDNESDAY, 28TH NOVEMBER, 1888.

5-9

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (FREDERICK STEWART.)

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY Ernest WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH Deane). WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN).

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

"

""

PHINEAS RYRIE.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to notice.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 19th instant, were read and confirmed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF T'sÜ TAK-PIU otherwise CHING Ú.— The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE CHINESE EMIGRATION CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Mr. LAYTON addressed the Council.

His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government addressed the Council.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee consisting of the following Members:

The Honourable THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, (Chairman).

THE ACTING TREASURER.

""

J. BELL-IRVing.

>>

"

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

B. LAYTON.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 15 OF 1886.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment.

The Attorney General then moved that the Bill be read a third time.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a third time.

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Question put-that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed, and numbered as Ordinance 29 of 1888.

L

60

BILL ENTITLED THE EVIDENCE CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Attorney General then moved that this Bill also be referred to the Select Committee named above.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED THE COMPENSATION TO FAMILIES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Attorney General then moved that this Bill also be referred to the Select Committec named above.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 6 OF 1887.—The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question---put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO FACILITATE THE INCORPORATION OF RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.-On the motion of the Attorney General, the order for the second reading of this Bill was discharged.

BILL ENTITLED THE STATUTE LAW PRESERVATION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.- The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time:

BILL ENTITLED THE CORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTAL ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

ADJOURNMENT.--The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 5th proximo, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 5th day of December, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART, Administering the Government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 23.

WEDNESDAY, 5TH DECEMBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (FREDERICK STEWART).

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

""

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the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER Meredith Deane).

>>

""

33

>>

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER Palmer MACEWEN).

ABSENT :

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 28th ultimo, were read and confirmed. REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEE.-The Attorney General read the following Reports of the Select Committee dated the 30th ultimo:-

Bill entitled The Chinese Emigration Consolidation Ordinance, 1888.-The Select Committee on this Bill report the same without amendment, with the exception of striking out the preamble.

Bill entitled The Evidence Consolidation Ordinance, 1888.—The Select Committee on this Bill report the same with the following amendments, adopted upon the suggestion of the Law Revision Commission:

In clause 39, by substituting the words at such trial for the words in such prosecution. In clause 40, by inserting after the word Crown the words the prisoner or accused

or his Counsel.

The Bill is printed as thus amended.

Bill entitled The Compensation to Families Ordinance, 1888.-The Select Committee upon

this Bill report the same without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED THE CHINESE EMIGRATION CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Attorney General then moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the numbers of the sections of the Bill only be read instead of reading each section.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED THE EVIDENCE CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Attorney General then moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the numbers of the sections of the Bill only be read instead of reading each section.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

62

BILL ENTITLED THE COMPENSATION TO FAMILIES ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved that the Council go into Committee on this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Attorney General then moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, and the numbers of the sections of the Bill only be read instead of reading each section.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF T'SÜ TAK-PIU otherwise CHING Ú.— The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED THE CORONER'S ABOLITION ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTAL ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported with a verbal amendment.

BILL ENTITLED THE STATUTE LAW PRESERVATION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.- The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported without amendment.

BILL ENTITLED THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE POWERS OF POLICE MAGISTRATES.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill, and addressed the Council.

His Excellency addressed the Council.

The Acting Treasurer seconded, and addressed the Council. Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

ADJOURNMENT.-The Council then adjourned to Wednesday, the 12th instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 12th day of December, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART, Administering the Government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 24.

WEDNESDAY, 12TH DECEMBER, 1888.

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PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (FREDERICK STEWART.)

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY Ernest WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN).

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHater.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 5th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTES REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minutes by His Excellency. the Officer Administering the Government :-

C.S.O.

FREDERICK STEWART,

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of 2912 of 1888. $1,500 to meet the cost of works designed for supplying, with water, houses at the Albany,

situated above the level of the Pokfulam Conduit.

C.S.O.

2920 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th December, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of $5,300 as an additional vote for Repairs to Buildings.

The greater portion of this sum is to meet the cost of unforeseen works and services of the year, in connection with the extension of Mountain Lodge and additional work at Government House.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th December, 1888.

On the motion of the Acting Treasurer these Minutes were referred to the Finance Committee. BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE REFORMATORY SCHOOLS ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the first reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1888.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.

The Attorney General then moved that the Committee do adjourn.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

64

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE POWERS OF POLICE MAGISTRATES.- The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendments.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 6 OF 1887.-The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee.

Bill reported with amendments.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned to Monday, the 17th instant, at 4 P.M.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Read and confirmed, this 17th day of December, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

Administering the Government.

کی گی

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 25.

MONDAY, 17TH DECEMBER, 1888.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (FREDERICK STEWART.)

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'Malley).

""

7:

"7

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN).

ABSENT:

The Honourable CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 12th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTE REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government :-

C.S.O.

-3015 of 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of $1,600, being the balance of the vote passed in May, 1887, for $9,600, for the extension of the Cattle Market, of which only $8,000 were expended in 1887.

Government House, Hongkong, 17th December, 1888.

The Acting Treasurer moved that this vote be referred to the Finance Committee.

The Surveyor General seconded.

Question-put and passed.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Acting Treasurer, by direction of His Excel- lency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the Report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee (No. 31) dated the 12th instant, and moved that the following Votes referred to therein be passed :-

C.S.O.

2912 of 1888.

C.S.O. 2920 of 1888.

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES FOR 1888. SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS. Works and Buildings.

Cost of works designed for supplying, with water, houses at the Albany, situated

above the level of the Pokfulam Conduit,

Additional for Repairs to Buildings,

$1,500.00 5,300.00

$ 6,800.00

The Surveyor General seconded.

Question-put and passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE REFORMATORY SCHOOLS ORDINANCE, 1886.—The Attorney General moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

Bill read a second time.

ADJOURNMENT.--The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 2nd day of January, 1889.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

No. 18.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG, On the 19th November, 1887.

67

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman, The Honourable the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD). the Colonial Treasurer. (ALFRED LISTER).

::

""

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE). HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

WONG SHING..

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,

on leave).

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

>>

;)

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

ABSENT:

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL), vice His Honour SIR GEORGE

PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable PINEAS RYRIE, on leave.

The Committee meet this day at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 19th September last, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

(1.)

Supplementary Estimates, 1886.

The Committee consider the Bill to authorize the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $392,162.30 to defray the charges for the year 1886.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the various items stated in detail in the Supplementary Estimates for 1886, the Committee recommend that the amount mentioned in the Bill be approved.

The Committee desire, however, to call attention to the advisability of obtaining from the Military Authorities a detailed statement of the amounts expended for fortifications. (See item Extraordinary Military Defence at page 6 of the Supplementary Estimates for 1886).

(2.) Estimates for 1888.

The Committee then proceed to consider the Bill to apply a sum not exceeding $1,162,801 to the public service of the

year 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the various increases and decreases as compared with the Estimates of the previous year and given in detail in the statement atcom- panying these Estimates, prepared by the Colonial Secretary and Auditor General. the Com- mittee make the following recommendations:---

(3.)

Surveyor General's Establishment, (page 16).

The Committee are informed that provision has inadvertently been omitted to be made. for the salary and allowances of a Land Bailiff. The Committee are informed that the services of a Land Bailiff are absolutely necessary to prevent unlicensed squatting in the Rural Districts, and are assured by the Treasurer that the expenses incurred in this respect will be more than covered by a proper and systematic collection of the Rates, &c., which, under the present system, many occupiers of land escape undetected. Under these circumstances, the Coinmittee recom- mend the insertion of the following items:--

Salary for a Land Bailiff, $1,440 per annum.

Allowance for conveyance, $288 per annum.

There is also added, salary of 6 Foremen of Street Cleaners at $300 cach, $1,800, rising to $360 each after two years.

68

C.S.O. 2212 of 1887.

(4.)

Harbour Master's Establishment, (page 21).

On considering the vote for the Office of the Superintendency of Imports and Exports. Mr MacEwEN informs the Committee that he has been requested by several of the leading merchants to bring to the notice of the Government the desirability of connecting the Harbour Offie and the Treasury with the Telephone Exchange. as the communications of several of the leading firms with these Departments are frequent. and often of an urgent nature.

The Committee consider the request a reasonable one, and recommend it to the favourable consideration of the Government

(5.)

Educational Department, (page 26).

Melical College Scholarship.

The Colonial Secretary reads a Minute by Major General CAMERON, recommending au annual Scholarship of $150 per annum, for four years, in connection with the Medical College recently established in the Colony.

After discussion, the question is put to the vote and carried by 5 to 3 that the amount should be fixed at $120 per annum.

The Committee therefore recommend that this item be provided for under this Establisment.

(6.)

Medical Establishment, (page 27).

Civil Hospital.

Some of the Members of the Committee remark that it has come to their knowledge, that for some time past, the general working of this Hospital has been very unsatisfactory, great neglect having been shown, in one case in particular, in the treatment of patients.

The Committee therefore recommend that a Commission be appointed to enquire into the treatment of patients in and the general working of the Government Civil Hospital.

(7.)

· Miscellaneous Services, (page 35).

The Surveyor General calls attention to the necessity for new furniture for Government House, most of the present furniture being quite unfit for use. Morcover, certain furniture that had been purchased some years back had greatly deteriorated owing to its removal to and from Mountain Lodge, at the Peak. The Committee recommend that a sum of $10,000 be set apart under this heading for the purchase of furniture which they understand to be absolutely necessary for Government House.

With the foregoing additions and suggestions, the Committee recommend the Bill to the favourable consideration of the Council.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 30th November, 1887.

Read and confirmed this 30th day of November, 1887.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

J

No. 19.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG, On the 30th November, 1887.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD).

""

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

""

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

WONG SHING.

""

69

C.S.O.

1901 of 1887.

ABSENT:

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL), vice His Honour SIR GEORGE

PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N., (on leave).

91

})

PHINEAS RYRIE, (on leave).

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,

on leave).

The Committee meet this day at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 19th instant, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

EXCESS OF THE ESTIMATES FOR 1887.

Read the Minutes of His Excellency the Governor, recommending the following Votes:-

ESTABLISHMENTS. Surveyor General.

(1.) Salary and allowance to Land Surveyor in the Public Works Department,

viz.:-

Salary from 1st July to 30th November, 1887, at $2,520 per annum, $1,050.00 Allowance for Chair hire from 1st July to 30th November, at $24

per month,

120.00

C. O. Desp.

117 of 1887.

C.S.O. 2008 of 1887.

$1,170.00

Surveyor General.-Sanitary Sub-Department. Inspector of Live Stock.

(2.) Salary from 8th September to 23rd October, 1887, (during voyage), at $900

per annum,

From 24th October to 30th November, at $2,400 per annum, Allowance for Chair hire from 24th October to 30th November, at $12 per

month,....

$ 113.15 251.61

15.10

Harbour Master.

(3.) Pay of Crew and other contingent expenses of the Steam-launch Stanley,

(formerly Victoria), viz.:-

Engineer at $30 per month for 10 months,.

Fireman at $15

Coxswain at $10

3 Sailors at $ 7 each

""

""

""

""

""

Coal, Oil, Water, &c. for 10 months,. Moorings,

$ 379.86

$ 300.00

150.00

100.00

210.00

$ 760.00

3,130.00

25.00

$ 3,915.00

C.S.O.

1526 of 1887.

C.S.O. 2658 of 1887.

C.S.O.

2530 of 1887.

SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

Medical.

(4.) General overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steam-launch Blanche, and

hire of a Steam-launch while the repairs are being executed,

Works and Buildings.

(5.) Additional vote for repairs to buildings,

Roads, Streets and Bridges.

(6.) New posts and rails for the Garrison Parade Ground,

Miscellaneous Services.

$ 325.00

$2,200.00

....$ 500.00

C.S.O.

1492 of 1887.

C.S.O. 1404 of 1887.

(7.) Expenses connected with the celebration of H. M. Jubilee, viz.:—

Jubilee Service held in the Cathedral, Illuminations of Government buildings,.. Employment of additional Police Constables, Employment of Coolies at Fire Brigade Stations,.

Colonial Exhibition.

(8.) Re-vote of amounts voted in 1885 and 1886, as contributions towards the

expenses connected with the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, viz.:—

£500 voted in 1885 @ 3/5,

....

£275.11.0 out of £2,000 voted in 1886 @ 3/3,

C.9.0. 2623 of 1887.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES.

Extraordinary Works.

$5,000.00

=$2,926.82

1,695.94

$4,622.76

(9.) Repairs to damages from land-slips, fall of walls, injuries to culverts, and other damages caused by the heavy rainstorms and freshets during the rainy season of the year,....

..$6,813.00

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the various items, the Committee recommend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 13th January, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

No. 20.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 28th February, 1888.

رد

C.S.O.

2043 of 1887.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD).

""

**

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

,:

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

**

::

>>

>>

"

the Harbour Master, (HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOIN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

ABSENT:

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Committee meet this day at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 30th November last, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor:---

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred Dollars as a $300. Colonial contribution towards the maintenance of the Royal Naval Seamen's Club.

C.S.0.

2791 of 1887, and

It is not unusual for Colonies, the water of which are frequented by Her Majesty's ships, to give assistance to similar institutions, which provide amusement, food, and lodging for the Seamen, and thus attract them from undesirable and injurious places of resort.

The Commodore has represented the difficulty of maintaning this Club on account of the heavy cost of rent and taxes, and has requested the remission of the latter. But while deeming it right to give some assistance in recognition of the usefulness of the institution, the Governor regards this particular form of concession as likely to become an inconvenient precedent, and he therefore recommends the above vote, the amount of which is the same as the contribution of the Admiralty.

Government House, Hongkong, 22nd February, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and Eighty-eight Dollars, for the salaries of Collector, Assistant Collector and Coolie employed in the Treasury $588. for collecting Village Taxes and Squatter's Licence Fees.

395 of ISSS.

These items were inadvertently omitted in the Treasurer's Estimates for 1888.

रे

Collector,

Assistant Collector,..........

Coolie,

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

.$ 240.00

240.00 108.00

$ 588.00

72

(3.)

€.5.0.

2538 of 188i.

$210.

C.S.O. 2885 of 1887, and

56 of 1888.

$24.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and forty Dollars as an allowance for a Mandarin Teacher for Messrs. MAY and SERCOMBE SMITH, at the rate of $20 per month.

This was inadvertently omitted in the Registrar General's Estimates for 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(4.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Twenty-four Dollars, as additional pay to the Gate-keeper of the Government Civil Hospital.

The salary of the late Chinese Gate-keeper was $8 per month, the Superintendent recom- mended that an Indian should be employed at the salary of $10 per month.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th February, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the several items, the Committee recommend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 5th March, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

No. 21.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

་ ་་ ་

On the 4th April, 1888.

تی د

691 of 1888. $25,000.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

""

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

>>

""

"}

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

13

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

The Committee meet this day at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 28th February last, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor:-

G. WILLIAM DES VOUX.

(1.)

C.S.08. The Governor recommends the Council to re-vote the sum of Twenty-five thousand Dollars, to be paid to the Jubilee Committee as a contribution towards the celebration and commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Her Majesty's reign,..

2715 of 1887. $770.

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX.

(2.)

C.S.O The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven hundred and seventy Dollars, for the conversion of Boatmen's quarters in the Harbour Office into Offices for the Imports and Exports Department,

$25,000.00

.$

770.00

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

(3.)

C.S.O.

2308 of 1887,

and

C. O. Desp. No. 6 of 13th Jan., 1888.

$300.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred Dollars, being a Building-grant to the Basel Mission Public School, to enable the Manager to enlarge and improve it,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

$

300.00

+

74

(4.)

C.8.0. 707 of 1888. $270.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

C. The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and seventy Dollars, as an allowance for House-rent in lieu of quarters, to the Head Gardener in the Botanical and Afforestation Department, the quarters now occupied by him being required for Departmental purposes.

Allowance from 1st April to 31st December, 1888, nine months at $30 per month,

Government House, Hongkong, 4th April, 1888.

$ 270.00

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the several items, the Committee recommend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 18th April, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

:

1

No. 22.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 27th April, 1888.

C.S.O.

2530 of 1887.

C.S.O.

703 of 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

37

""

>>

>1

,,

>>

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFREd Lister).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREdith Deane). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE), by permission.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 4th instant, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and sixty-five Dollars to defray the cost of new Posts and Rails on the Garrison Parade Ground.

Government House, Hongkong, 24th April, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted.

Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven hundred and twenty Dollars for the salaries of four additional Clerks in the General Post Office, at $30 per month each, from 1st June to the end of the year.

Government House, Hongkong, 24th April, 1888.

After explanation by the Treasurer, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted. The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 7th May, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

1

:

No. 23.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 7th May, 1888.

77

C.S.O.

1045 of 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

.:

19

=

"}

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

""

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

""

>>

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 27th ultimo, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :—

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two thousand Five hundred and $2,595.60. Ninety-five Dollars, and Sixty Cents for the Members of the Fire Brigade, in order to provide

for each Member an amount equal to 30 per cent. of his yearly salary.

Experience has shown that the salaries of the Fire Brigade have become insufficient, in view of the increased size of the Town, and the greater frequency of fires; and in the absence of some increase to the remuneration, it will probably be impossible to maintain an effective force.

On the other hand, the supply of water under high pressure, which may shortly be expected from the Tytam Water-Works, will very possibly lessen greatly the labours of the Brigade; and this contingency renders it inexpedient at the present time to make any permanent addition to the salaries.

Until the new water-supply has been available for a sufficient time to enable the extent of Fire Brigade service required under the new conditions to be fully ascertained, the Governor proposes therefore that the question of extra-remuneration each year shall be considered with reference to the work actually done; and he recommends the above sum as a bonus for the past year in consideration of the exceptionally severe work which has been required in consequence of the unusually large number of fires.

The addition of a fixed proportion to the salary of each Member of the Brigade has, no doubt, the disadvantage that some Members will, relatively to the service rendered, be remu- nerated better than others. This plan has however been recommended, after much considera- tion, as on the whole less objectionable than any other which has been devised.

Government House, Hongkong, 7th May, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted.

78

C.S.0.

1046 of 1888.

Read the following proposed Scheme by the Postmaster General in connection with His Excellency the Governor's Minute in U.S.O. 703, which was considered at the last meeting:-

Proposed scheme for re-adjustment of salaries amongst the junior Officers

·

F. Franco,

F. Remedios,

R. Costa,

Probationer,

Probationer,

Probationer,

of the Post Office.

Name.

Service.

Present salary.

Proposed

salary.

4 years.

$20.00

$40.00

2 years.

1 year.

20.00

(a) 30.00

(a) 30.00

(b) 20.00

(b) 20.00

(b) 20.00

(a) Increasing to $40 from January 1st, 1890.

(b) Increasing to $30 after January 1st, 1891, and to $40 after January 1st, 1892. *

The Treasurer explains fully the object of the re-adjustment.

The Committee find that this scheme leaves the total amount to be voted, viz., $720 for the half year, the same as that recommended in their Report of No. 22 of the 27th ultimo, and see no objection to the adoption of the proposed scheme.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 4th June, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 4th June, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

No. 24.

ود

C.S.O.

932 of 1888.

C.5.0.

1810 of 1887.

C.S.0.

.2610 of 1887.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG, On the 4th June, 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

"

>>

>>

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 7th ultimo, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Four hundred Dollars, for building a room over the two cells at the Magistracy to keep scales; balances, &c. for testing weights and measures.

The room used for this purpose at the Central Market will shortly be pulled down. Government House, Hongkong, 10th May, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted.

G. WILLIAM DES VOUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred Dollars, for the erection of a Telegraphic line between the Gap and Mount Gough Police Stations.

Government House, Hongkong, 4th June, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Eight hundred and Forty Dollars and Forty-one Cents, being compensation to Mr. EDMUND SHARP, for deficiency in area of Inland Lot No. 670 at Belcher's Bay,

Overcharge of Crown Rent...

Government House, Hongkong, 4th June, 1888.

$ 782.22 58.19

$ 840.41

After explanation by the Treasurer, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted, The Committee, then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 28th August, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 28th August, 1888.

ARATHOON SETIL Clerk of Councils.

No. 25.

C.S.O. 815 of 1888.

REPORT OF

OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 28th August, 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

20

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the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

ABSENT:

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, on leave.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 4th June last, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :-

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Thirteen thousand Dollars for $13,000. the drainage of the Wongnaichung Valley.

C.S.0. 730 of 1888.

$46.

C.S.O.

1428 of 1888.

out.

The advantages to be found by this proposed work are too well known to require pointing

Government House, Hongkong, 18th June, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Forty-six Dollars, to be awarded to members of the Police Force as Prizes for shooting.

The above amount was realised from the sale of empty ammunition boxes which the Police Authorities recommended should be devoted to prizes.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Five hundred and Thirty-one $531. Dollars for general overhaul and repairs to Health Officer's Steam-launch Blanche, and hire

of a Steam-launch while the repairs are being executed.

C.S.0.

1476 of 1888.

Government House. Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

(4.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred and Twenty-five $25. Dollars, for supplying and fixing a new Flag Staff complete, in front of the Harbour Master's

Office.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th July, 1888.

82

C.S.O. 1133 of 1888. $280.

C.8.0.

1678 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM Des Vœux.

(5.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and Eighty Dollars for the salary of an Overseer at the Peak, to prevent Contractors from removing stones, cutting earth, or turf on Crown land without permits, and ensuring that all regulations and conditions on the permits are strictly observed. 7 months at $40 per month. ...$ 280.00

Government House, Hongkong, 2nd August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(6.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of One thousand Dollars as an $1,000, additional vote to the Contingent expenditure of the Sanitary Department.

The vote on the Estimates has proved insufficient owing to the purchase of an unusually large quantity of disinfectants and to other expenses incurred in connection with the epidemic of small-pox in the early portion of the year, and the more recent prevalence of cholera.

Government House, Hongkong, 14th August, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, of the various items. the Committce recom- mend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Chairman.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 17th October, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 17th October, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

No. 26.

8 3

C.S.O.

1938 of 1888.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 17th October, 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

""

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**

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LATTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 28th August last, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :---

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Four hundred Dollars as $400. honorarium. to the Secretary for his services in connection with the Fever Commission,

also

C.S.0.

1211 of 1888.

$7,000.

C.S.O.

1946 of 1888.

the sum of One hundred and Seventy-nine Dollars and Twenty-five Cents to Mr. Cox for his services as shorthand writer.

Government House, Hongkong, 31st August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Seven thousand Dollars. being portion of the amount ($20,000) required for the building of a Lunatic Asylum for Chinese.

Government House. Hongkong, 31st August, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two thousand Five hundred $2.551.92. and Fifty-one Dollars, and Ninety-two Cents, being the cost of a new Submarine telegraph

cable, and expenses incurred in laying it between Hongkong and Kaulung.

C.NO. 2227 of 1888.

The old cable, after examination, having been found unrepairable, a new one, of a type approximately double the weight of the old cable, has been laid by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. A heavy kind of shore-end cable is found necessary to withstand injuries from junk anchors, and the wear from chafing against the rocks in the harbour.

Government House. Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(4.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Nine thousand Eight hundred 89850. and Fifty Dollars to defray the cost of the extension westward of Lower Richmond Road.

This road, when finished, will enable the adjoining ground on each side to be parcelled out into building allotments for sale.

Government House, Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

84

C.~.0.

2269 of 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(5.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Thirteen thousand, Five hun- $13,523 20. dred and Twenty-three Dollars, and Twenty-nine Cents for repairs to damages from land-slips, fall of walls, injuries to culverts, roads, and other damages caused by the rainstorms during the rainy season of the year.

Desp.

No. 126 of

2nd

1888.

and C.

1806 of 1888. $350.

Government House, Hongkong, 28th September, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(6.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Three hundred and Fifty Dollars as a gratuity to the son of the late Mr. D. A. DA COSTA, Senior Marine Officer in the General Post Office, to enable him to complete his education.

Mr. COSTA died in May last after 25 years' faithful service, leaving his son, a lad of 14 years, totally unprovided for.

It is proposed to lodge the money in the hands of Trustees, who would see to its proper application.

Government House, Hongkong, 15th September, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, of the various items. the Committee recom- mend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 22nd October, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 22nd October, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH.

Clerk of Councils.

Chairman.

No. 27.

REPORT OF

OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 22nd October, 1888.

85-

C.S.O.

2430 & 2485

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

"

""

* * * *

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),.

on leave.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 17th instant, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :--

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Eight thousand Five hundred of 1888 Dollars, for building a Home for girls rescued under the Ordinance for the protection of women

and children.

$8,500.

The house will provide for a certain return in rent from the ground floor, and give sufficient accommodation above for the Home.

Government House, Hongkong, 17th October, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary, the Committee recommend that the amount be voted.

The Committee then adjourn to Wednesday, the 24th instant, at 3 P.M., for the purpose of considering the Supplementary Estimates for 1887, and the Estimates for 1889.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 12th November, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 24th October, 1888.

Chairman.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

No. 28.

87

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 24th October, 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

""

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2:

the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Committee meet pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 22nd instant, are read and confirmed.

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES, 1887.

The Committee consider the Bill to authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $194,468.63 to defray the charges for the year 1887.

Respecting the items under the heading of Extraordinary Expenditure, Mr. LAYTON suggests that an account of the amount expended on the Tytam Water-Works should be made up to date for the information of the public.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the various items stated in detail in the Supple- mentary Estimates for 1887, the Committee recommend that the Bill be reported without amendment. ESTIMATES FOR 1889.

The Committee then proceed to consider the Bill to apply a sum not exceeding $1,234,921 to the public service for the year 1889.

Revenue, (page 6).

Mr. RYRIE expresses a wish to see an account of the premiums on land sales.

The Colonial Secretary states that the account will be submitted for the Honourable Member's inspection, as desired.

Governor's Establishment, (page 14).

Mr. BELL-IRVING invites attention to the small amount of salary set down for the Private Secretary, $1,440, and suggests that it should be increased.

Police Magistrates Establishment, (page 28):

The Attorney General suggests that under the item "Administration of Justice" the word "Costs" should be substituted for the words "Compensation to.'

Amended accordingly.

Police, (page 29).

""

The Captain Superintendent of Police suggests that the salary of the Captain Superintendent and others, except that of the Adjutant, be placed under "Fixed Establishments."

Amended accordingly.

Sanitary Department, (page 33).

Mr. LAYTON suggests that more watchmen for the Hill District should be employed; and that it is not possible for two men to look after the whole District.

After deliberation, the Committee agree that it is a question for the Sanitary Board to raise. After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the various items of Revenue, and of the amounts mentioned in the Departmental Schedules I to V, VII to XX, of the Estimates, the Committee recommend that the sums referred to in each be voted.

Consideration of Schedule VI, Surveyor General's Establishment, and Schedule XXI, Fire Brigade Establishment is postponed.

The Committee then adjourned until Saturday, the 27th instant, at 3 P.M.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 12th November, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 27th October, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils..

Chairman.

No. 29.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 27th October, 1888.

89

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairman.

His Honour the Acting Chief Justice (JAMES RUSSELL, C.M.G.), vice His Honour SIR

GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt., on leave.

The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.).

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Committee meet pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 24th instant, are read and confirmed.

ESTIMATES, 1889.

The Committee resume consideration of the Estimates for 1889.

DEFENCES. Mr. BELL-IRVING draws attention to a statement made by him at the last Meeting, and reported in the local papers, and explains that he had no intention whatever of reflecting in any way on the construction of the forts.

TYTAM WATER-WORKS.-With reference to Mr. LAYTON's request at the last Meeting, the Chairman lays upon the table the following Statement of Account, up to date, connected with the Tytam Water-Works, viz.:-

Cost of Reservoir and Byewash,.

Cost of Tunnel,

£ 84,565.16.0 46,158. 0.5

Cost of Conduit and Tank,

39,272. 5.0

£169,996. 1.5

The Chairman also reads an extract of a letter from Sir ROBERT RAWLINSON to the Crown Agents, dated 20th August, 1888, to the effect that these Water-Works have not only cost less than the average of English Water-Works, but they are much more permanent, being of masonry in place of earthwork.

The Surveyor General states that a detailed Statement of the expenditure in connection with these works will be laid before the Committee in due course.

LAND SALES.-In compliance with Mr. RYRIE's request at the last Meeting, the Chairman lays on the table a Statement of Account of the amount of premiums realized from land sales from 1882 to date, shewing a total of $425,788, and intimates that the Statement will be made up to the end of the year and published.

Surveyor General's Establishment, (page 16).

After some explanations by the Chairman and the Surveyor General, the Committee recommend that the votes for this Establishment be approved.

هو

Fire Brigade Establishment, (page 32).

After some discussion as to the adequacy of the water supply, on the completion of the Tytam Water-Works, for Fire Brigade purposes, the Committee recommend that the votes for this Establish- ment be approved.

Charitable Allowances, Transport, Works and Buildings, Roads, Streets

and Bridges, (page 34).

After explanations by the Chairman and the Surveyor General, the Committee recommend that the votes for these services be approved.

Miscellaneous Services, (page 35).

Referring to the item for "Commission to Crown Agents," Mr. BELL-IRVING enquires whether there is any chance of the contracts for the supply of articles for the use of the Colony being thrown open to tender in the Colony.

After some discussion, in the course of which Mr. BELL-IRVING asks that a list of what is gene- rally wanted in the Colony be made out and laid before the Committee; the Committee recommend that the amount be approved.

Mr. RYRIE refers to the item "Loss in Exchange on Family Remittances," and suggests that the privilege of remitting at 4/2 should be extended to all members of the service.

Mr. BELL-IRVING is of opinion that all Officers who have come out to Hongkong on a Sterling agreement, and all Officers whose salaries are fixed by the Civil List Ordinance in Sterling, should be paid monthly in Dollars at the demand rate of the day.

Mr. LAYTON is of opinion that as we live in a Dollar using country, and as the Revenue is col- lected in Dollars, all Disbursements should be in that currency; but as the salaries of several Officers of the Government are fixed on a Sterling basis and at a fixed. Exchange of 4/2, it is only right that a revision of such salaries should be made to meet the fall that has taken place in the value of silver; at the same time, seeing that exchange is continually fluctuating, it is, in his opinion, very desirable that a plan should be adopted which would put the salaries on a satisfactory basis and do away with the necessity of the subject being brought up and reconsidered year after year; and probably Mr. BELL-IRVING'S Suggestion that the "demand rate" should be the basis of calculation, is the best plan, for then in case of exchange advancing, as many think quite possible in the near future, the salaries would still be paid at the current value of the Dollar.

The Chief Justice remarks that by the Civil List Ordinance, 13 of 1860, the salaries of the Officers mentioned therein are given in Sterling which is reckoned at 4/2. On the other hand the Military Contribution, which is also given in Sterling, is reckoned at 3/0, and both these items appear in the present Estimates.. The Sterling is paid to Public Officers at 4/2, but to the War Department at 3/0, an anomaly to say the least of it.

After explanation by the Chairman of the several items under this head, the Committee recommend that the amount for this service be voted, but express an opinion in accordance with the Governor's message that some special relief is required in the case of Officers appointed from England in conse- quence of the great fall in exchange.

Military Expenditure, (page 35).

After explanation by the Chairman, the Committee recommend that the ainount for this service be voted.

Interest on Loan and Sinking Fund, (page 35).

After explanation by the Chairman, the Committee recommend that the amount for this service be voted.

Extraordinary Expenditure, (page 36).

Mr. LAYTON remarks in reference to the item for " Drainage on Separate System." that some infor- mation regarding the scheme should be furnished to the public.

The Chairman says that His Excellency the Governor will probably cause Mr. COOPER's exhaustive Report on the subject to be laid before the Legislative Council.

The Committee recommend that the unexpended balance in the Estimates for 1888 of the item Continuation of Police Buildings Extensions," which appears to have been inadvertently omitted, should be inserted in these Estimates.

After explanations by the Chairman and the Surveyor General, the Committee discuss the various items under this heading, and finally recommend that the several amounts referred to be voted.

All the several items mentioned in the Estimates for 1889, having been thus fully considered, the Committee desire to report, with the foregoing amendments, the Appropriation Bill for 1889.

Imperial Institute.

The Chairman, then asks the Committee to consider the question of a contribution towards the Imperial Institute.

The Committee, Mr. RYRIE dissenting, are in favour of a contribution, and, after deliberation, recommend that consideration of the matter be postponed until it is known what sums other Colonies have contributed.

Town Band.

The Chairman next asks the Committee to consider the question of a Town Band.

The Captain Superintendent of Police estimates the total cost to be about $1,800 per annum, exclusive of instruments which will require an outlay of about $400 in the first instance. The $1,800 is to make up the difference between pay as Policemen and Bandsmen, as the men will be enrolled as Police Constables, and draw pay as such.

Mr. RYRIE is opposed to having a Town Band, on the ground that it will be a slur on the Military who have always been ready to assist with their Band when necessary.

After some further discussion, Mr. RYRIE dissenting, the Committee are generally of opinion that if a good band could be had the Colony should have one.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 12th November, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 12th November, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

Chairman.

No. 30.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 12th November, 1888.

93

C. O. Desp. 136 of 1888.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary (FREDERICK STEWART), Chairinan.

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

་་

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the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE. C.M.G.). the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE). PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN),

on leave.

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 27th ultimo, having been taken as read, are confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Governor :—

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(1.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of One thousand and Two $1,200. hundred Dollars, being a gratuity to the widow of Mr. ALEXANDER FALCONER, late Second

Master of the Government Central School.

C.S.O.

2531 of 1888.

$28.

C.S.0.

"244 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(2.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Twenty-eight Dollars for the salaries of two extra Postmen for the Peak Service, at $7 each per month, for the two remaining months of this year.

These appointments are required in consequence of the rapid growth of population of the Hill District.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(3.)

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the sum of Two hundred and Fifty Dollars, $250. being compensation to the Scavenging Contractor in respect of extra work now required of him

in the Hill District, at the rate of $50 per month from 1st August last.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th November, 1888.

After explanation by the Colonial Secretary of the several items, the Committee recom- mend that the amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 19th November, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 12th December, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH.

Clerk of Councils.

H. E. WODEHOUSE.

Chairman.

No. 31.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 12th December, 1888.

95-

C.S.O.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.), Chairman.

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

};

};

>"

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the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXander Palmer MACEWEN).

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 12th ultimo, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minutes by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government :—

FREDERICK STEWART.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of 2912 of 1888. $1,500 to meet the cost of works designed for supplying, with water, houses at the Albany,

situated above the level of the Pokfulam Conduit.

C.S.0.

2920 of 1888.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th December, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of $5,300 as an additional vote for Repairs to Buildings.

The greater portion of this sum is to meet the cost of unforeseen works and services of the year, in connection with the extension of Mountain Lodge and additional work at Government House.

Government House, Hongkong, 10th December, 1888.

After explanation by the Surveyor General, the Committee recommend that these amounts be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 17th December, 1888.

Read and confirmed on the 17th December, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

H. E. WODEHOUSE.

Chairman.

No. 32.

Princes

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THIE

FINANCE COMMITTEE,

AT A MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG,

On the 17th December, 1888.

7

C.S.O.

PRESENT:

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Treasurer, (HENRY ERNEST WODEHOUSE, C.M.G.), Chairman.

the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).

3015 of 1888.

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).

>>

*

the Captain Superintendent of Police, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

33

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING.

BENDYSHE LAYTON, (vice the Honourable ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN).

The Committee meet at the request of the Colonial Secretary.

The Report of the proceedings of the last Meeting, held on the 12th instant, having been taken as read, is confirmed.

Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government :-

FREDERICK STEWART.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of $1,600, being the balance of the vote passed in May, 1887, for $9,600, for the extension of the Cattle Market, of which only $8,000 were expended in 1887.

Government House, Hongkong, 17th December, 1888.

After explanation by the Surveyor General, the Committee recommend that this amount be voted.

The Committee then adjourn sine die.

Greckrick Stewart,

Laid before the Legislative Council on the 2nd January, 1889.

28th

Read and confirmed on the 2nd January, 1889.

Proben Beth

Clerk of Councils.

Chairman.

HONGKONG.

REPORT ON INTERPRETATION.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

97

No. 36

87.

1. On the general question we recommend that greater inducements and facilities be held out to those civil servants who wish to study Chinese. This has been often proposed, but nothing practical has been done. Little progress can be expected without

it.

2. The allowance for a Chinese teacher, instead of being stopped, as it is at present, should, when an officer has passed all his examinations creditably, be continued so long as the Officer is studying and making good use of the teacher. A bonus or an addition to the salary should be given for proficiency in each dialect.

3. Officers such as Inspectors of Nuisances and others who require an interpreter for the performance of their duties should receive additional pay when they are able to dispense with the interpreter.

4. We do not recommend any special school or institution for training interpreters, nor do we recommend any separate department of interpreters.

5. We think that if inducements to study Chinese are held out to the children born here of European parents, who are able to pick up and learn the language much quicker and better than young men from England, all the wants of the service as regards interpretation or translation will be amply met without any special training school.

6. We agree with the Captain Superintendent of Police that a clever interpreter would soon be dissatisfied with that position if he is to receive no promotion, and we recommend that those officers who are selected to act as interpreters should be as eligible for promotion as any other civil servants, and should not be debarred advancement only because they are interpreters. It was to avoid this feeling of discontent and to procure efficient interpreters that we have recorded our opinion above that there should not be a separate department of interpreters.

7. With respect to the Supreme Court, we beg to report that as far as it goes the interpretation there is satisfactory, Mr. BALL and Mr. Li HONG Mr being good inter- preters in the languages and dialects which they profess to speak, but there are the following dialects, viz.: Hakka, Swatow, and Amoy, with which they are imperfectly acquainted, and we recommend that steps be taken to remove this deficiency. Residence in the places where the dialects are spoken would be the best means of securing inter- preters for those dialects.

8. There is no one to replace one of these interpreters in case of absence or sickness. and we beg to suggest that inducements be offered to Messrs. HAZELAND and HOLWORTHY to qualify themselves as interpreters. When they have sufficiently mastered the lan- guage they will have many opportunities of practising, as they could attend Court at any time, and with the assistance of Mr. BALL or Mr. LI HONG MI could act as inter- preters and so obtain practice and facility.

9. With respect to the Police Court we are of opinion that the interpretation is not satisfactory, and we strongly recommend that as soon as the services of a competent European can be obtained, one should be appointed as head interpreter for that Court.

10. We are of opinion that it is very desirable that the Magistrates should be acquainted with Chinese, and that should a Magistrate not speaking Chinese be appointed on account of his legal qualifications, inducement should be offered to him to acquire at least some knowledge of colloquial.

100

11. We are of opinion that all Inspectors of Police should be, acquainted with at least one dialect of Chinese, and that in the Charge Room there should be always one European Inspector or Sergeant competent to receive a complaint without the assistance of an interpreter.

The Committee consider this a point of great importance, as a competent Police Officer who would be able to converse with the complainant would soon, we feel, be able to elicit much information, which at present we think is not forthcoming or obtained.

All necessary inducements and facilities should therefore be offered to Constables to learn Chinese.

12. A competent staff of translators with a European at its head should be obtained as soon as possible. With respect to the other Government Offices we are of opinion that if our suggestions are followed, and the class of persons we have indicated are attracted to the service, all difficulties respecting interpretation will disappear.

13. In view of the statement made by Mr. CALDWELL respecting the objections there are to allowing the person who is to act as interpreter to receive complaints, a statement which, though difficult of proof, we believe to be well founded, we would recommend that, until a European Clerk is available for the purpose of receiving complaints, Mr. BALL should as much as possible attend to this duty, and if our recommendation respecting Messrs. HAZELAND and HOLWORTHY be approved of by Government and accepted by these gentlemen, one of them should attend when Mr. BALL is engaged in Court.

7th September, 1887.

EDw. J. ACKROYD.

Chairman.

A. LISTER.

A. P. MACEWEN.

J. CHALMERS.

E. J. EITEL.

HONGKONG.

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

No.

!

1

88.

1887.

GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONGKONG, January 3rd, 1888.

SIR,-I have the honour to report on the British Postal Service in Hongkong and China during

.

2. There is not much to record, nor indeed, as far as Hongkong is concerned, can there be much in the of progress to record until the Department ceases to be cramped by a wholly inadequate

way building. The limits of development of the service in the existing structure have been fully reached, nor can any marked improvement of organisation be expected until room is provided for a larger staff and more extended operations. Economy of space has been carried so far in the Hongkong Post Office that any modification of detail which necessitates a shelf, a small table, or indeed any place to put anything, has become all but impossible. If the space required is more than a few feet, such a modification is quite impossible.

3. How little the staff of the Post Office has grown with the growing necessities of the service may be seen from the following statement of the Hongkong portion of the staff of this Department, in 1875 when the present writer took charge of it, and in 1887, respectively;—

1875.

Hongkong Staff only.

1 Postmaster General.

1 Assistant

1 Accountant.

do.

1 Money Order Clerk.

2 Marine Officers.

2 Chinese Assistants for Marine Officers.

6 Clerks.

3 Senior Chinese.

6 Postmen.

8 Coolies.

4 Boatmen.

1887. Hongkong Staff only.

1 Postmaster General.

1 Assistant do.

1 Accountant.

2 Money Order Clerks.

3 Marine Officers.

2 Chinese Assistants for Marine Officers.

7 Clerks.

3 Senior Chinese.

7 Postmen.

6 Coolies.

4 Boatmen.

35.

Total salaries $20,400.

37.

Total salaries $22,740.

4. It appears from the above that during twelve years there has been an increase in the Staff of two persons, and in the annual expenditure of $2,340, or not quite $200 a month. This increase is more than accounted for by the extra money order clerk, by a clerk for parcels, and by the additional Marine Officer. This latter appointment was necessitated, not by an increase in the work, but because it was found to be, in conjunction with the travelling and constant change of climate, too severe for only two officers. Two Marine Officers died at their posts. Even with three, one of whom is always doing three months shore duty, the strain on health is very perceptible.

5. This slight increase in the personnel of the Department, obtained, as is always the case, with the greatest difficulty, has been nothing like sufficient to keep pace with the growing wants of the community. Nearly stagnant from 1865 to 1875, this Colony in the latter year took a fresh departure, and has been increasing steadily ever since. Steamer traffic grows every year, new Ports have been opened in our neighbourhood, new mail lines have been established. The French Packets, which in 1875 brought ten or twelve half-empty bags of correspondence, now bring from ninety to a hundred full ones, our largest inward mail in fact, which, unfortunately, necessarily arrives unsorted.

In 1875 we had Money Order relations only with the United Kingdom, and the duties were attended to by a clerk who was expected to perform his full share of ordinary Postal work as well. Now we exchange Money Orders with nearly all the world, and the duties are discharged, with daily increasing difficulty, only by the continuous attention of two clerks, who have to be detached from all other duties. Parcel Post has been introduced within the last two years, and, whilst it is most useful and successful, it forms a serious addition to the general work of the Office, and to the daily demand for more space. The total number of letters, papers, &c. passing through the Hongkong Post Office in 1875 probably fell short of 900,000. The total for 1887 is estimated at 2,200,000. The work of the Department is

102

only got through, and that with extreme pressure and difficulty, by long and severe hours of duty, by excessively hard work, and by the superior officers joining in manual labour which, in most other places, would be performed by men at twenty-five shillings a week.

6 But it is when the Chinese Staff of the Office is considered that it is seen how completely inadequate is the provision of hands, in comparison with the work to be done. In the Local or Municipal Post Office of Shanghai, which undertakes nothing but the reception and distribution of local correspondence, and of that exchanged by steamer with certain Ports immediately corresponding with Shanghai, the work is carried on by the following Chinese staff under the superintendence of two Europeans:-

Cz

3 Senior Chinese.

17 Postmen and Coolies.

2 Rickshaw Coolies. 4 Boatmen

26

The Municipal Post Office at Shanghai is one of seven Post Offices by which the correspondence of that Settlement is dealt with, and it is furnished with twenty-six Chinese. The Hongkong Post Office does the whole of the Postal work of Hongkong, inward, outward, and local; prepares and passes on the mails for all China and Japan; acts as a centre between those countries and the Straits, India, America and Australia; sorts both the English and French mails for Shanghai; and is furnished with twenty Chinese. The amount of correspondence passing through Shanghai may be taken, with fair accuracy, to be about half of that passing through Hongkong. The whole Postal work of Shanghai is performed by 13 Europeans and 48 Chinese, that of Hongkong by 17 Europeans and 20 Chinese. Moreover the only two really heavy mails for Shanghai are sorted in Hongkong.

7. The Municipal Post Office at Shanghai can, naturally, establish hourly deliveries, and effect them with great regularity and satisfaction to the public. The Hongkong Post Office effects with difficulty three deliveries a day, with an extra delivery after dark when necessary; and, when there is a rush of either inward or outward mail work, delivery has to be suspended altogether, the services of the postmen who should go out with correspondence being indispensable indoors.

8. The directions in which the organisation of the Hongkong Office should now be developed are these:-

(a.) The improvement of local delivery.

(b.) The collection of correspondence from steamers, and a quicker landing of contract

mails, by means of a steam-launch belonging to the Department.

(c.) An enforcement of the monopoly of the Post Office with regard to outward corres-

pondence, more particularly Chinese.

The third of these has been waiting for time and opportunity, but the other two are absolutely de- pendent on the provision of a larger building. Local delivery cannot be improved without a Chinese staff at least double of what we have at present. There is not room in this building for a single additional Chinese. Instead of adding to the existing overcrowding, it should be abated. And it is worse than useless to collect correspondence from steamers unless there are the means of delivering it at least as quickly as the steamer agents can deliver it themselves. Similarly, this Department could not work a steam-launch to advantage without two Europeans to relieve each other in the duty of boarding vessels on arrival. They would have to live on the premises, for which no ingenuity could arrange in the present building. In fact almost every attempt to improve the service in any way is blocked by the same condition, more room.

9. To fully develope the internal Postal service of this Colony there will be needed ere long four small sub-offices, viz., one at the east and one at the west end of the town, one at Kowloon and one at the Peak. Pillar boxes will also have to be established at convenient spots on the routes leading to these suburbs. All this would pay its own expenses and more, but it is useless to attempt it without · a sufficient central staff to receive and distribute the correspondence.

10. International Statistics, to regulate the payments for sea and territorial conveyance of mails during three years were taken during the first twenty-eight days of November, and, so far as is known up to this date, with regularity and success.

11. The date at which this Report has to be sent in makes it impossible to detail the Revenue of the Department for 1887, which will not be definitely ascertained for some months to come. Probably, however, there will be some improvement on the Revenue for 1886, which was as follows:-

Gross Revenue, 1886,

$134,734.72

Share of United Kingdom,

Share of other countries,

Conveyance of Mails,. Working expenses, Balance,.....

·

$78,379.82

7,865.91

6,973.12

33,136.49

8,379.38

$134,734.72

$134,734.72

12. We have ceased to expect a profit on the working of the Post Office. That there is still a balance to the good is mainly due to the Parcel Post. During the year the following parcels have been dealt with (not including local parcels, of which no separate account is kept.)

Total.

By P. & O. Packet,

By German Packet,

Inward.

5,195 215

5,410

Outward. 3,831 166

3,997

9,026

381

9,407

13. The largest Parcel Mail was that despatched on November 8th, the Christmas Mail, by which 329 parcels, weighing 631 lb. net were forwarded. The next largest was that despatched on November 22nd, the New Year Mail, by which 265 parcels, weighing 487 lb. net were forwarded. The largest inward Parcel Mail consisted of 408 parcels, weighing 892 lb.

14. Two parcels were confiscated in London, one for containing reprints of books copyright in the United Kingdom, the other for containing cigars which it was attempted to smuggle under a false declaration. The cigars were addressed to a lady, probably to divert suspicion of the real nature of the contents of the parcel.

15. The exchange of Parcels with the Continent by German Packet is steadily though slowly increasing. At first only four or five parcels were sent or received by each mail, now the average is about twenty. A box containing eight parcels was lost in the Oder.

16. The reduction of postage on coast and local parcels effected some time since has been the means of attracting a considerable business in the transmission of such parcels, which are now carried at five cents a pound including Registration.

17. It is hoped ere long to have Parcel Post arrangements in force with the principal Australian Colonies. The Victorian Government, which, as controlling the P. & O. line from Melbourne to Colombo, is the first to be consulted, has accepted the proposals of this Office, and it is hoped that the system may be at work within two or three months. An exchange of parcels by the direct Torres Straits steamers was proposed to Queensland, but the internal legislation of that Colony does not permit of its adoption.

t

18. A direct exchange of Parcels with Canada viâ Vancouver has also been proposed. The Canadian Post Office replied that when the mail service between Vancouver and Hongkong has been put on a permanent footing the question will be considered.

19. It has been shown in paragraph 12 that, exclusive of local exchanges, 9,407 parcels passed through this Office in the course of the year. Although the contents of many of these were of con- siderable intrinsic value, no parcel has been lost, nor has any local parcel been lost.* The reason is not far to seek. Although parcels are not technically considered as Registered Articles, yet practically and to all intents and purposes, they are Registered. Persons who talk "the stuff that makes one sad and almost sick," as to how they never register their letters, "it only serves to call attention to them," would do well to consider the fact that upwards of nine thousand parcels, often containing such objects as watches, rings, bracelets, &c., with the contents and value` marked on them, have been transmitted safely under Registration during the year, whilst it is believed that nearly every letter containing such objects and posted without Registration has been stolen, not necessarily here, nor even necessarily in the Postal service, but still stolen, somewhere.

20. If it were as possible to prevent the sending of unregistered money letters through the Post as it is to prevent the sending of unregistered parcels, letter-stealing would disappear. It is kept up and perpetuated by the persons referred to in the last paragraph, who not only do wrong them- selves, but also persuade others to do so. If only money letters were stolen, the senders might well be left to reap the consequences of their own carelessness, but unfortunately the letters of innocent people are stolen on the chance or on the supposition that they contain money.

21. It may be questioned whether the detective measures taken by many Postal Administrations in the way of sending test letters and laying other traps for Post Office thieves do not do more harm than good. Every time a letter-carrier is convicted, the public begin to think that now, at last, they may send money letters with safety. They are soon undeceived.

They are soon undeceived. So far at least as Post Offices where the subordinates are Chinese are concerned, it will NEVER be safe to send money or valuables through the Post unregistered, and it is believed to be at once the kindest and the justest course to avoid any useless show of an attempt to make it so. Such attempts only foster a disas- trous illusion, and intensify the evil they are intended to cure. To countenance the promiscuous sending of money letters, and yet attempt to put down thefts by detective measures, is like planting a noxious weed, and then snipping at it with scissors. The public have it in their power to cut the weed at the root by ceasing to send unregistered money letters. It is believed that the refusal of this Department to make any enquiry into alleged cases of theft of unregistered money letters has reduced that class of correspondence very considerably. If these remarks should deter one additional person from sending money in unregistered covers they will not have failed of their object. And, if they do not deter him, the loss of his money very speedily will.

*Eleven Registered Letters are believed to have been destroyed by an explosion on board the Formosa on December 26th.

کی دے

104

:

22. As it appeared doubtful whether the direct route viâ Aden for correspondence for the South African Colonies was working as satisfactorily as formerly, experiments were made by the despatch of test covers, as to the real time occupied in transit. The result was as follows:

To Cape Colony, To Natal,

Viâ London. 50 days. 57 days.

Viâ Aden. 76 days.

69 days.

Correspondence for these Colonies is therefore now forwarded exclusively by way of London. 23. In view of the inconvenience caused by the departures of the steamers of the Pacific Mail Company and Occidental and Oriental Steam-ship Company on the same days as the Mails for Europe, the two Companies promised that they would, in arranging their Schedule for the present year, do all in their power consistently with the rules they have found it necessary to observe, to avoid a repetition of this conflict of dates. The good offices of the Companies have been so far successful that, in their Time Table for the first half of this year, there are only two coincidences.

24. It would be very desirable if the occasional despatch of the German Packet on the same day as the French Packet could also be avoided. It deprives the public of much of the advantage of a supplemental opportunity to be obliged to make use of it within a few hours or not at all.

*

25. The outward French packets now remain here only twenty-four hours, an arrangement causing a severe strain on the strength of this office, which has only a few hours of daylight to get the whole mail for Shanghai sorted and packed, amidst the numerous distractions always arising from the recent arrival of a contract mail. On one occasion the newspaper portion of the Shanghai mail was unavoidably sent up unsorted. That was on August 4th, a day on which three Contract Mail Packets left this Colony, and two were expected to arrive. Fortunately one arrival did not take place till the following morning.

26. It is feared that, under the new P. and O. contract, the stay of the outward Packet here will also be only twenty-four hours.

27. If the sorting of mails for Shanghai is to be continued under these circumstances, some re- inforcement of the staff will be inevitable, but this is a subject which can be well considered when the question of the surrender or otherwise of our Post Offices in China to the Chinese Government is settled. No decision on this point has yet been arrived at by the Imperial Government.

28. It will be necessary to make provision for a re-organisation of the Amoy Post Office in case we retain the control of it. It is impossible to continue working it much longer in its present under- manned condition. The duties of the Postal Agent at Amoy depend upon the incessant and constantly increasing steamer traffic of that Port, and have been much added to by the establishment of direct steam communication between Amoy and Manila, and between Amoy and Batavia. For Manila alone steamers leave Amoy on the average every three days. The Postal Agent has, during the past year, collected and accounted for Revenue to the amount of $9,403,60. He has sold $7,837 worth of stamps. He has despatched 5,353 Registered Letters and received 4,831, making a total of 10,184 Registered articles, every one of which needed individual attention and necessitated several entries in books, &c. This gives an average of 28 Registries each day, including Sundays, but sometimes as many as 125 Registered Articles will be despatched to Manila by one steamer. The Agent has dealt with 325 parcels, and has sold Postal Notes to the amount of $1,312. He has dealt, without any assistance except that of two Chinese who cannot read English, with over 200,000 articles of ordinary correspondence, say 550 per day, Sundays included. His Office is the point of distribution for Tamsui, Kelung, Taiwanfoo, and Takao, the service of which places involves much correspondence and attention to detail. It can scarcely be thought that $40 a month is a sufficient salary to pay a gentleman, who has other duties to attend to, for the amount of work, responsibility, watchfulness, and care, involved in keeping up such an Office as is described above All through the year, we have been continually on the verge of a deadlock at Amoy caused by the not unnatural reluctance of officers of the Consular service to undertake a post the work of which is out of proportion to the pay. Only by the good offices of H. M. Consul in prevailing on members of his staff to take the duties as a personal favour to himself has such a deadlock been prevented. If the Amoy Office continues to be worked from Hongkong it is hoped that its complete reorganisation will be allowed.

29. Arrangements were made, during the year under report, to induce a more general prepayment of the correspondence which it is the custom to send here by steamers outside the mails. The measures taken were necessarily of a stringent kind, but it was intended to relax them as soon as the end in view was attained. This was accomplished before the setting in of the inevitable outcry, which had been all along foreseen by this Department; and the sending of unpaid letters on board steamers was practically put a stop to, and less stringent rules introduced, before any complaint was made. This Office, at any rate, is no longer periodically/flooded with unpaid correspondence, nor will the wholesale transmission of such unpaid correspondence through the Post be allowed to be resumed.

I have the honour to be,

Sir, Your obedient Servant,

The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

A. LISTER, Postmaster General.

* On Christmas day the clerks in charge of the Shanghai mail were at work from 2 P.M. till midnight, and were required at 7 the next morning for the ordinary work of the Office.

APPENDIX.

1037

APPROXIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1887.

COMPARISON WITH 1886.

INTERNATIONAL.

LOCAL.

DESCRIPTION OF CORRESPONDENCE.

TOTAL.

De- spatched.

Received.

De- spatched.

Received.

Total in 1886.

Increase. Decrease.

Ordinary paid letters,

Unpaid and short paid Articles,

571,000 428,000

65,000

56,000

1,120,000

1,095,000

25,000

·

10,000 23,000

2,000

5,000

44,000

46,000

6,000

Letters on Postal Business,.

1,200

7,000

1,300

1,200

4,400

4,000

400

Post Cards,...

5,000

3,000

3,000

1,500

12,500

9.900

Do. with prepaid reply,

2,600

Newspapers and Periodicals,

126,000

258,000

37,000

16,000

437,000

412,000

25,000

Books, Circulars, Prices Current, &c.,

210,000

87,000

15,000

11,500

323,500

304,100

19,400

Patterns,

5,000-

2,000

1,000

500

9,500

8,000

1,500

Commercial Papers,

Registered Articles,

23,000

32,000

3,700

3,800

62,500

58,900

3,600

Letters with value declared.

Registered Articles with Return Receipt,

300

5,000

100

100

5,500

4,500

1,000

Parcels,

1,000

1,200

8,506

:

No.

2

88.

HONGKONG.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HEAD MASTER OF THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL,

HONGKONG, 16th January, 1888.

SIR, I have the honour to forward the Annual Report on this School for 1887.

1. The total number of boys on the Roll for the past year was 601. The school days numbered 234, the difference from last year being accounted for, by the four days special holiday, given by His Excellency the Governor, in November in connexion with the celebration of Her Majesty's Jubilee.

2. To illustrate the condition of the School during the last five years the following table is annexed :-

Average

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887.

YEAR.

Total Number of Scholars.

Number of School Days.

Monthly Enrolment.

Daily

Maximum.

Minimun.

Attendance.

556

236

460

378

394

558

236

462

362

411

596

238

499

382

437

610

238

507

419

446

601

234

525

417

449

Number of

Percentage.

YEAR.

School

School Boys

of

Actual Nett

Fees.

Examined.

Passes.

Expenditure.

Average

Expense of each Scholar per Average Daily Attendance.

365

96.98

4,121

13,109.51

33.22

379

95.58

4,981

13,378.62

32.48

412

95.88

5,273

12,885.00

29.45

405

94.81

5,422

11,680.41

26.17

384

97.65

5,547

11,872.70

26.40

ANNUAL EXAMINATION.

3. The result of the Annual Prize Examination in English subjects, just held, is eminently satis- factory. Only 9 boys failed out of 384 examined, in other words 97 per cent passed. As this is the last Annual Examination which will be held in this school building, the history of which extends over a quarter of a century, I may be pardoned for dwelling on this signal success, which forms a fitting crown to the labours of so many years. It will be remembered that on my arrival, six years ago, after examining the school I expressed my astonishment and gratification at the attainments in English of the Chinese, who form the vast majority of Central School boys. Since then, no stone has been left unturned, steadily and get without undue haste, to raise the standard. English Composition was introduced into the 4th class; translation from and into Chinese was made obligatory in every class; English Grammar and Geography were extended three classes lower. The result of this exten- sion is shown in the present examination; of the 314 boys examined in English Grammar 90 per cent. passed, while 94 per cent. passed of the 110 examined in English Composition; and I may say that for idiom of expression and thoughtfulness in ideas the essays presented by these Chinese boys-who, it must be remembered, do not associate with English, out of school hours,-cannot fail to be considered admirable. Making comparison with the percentage table of last year, I observe a higher percentage obtained by the school this year in every subject, except Map-Drawing which is about the same figure. Special improvement is noticeable in Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, Euclid, Algebra, General Intel- ligence Papers and Mensuration.

4. The severity of the test applied to the classes in this school precludes all possibility of any comparison being instituted with work done in any other school in the Colony. Not only are there no Special Optional subjects-every subject, Euclid, Algebra, Latin, Physical and Commercial Geography,

108

taught in any class being compulsory to every boy in that class,-but the examination in Grammar is not, as in the Grant-in-Aid System, confined to Analysis Parsing and Definitions, nor in Geography to Map drawing and Definitions; on the contrary searching general questions are set, more after the type of the Oxford and Cambridge Local Examinations; nor must I forget to mention the two papers, translation from and into Chinese, in each class, which prove such a stumbling-block to non- Chinese boys and so ruthlessly handicap them in the race for prizes. The system I adopted on my arrival, and which I have since maintained, is that to pass in each subject a boy must obtain at least half-marks, and failure in more than half the subjects of his class makes a boy a complete failure. This year there were 15 subjects in the First Class, as opposed to 8 subjects in 1882; therefore this year, a boy required for a bare pass, as much as would have gained him excellent distinction six years ago. If this School had been examined on Grant-in-Aid principles, we could have presented 69 boys in the highest Standard, Standard VI; 41 in Standard V; 102 in Standard IV; 100 in Standard III; 52 in Standard II; and 20 in Standard I; moreover Copy-writing would have been taken into account for 274 boys, instead of merely for the 70 boys at the bottom of the school.

5. The Upper School was examined in a first year's work in Latin, the same paper was set to all three classes, and though the questions were stiff, very creditable answers were obtained. Class I was examined in three books of Euclid; and in Algebra offered Surds, Scales of Notation, &c. up to Har- monical Progression. Class IV passed excellently in Algebra and Euclid.

·

STAFF.

6. Mr. ARTHUR, Third Master, was transferred to the Magistracy, early in the year. He was a tho- roughly efficient, successful, and popular teacher, able to maintain excellent discipline without any ostentation, and having no need to resort to severity. In the important subject of English Reading and Pronunciation, which, to those not practically engaged in teaching English to foreigners, might appear easy, he was unrivalled. The school was fortunate in obtaining the services of Mr. JAMESON, a graduate of Peterhouse Cambridge, whose engagement at another school happily terminated at the time of Mr. ARTHUR'S transfer. Mr. JAMESON laboured strenuously throughout the year, with what success may be estimated from the fact that only one boy failed, out of the three classes in his charge, which comprised 126 boys. On April 1st Mr. Mox, 3rd Chinese Assistant was transferred to the Registrar General's Office, Mr. Cнü took his place, and Mr. Lo KIT was promoted from Senior Pupil Teacher to be 4th Chinese Assistant. In my report on the requirements of the New School forwarded twelve months ago, I drew special attention to the injury done to the school, by Masters, English and Chinese, leaving on account of dissatisfaction with salaries, and I trust that my suggestions on this head will meet with the approval of the authorities.

7. That the whole Staff deserves credit for the past year's work is evident from the results of Examination given above; but I wish to bear my testimony to the important fact, of which I alone can be cognisant, that in this school, there is no spasmodic cramming at the end of the year, with a view to dazzling effect; but steady uniform work, willingly and cheerfully performed consistently throughout the year. As in the New School a larger amount of responsibility in teaching will fall into the hands of the Chinese Assistants, I desire to draw particular attention to the good results obtained by the four classes V-VIII, which were entrusted to the care of the four Chinese Assistants. The excellent papers, in most instances, done by these boys, in English Grammar, Geography, Dicta- tion and Arithmetic show that there is no ground for apprehension, that English subjects cannot be adequately taught by Chinese.

8. I have received from Mr. JAMESON, Master in charge of the Preparatory School, a very favour- able report of the work done by the six Articled Pupil Teachers. This is very satisfactory, and marred alone by the fact, that one of the Pupil Teachers gave evidence of persistent neglect of his First Class studies, which culminated, as might naturally be expected in a pass, which can only be viewed as discreditable.

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATION.

9. The six candidates who entered for the Cambridge Local Examination in 1886 acquitted them- selves well. The Senior candidate passed in Arithmetic, English Grammar, Composition, and History, Geography, Euclid, and Algebra, but failed in Scripture. As a Chinese, he had natural difficulty with this subject, but his experience has led him to devote more attention to it for the late examination. Of the five Juniors, HOWARD and MADAR obtained certificates and have therefore the distinction of being the first Hongkong boys to obtain that honour; two others WONG FAN and WONG PING failed only in History and Geography, or it may be in only one of these as particulars were not given. The remain- ing boy was incapacitated by fever. That the boys themselves considered this result encouraging is evident from the fact, that they all entered for the late examination; MADAR abandoned the project only on leaving school, and five new boys swelled the number. In October last the Colonial Secretary, Hon. F. STEWART, LL.D., presented the parchments to the two successful candidates, for it seemed specially appropriate that the late Headmaster should perform in his old school a ceremony, that occurred for the first and last time, and which will prove a prominent link between this school and the new college.

109

10. I cannot refrain from here taking the opportunity to defend the Local Examinations against two serious imputations, cramming and competition, that have been laid to their charge. Cramming is the process by which a man of experience reduces, for the sake of his pupils, the wide area of any given subject, by judiciously selecting those portions, on which questions are likely to be set. This method is open to the obvious objection that first principles and sound basis are sacrificed to show results in answer to Catch Questions. Now when year after year, bodies of examiners, like the Oxford Delegates and Cambridge Syndicate set forth varied questions, testing the knowledge of rudiments in each subject, as well as embracing the highest achievements, and at the same time distinctly state that each candidate must satisfy the examiners in Rudimentary knowledge in each subject—to talk of cram- ming in connexion with these examinations merely argues want of information in those who hazard the statement. As regards the Central School, this charge is simply ludicrous; the local candidates study their subjects in a class of 60 boys; only one hour a week, in the afternoon, is allowed for in- structions in each of the special subjects (as Shakespeare and the Epoch of History) and for instruction in Higher Euclid and Algebra.

11. The idea of Competition is foreign to the purpose of local examinations, which is to provide one standard for boys educated in different schools on widely varying principles. Each boy does his best to pass well, and if possible to obtain distinction; but there is no personal emulation to urge him to outstrip any particular boy, which is the necessary element of competition as applied to school-boy life. Unfortunately, however, the attempt has been made, to raise the spirit of competition, not among scholars but schools. Such a feeling should not be admitted for a moment; not only is there no con- test, but there is actually no uniformity of conditions. One school may send in all the boys in certain classes, another may offer only selected candidates. One school may have a large staff of masters, another may be without this advantage. It is not the custom in England, as far as my personal know- ledge reaches, for comparison to be made between the results in different schools in the same town. Whatever wholesome emulation may be personally stirred among the masters, no comparisons are drawn between the results (say) of a Grammar School and of a Board School, nor between the latter and those of a Denominational School; nor in fact would it be possible as the basis of comparison is wanting.

OLD SCHOLARS.

12. In the past year we were gratified by the news of Mr. WALTER BOSMAN'S (Government Scholar) final success at the Engineering College at the Chrystal Palace. He was presented with the Society's Bronze Medal for sustained distinction, in no less than 9 terminal examinations. His future successes will not come within the scope of School Reports, but he will continue to carry with him the good wishes of his old school-fellows and schoolmasters.

13. It is also worthy of note that Mr. TAI TIN-PUI, who left the Second Class of this school at midsummer after showing marked aptitude for English Studies, graduated last November as Sau Tsoi at Canton. I am informed that this is the first time this success has been achieved by a Central School boy. It must, however, be clearly understood that the credit of this success does not belong to this school, for as a rule we can do but little more than preserve the knowledge of Chinese a boy brings with him; still Mr. TAI has shown conclusively that application to English studies need not cause a boy to abandon the pursuit of native literature.

HEALTH.

14. The health of the school suffered from the fever and small-pox prevalent in the town, at the close of the year. The Sick List in December is the largest I remember.

CONCLUSION.

15. I will conclude with a few general remarks. The new school is hasting to its completion, and I sincerely trust, that we are not doomed to pass another summer in these overcrowded class- rooms, from which air is effectually blocked out by the houses that hem us in, on every side.

side. It

It may be that in another year Chinese dwellings may stand on the site of this old School, but its memory will endure; a dozen Morrison scholars, and one Government scholar, hundreds of clerks in English and Chinese Government Service, and a countless number of mercantile clerks scattered over the Far East will have these old walls photographed on their memory of happy youthful days, as long as life shall last. The standard of education at the Central School may be said this year to have attained its High Water mark, it only remains for the Victoria College to take this tide at the flood and so be led on to Fame and Fortune.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A.,

Head Master.

The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&C..

&c

&C.

110

1887.

CENTRAL SCHOOL.

Number

Month.

of Scholars.

Number of Attendances.

Number of School Days.

Average Daily Attendance.

January,

417

5,700

14

407.14

February,

March,

April,..

May,

June,

July,

August,

September,..

October,

November,

December,

Total,.

519

4,587

9

509.66

525

13,386

27

495.78

518

8,314

17

489.06

509

11,493

24

478.87

498

11,017

24

459.04

471

11,609

26

446.50

449

1,767

4

441.75

470

9,864

22

448.36

467

10,059

23

437.35

455

9,143

22

115.59

433

8,287

22

376.68

105,226

234

105,226

234

449.684

601

Total Number of ATTENDANCES during 1887,

Number of SCHOOL DAYS during 1887,.....

Average DAILY ATTENDANCE during 1887,

Total Number of SCHOLARS at this School during 1887,

AVERAGE EXPENSE of each SCHOLAR at the Central School during 1887.

Expenditure,

Deduct School Fees,....

Rent of Quarters,.......

""

Sale of Ink to Police Department,

Total Expenses of the School,...

Average Expenses of each Scholar per number on Roll,.........

*

"

55

29

多多

Average Daily Attendance,......

.......$17,803.40

.$5,547.00

382.50

1.20

5,930.70

$11,872.70

.$19.75

26.40

GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A., Head Muster.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

No.

3

88.

No. 14.

POLICE OFFICE, HONGKONG, 20th January, 1888.

SIR, I have the honour to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, details of the Police Establishment, the list of Pensioners and the Criminal Statistics for the year 1887.

2. The Criminal Statistics show that 8,481 cases were reported to the Police during 1887, being a decrease of 355 cases or 4.01 per cent on the return for 1886. In the subdivision of these cases into Serious Crimes (so called) and Minor Offences an increase of 77 cases or 3.08 per cent is found in Serious Crimes and a decrease of 432 cases or 6.81 per cent in Minor Offences.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

W. M. DEANE, Captain Superintendent of Police.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c

7

Sc.

1887.

TABLE A.

RETURN of SERIOUS and MINOR OFFENCES reported to have been committed during the Year 1887, with the Results of such Reports.

Robberies with Violence)

froin

the Person.

Burglaries.

Larcenies in

Dwelling

Houses.

Assaults

with Intent

to Rob.

Larcenies.

Felonies

not

already

Assaults

and

Disorderly

Gambling.

given.

Conduct.

Kidnapping.

Unlawful

Possession.

Piracy.

Miscellaneous

Offences.

Euro-

peans

and

Ameri-

Indians.

Chinese.

Total.

cans.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported. No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted. No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged. Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Drunkenness.

Nuisances.

No Pass or Light.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

:

:

:

:

:

:

January,

February,

co

:

C:

168

157

75 20 13 12 5

*

22

10

8

CJ

108

82

82

111

191 4 29

24

co

9

:

+

4

3

35

41

9

33 29 6

1

6

20 16

4

March,

*

N

1

3

CA

176

88

19

4

B

5 97 143

25

5 60 15 9 5

10 29

281

-1

7

April,

2

3

9

2

4

177

78

18

3

نه

3

82 114

25 13147

3

CU

Co

3

NO

2 15 13

9

May,.

8

2

186

78

26

3

4

1107

143

:

25

26

8

661 66 1.18

15 | 15

17

91 12

June,

2

3

1

2

178

77

23

:

July,

1

1

5

5

2

184

59

20

**

August,

6

1

3

151

61

22

7

6

31

86

September,

October,

2

November,

2

3

4

5

69

88

:

88

December;.

3

2

6

1

..

1

92

:

:

24

12

4

4

85

103

24

2

20

9 77 33

127

201

19128 65

&

3 4 28

221 16

145

44 29

8

3

81100

104

43 11 103

123

45

20

5

3

4102

115

36

6

51

180

79 28

5

1

1

15

1

13

153

82

102

27

15 39

2

7

2

8

3 [125

41

164

CO

es

9

co

2

5

ها

8

201

25

17 14

20 8

ลง

2

خير

4

1

1

14

السلام

6

6

4

2 6

දප

181

15

E

1

:

-}

8

co

20

3

GOL

43 22

14

8

6

401

36 12

1

TOTAL

31

23 3

38

{k

ΟΙ

8 22

I

23

41

13

305

40

17

TOTAL

or

ALL

CASES.

2

2

579

91

568

36

703

i

8

2

513

125

549

128

629

22

28

23

272 BOL

37

22

ይዩ።

315

31

80 4

ہو

5

101 27:

16

115

20

30

39

460

497

169

31

2

643

112

674

116

715

832

221

863

223

867

:

:

:

:

23

50

27

463 552

48

891

3

cra

1

835 190

874 191

919

24

35

11

298

200

34

38

5

473

98

512

103

674

14 38 12

321

311

52

16

7

00

Æ

5

10

613

161

637 173

750

9

28

17

275

281

53

13

1

8

4

614

216

635

221

646

23

17 10

295

290

45

161

3

1 2

540

132

560 137

630

:

:

15

12 11

314

828

ལུ

60

201

6

$

1

562

123

590 130

613

CO

3

2

27

17

0

297

290

51

15

8

*

AS

I 509

111

527 120

686

ہے

11

14

16

19

4

290

281

45

11

2

1

3 513

133

525

138

649

1,985

815

280

76

50

08 1,101,425 335

v

C

?

α

$ སུ

99 760 221

90

54

72

327 263 120

8

18

a 1 Prisoner absconded from bail.

b Case undecided and 1 Prisoner escaped from Custody.

c 2 Cases undecided.

d1 Prisoner died in Hospital.

Police Department, Hongkong, 20th January, 1888.

14 [231310|192|3,941 | 4,119

899

e 4 Cases undecided.

274 42

41

21 7,2201,7167,544 1,779

8,481

W. M. DEANE,

Captain Superintendent of Police.

11/2

2 4

21

22 3 | 105 | 109 |

21

22

2106 106

3

ون

17

22

19

ww

8

61

02

3

9. 11

છે

70 75

5

-

I

53 69

CC

3

G

58 64

¿

48 49..)

86

6 11

872 1 6 S.. 63

11 13 1 #2 854 7

44 04 3

3

ここ

NO

53

10 16.

19

5 .. 16 56

..

3

ST

1 4 4

78 08

1

+-

་ ་

120 107 17:

8 123 128

171

16 11

Ca

18

1

27 26 2

ここ

162

13

N

شاشه

1

21

January,

29 32

505 8 3

10

نا

1 08

79

15

5

CU

3

..

10 34 2

66

1 149

12

57 10

to

r

OD

Co

N

B

62

LO

N

2

*

N

TH

10

V

6

19

ين

05

$2

51

16

h

:

20 21

29 28 2

9

:

2

10

28

Cases reported.

1S37.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted. No. of Persons discharged.

Cases

reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted. No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported. No. of Persons convicted. No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

2

No. of Persons convicted.

N

to

NO

N

เง

G

Q

Breach of Spirits

Ordinances. and Opium

TABLE B.

RETURN of MISCELLANEOUS OFFENCES reported to have been committed during the Year 1887, with the Results of such Reports.

Desertion,

Unlicensed

Street

Mendicants.

Hawking.

Cries.

Refusal and Neglect of

Rogues,

Vagabonds

and

Suspicious

Breach of

Public

Vehicles

Ordinance.

Duty.

Characters.

Breach of

Harbour

and

Coast

Ordinances.

Breach of

Police,

Gaol

and

Deportation

Ordinances.

Breach of

Pawnbrokers,

Markets and Weights and Measures

Ordinances.

Intimidation,! Extortion, Bribery and

Culting

Trees

or

Conspiracy. Earth.

Obtaining Goods and

Money

by False

Pretences.

Cruelty to

Animals and

Furious Driving.

False Charge

and Contempt

of Court.

Breach of Triad Society

Registration and

Ordinances.

Spurious Coin.

13

14

69 69

31 32 1

..

17 19 1 129 124

5

21 21

10.

2 23 21 7

13 15

3 07

GR 1 18

171

6

2

34 39

5 51

5

23

23

1 83 83

19

October,....

30

30 6 63! 57 6

221

4102 07

(

11:

10

to

64 67

November, 23

December,.. 12)

6

to

| ទ

3

ون

11

..

5

!

I

12

TOTAL,..239 250 30991 973 41202 200 6 38 114 19559 | 673 76

**

Police Department, Hongkong, 20th January, 1888.

6

*

0.3

N

S

C

44 50 8 13 10

1:0

30

16

21

43

70

19

20 19 59 |

20 3

52 11

Co

04 17 18 18 2

S

9| 14: 5 70 61

13

11.

6

!!!

86 6

4

3

27 AS 18 73

6

00

36 37

7

ro

1

1

17 22 10

49}

45

£3

52 10 3

CU

3

13

26

هستیم

71

61

13

N

N

to

45

18

6

ลง

N

H

H

16 16

13 12

12

11

15

H

:

وزم

:

4

Cu

O

9

3

4...

N

H

3

ہے

Co

-

H

C

N

H

->

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted. No. of Persons discharged. Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted." No. of persons discharged.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

ì roperty.

Damage to

Attempted Suicide.

Breach of

Dangerous Goods and Arms Ords.

Totals.

N

19

Co

AA

308 335

40

972 B01 37

345 34

469

197 169

463

3

208

582 48

269

3.1

324 214 52

5

5

22 21

21212 450 72 808756|149|16 29] 8 40 32

..

27

23

..

H

*

..

81

9

10

11

1 J.

T

..

..

211

33

21 2

1} 1!

3

6

گرم

1 173

297

200 51

11.65

21 290

281

15

8314 309 13 12 9 7 10 11 | 8 108 107 11 25 18 836 37 221 15 11 37 47 10 27 20 6 8 4 45031 1578,911 4,119 | 668

* 1 Prisoner committed Suicide, and 1 died In IIospital.

W. M. DEANE, Captain Superintendent of Police.

155

1

0 275 281 53

1 205

314

09

15

TABLE C.

COMPARATIVE Return of OFFENCES coming under the Notice of the POLICE, during the Years 1885, 1886, and 1887.

SERIOUS.

MINOR.

NUMBER OF PERSONS

NUMBER OF CASES.

DESCRIPTION.

Convicted.

Discharged.

1885. 1886. | 1887.

1885. 1886. 1887. 1885. 1886. 1887.

7531,0311,101

253 248 99 736 762 766 1,901 3,735 3,9411,998 4,209 | 4,119 323 373 231 690 470 340 387 479 192

973 1,486|1,425

225 335

31 211

416 668 No analysis of Convictions & Discharges.

273

58

426

NUMBER OF PERSONS

NUMBER OF CASES.

Convicted.

Discharged.

DESCRIPTION,

1885. 1886. 1887.

1885. | 1886. 1887. 1885. | 1886. 1887.

100 888 co

Murder,

3

Robbery with Violence from the Person, Burglary or Larceny from Dwelling,. Assault with Intent to Rob,

96 64

31

70

33

23

15

93 68 60 36

32

11

3

4

1

5

Drunkenness,

Kidnapping,

53

78 90

25

63

54

55

72

Nuisance,....

Piracy,

17

10

8

13

1

18

10

14

No Pass or Light,

Unlawful Possession,

229

291

327 165

287

263

65

120

Larcenies,..

1,9271,898 | 1,985

952

898 815

300 278

280

Felonies not already given,

45

81

75

36

70 50

40

40

67

Total,..

2,466 2,500 2,577 1,298 1,389 1,234

561

472

565

===

10002889

13∞

Assault,

Gambling,

8 Miscellaneous,

Total,.

4,307|6,336|5,904 | 3,707 | 6,457 | 6,310

757

672 1,211

1887-Total Number of Cases 8,481, being a Decrease of 355 Cases or 4.01 per cent. on 1886.

Increase of Serious Crimes 77 Cases or 3.08 per cent.

Decrease of Minor Offences 432 Cases or 6.81 per cent.

Police Department, Hongkong, 20th January, 1888.

T

W. M. DEANE, Cuptain Superintendent of Police.

TABLE D.

1.-RETURN of SERIOUS OFFENCES reported to the POLICE, during the 10 Years ending 1887, showing the Number of Prisoners Arrested, Convicted and Discharged. Robbery with Violence

Murder.

from

the Person.

Burglary

and

Larceny in

Dwelling House.

Assault with

Intent to Rob.

Kidnapping.

Piracy.

Unlawful Possession.

Felonies

Larceny.

not already given.

YEAR.

t

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported:

No. of Persons convicted.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons convicted

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No. arrested.

1878,

7 4

1879,

4

1880,

1

1881,

2

1882,

2

1

1883,

1884,

1885.

1886,

1887,

:

:

10

20

35 12

2 14 13149

5 51

10

:

:

39 10

20

301101

44

9 53 1

ཡ་མ

53

31

69 100

00

8

1

6

470

410

166

576

1,888 1,037

304 1,341 19 10

18

28

:

...

51 38 40

:

25 16

3

CO

53 19 58 31 10

41 2

1

1

65

999

888888

78 7 6 I 7

333

302

105

407 | 1,850

972

302 1,274

11

5

7

12

43111

68

11 12

50 62 226

181

70

251

1,662

898

239 1,137

знай

1

15

16

1

19 15

8

1

30 21

6

27

23 60 31 8

91

42

50 35

...

:

49 | 27

76

1

2

2

55

29

2288

63

98

$8

59

888

7

12

9 21

303

307

53

360 1,879

979

260 1,239 9

7

t-

20

12

5

10

3 11 11

275

239

76

315 | 2,104 | 1,053

344 1,397 33

10

36

46

Total,..

16 10

2 12 148 71

39 113436 | 207 | 59 | 266

1

2

3274 201274 475 38 31

77 1111,607|1,439

470|1,909 | 9,383 4,939 1,449 | 6,388

78. 83

81 114

*2

2

50 17 15

32 81 21 4 25

1

1

1 30 7 42 49 13

4

8 12

254

217

81

26

26

52 18 8

26 47

15 9 24 2

1

1 32 4 39 43 9 16

28 44

298

262

23

៨.

2

96 70

35 105

67

00

2

61 33

15

48

68-32

82 283

7

55

no

1

I

53

2

6

38

1 6

1

1

31

23

رنت

26

60

11

00

8

19

:

:

90

388

78 63

859

25 CO 85 17

13

20 33

229

165

55 113 10

1

54

72126 8 18

14

10 11 291 287

32 327 263

109 371 2,153

96 261

65

120

298 1,980 887

949

312 1,199

82 25

22

47

322 1,271

55 32

19

51

952

1,927 352 1,898 898 278 1,176 84 70 383 1,985 815 280 1,095 76 50

300 1,252 45 36

40

998

76

40 | 110

68118

Total,..

13

31 BB

273161 76 237 323 107 | 34 |111| 10

7 2 9 283 153 268 421 | 57 52

801321,399 | 1,194

471 |1,665 | 9,913 4,501 1,492 5,993 342 213 189 402

Average of 1st period.......... Average of 2nd period,.. Police Department, Hongkong, 20th January, 1888.

3.2 2.0 0.4 2.4 29.6 14.8 7.8 22.6 87.2 41.4 11.8 53.2 0.8 0.2 0.4 0.6 54.8 40.2 54.8 95.0 7.6 | 6.8 15.4 22.2 321.4 287.8

2.6

...

6.2 16.6 54.6 32.2 15.2 47.4 64.6 21.4 [6.8 28.2 2.0 1.4 0.4 1.8 56.6 30.6 53.6 81.2 11.4 10.4 16.0 26,4||279.8 | 238.8

* In one case the Murderer committed Suicide.

94.0 381.8 1876.6 987.8 289.8 1277.6 15.6 6.6 16.2 22.8 94.2333.0 (1988.6| 900.2 | 298,41198.668.4 42.6 39.8 80.4

W. M. DEANE,

Captain Superintendent of Polier.

-511

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

Total,.....

1878,

1879,

1880,

1881,

1882,

YEAR.

Cases reported.

No. of Persons

convicted.

No. of Persons

discharged.

Total No.

arrested.

Cases

reported.

No. of Persons

convicted.

D.

2.-RETURN of Minor OFFENCES reported to the POLICE, during the 10 Years ending 1887, showing Number of Prisoners Arrested, Convicted and Discharged.

ASSAULT.

GAMBLING.

MISCELLANEous.

DRUNKEN-

NO LIGHT

NUISANCES.

OR PASS.

NESS.

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No.

arrested.

Cases

reported.

Total,..

4,117

5,907

1,548

7,455

1,426

3,637

756

4,393

8,680

9,254

1,792 11,046

1,702

1,463

2,927

No. of Persons. convicted.

875

1,289

318 1,607

253

585

125

710

1,794

1,965

332

2,297

512

355

335

838

1,134

376 1,510

157

499

185

684

1,442

1,717

337

2,054

301

232

762

746

965

310

1,275

358

814

191

1,005 1,815 1,769

374

2,143

276

329

840

904

1,430

227

1,657

397

1,046

108

1,154

1,879 1,983

367 2,350

337

284

566

754

1,089

317

1,406

261

693

147

840

1,750

1,820

382

2,202

276

263

424

No. of Persons discharged.

Total No.

arrested.

730

852

299

1,151

86

358

166

524

2,629

2,804

559 3,363

158

527

1,135

1,118

1,513

397

1,910

104

594

124

718

2,441

2,636

581 3,217

202

790

2,896

753

973

273

1,246

255

736

58

794

1,901

1,998

426

2,424

323

690

387

1,031

1,486

225

1,711

248

762

31

793

3,735

4,209

416 4,626

373

470

479

1,101

1,425

335

1,760

99

766

211

977

3,941

4,119

668 4,787

231

340

192

Average of 1st period,..... Average of 2nd period,..

823.4 1181.4 309.6 1491.0 946.6 1049.8 305.8 1555.6

285.2 727.4

158.4 643.2

151.2 878.6

118.0 761.2

1736.0 1850.8 358.4 2209.2

340.4

292.6

585.4

2929.4 3153.2 530.0 3683.2

257.4

563.4

1,017.8

4,733 6,249 1,529

7,778

792

' 3,216

590

3,806

14,647

15,766

2,650❘ 18,416

1,287

2,817

5,089

Cases reported.

Cases

reported.

Cases

reported.

911

In 1878,

D.

3.-CASES REPORTED TO POLICE.

SERIOUS OFFENCES.

.2,611 cases.

In 1883,

1879,

.2,397

1884,

""

"

"

1880,

.2,051

1885,

29

25

1881, 1882,

..2,329

""

22

1886,

""

1887,

..2,596

11,984 cases.

.2,423 cases. .2,652 ...2,466 ..2,500 ......................2,577

29

""

"J

12,618 cases.

In 1878,

MINOR OFFENCES.

.4,224 cases.

"

""

In 1883,

1884,

1885.

"

1886, 1887.

1879,

.3,732

""

1880,

.4,364

""

1881, 1882,

.4,367

.3,728

20,415 cases.

Increase of 5.29 per cent. in second period.

.5,265 cases.

.7,551

"

.4,309

...6,336

"2

.5,904 ""

29,365 cases.

Increase of 43.84 per cent. in second period.

Altogether.

39

In 1878, 1879,

..6,835 cases.

In 1883,

..6,129

1884,

""

""

1880,

.6,415

27

1885,

15

1881,

.6,696

1886,

22

1882,

..6,324

""

1887,

"

32,399 cases.

.7,688 cases.

10,203

,.

..6,775

"

.8,836 ..8,481

41,983 cases.

Increase of 29.58 per cent. in second period.

4-DETAIL OF CASES REPORTED TO POLICE.

SERIOUS Offences.

1. Murder,

2. Robbery with Violence,

3. Burglaries & Larcenies in Dwellings,

4. Assault with Intent to Rob,

5. Kidnapping,

6. Piracy,

7. Unlawful Possession,

8. Larcenies,

9. Felonies not already given,

10. Assault,

11. Gambling,

12. Miscellaneous,

13. Drunkenness,

14. Nuisances,

15. No Pass or Light,

In 1878,

1879,

"J

1880,

95

1881,

22

1882,

117

1878 to 1882.

16

Yearly Average.

3.2

1883 to 1887.

Yearly Average.

13

2.6

148

29.6

273

54.6

436

87.2

323

64.6

1

0.8

10

2.0

274

54.8

283

56.6

38

7.6

57

11.4

..1,607

321.4

1,399

279.8

.9,383

1876.6

9,943

1988.6

78

15.6

342

68.4

MINOR OFFENCES.

1878 to 1882.

Yearly Average.

1883 to 1887.

Yearly Average.

.4,117

823.4

4,733

946.6

.1,426

285.2

792

158.4

..8,680

1736.0

14,647

2929.4

.1,702

340.4

1,287

257.1

..1,463

292.6

2,817

563.4

..2,927.

585.4

5,089

1017.8

5-NUMBER OF PRISONERS ARRESTED BY POLICE.

FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES.

.2,125 cases.

.1,866 1,638 ..1,796 ..1,966

""

دو

وو

27

In 1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

"

1887,

In 1878, 1879,

"" 1880,

""

"J

1881.

1882,

9,391 cases.

FOR MINOR OFFENCES.

Excepting Nos. 13, 14 and 15 (See Table 2) of which no details are given.

In 1883,

4,614 cases.

.4,248

1884,

12

4,423

1885,

"

...5,161

1886,

"

.4,448

13

1887,

22,894 cases.

..1,663 cases. ..1,857 .1,859 .1,861 .1,799

"

""

32

22

9,039 cases.

...5,038 cases. ...5,845 ..4,464 .7,129 ..7,524

""

19

وو

"

30,000 cases.

118

Altogether excepting Nos. 13, 14 and 15.

.6,789 cases.

In 1878,

""

"

1879, 1880,

...6,114

9

..6,061

27

1881,

"

1882,

.6,957 ..6,414

وو

29

In 1883,

""

1884,

1885,

""

25

1886,

1887,

وو

32,285 cases.

6.-DETAILS OF NUMBER OF PRISONERS ARRESTED.

1. Murder,

2. Robbery with Violence from Person,

3. Burglaries and Larcenies from Dwellings,

4. Assault with Intent to Rob,

5. Kidnapping,

6. Piracy,....

7. Unlawful Possession,.

8. Larcenies,

9. Felonies not given,..

10. Assault,.

11. Gambling,

12. Miscellaneous,..

13. Drunkenness,

14. Nuisances,

15. No Pass or Light,

FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES.

6,701 cases.

..7,702 ..6,323 ..8,990 ..9,323

""

12

"

39,039 cases.

1878 to 1882.

12

1883 to 1887.

33

113

237

266

141

3

9

475

421

111

132

1,909

1,665

6,388

5,993

114

402

9,391

9,033

FOR MINOR OFFENCES.

1878 to 1882.

1883 to 1887.

7.455

7,778

4,393

3,806

11,046

18,416

1,702

1,287

1,463

2,817

2,927

5,089

28,986

39,193

7-NUMBER OF PERSONS CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED.

FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES.

Convicted. Discharged.

Convicted.

Discharged.

In 1878,

..1,554

571

In 1883,

.1,178

485

""

1879,

.1,381

485

دو

1884,

1,297

560

1880,

..1,208

430

1885,

.1,298

561

99

""

1881, 1882,

1,390

406

1886,

.1,389

472

....1,405

561

1887,

.1,234

565

39

6,938

2,453

6,396

2,643

FOR MINOR OFFENCES.

Convicted.

Discharged.

Convicted.

Discharged.

In 1878,

..3,839

775

In 1883,

.4,014

1,024

,, 1879,

,3,350

898

1884,

22

4,743

1,102

1880,

.3,548

875

وو

">

1885,

.3,707

757

""

1881,

.4,459

702

1886,

"J

..6,457

672

1882,

..3,602

846

,, 1887,

6,310

1,214

18,798

4,096

25,231

4,769

Altogether excepting Nos. 13, 14 and 15.

Convicted.

Discharged.

Convicted.

Discharged.

In 1878,

.5,393

1,346

In 1883,

.5,192

1,509

1879,

4,731

1,383

1884,

..6,040

"

29

1,662

1880,

..4,756

1,305

"

1885,

.5,005

1,318

1881,

5,849

1,108

>>

1886,

7,846

1,144

1882,

...5,007

1,407

1887,

..7,544

1,779

25,736

6,549

31,627

7,412

.

119

TABLE E.

RETURN shewing the STRENGTH, ENLISTMENTS and CASUALTIES in the Police Force during 1887.

Strength of the Force. *

Enlistments. Deaths.

Resignations through Sickness.

Resignations through expiry of term of service

Dismissals

or

Desertions.

or otherwise.

Total number of Casualties.

Europeans,

114

12

خير

4

6

10

5

15

Indians,

220

15

1

10

5

14

5

25

Chinese,.

347

66

4

4

26

27

61

TOTAL,......

681

38383

93

9

9

46

37

101

* Exclusive of-1 Captain Superintendent.

1 Adjutant.

4 Clerks.

55 Coolies.

Police Department, Hongkong, 20th January, 1888.

Grand Total, 742.

W. M. DEANE,

Captain Superintendent of Police.

RETURN of Number, Tonnag

BRITISH.

COUNTRIES WHENCE ARRIVED.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

IN STEAMERS.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tous. Cre

Australia and New Zealand,

54

71,103 2,554

British Columbia,

6

12,446

394

British North America,

1

884

16

British North Borneo,

7

4,088

96

:

:

:

:

:

45

66,832 2,

:

:

:

6

12,446

Coast of China and Formosa,

699

729,705 29,334|

30

33,085

1,041

712

Canton River Trade,

889 1,055,939 35,054

Cochin-China,

145

183,703 5,166|

Continent of Europe,

37

68,700 4,012

Great Britain,....

165

252,524 6,904|

:

:

:..

India and Singapore,

83

110,308 6,224

:

:.

:

:

:

:

752,937 30,1

889 1,055,939 35,0

145

183,703 5,1

37

68,700 4,0

155 239,360 6,1

81

109,113 6,1

Japan,

147

192,443 7,186

3

3,804

72

147

191,288 7,1

Java and other Islands in the Indian Archipelago,.......

17

27,097 649

17 27,097

:

Macao,.....

3

981

81

Macao River Trade,

333

450,992 17,328|

Mauritius,

1

973

36

:

:

North Pacific,

:

:

:

:

:

3

981

333

450,992 17,8

1

973

:

Philippine Islands, .............

80

46,157 3,247

1 1,380

34

76

44,965 3,2

Ports in Hainan and the Gulf of Tonquin,

99

35,943 2,658 1

647

27

100

36,590 2,€

Russia in Asia,

1 1,329 27

1

:

:

1,329

Sandwich Islands,

3

1,501

42

Siam,

United States of America,........

110

104,915 3,757

19

43,041 1,614

108

:

:

:

:

:

104,232 3,7

17

40,646 1,5

TOTAL,....

2,896 3,393,271 126,337 38 40,417 1,216 2,873 3,388,123 126,

RETURN OF TONNAGE, &c. ENTERED TH

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command

Tonnage and Crews of STEAMERS, SAILING VESSELS and J

BRITISH.

FORE

IN STEAMERS.

IN SAILING VESSELS.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

IN STEAMERS.

ls.

Tous. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels. Tons. Crews.

5

66,832 2,431 9

4,271

123

54

71,103 2,554

61

4,007

74

2

2,718

42

:

:

6

12,446 394

:

6 12,446 394

:

:

1

884

16

1

884

16

:

:

7 4,088 96

7 4,088 96

2 1,064

27

:

:

:

.:.

:

:

2 752,937 30,141 17

9,853

234

39 1,055,939 35,054

tō 183,703 5,166

:

:

:

729 762,790 30,375 14,054 1,415,856 191,443 9,203 674,234 110,052

889 1,055,939 35,054

290

360,654 15,126

:

145

17

68,700 4,012

55 239,360 6,688| 10

31

109,113 6,198 2

13,164 216

1,195 26

17

191,288 7,182) 3 4,959

76

150

.7

27,097 649

3

981

81

33

450,992 17,328

1

973

36

:

:

:

:..

:.

:

:

:

:

:

17 27,097

77 183,703 5,166|

37 68,700 4,012

165 252,524 6,904

83 110,308 6,224

57,652 1,952

196,247 7,258 112 156,373 6,493

649

37,799 1,566|

57,858 2,013

81 157,753 7,537

11 12,672 251

1

181

11

78

58,039 2,021

1

293

15

79

155,322 7,504

4

4,334 118

58

2

2,851 971

50

51,147 1,841

5

6,318 215

112

156,468 6,602

31

27

:.

36,124 1,514

3

981

81 379

58,490 9,239||

221

29,517 4,065

13

5,046 242

333

450,992 17,328

24

9,600

456

24

:

1

973

36

1

754

22

:

...

1

:

:

276) 10

:

:

:.

:

:.

:

456 9,600

1

754 22

6

44,965 3,217

00 36,590 2,685

10

5

2,572

64

81 47,537 3,281

56!

29,995 1,756

645

43

45

24,808 1,610

1

1,329 271

:

:

:

100

36,590 2,685

199

89,756 4,152

5

4,275 101

1

:

1,329

27

11

:

3

1,501

42

3

1,501 42

61

19,726 1,082

3,395

11

203 92,811 4,237

19,726 1,082

83

2,532

50

:

18

104,232 3,731

2

683

26

110

104,915 3,757 751

65,286 1,877

:

:

€0. 57,720 1,619

.7

140,646 1,576

2 2,395

38

19

43,041 1,614) 35

66,269 2,401|

:

20

47,626 2,214

33,888,123 126,596

61 45,565

957 · 2,934 3,433,688 127,553 15,219 2,244,582 232,437 9,446 723,567 | 114.691 1,017 1,080,179| 46,214

TOTAL OF

and JUNKS entered in the Colony of Hongkong, during t.

ENTERED THE COLONY IN 1887.

Command of His Excellency the Governor,

STEAMERS.

IN SAILING VESSELS.

IN JUNKS.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels. Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels. Tons. Crews. Yes.

8 6,725 116

:

:

8

6,725

116

60

75,110 2,628

2

2,718

42

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

6

12,416

394

222222

:

:

:

1

:

:

884

16

:

2 1,064 27

9

5,152

123

:

:

FOREIGN.

2 1,064

27

360,654| 15,126| 33 18,474 433 22,934 1,710,962 285,936 23,257 2,090,090 301,495 14,753 2,145,561 220,777 9,233 707,319 111,093 1,C

:

:

:

8

889 1,055,939 85,054

11

12,672

78 58,039 2,024

82 158,046 7,552

251

222 241,561 7,179

1

181

11 2

118 226,453 11,549

176 265,196 7,155

1

293

15 1

:

1

60

60,506 2,049

117 162,691 6,708

31

600

241 9,600

37,799 1,566

88,007 13,304|

456

141 167,960 8,176

259 348,816, 13,679

48

3821

2

8

2,854

10,122

97 1

287

2.

64,896 2,215

59,471 9,320

2211 29,517 4,065

I

357 460,592, 17,784

35

]

754

22

2

1,727

58

1

276

10

1

276

10

:

:

:

:.

:

:

58

30,640 1,799

136 76,152 5,003

2,025

77

12

204

94,031 4,253|

298 125,699 6,810

6

4,922

128

333

30

11

10

75

19,726 1,082

5,928 1381

65,286 1,877)

12

21,055 1,109

1

61 3,396 831

185 170,201 5,634

7

4,033

92

16

35 66,269 2,404

54 109,310, 4,018

:

30

:

:

:

:

:

:.

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

58,039|||| 2,02-||

55,322 7,504 3

2,724

48

4,334 118 7 8,338 133

51,147 1,844| 10 9,359

205

56,468 6,602 5 6,223 106

587

82,961 13,062

36,124 1,514

4 1,675

52

5,046 242

:

9,600

456

:

:

754

22

:

:

:

:

:

1

276

10

:

:

:

:

:

:

:.

F:

:

:

1,916|23,521|1,793,923 298,998 24,6652,968,149| 347,128| 18,1155,637,853 358,774|| 9,484| 763,984|115,907 3,89€

F:

:

:

:.

F.

24,808 1,610 13 5,832 139

2,811 4,287 1 1,220

19,726 1,082

16

10 5,928 133

$7,720 1,619 15 7,866 258

7,626 2,214 15 18,643 190

0,179 46,214 127 94,047

:

during the Year 1887.

TOTAL OF EACH CLASS OF VESSEL.

GRAND TOTAL

OF ALL.

IN BALLAST.

IN STEAMERS.

IN SAILING VESSELS.

IN JUNKS.

Is.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews.Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

2

2,718

42

45

66,832 2,431) 17 10,996

239

62

6

12,446 394

:

...

1

884

16

9 5,152 123

:.

:

:

:

:..

77,828 2,670

:

6 12,446 394

1

884

16

3 707,319 111,093 1,002 1,113,591 45,267) 50

28,327

889 1,055,939 35,054

181

11

223 241,742 7,190

:

:

293

15

116 224,022 11,516

3

2,724

48

99999

:

:

:

139

243,694 6,806, 17

21,502 349

:

:

:.

F.

2,854

97

131

160,260 8,042, 12

10,554 231

10,122 287

259 347,756 13,784 8

11,182 182

44

63,221 2,163) 4

1,675

52

:

:

:

:.

:

:

9 5,152 123

667 22,934 1,710,962 285,936| 23,9862,852,880 331,870

8891,055,939| 35,051

223 241,742 7,190

119 226,746 11,564

176 265,195 7,155

143 170,814 8,273

29,517 4,065

16

6,027 323

357

460,592 17,784

:

:

2

1,727

.:.

F:

:

1

276

10

2,025

ང་

77

121

69,773 4,827, 18 8,404 253

4,922 128 303

129,401 6,922

1

1,220 16

12

21,055 1,109

4,033

92

13

7,429 175

:

168

37

161,952 5,350 - 17 8,249

88,272 3,790 17

284

21,038 228

58

...

:

:

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

..

:

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

587

82,961 13,062

357 460,592 17,784

267 358,938 13,966

48

64,896 2,215

603

88,988 13,385

1,727 58

1

276

10

139 78,177 5,080

304 130,621 6,938

12

21,055 1,109

13 7,429 175

185 170,201 5,634

54 109,310 4,018

763,984 115,907 3,890 4,468,302 172,810, 188

139,612 2,873 23,521 1,793,923 298,998 27,599 6,401,837 474,681

H. G. THOMSETT, R.N.,

Harbour Master, &c.

No.

5

88.

HONGKONG.

PAPERS RELATING TO THE IMPORTATION OF SUBSIDIARY COINS.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

(1)

RETURN OF THE AMOUNT OF SMALL COIN IMPORTED INTO HONGKONG

DURING THE LAST TEN YEARS.

Copper.

Silver.

1878,

1879,

$10,000

$ 48,000

1880,

10,000

50,000

1881,

10,000

50,000

1882,

100,000

1883,

100,000

1884,

220,000

1885,

370,000 -

1886,

500,000

1887,

400,000

MARKET VALUES OF HONGKONG SUBSIDIARY COINS DURING THE LAST

FIVE YEARS.

Cash.

Cents.

Silver.

1883, May 1,

Discount.

12 per cent.

Discount.

10 per cent.

Premium.

.9 per cent.

""

November 6,

10

1.

19

1884, May 2,

November 3,

1885, May

">

6/1/

1.4

33

""

6/1/1

LO

5

.85

""

""

"

;

2,

6

5

1.

"

59

95

November 6,

4

3

.3

པོ

""

A

""

1886, May 3,

5

4/

.33

"

November 2,

4

.35

""

1887, May

2,

Cr

5

.35

""

November 3,

3

1.35

">

"

TREASURY,

Hongkong, January 30th, 1888.

* Jubilee, 1.8 p.c. premium.

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

(2)

No. 19.

SIR,

TREASURY,

HONGKONG, 8th May, 1883.

I have the honour to suggest that the Crown Agents be instructed to send out to this Colony $50,000 worth of subsidiary silver coinage every half-year, without special instructions for each shipment. The proportion of 20, 10, and 5-cent pieces should be the same as in recent shipments, and no copper should be sent on any account. This plan of a half-yearly supply is the same as that adopted with regard to Postage Stamps, and if vigilance be used against over-stocking it works well.

.

But there is not the slightest risk of any over-stock of these silver coins, even if we got double the amount suggested. They disappear into the interior of China, and I am informed that they may be seen in the most remote parts of the Kwang- tung province, converted into buttons and all kinds of similar small articles. If this coinage were a source of loss to the Government, it would become a very serious question how the absolutely indispensable supply could be kept up, but as we make it at least five per cent. on it we can afford its steady absorption into China. Still, in view of the possibility that this correspondence may be submitted to the Imperial Treasury, I should like to say plainly that these coins are not asked for because, incidentally, they yield a profit. We desire to keep the Public Offices reasonably supplied with change, which is still difficult, and to have suffi- cient small coin left for the wants of the Public, the Army, and the Navy. I pledge myself to stop the supply on the very first symptom of the coins falling to a discount, but there is not at present the least reason to anticipate anything of the kind.

I am happy to say that the good effects of stopping the supply of copper are already perceptible. Copper cents used to be at a discount of thirty per cent., the discount now is only ten per cent. Still we ought not to think of having any out till they are at a premium.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

· A. LISTER, Treasurer.

Governor's Order in reply to the above.

I doubt very much whether the Secretary of State would sanction a general instruction of this nature. The introduction into any Colony of large quantities of Tokens is looked on with suspicion. It is easy to make requisitions from time to time as these tokens are wanted. $50,000 worth were sent for quite recently.

(3)

No. 27.

SIR,

TREASURY, HONGKONG, 2nd July, 1883.

I have the honour to request that the Crown Agents be directed to order and forward to this Colony as soon as possible $60,000 worth of Subsidiary Silver Coin.

My reason for making this requisition at this time is that unless it be forwarded at once the coins will not arrive before the Chinese New Year, at which time there is always a run upon them.

I would call your attention to the following facts with reference to the last shipment, which speak for themselves.

$50,000 worth of small coin was ready for issue at this Department on April 17th last. No notice was issued to the public.

The military and naval authorities at once requisitioned for $22,000.

2

The subsequent issues were as follows:--

Week ending April 21,.

"

.$12,600

28,

4,500

May 5,..

12,

2,100

2,100

""

$21,300

The issue was stopped on May 16th, as the balance on hand (after 4 weeks only) was reduced to $6,800, which it was absolutely necessary to keep for Gov- ernment use. Since suspending the issue of these coins, the following applications have been refused, within little more than a month.

Messageries Maritimes Company,... Chartered Mercantile Bank,

Oriental Bank,

Messrs. Turner & Co.,

Mr. A. M. Baptista,

M. Marmande,

Chartered Bank of India,

The Basel Mission,

Pacific Mail Company,

Eastern Extension Telegraph Company,

$ 100

3,000

2,000

30

100

50

10,000

30

200

50

$15,560

Had any notice been issued to the public when the coins first arrived, there would have been many more than the above applications.

I would add that persons so applying are of course requested to wait for the next shipment; but when that arrives, the coins are expended so quickly, that unless they are very prompt indeed (and on the last occasion we could not venture to notify the arrival of a consignment) they find they have again missed an oppor- tunity of getting some small change.

The Honourable W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

No. 41.

:

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

A. LISTER, Colonial Treasurer.

(4)

TREASURY,

SIR,

HONGKONG, 29th October, 1883.

I have the honour to suggest that the Crown Agents be requested to order and forward to this Colony $60,000 worth of Subsidiary Silver Coin in the following proportions:-

Twenty cent pieces,.

Ten cent pieces,

Five cent ""

No copper should be sent upon any account.

.10 per cent.

..60

""

>>

.30

39

,,

In making this Requisition I am not unaware that one shipment of $50,000 is already in the Colony, whilst another of $60,000 will shortly be on the way.

The former, however, will probably be all absorbed before the end of this year, the latter will arrive in time for the Chinese New Year, and will all be taken up within a few weeks, if even the Military and Naval Authorities do not requisition for a large portion of either shipment or of both.

3

A trifling incident tends to shew what the scarcity of these coins is.

A lady presented herself the other day at the Post Office window and begged to be allowed two dollars worth of small change. She was a stranger, and was unable to get change anywhere in the Town. Had the applicant been a man, I should unhesi- tatingly have refused, for I had with difficulty spared $80 from the scanty reserve in the Treasury for the wants of the Post Office and Stamp Office.

Had the shipment which is now to hand arrived but a week or two later, we should have had to purchase small coins at a premium of about one per cent. for the use of the various Departments.

A profit of about 5 per cent. accrues on these coins.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Hon. W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary.

No. 43.

(5)

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

TREASURY,

HONGKONG, 3rd November, 1883.

SIR,

With reference to my letter No. 41 of October 29th, on the subject of a further supply of Subsidiary Silver Coin, I beg to call your attention to the following facts.

A consignment of $50,000 worth of these coins has just come to hand. They were counted into the Bank on the 31st. No notice whatever has been issued to the public, indeed I am at a loss to know where the applicants for the coins got their information.

Nevertheless in two days issues have been made to the amount of $16,390, mostly in small sums. Had I not cut down some of the Requisitions, which were for immoderate amounts, the issue would have been over $26,000, or more than half the shipment.

A set of rules has been framed for the regulation of the issue of these coins, I would suggest that a few printed copies be forwarded to the Secretary of State.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Hon. W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary.

(6)

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

TREASURY,

No. 26.

SIR,

HONGKONG, 4th September, 1884.

I have the honour to call your attention to a point of considerable practical interest in connection with our subsidiary coinage.

It appears to me that if this coinage, instead of consisting of 5, 10, and 20 cent pieces consisted of 5 and 10 cent pieces, quarter dollars, and half dollars, it would be in every way more useful even than it is. There is moreover, I think, ample power to introduce quarter and half dollars under the Queen's proclamation of January 9th, 1863 (see Gazette of May 2nd, 1863) and Ordinance No. 1 of

1864.

4

The quarter and half dollars so introduced would of course be tokens contain- ing 20 per cent. of alloy, but so far from this being a disadvantage, it might very possibly suffice to prevent the export of these coins to China, which, in the case of the present subsidiary coinage, drains the Colony of it as fast as it is imported. I am told that these coins are now in common use in Canton, throughout the Kwang- tung province, and are even beginning to be seen in the North. There is perhaps no great objection to China's being supplied with coin through this Colony, except that we cannot keep sufficient here. The following figures will shew that the large importations of silver coin we have lately made have not in the least tended to overstock the Colony, for the premium in the ordinary market on ten cent pieces

was :-

On May 1, 1883,.

"

""

November 6, 1883... May 2, 1884, September 4, 1884,

.9 per cent.

1

**

"}

1.4

23

1

"1

"

The Chinese are well aware that these coins are alloyed, but their extreme convenience over-balances the popular prejudice against alloyed silver. A half- dollar, however, is a more serious matter to a native than 10 cents, and I think it quite possible that a token half-dollar, whilst passing here freely enough, might command no great circulation on the mainland. If this turned out to be the case, it would be a great boon to this Colony, for we could then keep here a respectable and fairly portable coinage for our own local use.

The experiment would have to be made with caution, for it would not do to encumber the Government with a large shipment of an unpopular coin. But even if the new half-dollar were a little unpopular at first, the eagerness of the Chinese to get five and ten cent pieces would float off any moderate quantity, if (as at pre- sent) the rule were enforced of issuing all denominations of coins together.

No attempt to provide a half-dollar of par value could be made without serious loss.

I make no proposals at present about any definite supply, as it will probably be thought advisable to refer the general question home first.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

The Hon. W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary.

The Government would be much obliged to the Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, if he would state his views in this recommendation.

4th September, 1884.

To the Honourable T. JACKSON.

W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

Memo. for the Colonial Secretary.

I do not agree with the Treasurer that token coins of the value of twenty- five cents, and fifty cents each should be introduced into Hongkong.

I am of opinion that the present subsidiary issue of five, ten, and twenty cent pieces meets the requirements of the Colony.

The export of subsidiary coins from Hongkong ought not to be looked upon as a grievance, considering that there is a large profit upon them; I think the profit upon said coins might be increased by judicious purchases of Silver in London from time to time when favorable opportunities occur. An ample supply of subsidiary coins ought always to be kept in Hongkong.

The proposed method of forcing the half dollar token coins into circulation I consider most arbitrary, and unworthy of the Government of this Colony.

T. JACKSON. Chief Manager,

Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.

Hongkong, 6th September, 1884.

5

Mr. SILVA, (1st Audit Clerk),

Can you state the profit during last 12 months, reckoning loss on Exchange on remittances to pay for the coin.

8th September, 1884.

W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

Statement annexed.

J. M. SILVA.

PROFIT ON SUBSIDIARY SILVER COINS.

WHEN RECEIVED.

WHERE COined.

RATE

OF REMITTANCES.

PROFIT.

s. d.

1879,

Royal Mint,

3/103

12

%

1880,

R. Heaton & Sons,

3/9

5룸 %

1881,

Royal Mint,

3/91

6.04%

1882,

R. Heaton & Sons,

3/91

4.43%

1883,

Royal Mint,

3/83

12.09%

R. Heaton & Sons,

5.05%

Average Profit, 7.46 %.

I annex a report on this proposal from the Honourable T. JACKSON, Chief Manager of the Bank (Hongkong and Shanghai) I agree with him that the proposal of the Treasury cannot be recommended. Moreover it would be contrary to express instructions of the Lords of the Treasury to issue Token half dollars. See Government Gazette No. 2 of 1867. We have made an average profit of 71 per cent. during the last five years on the imports of Subsidiary coins. Therefore it does not matter how large the drain of these coins may be.

Submitted.

8th September, 1884.

W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

I agree. But for Executive Council.

9th September, 1884.

G. F. BOWEN,

Governor.

Considered in Executive Council this day. The Council advise that no change should be made in the coinage of the Colony.

10th September, 1884.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

Acting Clerk of Councils.

6

No. 32.

(7)

TREASURY,

SIR,

HONGKONG, 22nd May, 1885.

With reference to the Secretary of State's Despatch No. 81 of April 1st on the subject of One Dollar Notes, which His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to refer to me for report, I have the honour to submit the following observations:-

2. Lord DERBY sums up the matter as follows:-"If inconvenience is still felt in the Colony owing to the deficiency of $1 notes, the only course to adopt will be that which has already been put before you with the sanction of the Trea- sury, whereby the Colonial Government itself should undertake the circulation of these notes against a bullion reserve.” It now becomes my duty to point out that, in the present state of the Colonial Revenue, the demands upon it being so nu- merous and pressing, so conflicting, I may almost say so bewildering, the heavy expense of issuing and maintaining notes is out of the question. The incon- veniences of course will remain, but it is the unanimous opinion of those best able to judge that they may be much diminished by a liberal and constant supply of subsidiary silver coin.

3. I trust therefore that the Requisitions I shall have to make for this des- cription of coin will not alarm either the Colonial Office or the Treasury. It must be clearly borne in mind that it is impossible to flood Hongkong with these coins, as a colony like Mauritius or Ceylon might be flooded with them. As fast as they arrive they are bought up and sent into China, where they seem rapidly to be becoming a popular and useful coinage, the only one, except in copper, that there is. There is not the least symptom of a cessation of the demand, nor of any limit to the amount of coin that could be disposed of. The only way to avoid the inconveniences consequent on a scarcity of small coin here at such times as Chinese New Year, &c., is always to have a reserve to fall back upon.

4. Two shipments of these coins, amounting in all to $270,000, have been ordered from England.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Hon. W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,

HONGKONG.

No. 34.

Governor

SIR,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

(8)

DOWNING STREET,

17th August, 1885.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 244 of the 26th of May last, reporting that your Government has decided against undertaking an issue of One Dollar Notes, and proposes to meet the difficulty arising from a scarcity of subsidiary currency by an increased issue of token coins.

Although there does not seem to be any present danger of these coins being forced, perhaps at a discount, I think it right to remind you that, in view of such a possibility in future, they should only be issued in response to a legitimate demand, keeping the supply short rather than full.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

Sir G. F. BOWEN, G.C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

FRED. STANLEY.

7

(9)

No. 58.

SIR,

TREASURY, HONGKONG, 24th September, 1885.

With reference to your letter No. 1316 of yesterday's date, in which you refer to me for consideration and report a Despatch from the Secretary of State, No. 34 of August 17th, on the subject of the issue of subsidiary coins here, I have the honour to report as follows:-

There is not at present any prospect of subsidiary silver coin being at a dis- count, or of any difficulty being experienced in issuing it. There is to-day a balance of $54,000 worth of these coins in the Treasury, all of which, and far more, could be got rid of in a few days by simply letting it be understood that Chinese might have as much as they liked to ask for. I hope to keep a special reserve of at least $50,000 against the Chinese New Year, but whether this will be sufficient to abate the run on small coin which always exists at that time only experience can shew.

The market prices of these coins have been as follows:-

November 6th,

1883, May 1st,

1884, May 2nd,

1885, May 2nd,

September 24th,

November 3rd,

.9

per cent premium.

1

""

""

1.4

""

**

""

.85

""

""

>>

1

""

";

""

.5 ""

"9

""

It will be seen that there is no tendency towards a reduction in the market- able value of the coins, in spite of the larger quantities which have been imported. It must be clearly borne in mind that we are only pouring water into a sieve, and that on the other side of the sieve is China, an enormous country with no coinage, but quite alive to the advantages of one.

Should the value of these coins at any time sink to par, shipments will be suspended.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

P.S.-To-day's low rate of premium on these coins is probably caused by the fact that they are obtainable free at the Treasury, which is the exception and not the rule. Directly our balance is exhausted the rate will rise till the next shipment arrives.

The Hon. F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

(Copy.)

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(10)

The Treasury to the Colonial Office.

TREASURY CHAMBER,

14th January, 1887.

SIR,

In reply to Mr. MEADE's letter of the 31st ultimo, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to aquaint you, for the information of the Secretary for the Colonies, that the necessary directions have this day been given to the Deputy Master of the Mint to supply (should he see no objection) the undermentioned subsidiary coins for the use of the Government of Hongkong, to the total nominal value of $150,000, as requested in the letter under reply, viz.:

20 cent pieces

10

5

"}

27

.....10 per cent. ......60

""

.30

""

8

I am, however, to add that My Lords hope that the large profit male by the Colonial Government upon the issue of these silver Tokens for circulation not within the limits of the Colony, but on the mainland of China, is not leading them to lose sight of the serious risk, that is continually augmenting, of future embar- rassment to the Colonial Treasury through the return of worn tokens for exchange, at their full nominal value, in possibly very large quantities at once.

The Colonial Government is of course under no obligation to furnish a medium of exchange to the Chinese Empire, and if Chinese subjects choose to buy Hongkong tokens for their own convenience, they could not complain if the Hongkong Government were to refuse to repurchase them, from holders resident in China, at the price of issue. But the question is whether it will be possible, when the coins circulating in China are defaced (by unfair means perhaps) to prevent Hongkong dealers from collecting them at a discount, and then presenting them to the Treasury for redemption at par.

My Lords hope that this subject may be carefully considered before the next demand for Hongkong Token coins is made.

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

HONGKONG. No. 17.

SIR,

I am, &c.,

(Signed),

R. E. WELBY,

(11)

DOWNING STREET,

4th February, 1887.

I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Treasury stating that the mint has been directed to supply the subsidiary coins asked for in your despatch No. 362 of the 15th of November last, and drawing attention to the danger of the issue of these coins in large quantities for use outside the Colony.

I see that my predecessor drew Sir GEORGE BOWEN's attention to this question in a despatch dated the 17th of August, 1885, No. 34.

I have the honour to be,

The Officer Administering the Government of

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

H. T. HOLLAND.

No. 10.

HONGKONG.

(12)

TREASURY,

HONGKONG, 6th April, 1887.

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 367 of the 16th instant, transmitting for my consideration and report a despatch from the Secretary of State, No. 17 of February 4th, on the supply of subsidiary coin to this Colony, and its use in China.

2. In an enclosure to that Despatch the Lords of the Treasury express, through their Secretary, a hope "that the large profit made by the Colonial Govern- ment upon the issue of these silver Tokens for circulation, not within the limits of the Colony, but on the mainland of China, is not leading them to lose sight of the serious risk, that is continually augmenting, of future embarrassment to the Colo- nial Treasury through the return of coins for exchange at their full nominal value, in possibly very large quantities at once."

9

3. I have given this subject my best consideration. I would remark, in the first place, that the profit on the coins, which is little more than what this Colony would obtain, without any expenditure of labour or trouble, by simply placing money in the Banks here on fixed deposit, has not suggested the obtaining of a single coin more than would have been asked for under any circumstances short of a prohibitive loss. If the coins were obtainable only at par I should have recom- mended every requisition I have recommended. If they were obtainable at a slight loss, I should have asked for as many as we could afford. I cannot see that the Government is less bound to provide coin than it is bound to provide roads, water, or police; and I consider it as much my duty to see that the supply of coin does not run out as I do to take the same precaution with regard to the stock of Postage Stamps.

4. I would further say that this Government does not encourage the exporta- tion of coin to China, but it is powerless to prevent it. We used to issue subsi- diary coins only on a written uudertaking that they would not be exported. The promise was not worth the paper it was written on, and its exaction was such a transparent farce that I substituted for it a system of granting any reasonable ap- plication for coin according to the eircumstances of the applicant. A shopkeeper in a large way of business, for instance, is allowed more than a petty trader, an employer of labour more still, and so on. This system works smoothly, but of course the export of the coin goes on as it always has done.

5. It would in many ways be more convenient to this Colony to keep the coin here, but no means of doing so could be devised.

6. It must not be forgotten that Hongkong is very badly provided with cur- rency, and for this reason the Managers of the Banks have repeatedly begged me not to allow the Colony to be left, as it used to be, for months at a time, with small coin unobtainable except at 10 per cent. premium. A shipment of $50,000 worth would arrive perhaps once in two years, and, however charily distributed, it was absorbed in a fortnight. Change was given only as a favour, a request for it was often regarded as positively unreasonable.

7. When I took charge of the Post Office, twelve years ago, it was regarded as the normal and almost legitimate state of affairs for the Shroffs employed to sell stamps never to have any change. Of course the real reason was that, with small coin at a high premium, they put aside all they got from the public for sale to money changers and others, and no consideration of the inconvenience they were inflicting on the public or on their employers deterred them from doing this. It is only of late years that I have been able to insist upon change being kept both in the Post Office and in the Stamp Office. As the premium on small silver coin, under ordinary circumstances, is now only about 3 per mille, the temptation to make away with it surreptitiously does not exist to any great extent.

8. The trying time is of course Chinese New Year, at which period it is the custom amongst Chinese to pay all debts and close all accounts. Only two years ago, during the three or four days before the Chinese old year's eve, small coin was at 200 per cent. premium. The Treasury had none to issue, the Banks had none, and Bank Notes were not to be had for love or money. The inconvenience to those who had many small payments to make, to the Commissariat, the Dockyard, to employers of labour, and public companies, was so great that I resolved on no account to allow such a state of things to recur if any vigilance of this Department could prevent it.

9. On the approach of the last Chinese New Year (January 24th, 1887) there was $180,000 worth of small coin in the Treasury, and this supply, amounting to no less than two and a quarter millions of coins, I considered to be ample. Never- theless, two months before the new year, such a steady demand set in that, though the requisitions were cut down as much as they reasonably could be, in four weeks the whole was exhausted, and the issue had to be suspended, if only to keep a few coins for the use of the Police, &c. It was at this juncture that an urgent request was received from the Army Payinaster for $10,000 worth of coin. I was enabled to make the issue, because I knew that after the New Year I could, if necessary, purchase small coin for Government use at a merely nominal premium. It has not been necessary to do so, but until the next shipment arrived we were on famine allowance, and the issue to the public was suspended. I should say, however, that no inconvenience appeared to arise from the exhaustion of the supply of coin at that time, as the Chinese community, in exhausting the Treasury stock, had suffi- ciently supplied itself. The new shipment arrived on March 22nd, and $48,000 of it, or nearly one-third, was issued in a week, to the Banks, the Commissariat, and the public.

10

10. It must not be forgotten that we have the wants of the Army and Navy to provide for. Every ship, before going North, obtains a supply of coin, because these coins pass anywhere in China or Japan, and, except broken silver or Ja- panese money, nothing else is to be had.

11. The total amount of subsidiary coin supplied to Hongkong to date has been $2,133,881, including some copper, which has not been exported. Of the silver, probably not ten per cent. is in the Colony.

12. I trust I have shown the necessity for keeping this Colony supplied with small coin, and the impossibility of the Government's exercising any check on its exportation except by declining to issue it at all. I now pass on to consider the risk of these coins being hereafter thrown upon the Colony for redemption in a worn or mutilated condition. I venture to think that this risk is very small, and that, even if it exists, which is doubtful, it would be easily averted. It should be borne in mind that these coins are not a legal tender for sums of more than $2.

13. The subsidiary coinage of Hongkong has been in circulation nearly a quarter of a century. During all that time no worn or mutilated coin has ever been seen in the Treasury. I am inclined to think silver coin would never become worn in China as it does in England, for the people do not carry it loose in their pockets, but always most carefully in a pouch or purse, or wrapped in paper; nor is it passed about to anything like the extent that silver coin is in Europe. Be this as it may, the fact remains that our silver coins are as yet practically unworn.

14. Chinese are great hoarders of coin. The popularity of our five cent pieces very greatly arises from their common use as little presents to children and servants. Thousands of them are made into buttons. It would probably be difficult for a speculator on the mainland to buy any quantity of these coins at profitable rates.

15. Let it be supposed, however, that in the course of another 25 years there will be, on the mainland of China, thousands of five and ten cent pieces in the same condition as old sixpences and shillings in England, namely, mere discs of silver, with perhaps slight vestiges of the original design of the coins. Let it be further supposed that a speculator has brought up $10,000 worth of these, and proposes to flood this Colony with them, forcing them on the Treasury as coin at a discount is always forced upon it.

16. It appears to me that the only course open to the Government would be to decline to recognise any coin which could not be shewn to have been issued from the Treasury here. This would practically amount to refusing to redeem all worn coins except in very rare cases.

17. If it once were known that the Hongkong Government was receiving at par

value coins which purported to be tokens worn out on the mainland, we should be at once inundated with coins by the thousand which had never been in or near Hongkong at all. There has already been some trouble with spurious ten cent pieces, so well made as almost to defy detection by ordinary observation. What then might be expected if forgers could imitate pieces worn out beyond recognition?

18. How easily the remedy would be applied may be seen from what happened some years ago in the case of Japanese 20, 10, and 5 cent pieces. These coins had for years circulated side by side with our own, and were received here, as Singapore ten cent pieces now are, at their par value. The Japanese Government suddenly lowered the intrinsic value of its subsidiary coinage, and, at the same time, the coast of China was flooded with it. The Banks here then refused to receive Japa- nese small coin, the Treasury did the same. The Government departments of course followed, and within a few weeks tradesmen begin to print on their accounts, Japanese small coin not taken. The coin sank to something like 16 per cent. discount, at which it remains, and even a chair-coolie in the street will not take a Japanese ten cent piece as his fare if he can help it.

19. It only remains to enquire whether such a course as is suggested would give rise to any hardship. I venture to say that it would not.

20. It must be borne in mind that this Government never sanctioned the export of subsidiary coin, and never undertook to redeem it on its return from the mainland in a bad condition.

21. Quite apart from that, however, every person who, on the mainland of China, takes these coins, does so becanse they are worth to him the value for which he receives them. Nobody ever accepts a coin in China on any other conditions; and these conditions are, as I shall show, absolutely independent of any idea of a central authority which will eventually redeem the coin at its par value if nobody else will take it.

11

22. It follows that, before subsidiary coin can become worn, it must have passed from hand to hand at a constantly decreasing value. The last holder would lose nothing by the refusal of the Government to redeem a doubtful coin at par; even a speculator would lose nothing, for he would have bought up the coin at its current value.

23. Money, as money, has no existence in China. At home a baker sells a sixpenny loaf for sixpence, and only asks that the coin, however old, shall be genuine. In China, however, there are two elements to every bargain, (i) the price of the goods, (ii) the price of the currency.

24. Bronze cash are the only coined money of China. They all

appear to date from the reigns of the earlier Emperors of the present dynasty, and they are naturally much worn and broken, as they get much knocked about. Nominally 1,000 go to the Tael, but nobody ever thinks of accepting them at anything but the market price, which varies from day to day, and according to the condition of the coin. That there should be a government department anywhere which would give a tael of pure silver for any thousand cash tendered to it would strike a Chinese trader as an altogether amazing state of things. The Chinese Government would certainly not redeem these coins, nor accept them in payment of dues.

25. It will be seen therefore that Chinese on the mainland of China do not

expect or count upon the redemption of subsidiary coins at their par value. They take them, as they do other coins, for what they will fetch in the open market. Japanese coins, inferior in intrinsic value to our own, circulate freely in the north of China, where the people who take them cannot be supposed to rely on any means of getting them redeemed in Japan.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F, STEWART,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

&C.,

&C.,

&c.

(13)

ALFRED LISTER,

Treasurer.

No. 17.

SIR,

TREASURY,

HONGKONG, 17th May, 1887.

I have the honour to request that the Crown Agents may be directed to obtain and forward to this Colony $150,000 worth of Subsidiary Silver Coin in the following proportions:-

20 Cent pieces,.........

10 per cent.

10

""

""

""

";

5

Copper,.

60

""

30

>>

Nil.

These coins are needed in addition to the supply of $150,000 worth indented for on February 17th, and, as they will be due here about the time of the Chinese New Year, I trust nothing will be allowed to stand in the way of their being

I have the honour to be,

sent out.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

A. LISTER, Treasurer.

Acting Coloniai Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

**It is right to state that the Coins referred to above arrived in November last, and, the Treasury having been entirely depleted by the Jubilee demand, they were very quickly absorbed. The Invoice of $150,000 now expected was ordered on August 17th, 1887.

12

1

No. 8.

TREASURY, February 17th, 1888.

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 211 of the 14th instant, referring to me for report the Secretary of State's Despatch No. 239 of December 27th, 1887, on the subject of the balances to be kept in this Colony.

2. The balances on fixed deposit are at present as follows:-

Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, Chartered Bank of India,.... New Oriental Bank,.

$150,000

50,000

100,000

$300,000

3. All but the first of these will shortly be drawn to pay the Crown Agents' drafts, so that in that respect the directions of the Secretary of State will be carried out within a few weeks.

4. I beg to point out, with great deference, that the limit fixed in the Despatch under report is so low as to entail the most serious and inevitable embarrassment on this Department in its practical working. During the month of January the Treasury paid away no less than $172,000. During the first fortnight in February we paid $165,000. And a draft from the Crown Agents for $225,000 is shortly due. That amounts to $562,000 required within two months. Now, even allowing for the steady incoming of Revenue during the whole period, a floating balance of $200,000 is not enough, when payments have to be made on this scale. I would respectfully ask permission to keep on fixed deposit a sum not exceeding $200,000, and on current account a sum not exceeding $150,000, making a total margin of $350,000, which is the very least on which I can undertake to carry on the financial business of the Colony without undesirable interruptions.

5. I venture to observe that, if it is desired to keep the balance in this Colony as low as possible, there is an easy, and at the same time in every way advantageous way of accomplishing this. All that is necessary is a liberal supply of subsidiary silver coin. If the Crown Agents are instructel to send out $250,000 worth every quarter, until further notice, there will be no reason to complain of any accumula- tion of balances in this Colony, nor will there, I hope, be a recurrence of the discreditable and distressing scarcity of coin which has been prevailing for the last month. On Saturday last five cent pieces sold in the town for seven times their par value ($700 for a hundred dollars worth) and ten cent picces at four times their par value.

6. The Government was twitted, at a recent meeting of the Legislative Council, with indifference in not providing sufficient coin for the commonest daily wants of the Colony, and Lord DERBY'S Despatch No. 72 of March 20th, 1884, was quoted as a proof of this. In that Despatch His Lordship said, "As to the deficiency of subsidiary coins I need say nothing, as your Government has the remedy in its own hands." I trust I do not presume too far in saying that we have not had the remedy in our own hands. It is true that no requisition for coin has been actually refused, but the coins have been supplied with such obvious un- willingness and evident distrust that I have never sent in a Requisition without feeling that it probably would be refused. Had I really had the matter in my own hands, I should have requisitioned for at least double the amount of coin I have actually asked for.

7. In conclusion I would point out that, whilst the best interest we ever get on funds deposited at home is 44%, subject (as are also our remittances home) to charges for brokerage, we obtain 5% in this Colony, and never pay anything for brokerage under any circumstances. The plan I have suggested as to coins would

with any

loss to the Colony thus arising.

do

away

I have the honour to be.

Sir.

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&C.

&c.

A. LISTER, Treasurer.

13

Colonial Secretary's Minute.

Report from Treasurer submitted for His Excellency's consideration. I presume a copy of it will be submitted to the Secretary of State..

17th February, 1888.

Governor's Minute.

FREDERICK STEWART.

Yes: saying that I concur with his recommendations. The only doubt I have on the subject of small coins is whether the amount obtained should be equal each quarter.

I understood from Mr. JACKSON the other day that the demand is far greater at the Chinese New Year, and the question therefore suggests itself whether the amounts obtained should not be, say, $400,000 to arrive about 1st January, and the balance of $1,000,000 in equal amounts at the other three quarters. It would be well for Mr. LISTER to give me his views, after talking the matter over with Mr. JACKSON.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

21st February, 1888.

HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

With reference to His Excellency the Governor's minute on C. S. O. 423 (Treasury Balances), I have seen Mr. JACKSON on the subject of the regular supply of subsidiary coins.

I find the same consideration had occurred to Mr. JACKSON as has been pre- sent to my own mind, viz., that an over-supply, or even a considerable reserve of these coins involves a serious loss of interest.

It seems more prudent to increase the supply by degrees till the limit of de- mand is reached, than to risk having a large dead balance Ïying idle here. I agree with Mr. JACKSON that the following shipments would in all probability meet the necessities of the case;--

To arrive about January 1st in each year,

$250,000

""

""

April 1st July 1st October 1st

**

150,000

>>

150,000

""

"J

""

200,000

$750,000

The extra quantities for October 1st and January 1st are in view of the de- mand which sets in from about October for the Chinese New Year.

If the Crown Agents were instructed to take such measures as might ensure the regular arrival of coins in the above quantities, I think it is probable there will be no further trouble about the subject for some years to come. The percentages of each denomination of coin should be as at present.

If the above quantities are insufficient they might be increased. With proper watchfulness it ought to be possible to regulate the supply so as to keep pace with the demand, the balance left over from one shipment when the next arrives never greatly exceeding $5,000. But this of course presupposes that the coins will arrive regularly, and that, if an increased supply be asked for, it will be sent as a matter of course.

A. LISTER, Treasurer.

Submitted for His Excellency's consideration.

28th February, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART.

Let all the minutes on the subject be sent to the Secretary of State, with my recommendation of the last proposal of Mr. LISTER in his minute dated February 28th, commencing "with reference," and ending "of course."

29th February, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VOUX.

14.

PRÉCIS OF ACTUAL COST AND PROFITS ON SUBSIDIARY SILVER COINS RECEIVED FROM ENGLAND.

Amount

Ship- When ment. Arrived.

(Current

Value).

Actual

Cost in

Sterling.

Rate of

Average

Remit-

tances

Actual Cost

in Dollars.

Profit.

Equiva-

lent to

REMARKS.

per $.

$

£ s. d.

1 August,

14,000

2,874.19. 3

4,42

13,049.48

C.

950.52

1872.

2

February,

14,400

2,969. 1. 1

4/43

13,476.56

1873.

June,

1873.

38,400

7,901.18. 2

4/47/

35,866.81

2,533.19 659%

4

""

September,

24,000

1873.

6

November,

19,200

11,715.15. 3

4:47

1-400

53,177.93

4,422.07

767%

1873.

7

14,400

728%

923.44 641%

£87.10.0.

Coins manufactured by Messrs. R. HEATON & SONS of Birmingham. bars, purchased at 452 per oz. Scissel returned at 4/5 per Coins manufactured by Messrs. R. HEATON & SONS of Birmingham. bars, purchased at 4/5 per oz. Scissel returned at 453 per oz. Coins manufactured by Messrs. R. HEATON & SONS of Birmingham. bars, purchased at 4/5 per oz. Scissel returned at 4/5 per oz.

Silver 800 fine, cast into oz. Expenses for coining

Silver 800 fine, cast into Expenses for coining £90. Silver 800 fine, cast into Expenses for coining £240.

Coined in the Royal Mint. No particulars given as to price of Silver. Mint expenses, including. dies, assays, bags, boxes, &c. £300.

8 July,

24,000

1874.

9,925.13. 1

4/3/1/00

46,255.47

1,744.53

375%

9

24,000

""

10

May,

48,000

9,913.18. 3

4,21

47,115.62

884.38

187%

1875.

11 May &June,

48,000

9,022.11. 0 4/0

1876.

4/0

12

February,

48,000

8,796.17. 5

1877.

1 4/07/3

45,112.75

43,945.18

13

August,

48,000

9,016. 1. 6

4/03/

44,273.31

1877.

14

August,

1879.

48,000

8,289.19. 3 3/102

42,558.10

2,887.25 640% 10

4,054.82 923%

3,726.69 841%

5,441.90 | 1275%

Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS. Expenses £300.

Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS. Silver purchased at 4.4 per oz. Scissel sold for 4/3 per oz. Expenses for coining £300. A larger quantity of Silver than usual having been pur- chased for coining, and the amount of Scissel consequently larger, the loss sustained was about £118. On the representation of the Government, they refunded £71.13.6. Silver purchased at 4/1 per oz. Scissel sold for 3/10% per

Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS. oz. Expenses for coining £300. Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS. £300.

Silver purchased at 3/113 per oz.

Silver purchased at 4/52 per oz. Scissel returned at 4,54

Expenses for coining

Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS. £300. Coined at the Royal Mint. Mint expenses, boxes, &c. £250.

Silver purchased at 4/1 per oz.

Expenses of coining

412,400

384,831.21

27,568.79

15

PRÉCIS OF ACTUAL COST AND PROFITS ON SUBSIDIARY SILVER COINS RECEIVED FROM ENGLAND,-Continued.

Rate of

Amount

Ship- When

ment.

Arrived.

(Current

Value).

Actual

Cost in

Average

Remit-

Actual Cost

in Dollars.

Profit.

Sterling.

Equiva-

lent to

REMARKS.

tances

per $.

$

£ s. d.

$

C.

$

C.

412,400

384,831.21

27,568.79

15

June,

50,000

9,088. 1.10

3/91/1

47,545.33

1880.

16

October,

50,000

8,865. 1. 2

3,9

47,149.33

1881.

17

Apr.& May, 100,000

18,054. 7. 9

3,91

95,758.08

1882.

18

April, 50,000

8,874.15. 5

3,82

47,596.53

1883.

19

October,

50,000

8,317. 0. 7

3,81

44,605.30

1884.

2228

20

January,

60,000

10,064. 8. 9

J 3/82

1884.

} 53,978.90

21

May,

60,000

10,077. 4. 6

3/83/

1884.

22

October, 100,000

16,756.15. 9

3/83

54,502.17

90,628.26

1884.

23

April, 100,000

16,436.11. 2

1885.

{

3/83

89,045.59

3/63

21

August,

120,000

19,776. 0. 5

3/62

111,023.27

1885.

25

November, 150,000

24,308. 1. 1

3/62/

136,466.27

1885.

26

March, 150,000

23,502.14. 3

3/63

132,071.47

1886.

3/3

27

May, 100,000

15,511.17. 5

3/3

95,457.66

1886.

28

August, 100,000 1886.

15,260.15. 0

3/3

93,912.31

6,087.69

29

December, 150,000 1886.

22,290.15. 9

3/3

137,174.08

12,825.92

2,454.67 516%

2,850.67 60%

4,241.92 443%

2,403.47 505%

5,394.70 | 12 °9%

6,021.10 11 15 0/

5,497.83 10 08 %

9,371.74 | 10 34%

10,954.41′ | 12 30.%

8,976.73 808%

13,533.73 9 91%

17,928.53 | 13 57 %

4,542.34 475%

6 37%

9 35%

09

10

Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS, per contract. Coined at the Royal Mint. Silver purchased at 3/104 per oz. Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS, per contract. Coined by Messrs. HEATON & SONS, per contract. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint.

Scissel sold at 3/93 per oz.

Silver purchased at 4/2 per oz. Silver purchased at 4/211 per oz. Silver purchased at 4/23 per oz. Silver purchased at 4/23 per oz. Silver purchased at 4/17 per oz.

Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint. Coined at the Royal Mint.

per oz.

Coined at the Royal Mint. per oz.

Bar Silver purchased at 4/2 per oz., and Mexican Dollars at 4/04 Bar Silver purchased at 4/113 per oz. Mexican Dollars at 3/11 No particulars as to price of Silver given.

No particulars as to price of Silver. Silver purchased at 3/10 per oz. Silver purchased at 3/9 per oz.

1,802,400

1,661,745.76

140,654.24

Average Profit 8 +0

per cent.

16

Hongkong, 16th February, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART, Auditor General.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF VICTORIA GAOL FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

No. 6

88.

No. 22.

COLONIAL SECRETARY,

GAOL SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 24th January, 1888.

I beg to forward herewith Annual Statistical Return of Victoria Gaol for the year 1887. 2. As I was absent from the Colony for nine months of the year, it seems to me proper to limit as much as possible any observations on last year's work, and it will be inore satisfactory to annex. hereto, copy of an interim report submitted by Mr. MITCHELL-INNES, who acted for me during my absence and to attach hereto the same Returns A., B., C., D., and E. for 1887 as were submitted by me in the previous year; to the first four of which are annexed for the sake of comparison similar Returns of the three previous years.

3. There is only one change to report during the past year. A reduction in the Prison diet, re- commended by the Gaol Commission Report of 1st June, 1886, was introduced in the beginning of the year with the sanction of the Home Government. This change was followed as had been anti- cipated by an attempt at mutiny on the part of the prisoners which was promptly suppressed by the energetic action of Mr. JONES, Chief Warden, and of Mr. MITCHELL-INNES to whom as superintendent summary powers of Corporal punishment had been restored with a special view to this contingency.

4. Although the average number of prisoners during the year has been less than in the previous year, it will be observed that the number of offences has largely increased. This is chiefly owing to increased stringency in the reporting and punishing the offence of talking, an offence which will be greatly diminished as soon as the separate system is introduced.

5. In the matter of industrial work there is a considerable diminution of profits as compared with the previous year. This is chiefly owing to want of storage room which necessitated in January last the sale by auction of all the oakum and rattan manufactures at a heavy loss.

6. As regards Prison Buildings I think I need hardly add a word to my previous report. I despair of establishing a really satisfactory deterrent and reformatory prison discipline until the sepa- rate system is introduced.

7. There is however one grain of comfort. There seems some evidence that increased prison dis- cipline and reductions in diet have caused habitual criminals to make the discovery that Victoria Gaol is no longer quite such a comfortable residence of ease and repose which it was supposed to be, and that prisoners who have had later experience of Gaol seem more disposed to avoid it. If we examine Return D. we find that on the 31st December, 1885, 35 per cent. of the prisoners in Gaol were old offenders, on 31st December, 1886, this number was reduced to 32 per cent., while on the same date in 1887 the percentage of old offenders was only 24.

8. There is one point already referred to by Mr. MITCHELL-INNES in his report which I would urgently press on the consideration of Government. The subordinate officers of the Gaol are very hard worked (12 hours duty in the 24) and very poorly paid, the lowest rank only getting $25 per month which compares very poorly with European Police or Dock Yard Police the lowest rank of which receive $40 a month. This presses very hardly especially on the married man who cannot get a room near the Gaol under $8 or $9 a month. The result is that subordinate officers of the Gaol are constantly on the look-out for other employment. There is a continual change of subordinate officials and consequently there is always a large number of officials imperfectly instructed in and still learning their duties to the detriment of discipline and order. I consider a revision of the scale of remuneration of subordinate officers is very urgent.

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

HONGKONG, 11th October, 1887.

SIR,-In accordance with the direction of His Excellency the late Acting Governor General CAMERON, I have the honour to transmit a report on the Gaol from 19th January, 1887, to 11th August, 1887, the period during which it was under my control. The report would have been sent in earlier had it not been for the time taken in preparing the return which accompanies it.

2. During my tenure of office I followed in general the lines laid down by General GORDON, any divergence therefrom being, as a rule, in the direction of increased stringency. That this course was the correct one will, I think, be admitted when the difficulty of rendering imprisonment deterrent to the Chinese, for whom it means, good rations, sufficient clothing and two holidays a week instead of miserable food, scanty rags and unremitting labour is considered. Thus following the system in force in naval prisons, all offences, however slight, have been reported and punished. This has naturally caused a large increase in the number of petty offences recorded, but I do not consider the reports to be a satisfactory criterion of the state of the Gaol, which I believe to have continued steadily to im-

prove.

3. When I took command of the Gaol I found that an outbreak was expected on account of the reduction in rations recently effected. That that expectation was well founded, was proved by the occurrence of a strike and among the chain gang and some of the other prisoners on the morning of the 31st of January. Fortunately by the prompt action taken by the Warden and Chief Warders and with the assistance of the European Prisoners who volunteered to assist, the mutineers were locked up in their cells before the disturbance had led to bloodshed, but the outbreak seemed to me to prove that a sharp lesson was required in order to maintain discipline in the Gaol and to shew the prisoners that combined action would not be met by the punishment of a few only but of all, I therefore caused 69 of the mutineers to be whipped. The punishment proved most successful in the Gaol, and I may mention incidentally that the number of prisoners fell from 658 to 585 and that the Captain Superin- tendent of Police remarked, as I am informed of the quiet state of the town after its infliction.

4. I note with satisfaction that acting on my recommendation; the Government has ordered fifty more cranks for the use of the Gaol. This form of punishment is much disliked by the Chinese to whom it is much more distasteful than shot drill or oakum picking.

5. The chain gang has been increased from 47 to nearly 100, it being found that the cost to the Surveyor General of a gang of the latter strength was very little in excess of that of one half its size. The gang has been usefully employed of late in cutting down the hill at the new Police Barracks opposite Green Island.

6. The want of accommodation still makes itself severely felt in the Gaol. Isolation is very dis- tasteful to the Chinese, but it can only be practised at present to a very limited extent, there being only 198 cells for an average of 607. The sleeping in association is, I consider; specially objectionable. The female prison is most unsatisfactory there being only two rooms for at times, twenty prisoners, thus entailing the association of petty offenders with hardened criminals.

7. The Gaol Staff is in a fairly satisfactory condition, the substitution of European for coloured warders being productive of good results; it is however difficult to induce steady reliable men to undertake or if undertaken to continue the hard and monotonous work of warders (the hours being from 6 to 6) for the very poor pay at present offered ($25 a month, without food, rising to $60). The constant changes which result interfere seriously with the effectiveness of the staff, as new men, in addition to learning their duties as warders, have to pick up a modicum of Chinese in order to be of much use.

To assist them in doing this, I have made for their use a small book containing the more ordinary expressions in use in the Gaol in low class Cantonese, which I trust may be found of

use.

8. Taking into consideration the central position of the Gaol, the continual changes in the staff, the fact of the prisoners being constantly in association, and the mild nature of their punishment as compared with those to which they are accustomed in their own country, I consider that their conduct has been on the whole satisfactory, and this I attribute in a great measure to the knowledge by them that no infraction of the Gaol rules, however slight would be excused. The health of the prisoners has, in view of the miserable condition of many of them on admittance been good.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

Your most obedient Servant,

N. G. MITCHEll-Innes,

Late Acting Superintendent.

MONTH.

(A.)

VICTORIA GAOL.

Return of Reports for talking, &c., in the years 1884, 1885, 1886, and 1887.

1

1884.

1885.

Daily average number Daily average number

in Prison, 552.

in Prison, 530.

1886. Daily average number in Prison, 674.

1887.

Daily average number in Prison, 584.

January, February, March,. April,. May,

14

55

119

146

17

25

135

75

32

44

248

97

24

JO..

23

330

408

31

252

197

963

June,

70

362

298

918

July,

77

289

297

500

August,

72

344

232

530

September,

50

254

318

558

October,.....

64

174

209

429

November,

35

148

183

184

December,.

43

162

93

113

Total,

529

2,132

2,659

4,921

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

(B.)

Return of Offences reported of Prisoners fighting with or assaulting each other, for the years 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887.

1884.

1885.

MONTII.

Daily average number Daily average number

in Prison, 552.

in Prison, 530.

1886.

1887.

Daily average number Daily average number

in Prison, 674.

in Prison, 584.

January,

22

28

14

21

February.

16

18

15

20

March,

23

18

17

11

April,.

26

29

32

29

May,

29

6

31

41

June,

24

22

19

33

July,

19

27

13

31

August,

24

13

13

39

September,

30

12

8

26

October,

14

13

17

27

November,..

21

8

December,

22

10

96

18

7

10

Total,

270

204

195

306

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

(C.)

Return of Offences reported of Prisoners having Tobacco, for the years 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887.

MONTH.

1884.

1885. Daily average number Daily average number

in Prison, 552..

in Prison, 530.

1886.

1887.

Daily average number Daily average number

in Prison, 674.

in Prison, 584.

January,

February,

65

74

28

14

76

78

16

10

March,.

April,.

47

82

14

20

52

133

11

27

May,.

66

106

7

39

June,

60

61

15

34

July,

72

52

9

57

August, ......

69

47

11

40

September,

October,....

November,

December,

8+88

82

17

31

58

50

23

17

71

41

15

30

32

39

21

23

33

Total,

719

709

212

435

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

(D.)

Comparative Return of Prisoners confined in Victoria Gaol on the 31st December, 1886, and 31st December, 1887, from 1st to 12th Convictions.

CONVICTION.

1886.

1887.

1st,

2nd,

3rd,

4th,

5th,

6th,

7th,

8th,

D

9th,

414

436

62

30

35

34

27

15

24

20

18

15

15

10

10

10

1

3

10th,

132

11th,

12th,

:

TOTAL,...

612

576

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

(E.)

ABSTRACT OF ACCOUNT OF INDUSTRIAL LABOUR, VICTORIA GAOL, FOR THE YEAR 1887.

Dr.

OAKUM.

Cr.

1887.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,. $ 454.10 1887.

Cost of Paper Stuff purchased

By Oakum sold during the year,

$ 933.58

Oakum issued for Gaol Hospital

25

927.50

10.00

during the year,

use,

>

Profit..

557.88

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Paper Stuff,

Total,............$

1,939.48

SALAM BALONE DINE MODE

VAŠE KNITS VANDATRELAZAT E VENENOVARAJEVOMATSUTNAJSETSENCIAL,

Oakum,

995.90

Total,............$

1,939.48

L

.

Dr.

COIR YARN.

1887.

51

Cost of Material purchased during

the year,

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,. $ 831.07 1887.

289.16

""

""

Profit,......

353.31

1887.

By Matting sold during the year,

Issue for Prison use during theĮ

year,

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Cr.

$ 769.45

84.09

Manufactured,

14.00

Material,.....

606.00

Total,...$

1,473.54

Total,............$

1,473.54

RATTAN WORK.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,.

Cost of Material purchased during

the year,

$178.48

48.79

1887.

By Chairs, &c., sold during the year,..

Articles made for Gaol use,

$ 83.88 10.44

29

29

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Manufactured Articles, $26.80 Material,.........

12.24

Loss,...

39.04. 93.90

Total,.......

227.26

Total,.......

227.26

NET MAKING.

1887.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,

Cost of Material purchased during

$ 7.42 1887.

187.47

Nets made for Gaol use,

""

the year,

Profit,..

106.61

Total,

.$

301.50

By Nets sold during the year,

Stock on hand, 31st December,}

Total,......

1887.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,

Cost of Material purchased during Į

>>

the year,

Profit,..........

$213.10

88.40

301.50

$ 43.66

91.99

1887.

GRASS MATTING.

By Issue for Prison use during the

year,

>>

""

5.91

Matting sold during the year, Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

$ 28.03

101.44

Manufactured, 50 yds.,....... Material,.....

7.00

5.00

Total,.........

141.47

Total,......

141.47

WASHING.

1887. To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,. $

"

Cost of Material purchased during

the year,

28.05 1887.

374.57

>>

792.59

Profit....

Total.............$

1,195.21

SHOE-MAKING.

1887.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,.

Cost of Material purchased during

$ 65.17

713.31

1887.

the year,

Profit,.......

23.41

Total,.....

801.89

By Value of Washing done during the year, Prison Clothing, at 1 cent a piece,

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,....

$1,195.21

Total,.....$

1,195.21

By Estimated value of Shoes supplied to Prisoners, and Repairs,

$ 72.41

22

Two Issues-Summer and Winter Uniform, Shoes to Prison Of- ficers,

285.00

Sale to Prison Officers, &c.,

241.60

"

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Material and value of new

Shoes,......

202.88

Total,............$

801.89

Dr.

1887.

PRINTING AND BOOK-BINDING.

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,.

7.30 1887.

""

47.53

Cost of Material for printing and bookbinding, purchased during

the year,

Profit,...

By Estimated value of Printing done for Public Offices during the year, (187,558 forms),....... Estimated value of Books bound

for Prison use,

Cr.

907.75

14.17

61.97

946.53

""

Cash received for Books bound,

""

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Book-binding Material, &c.,

17.47

Total,.......

1,001.36

Total,.....

1,001.36

TAILORS' SHOP.

1887.

وو

To Stock on hand, 1st January, 1887,. $ 400.73

Cost of Material purchased during

1887.

841.51

the year,

Profit,......

58.94

1887.

1887.

Total,..........$

1,301.18

By Value of Prisoners' Clothing made

807.82

during the year,

S

"

Work done for Officers, Police,

116.28

&c., and charged,

Stock on hand, 31st December,

1887,-

Flannel, Canvas, &c., Made-up Canvas Suits,

168.25

208.83

Flannel Shirts, &c.,... f

Total...

1,301.18

CARPENTERS' SHOP.

By Value of Articles made for GaolĮ

To Value of Stock on hand, 1st Ja-Į

nuary, 1887,....

""

Cost of Material purchased during t

the year,

Profit,....

1887.

$ 47.50

use,

149.74

""

Work done for Officers and

charged for,

$151.78

58.75

"

Stock on hand, 31st December,

28.91

1887,-

Material, Wood, &e.,... Value of manufactured

2.14

13.48

Total,....... ....$

226.15

RECAPITULATION.

Articles,

Total,...$

226.15

PROFITS.

1887.

LOSS.

Oakum,

557.88

Rattan Work,

93.90

Coir Yarn,

353.31

Net-making,

106.61

Surplus,......

2,780.19

Grass Matting,.

5.91

Washing,

792.59

Shoe-making,

23.41

Printing and Book-binding,

946.53

Tailoring,

58.94

Carpentering,

28.91

To Profit,

Total,............$ 2,874.09

$2,780.19

Victoria Gaol Office, Hongkong, 24th January, 1888.

Total,.....

...$ 2,874.09

A. GORDON,

Superintendent.

HONGKONG.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE TOTAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS I

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His E

COLONY OF HONGKONG.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE TOTAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS I

REVENUE.

Amount

Total Estimated. Receipts.

More than Less than Estimated. Estimated.

EXPENDIT

$

$ C.

$

$

..

LAND REVENUE:-

Leased Lands,

Lands not Leased, including Stone Quarries,

CIVIL DEPARTMENTS:-

150,000

163,995.01

13,995.01

19.000

20,058.32

1,058.32

Fecs on Grant of Leases,

RENTS, EXCLUSIVE OF LANDS:-

Markets,

Buildings,.

200

300.00

100.00

67,200

77,875.45

10,075.45

7,000

11,337.48

4,337.18

Piers,......

LICENCES:-

800

1,072.50

272.50

The Governor....

Colonial Secretary,

Auditor,

Treasurer,..

Spirit.

45,000

42,380.00

Pawnbrokers,

14,000

13,300.00

2,620.00 700.00

Clerk of Councils,

Auctioneers,..

2,100

1.800.00

300.00

Tenements for Emigrants,

10

13.50

3.50

Surveyor General,

Emigration Brokers.

1,200

Billiard Tables,

1.000

1,200.00 950.00

50.00

Postmaster General,.

Opium,

182,400

182,400.00

Boarding Houses,

200

150.00

50.00

Registrar General,

Marriage,

300

344.00

244.00

Chinese Undertakers,

Money Changers,

Marine Store Dealers,

Shooting Licence,

Arms Licence,

TAXES:-

100

100.00

Harbour Master...

750

715.00

35.00

1,000

1,080.00

80.00

Lighthouses,

10.00

10.00

200.00

200.00

Observatory,

Stamps,.

Municipal Rates,

POSTAGE,

FINES, FORFEITURES & FEES OF COURTS:-

140,000 170,233.33 316,402 332,863.79 16,461.79

122,000 137,436.08 15,436.08

30,233.33

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

Fines,

Forfeitures,

Fees,

FEES OF OFFICE:-

13,000 1,000 10,000

25,901.53

1,004.40 8,314.99

12,901.53 4.40

Government Gardens & Plantati

Judicial Departments,..

1,685.01 Ecclesiastical Department,

Burials,

500

939.50

Licences for Junks, &c.,

19,000

19,997.75

429.50 997.75

Registry of Boats,

3,300

3,381.15

81.15

Do. of Cargo Boats and Crews,

4,500

4,642.96

Educational

do.,

Medical

do..

112.96

Do.

of Hawkers,.

3,800

3,980.50

180.50

Police Magistrates' do.,

Cargo Boat Certificates,

750

Registration of Householders,

1,200

Do. of Servants, &C.,

Official Signatures......

100

784.42 1,645.50 17.75 195.00

34.42

445.50

Police

do.,

17.75

95.00

Gaol

do..

Registration of Deeds,

2,500

4,046.00

Shipping Seamen,..

9,000

9,458.00

1,546.00 458.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

Examination of Masters, &c., ...

1,450

1,172.50

277.50

Survey of Steam Ships, &c.,

9,500

11,300.19

1,800.49

Pensions, Retired Allowances & Graty

Registry Fees, &c., (Mer. Shipping Act),.

500

373.85

126.15

Do., of Carriages, Chairs, &c.,

8,900

7,970.95

4,070.95

Charitable Allowances,

Registration of Companies,

1,000

Examination of Emigrants,

16,000

720.00 23,706.00

280.00

7,706.00

Transport,

Registration of Births, &c.,.

10

Light Dues,

28,000

71.60 33,003.57

31.60 5,003.57

Licences for Steam Launches,

350

450.00

100.00

Surveyor's Certificate for Steam Launches,

800

1,190.00

390.00

Official Administrator, Assignee, &c.,......

2,000

2,175.49

175.49

Registration of Trade Marks,

100

709.50

609.50

Licences for Chinese Passenger Ships,

500

535.00

35.00

Medical Registration Fees,

35,00

35.00

Bills of Health,

1,200

1,815.00

615.00

SALE OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY:-

Police Station No. 4, to Military Authorities, Sundry Condemned Stores, &c.,

1,000

6,111.00 994.83

6,111.00

Works and Buildings, .

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

Miscellaneous Services,

Military Expenditure..........

Interest on Loan and Sinking Fund

Land and Houses Purchased,......................

5.17

REIMBURSEMENTS:-

Sick Stoppages from Police Force..

600

970.75

370,75

Subsistence of Seamen, &c., in Gaol,

300

297.01

2.99

Treatment of Seamen, &c., in Hospital..

6,000

9.832.59

3,832.59

Extraordinary Public Works...................

Convict labour and other items,

3,500

2,586.66

913.34

Sale of Printed Forms,

1,200

1,360.50

Gaol Expenses recovered..........

800

1.294.99

160.50 494.99

Čokoladan fymo duovorial Past OM.......

2.222

2 888 00

HONGKONG.

OWING THE TOTAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS IN THE YEAR 1887.

slative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

COLONY OF HONGKONG.

BOWING THE TOTAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS IN THE YEAR 1887.

į

ed.

Total Receipts.

More than Less than

Estimated. Estimated.

EXPENDITURE.

No.

777 88.

Amount

Total More than Less than Estimated. Payments. Estimated. Estimated.

$ C.

163,995.01

$ 0.

13,995.01

C.

$ ..

00

C.

CIVIL DEPARTMENTS:--

20,058.32

1,058.32

300.00

100.00

77,875.45

10,675.45

11,337.48

4,337.48

1,072.50

272.50

The Governor...

Colonial Secretary,.

Auditor,

Treasurer,..

33,975

36,342.30 2,367.30

24,776

21,268.68

3.507.32

6,078

6,064.85

13.15

10,400

11,494.01 1,094.04

42,380.00

2,620.00

13,300.00

700.00

Clerk of Councils,

1,300

1,239.68

00.32

1.800.00

300.00

13.50

3.50

Surveyor General,

56,145

58,619.30 2,474.30

1,200.00

950.00

50.00

Postmaster General,..

103,052 100,380.19

2.671.81

182,400.00

150.00

50.00

Registrar General,

24,196 23,190.82

1,005.18

544.00

244.00

100.00

Harbour Master.......

46,540

48,074.41 1.534.41:

715.00

35.00

1,080.00

80.00

Lighthouses,

0,508

5,612.77

895.23

10.00

10.00

200.00

200.00

Observatory,

6,420

7,229.88

809.88

170,233.33 30,233.33

332.863.79 16,461.79

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

4,822

4,804.33

17.67

137,436.08

15,436.08

Government Gardens & Plantations,

21,474

20,854.90

619.10

25,901.53

12,901.53

:

Judicial Departments,..

61,713

66,615.30 1,902.30

1,004.40

4.40

8,314.99

1,685.01 Ecclesiastical Department,

6,218

6,638.48

420.48

939.50

19,997.75

429.50 997.75

Educational

do..

47,231

43,070.91

4,160.09

3,381.15

$1.15

Medical

do.,

38,661

41,785.22 3,124.22

4,612.96

142.96

3,980,50

180.50

Police Magistrates' do.,

20,076

19,919.40

156.60

784.42

34.42

1,645.50

445.50

Police

do.,

206,874

213,481,10 6,607.10

17.75 195.00

17.75

95.00

Gaol

do.,

49,892 £8,650.58

1,241.42

4.046.00

1,546.00

9,458.00

458.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

18,786 18,156.39

629.61

1,172.50

277.50

11,300.49

1,800.49

Pensions, Retired Allowances & Gratuities......

34,000

40,987.41 6,987.11

373.85

126.15

7,970.95

4,070.95

Charitable Allowances,

4,000

3,932.70

67.30

720.00 23,706.00

280.00

7,700.00

Transport,

4,500

2,235.44

2,264.56

71.60 33,003.57

31.60

5,003.57

Works and Buildings,

74,500

$3,113.68 8,613.68

450.00

100.00

1,190.00

390.00

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

44,500.

46,172.02 1,672.02

2,175.49

175.49

709.50

609.50

Miscellaneous Services,

93,562 116,380.22 22,818.22

535.00

35.00

35.00 1,815.00

35,00

Military Expenditure,..

137,235

128,815.63

8,419.37

615.00

Interest on Loan and Sinking Fund,

55,000

51,551.05

3.148.95

6,111.00 994.83

6,111.00

Land and Houses Purchased................

1,500.00 1,500.00

5.17

970.75

370.75

297.01

9.832.59

3,832.59

2.586.66

2.99

913.34

Extraordinary Public Works,.........

1,245,431 1,278,181.68 | 61,925.36

29,177.68

760,000 744,820.38

15,179,62

1,360.50 160.50

1.294.99

494.90

نگر

Buillings Piers, LICENCES:

A A

800

1,072.50

272.50

Treasurer,..

་་

Spirit.

45,000

42,380.00

2,620,00

Pawnbrokers,

14,000

13,300.00

700.00

Clerk of Councils.

Auctioneers,..

2,100

1.800.00

300.00

Tenements for Emigrants,

10

Emigration Brokers.

1,200

Billiard Tables,

1.000

13.50 1.200.00 950.00

3.50

Surveyor General.

50.00

Postmaster General,.

Opium,

182,400

182,400,00

Boarding Houses,

Marriage,

Chinese Undertakers, Money Changers,

Marine Store Dealers,

Shooting Licence,

200

150,00

50.00

Registrar General.

300

314.00

244.00

100

100.00

Harbour Master,.

750

715.00

35.00

1,000

1,080.00

80.00

Lighthouses,

10.00

10.00

Arms Licence,

200.00

200.00

TAXES:-

Stamps,

140,000

170,233,33

30,233.33

Observatory,

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

Municipal Rates,

316,402

332.863.79

16,461.79

POSTAGE,

122,000

137,436.08 15,436.08

Government Gardens & Plantations

FINES, FORFEITURES & FEES OF COURTS:—

Fines,

13,000

25,901.53

Forfeitures,

1,000

1,004.40

12,901.53 4.40

Judicial Departments,.......

Fees,

10,000

8,314.99

1,685.01 Ecclesiastical Department,

FEES OF OFFICE:-

Burials,

500

939.50

429.50

Educational

do.,

Licences for Junks, &c.,

19,000

19,997.75

997.75

Registry of Boats,

3,300

3,381.15

81.15

Medical

do.,

Do. of Cargo Boats and Crews,

4,500

4,612.96

142.96

Do.

of Hawkers.......

3,800

3,980.50

180.50

Police Magistrates' do.,

Cargo Boat Certificates,

750

781.12

34.42

Registration of Householders,

1,200

1,645.50

145.50

Police

Do. of Servants, &c.,

Official Signatures...

100

17.75 195.00

17.75

95.00

Gaol

Registration of Deeds,

2,500

4,046.00

1,546.00

Shipping Seamen,.

9,000

9,458.00

458.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

do.,

do.,

Examination of Masters, &c.,

1,450

1,172.50

277.50

Survey of Steam Ships, &c.,

9,500

11.300.49

1,800.49

Registry Fees, &c., (Mer. Shipping Act),.

500

378.85

126.15

Do., of Carriages, Chairs, &c.,

3,900

7,970.95

4,070.95

Pensions, Retired Allowances & Gratuiti

Charitable Allowances,

Registration of Companies,

1,000

720.00

280.00

Examination of Emigrants,

16,000

23,706.00

Registration of Births, &c.,.

10

71.60

7,706.00 31.60

Transport,

Licences for Steam Launches,

Light Dues,.

Surveyor's Certificate for Steam Launches,

28,000

33,003.57

5,003.57

Works and Buildings,

350

450.00

100.00

800

1,190.00

390.00

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

Official Administrator, Assignee, &c.,......

2,000

2,175.49

175.49

Registration of Trade Marks,

100

709.50

609.50

Miscellaneous Services,

Licences for Chinese Passenger Ships,

500

535.00

35.00

Medical Registration Fees,

35.00

35.00

Military Expenditure..............

Bills of Health, .

1,200

1,815.00

615.00

Interest on Loan and Sinking Fund,

SALE OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY:-

Police Station No. 4, to Military Authorities, Sundry Condemned Stores, &c.,

1,000

6,111.00 6,111.00

994.83

Land and Houses Purchased,........

5.17

REIMBURSEMENTS:-

Sick Stoppages from Police Force,

600

970.75

370.75

Subsistence of Seamen, &c., in Gaol,

300

297.01

Treatment of Seamen, &c., in Hospital.

6,000

9,832.59

3,832.59

Convict labour and other items,

3,500

2,586.66

2.99

913.34

Extraordinary Public Works,..............

Sale of Printed Forms,

1,200

1,360.50

160.50

Gaol Expenses recovered,.

800

1,294.99

494.99

Contribution from Imperial Post Office,

3,888

3,888.00

Sale of Chinese Gazette,

50

Interest on Furniture at Govt. House,.

250

57.00 171.00

7.00

79.00

Fees from Scholars at Central School, Sale of Tickets for Destitutes' Shelter, INTEREST,

MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS:-

Storage of Gunpowder,.

Other Miscellaneous Receipts,

5,000

30

5,547.00 33.00 3,560.72

547.00 3.00 3,560.72

9,000 55,000

11,686.38 2,686.38 49,541,50

5,458.50

TOTAL REVENUE...

1,291,270 1,427,485.79 148,798.45 12,582,66

TOTAL EXPENDITURE,...

RECEIPTS.

Deposits Available,-Premia on Land Sales,

Deposits not available,

Other Deposits,

.$155,238.02 747,300.00

ΡΑΥΜ

902,538.02

Deposits Available,

Advance Account,

Family Remittances,

Subidiary Coins,

Money Order Account,

Exchange Account,

Crown Agents' Account,

Crown Agents' Advance Account,

Loan Account,

Purchase of Marine Lot No. 18, Cash in hand, 1st January, 1887,

1.882.21

26,786.90 36,783.90 400,000,00 68,724.29 10,072.34 2,141,031.10 429,478.69 1,268,157.90

168,724,51 104,772.92

Deposits not Available..

Advance Account,

Family Remittances.

Subsidiary Coins,

Money Order Account, Crown Agents' Account,.

Crown Agents' Advance Account, Purchase of Marine Lot No. 18,

Cash in hand, 31st December, 1887..

TOTAL....

$6,977,888,57

A. F. ALVES,

Accountant.

TREASURY, HONGKONG, 20TH MARCH, 1888.

Examined.

FREDERICK

Auditori

JU

1.072.00

2/2.50

Treasurer,

10.400

11.494.04 1,094.04

30

42,380.00

2,620.00

70

13,300.00

1.800.00

700.00 300.00

Clerk of Councils,

1,300

1,239.68

60.32

13.50

3.50

Surveyor General,

56,148

58,619.30 2.474.30

1.200.00

30

950.00

50.00

Postmaster General,.

103,032

100,380.19

2.671.81

182.400.00

150.00

50.00

Registrar General,

24,196

23,190.82

1,005.18

544.00

244.00

100.00

Harbour Master............

46,540

48,074.41

1,534.41 ·

10

715.00

35.00

1,080.00

80.00

Lighthouses,

6,508

5,612.77

895.23

10.00 200.00

10.00

200.00

Observatory,

6.420

7,229.88

S09.8$

020

170,283.33

30,233.33

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

4,822

4,804.33

17.67

332.863.79

16,461.79

137,436.08

15,436.08

Government Gardens & Plantations,

21,474

20,854.90

619.10

coo

25,901.53 1.004.40 8,314.99

12,901.53

Judicial Departments,..........

64,713

66,615.30 1,902.30

4.40

1,685.01 Ecclesiastical Department,

6,218

6,638.48

120.48

939.50

19,997,75

429.50 997.75

Educational

do.,

47,231 43,070.91

4,160.09

3,381.15

$1.15

Medical

do..

38,661 41,785.22 3,124.22

4,642.96

142,96

3,980,50

180.50

Police Magistrates' do.,

20,076 19,919.40

156.60

784.42

31.42

1,645.50

445.50

Police

do.,

17.75

17.75

195.00

95.00

Gaol

do..

206,874

49,892 18,650.58

213,481,10 6,607.10

1,241.42

4,046.00

1,516.00

9,458.00

458.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

18,786 18.155.39

629.61

1,172.50

277.50

11.300.49

1,800.49

Pensions, Retired Allowances & Gratuities.....

34,000

40,987.41 6,987.41

373.85

126.15

7,970.95

4,070.95

Charitable Allowances,

4,000 3,932.70

67.30

720.00

280.00

23,706.00

7,706.00

Transport,

4,500

2,235.44

2,264.56

71.60

31.60

33,003,57

5,003.57

Works and Buildings,

74,500

83,113.68 8,613.68

450.00

100.00

1,190.00

390.00

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

44,500.

46,172.02 1,672.02

2,175.19

175.49

709.50

609.50

Miscellaneous Services,

93,562

116,380.22 | 22,818.22

585.00

35.00

85.00

35.00

Military Expenditure,.......

137,235

128,815.63

8,419.37

1,815.00

615.00

Interest on Loan and Sinking Fund,

55,000

51,551.05

3,148.95

6,111.00 994.83

6,111.00

Land and Houses Purchased.........

1,500.00 1,500.00

5.17

970.75

370.75

1,245,134 1,278,181.68 61,925.36 29,177.68

297.01

9,832.59 3,832.59

2,586.66

2.99

913.34

Extraordinary Public Works,...

760,000 744,820.38

15,179.62

1,360.50

160.50

1,294.99

491.99

3,888.00

57.00 171.00

7.00

79.00

5,547.00 BB.00 3,560.72

547.00

3.00 3,560,72

11,686.38 2,686.38 49,541.50

5,458.50

1,427,483.79148,798.45| 12,582.66

TOTAL EXPENDITURE,.

PAYMENTS.

902,538.02

1.882.21 26.786.90 86,788.00 100,000.00 68,724,29 10,072.34 2,141,081,10 429.478.69 1,263,157.90

163,724.61 101.772.92

6,977,888.57

Deposits Available, ·

Deposits not Available,. Advance Account, Family Remittances, Subsidiary Coins,

Money Order Account, Crown Agents' Account,.

Crown Agents' Advance Account, Purchase of Marine Lot No. 18,

Cash in hand, 31st December, 1887.

'. ALVES,

Accountant.

2,005,434 2,023,002.06 61,925.36 44,357.30

650,000.00

569.99 28,726.61

42,855.46

531,676.98

71,975.62

2,122,683.71

1,111,578.96

221,055.14

173,209.04

ΤΟΤΑΙ..........

.$ | 6,977,333.57

Examined.

FREDERICK STEWART,

Auditor General.

A. LISTER,

Treasurer.

14 5

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE OF THE COLO

REVENUE.

1886.

1887.

INCREASE.

DECREASE.

EXPENDITUR]

$

C.

$

c.

$

C.

$ C.

LAND REVENUE :—

Leased Lands,

149,288.84

163,995.01

Lands not leased, including Stone Quarries,. Fees on Grant of Leases, .

19,465.42

20,058.32

14,706.17 592.90

320.00

300.00

20.00

RENTS, EXCLUSIVE OF LANDS :--

Markets,

65,863.65

77,875.45

12,011.80

Buildings, Piers,

LICENCES:

Spirit,....

7,293.00

11,337.48

4,011.18

881.20

1,072.50

191.30

41,480.00

42,380.00

900.00

Pawnbrokers,

13,650.00

13,300.00

350.00

Auctioneers,

2,400.00

1,800,00

600.00

Tenements for Emigrants,

28.50

13.50

15.00

Emigration Brokers,

1,200.00

1,200.00

CIVIL DEPARTMENTS :-

The Governor,

Colonial Secretary,

Auditor,.

Treasurer.

Clerk of Councils, Surveyor General,. Postmaster General, Registrar General,. Harbour Master,..

Lighthouses..

Observatory,

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

Government Gardens and Plant

Billiard Tables,

970.00

950,00

20.00

Judicial

Department,

Opíum,

178,500.00

182,400.00

3,900.00

Ecclesiastical

do..

Boarding Houses,

200.00

150.00

50.00

Educational

do.,

Marriage,

340.00

514.00

204.00

Medical

do.,

Stamps,

Chinese Undertakers,

Money Changers....

Marine Store Dealers,.

Shooting Licence,..

Arms Licence,

TAXES:-

Municipal Rates,

POSTAGE,

FINES, FORFEITURES AND FEES OF COURTS :

100.00

100.00

Police Magistrates do..

770.00

715,00

55.00

Police

do..

1,170.00

1,080.00

90.00

Gaol

do..

30.00

10.00 200.00

20.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

200.00

159,819.63 170,233.33

10,413.70

306,131.35 332,863.79

26,732.41

130,846.72

137,436.08

6,589.36

Fines,

Forfeitures,.

Fees,

26,049,51 25,901,53

148.01

Military Expenditure,

3,056.10

1,004.10

10,853.13

8,314.99

2,051.70 2,538,14

Interest,

Pensions. Retired Allowances and (

Charitable Allowances,

Transport,.

Works and Buildings.

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

Miscellaneous Services,

Land and Houses Purchased,

FEES OF OFFICE :—

Burials,

616.25

939.50

Licences for Junks, &c.,..........

18,574.25

19,997.75

Registry of Boats,

3,436.14

3,381.15

་་

54.99

Do. of Cargo Boats and Crews,

4,767,56

4,642.96

Do.

of Hawkers,

323.25 1,423.50

124.60 Extraordinary Public Works,.

3,986,00

3,980.50

5.50

Cargo Boat Certificates,.

798.00

Registration of Householders,

Do. of Servants, &c.,

Official Signatures.

1,484,75 31.25 224.00

784.42 1,645.50

13.58

160.75

17.75

13.50

195.00

29.00

Registration of Deeds,

3,615.00

4,0460.00

431.00

Shipping Seamen,..

8,589.00

9,458.00

$69.00

Examination of Masters, &c.,

1,202.50

1,172,50

30.00

Survey of Steam-ships, &c.,.

10,393.04

11,300.49

907.45

Registry Fees, &c., (Merchant Shipping Act),

435.78

373.85

61.93

Registry of Carriages, Chairs, &c.,

7,326.00

7,970.95

644.95

Registration of Companies,

1,982.40

Examination of Emigrants,

18,101.75

720.00 23,706.00

1,262.40

5,604.25

Registration of Births, &c.,

64.30

Light Dues,

32,953.16

71.60 33,003.57

7.30

50.41

Licences for Steam-launches,

372.50

450.00

77.50

Surveyor's Certificate for Steam-launches,

935.00

1,190.00

235.00

Official Administrator, Assignee, &c.,

4.231.92

2,175.49

2,059,43

Registration of Trade Marks,

549.91

709.50

159.59

Licences for Chinese Passenger Ships,

495.00

$35.00

40.00

Medical Registration Fees,

85.00

85.00

Bills of Health,

1,446.00

1,815.00

369.00

Sale of Government I'roperty,

1,753.99

7,105.83

5,35184

Reimbursements,

26,836.99

26,038,50

798.49

Interest.

11,636.44

3,560.72

Miscellaneous Receipts,

80,408.78 61,227.88

$1,867,977.741,427,485,79 97.175.94

8,075.72 19,180.90

37.667.89

THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG IN 1886 & 1887.

1887.

INCREASE. DECREASE.

$

C.

$ C. $ C.

EXPENDITURE.

1886.

1887.

INCREASE,

DECREASE.

$

0.

$

C.

C.

$

C.

163,995.01

20,058.32

14,706.17 592.90

The Governor,

300.00

20.00

77,875.45

12,011.80

11,337.48

4,041.48

1,072.50

191.30

CIVIL DEPARTMENTS :-

Colonial Secretary,

Auditor,.

Treasurer,

Clerk of Councils, Surveyor General, Postmaster General,

Registrar General,

37,418.29

36,342.30

22,838.78

21,268.68

1,075.99 1,570.10

5,953.98

6,064.85

110.87

12,454.59

11,494.04

960.55

1,160.00

1,239.68

79.68

53,260.44

58,619.30

5,358.86

126,355.34

100,380.19

25,975.15

22.922.83

23,190.82

267.99

42,380.00

900.00

Harbour Master,..

45,058.34

48,074.41

3,016.07

13,300.00

350.00

Lighthouses,.

5,948.84

5,612.77

336.07

1,800.00

600.00

Observatory,

6,422.31

7,229.88

807.57

13.50

15.00

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

5,160,00

4,804.33

355.67

1,200.00

Government Gardens and Plantations,

21,508.28

20,854,90

653.38

950.00

20.00

Judicial

Department,

62,768,70

66,615.30

3,846.60

182,400.00

3,900.00

Ecclesiastical

do.,

6,820.68

6,638.48

182.20

150.00

50.00

Educational

do.,

43,085.50

43,070.91

14.59

511,00

204.00

Medical

do.,

39,761.20

41,785.22

2,021.02

100.00

Police Magistrates' do.,

20,968.75

19,919.40

1,049.35

715.00

55.00

Police

do.,

193,618,88

213,481.10 19,862.22

1,080.00

90.00

Gaol

do..

52,410,84

48,650.58

3,760.26

10.00

20.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

15,363,99

18,156.39

2,792.40

200.00

200.00

Pensions, Retired Allowances and Gratuities,

37,747.94

40,987.41

3,239.47

Charitable Allowances,

3,372.00

3,932.70

560.70

170,233.33

10,413.70

Transport,.

1,882,24

2,235.44

353.20

332,863.79

26,732.41

Works and Buildings,

73,916.96

$3,113.68

9,196.72

137,436.08

6,589.36

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

36,175.17

46,172.02

9,996.85

Miscellaneous Services,

111,904.98

116,380.22

1,475.24

25,901.53

148.01

Military Expenditure,

124,561.68

128,815.63

4,253,95

1,004.40

8,314.99

2,051,70 2,538.14

Interest.

4,412.28 51,551.05

47,138.77

Land and Houses Purchased,

1,500.00

1,500.00

939.50

19,997.75

323.25 1,423.50

1,195,236.811,278,181.68

118,878.18

35,933,31

3,381.15

54.99

4,642.96

3,980.50

124.60 Extraordinary Public Works,..

825,624.81 741,820.38

80,804.46

5.50

784.42

13.58

1,645.50

160.75

17.75

13.50

195.00

29.00

4,016,00

431.00

9,458.00

869.00

1,172.50

30.00

11,300,49

907.45

373.85

61.93

7,970.95

644.95

720.00

1,262.40

23,706.00

5,604,25

71.60 33,003.57

7.30

50.41

450.00

77.50

1,190.00

235.00

2,175.49

2,059.43

709.50

159.59

535.00

40.00

35.00

85.00

1,815.00

7,105.83

369.00 5,351.84

26,088.50

3,560.72

61,227.88

798.49 8,075.72 19.180.90

1,427,485,79 |

97,175,94

37,667.89

32,020,861,65 |2,023,002,06 118,878.18

116,737.77

Lands ne

leased, including Stone Quarries,.

19,465.42

20.058.32

592.90

Fees on Grant of Leases.

820.00

300.00

20.00

RENTS, EXCLUSIVE OF LANDS :—

Markets.

65,863.65

77,875.45

12,011.80

Buildings.

Piers.

LICENCES:--

Spirit..

7,293,00

11,387.48

4.014.48

881.20

1,072.50

191.30

41,480,00

42,380.00

900.00

Pawnbrokers,

13,650,00

13,300.00

350.00

Auctions,

2,400.00

1,800.00

600.00

Tenements for Emigrants,

28.50

13.50

15.00

Emigration Brokers,

1,200.00

1,200.00

Colonial Secretary, Auditor..

Treasurer,

Clerk of Councils, Surveyor General,. Postmaster General, Registrar General,. Harbour Master,..

Lighthouses..

Observatory,

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

Government Gardens and Planta

Billiard Tables,

970.00

950.00

20.00

Judicial

Department.

Opium.

178,500.00

182,400.00

3,900.00

Ecclesiastical

do..

Boarding Houses,

Marriage.

Chinese Undertakers,,

Money Changers.... Marine Store Dealers,. Shooting Licence,..

Arms Licence,

TAXES:-

200,00

150.00

50.00

Educational

do.,

340.00

514.00

204.00

Medical

do.,

100.00

100.00

Police Magistrates' do..

770,00

715.00

55.00

Police

1,170.00

1,080.00

90.00

Gaol

30.00

10.00

20.00

Fire Brigade

do.,

do..

do.,

200.00

200.00

Stamps,

Municipal Rates,

POSTAGE.

130,846.72

137,436.08

159,819.63 170,233.33 10,413.70 306,131,35 332,863.79 26,732.44 6,589.36

FINES, FORFEITURES AND FEES OF COURTS :-

Fines,.

26,049,54

25,901.53

148.01

Forfeitures,.

3,056.10

1,004.10

Fees.

10,853.13

8,314.99

2,051.70 2,538.14

Pensions. Retired Allowances and C

Charitable Allowances,

Transport,.

Works and Buildings,

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

Miscellaneous Services,

Military Expenditure,

Interest,

Land and Houses Purchased,

FEES OF OFFICE:-

Burials,

616.25

939.50

Licences for Junks, &C.........

18,574.25

19,997.75

323.25 1,423.50

...

Registry of Boats..

3,436.14

3,381.15

54.99

Do. of Cargo Boats and Crews,

4,767.56

4,042.96

124.60

Do.

of Hawkers,

3,986.00

Extraordinary I'ublic Works,............

3,980.50

5.50

Cargo Boat Certificates,

798.00

784.42

13.58

Registration of Householders,

1,484.75

1,645,50

160.75

Do. of Servants, &c.,

31.25

17.75

13.50

Official Signatures.

224.00

195.00

29.00

Registration of Deeds,

3,615.00

4,046.00

431.00

Shipping Seamen,..

8,589.00

9,458.00

$69.00

Examination of Masters, &c.,

1,202.50

1,172.50

...

30.00

Survey of Steam-ships, &c.,.

10,393.01

11,300.49

907.45

Registry Fees, &c., (Merchant Shipping Act),

435.78

373.85

61.93

Registry of Carriages, Chairs, &c.,

7,326.00

7,970.95

614.95

Registration of Companies,

1,982.40

720.00

1,262.40

Examination of Emigrants,

18,101.75

23,706.00

5,604.25

Registration of Births, &c.,

61.30

71.60

7.30

Light Dues,

32,953.16

33,003.57

50.41

Licences for Steam-launches,

372.50

450.00

77.50

Surveyor's Certificate for Steam-launches,

955.00

1,190.00

235.00

Official Administrator, Assignee, &c.,

4.234.92

2,175.49

2,059.43

Registration of Trade Marks,

519.91

709.50

159.59

Licences for Chinese Passenger Ships,

495.00

535.00

40.00

Medical Registration Fees,

35.00

35.00

Bills of Health,

1,446.00

1,815.00

369.00

Sale of Government Property,

1,753.99

7,105.83

5,351.84

Reimbursements,

Interest,

Miscellaneous Receipts,

26,836.99

26,038.50

798.49

11,636.44

3,560.72

80,408.78 61,227.88

8,075.72 19,180.90

$ 1,367,977.74 1,427,485.79

97,175.94

37,667.89

Deduct Decrease,

37,667.89

Nett Increase,

.$

59,508.05

TREASURY. HONGKONG, 20TH MARCH, 1888.

A. F. ALVES,

Accountant.

Examined,

F

163,995.01

1-4, ryb, Fa

The trovertor,

20,058.32

592.90

Colonial Secretary,

22,838.78

21,268.68

1.570.10

300.00

20.00

77,875.45

12,011.80

11,337.48

4,044.48

1,072.50

191.39

Auditor,. Treasurer.

Clerk of Councils.

Surveyor General, Postmaster General, Registrar General,.

5,953.98

6,064.85

110.87

12,454.59

11.494.04

960.55

1,160.00

1,239.68

79.68

53,260.44

58,619.30

5,358.86

126,355.34

100,380.19

25.975.15

22,922.83

23,190.82

267.99

42.380.00 13,300.00

900.00

Harbour Master,.

45,058.34

48,074.41

3,016.07

350.00

Lighthouses,.

5,948.81

5,612.77

336.07

1,800.00

600.00

Observatory,

6,422.31

7,229.88

807.57

13.50

15.00

Collector of Stamp Revenue,

5,160.00

4,804.33

355.67

1,200.00

Government Gardens and Plantations,

21,508.28

20,854.90

653.38

950.00

20.00

Judicial

Department,

62,768.70

66,615.30

3,846.60

182,400.00

3,900.00

Ecclesiastical

do..

6,820.68

6,638.48

182.20

150.00

50.00

Educational

do.,

43,085.50

43,070.91

14.59

544.00

204.00

Medical

do.,

39,761.20

41,785.22

2,021.02

100.00

Police Magistrates' do..

20,968.75

19,919.40

1,049.35

715.00

55.00

Police

do.,

193,618.88

213,481.10 19,862.22

1,080.00

90.00

Gaol

do..

52,410,84

48,650,58

3,760.26

10.00

20.00

Fire Brigade

dlu.,

15,363.99

18,156.39

2,792.40

200.00

200.00

Pensions, Retired Allowances and Gratuitics,

37,747.94

10,987.41

3,239.47

Charitable Allowances,

3,372.00

3,932.70

560.70

170,233.33

10,413.70

Transport,.

1,882.24

2,235.44

353.20

332,863.79

26,732.41

Works and Buildings,

73,916.96

83,113.68

9,196.72

137,436.08 6,589.36

Roads, Streets and Bridges,

36,175.17

46,172.02

9,996.85

Miscellaneous Services,

111,904.98

116,380.22

1,475.24

25,901.53

148.01

Military Expenditure,

124,561.68

128,815.63

4,253.95

1,004.10

2,051.70

Interest,

4,412.28 51,551.05

47,138.77

8,314.99

2,538.11

Land and Houses Purchased,.

1,500.00

1,500.00

939.50

19,997.75

323.25 1,423.50

1,195,236.811,278,181.68

118,878.18

35,933.31

3,331.15

4,642.96

3,980,50

54.99 124.60 5.50

Extraordinary l'ublic Works,..

825,624.81

744,820.38

$0,804.46

781.42

13.58

1,615.50

160.75

17.75

13.50

195.00

29.00

4,046.00

431.00

9,458.00

$69.00

1,172.50

30.00

11,300.49

907.45

373.85

61.93

7,970.95

644.95

720.00

1,262.40

23,706.00

5,604.25

71.60

7.30

33,003.57

450.00

1,190.00 2,175.49

709.50 535.00

...

50.41

77.50

235.00

2,059.43

159.59

40.00

35.00

35.00

1,815.00

369.00

7,105.83

5,351.84

26,038.50

798.19

3,560.72

61,227.88

8,075.72 19,180.90

1,427,485.79

97,175.94

37,667.89

37,667.89

59,508.05

$2,020,861.65 |2,023,002.06

118,878.18

116,737.77

Deduct Decrease,.

Nett Increase................

116,737.77

2.140.41

A. F. ALVES,

Accountant.

Examined,

FREDERICK STEWART,

A. LISTER,

Auditor General.

Treasurer.

No.

8

88.

*

HONGKONG.

THE EDUCATIONAL REPORT FOR 1887,

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 23rd March, 1883.

SIR, I have the honour to forward herewith the Annual Report on Education for the year 1887.

2. The total number of Schools, subject to supervision and examination by the Government, amounted, in the year 1887, to 94, as compared with 45 Schools in 1877 and 13 Schools in 1867. The total number of scholars, enrolled in Schools subject to Government supervision and examination, amounted to 5,974 in the year 1887, as compared with 3,144 scholars in the year 1877, and 700 scholars in the year 1867. In other words, there has been an increase of 49 Schools and 2,830 scholars during the last ten years, whilst the increase during the previous decade (1867-1877) amounted to 32 Schools with 2,736 scholars.

3. It is evident from the foregoing figures that the number of Schools and scholars under Govern- ment supervision and examination exhibits a considerable increase from decade to decade. This in- crease has, however, been running in the wake of a comparatively greater increase of the population of the Colony. The rate of annual increase has been unsteady in the case of Schools and scholars. In last year's Report I shewed that up to the year 1884 there was, year by year, a continuous annual increase amounting, on an average, to 6 Schools and 472 scholars per annum, but that, owing to certain disturbing elements, the previous annual increase of Schools and scholars remained checked from autumn 1884 to the beginning of the year 1887. But in the latter year there has now again been an increase of 4 Schools and 130 scholars under Government supervision and examination. Although this increase is not yet equal to the former annual rate, it may be taken as an indication that the current of educational development will soon recover its former strength.

4. Of the above mentioned 5,974 scholars attending Schools under Government supervision in the year 1887, as many as 4,160 were placed by their parents in Missionary Grant-in-Aid Schools where they received a Christian education, whilst 1,814 children attended the Government Schools. Of the latter number 601 scholars attended the Government Central School, 868 scholars attended Schools established by the Government in town and villages, and 345 scholars were under instruction in the small Village Schools kept by the natives and aided by the Government (by a fixed monthly grant of $5 each). Comparing these figures with those of the preceding year, it appears that there has been but a slight increase, amounting to 209 scholars, in the attendance of the Missionary Grant-in-Aid Schools, and a slight decrease, amounting to 79 scholars, in the attendance of the Government Schools. For further details see Tables I and II appended to this Report.

5. The expenses incurred by the Government, during the year 1887, on account of education in general, amounted (including the expenses connected with the Government Scholarship) to a total of $43,070.91 (as compared with $43,085.50 in the year 1886), or $7.21 per scholar (as compared with $7.37 per scholar in 1886). These expenses were distributed as follows. The Government Central School, with 601 scholars, cost the Government, in the year 1887, $11,872.70 or $19.75 per head. The expenses of the other Government Schools (including the Government Aided Schools in the villages), attended by 1,814 scholars, amounted to $9,443.43 or $5.20 per head. On the Grant-in-Aid Schools, with 4,160 scholars, the Government has spent, for the year 1887, the sum of $16,674.72 or $4 per head. Further details concerning the cost, to the Government, of each School, will be found in Tables III, IV and XIII.

6. As to the nature of the education given in the above mentioned 94 Schools under Government supervision and examination, we may divide these Schools into 5 classes, viz. Chinese Schools, Roma- nized Chinese Schools, Portuguese Schools, Anglo-Chinese Schools, and English Schools. The first and by far the largest of these classes of Schools consisted in the year 1887 of 75 Schools (with 3,802 scholars) giving a purely Chinese education, exclusively in the Chinese language, that is to say either in the Punti or Hakka or Hoklò dialects. The second class consisted of 2 Schools (with 98 scholars) giving a European education in the Chinese language, using both the Chinese written character and teaching also to read and write Chinese according to the Romanized system. The third class consisted of 3: Portuguese Schools (with 224 scholars) giving a European education exclusively in the Portuguese

language and teaching neither English nor Chinese. The fourth class consisted of 8 Anglo-Chinese Schools (with 1,160 scholars) giving a European education in both the English and Chinese languages. The fifth class consisted of 6 Schools (with 688 scholars) giving a European education exclusively in the English language.

7. Ever since Schools were established in this Colony, a disproportionate amount of attention has been given to the education of boys as compared with girls. In the early times of the Colony there was good reason for that, for the Chinese community consisted during the first two decades of the Colony's existence almost exclusively of men. It is only since the last 20 or 25 years that the Chinese began on a gradually increasing scale to settle down here together with their families, and it is very probable that the census of 1881 will show that the Chinese population of the Colony will in the near future attain to an approximately normal proportion of males and females. I shewed in my Report for last year that, thanks to the successful working of the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, there has been, ever since the year 1873, a steady increase from year to year, both in the number of Schools established in the Colony for the special purpose of promoting female education, and in the proportion of girls to boys under instruction in the various Schools of the Colony. Among 5,974 children attending Schools under the supervision and examination of the Government, there were 4,195 boys and 1,779 girls in the year 1887. This constitutes a slight increase as compared with the statistics of the preceding year. But the gradual progress made in this direction becomes more striking if we compare the proportion of girls to boys during the last twenty years. In 1867, among 700 children then attending Schools under Government, the girls counted only 6.86 per cent. In 1877, in the case of 3,144 children attending such Schools, the percentage of girls had risen to 19.84 per cent. and in the year 1887 we had, among 5,974 children in School, girls to the number of 29.77 per cent. It is evident that female education in this Colony, although in a backward condition and requiring to be fostered in every legitimate way, has in it the elements of healthy progress.

8. Apart from the 94 Schools under Government supervision and examination, with their 5,974 scholars, there were, in the year 1887, about 110 Private Schools (including Night Schools) at work in the Colony, attended by about 2,300 children, so that the total number of scholars under instruction in Schools of all classes amounted to 8,272 scholars, distributed over 204 Schools. As the population of the Colony, apart from the Army and Navy, amounted, in the year 1887, to about 181,900 souls, it appears therefore that about 4.54 per cent of the whole resident population were under instruction in Schools, public or private, within the Colony. In European countries, where education is compulsory, the number of children actually attending School forms generally about 10 per cent. (more or less) of the population. Under the exceptional circumstances of this Colony and in the absence of any law compelling attendance at School, it would be unreasonable to expect an equally high percentage here. European families still continue to send their children to Europe for reasons of health or to complete their education, and Chinese families, although they have now to some extent taken to bringing up their children in the Colony, send them away to their ancestral homes on the neighbouring mainland at the slightest provocation, such as the outbreak of epidemic disease or the spread of vague rumours concerning expected disturbances. We have no accurate data to ascertain the number of children of local school-age (6-16 years) residing in the Colony in the year 1887. When the last census was taken (in 1881), the number of children of local school-age approximated 9.26 per cent. of the popula- tion. Applying this proportion to the population of the year 1887, it would appear that the number of children of local school-age amounted in 1887 to 16,843. Deducting therefrom the number of children actually in School (8,274), it appears that the number of uneducated children in the Colony, in 1887, amounted to 8,569. In other words, a little under one half of the children of local school-age actually came under instruction in Hongkong during the year 1887. There is nothing abnormal in this discrepancy. Educational statistics of quite recent date show that in England and Wales some- what over one half, and in Ireland less than one half, of those children (5-13 years of age) who ought to attend School, actually come under instruction. There are in this Colony hardly any industries which employ great numbers of children. One Sugar-Refinery employs a small gang of children in packing cube sugar in tins, and public road-making gives here and there parents an opportunity to employ their children in breaking small stones (to be mixed with cement), but there is very little in- terference at present with school attendance arising from these sources. The employment of children by their parents in carrying loads of soil or bricks to or from building sites has very much decreased during the last 10 years. The principal causes that interfere with school attendance in the Colony are domestic employment within the family, bond-servitude in the case of purchased servant girls, and fishing in the case of a few villages. The Government Schools (outside the Central School) and the Chinese Grant-in-Aid Schools offer, in every part of the Colony both in town and villages, an ordinary Chinese education absolutely free of charge. In the Aided Village Schools (also giving an ordinary Chinese education in the vernacular) a small charge is made by the village communities amounting, on an average, to 30 cash and 3 catties of rice (total value about 12 cents) a month for each child in actual attendance. There are moreover 5 Government Schools in different parts of the Colony which give an elementary English education (up to Standard IV) absolutely free of charge. It is only in the middle-class Schools of the Colony which give an English education (with or without Chinese in addition) and in Private Schools that fees are charged such as are beyond the means of the poor. Thanks to the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, the lowest classes of the Chinese population have the most liberal

Y

T

provision made for them by Government to furnish their children with an ordinary Chinese education. The mass of the Chinese lower classes do not yet sufficiently appreciate an English education, because their necessities demand Chinese rather than English knowledge. But the well-to-do classes of the Chinese community are now from year to year becoming more alive to the advantages of an English education (based on 3 or 4 years previous study of the Chinese classics) and the existing educational machinery is quite capable of any modification that may be required in order to keep pace with the gradually increasing demand for a higher and broader standard of school teaching. One great charac- teristic of our educational system is that, being the outcome of a slow but natural process of evolution, it is not only in vital sympathy with all the constituent elements of our heterogeneous community, equitably representing the various factors of differentiation, but it represents also a mighty force of unification. In social life and even in commercial life we have in this Colony sundry unbridged chasms, widely separating the different strata of the community, and this exclusivism seeks ago to secure se- parate Schools for separate classes of society, but the main current of the educational movement in the Colony runs so strongly in the direction of unity that the Schools of the Colony are either forced to abandon their exclusivism or to eke out a scanty existence by constant appeals to the charity of a sinall section of the community. The Government Central School, the largest and most flourishing educational institution in the Colony, was originally established for Chinese only but was soon compelled by the sheer force of circumstances to admit all other nationalities, and here we see now all the strata of Colonial society brought together in a harmonious co-operation which has (to a certain extent) a unifying effect on society itself. St. Joseph's College, originally established exclusively for Portuguese boys, soon found itself compelled to admit also Chinese boys, who were at first taught in entire separation from the Portuguese, but this partition wall had also to be lowered after some years, and now we see in the upper classes of St. Joseph's College Portuguese and Chinese harmoniously intermixed. Even the Hongkong Public School, established on a strictly exclusivist principle, being intended for Euro- pean Protestants only, found itself compelled to open its doors also to Portuguese, Jews and Mahome- dans. The writer of the article on Hongkong, in the book published under the title "Her Majesty's Colonies," concludes a fair sketch of the educational system of Hongkong (reprinted in a recent work entitled "The Schools of Greater Britain"), by saying that this system is "very well adapted to the views of the Chinese inhabitants, as a great element in popularising British rule and inducing respect- able Chinese to settle in the Colony." "What our educational system has thus done for the Chinese, it is also doing for all the other nationalities represented in the Colony, by striving to remove all unnatural distinctions of race and creed and to bridge over every chasm and gulf that divides one class of society from the other, in order to unite all in mutual subservience to the interests of the common weal.

9. In one respect most of our educational agencies are labouring under a serious disadvantage. The question of accommodation seriously affects the results of school teaching in every country, and more particularly so in a tropical climate. Yet in this very matter of house accommodation most of the Schools in the Colony are in a very backward condition. Among our 204 Schools there are hardly ten or twelve which are located in suitable premises. The vast majority of our Schools are at present accommodated in ordinary semi-Chinese or Chinese dwelling houses, ill suited for the purpose of class rooms and are in most cases deficient as regards light and ventilation and especially in respect of lavatories. Even the Government Schools, with the exception of four, are all more or less badly housed, being located in narrow tenements of Chinese construction which were originally built for Chinese domestic purposes and for which the Government pays a heavy monthly rent. The Grant-in-Aid Schools are, with a few exceptions, in the same plight. The Aided Schools in the Villages are mostly accommodated in window-less cottages, generally of a worse type than the dwellings of the villagers themselves, many of these Schools receiving light and ventilation exclusively from the open door-way. There is therefore great need for improvement in the matter of school accommodation. But at present there is little prospect of an early change for the better. House rent has risen enormously in the main parts of the town. All new houses, that have been built of late, are of smaller dimensions than the old houses of the town. Houses containing rooms suitable for the purposes of a School have of late become very rare in the Colony. The Government and private Managers of Schools are thus being forced to face the problem of providing school accommoda- tion of a suitable and sanitary type. The Grant-in-Aid Scheme offers indeed Building Grants under certain conditions and one very fine College (St. Joseph's) has been built with such aid, but Managers of Grant-in-Aid Schools appear to consider the restrictions with which Building Grants are hedged in too irksome still, although these restrictions have lately been modified to meet some objections. The Government has also lately made several grants of building sites for Village Schools, but in the thickly populated parts of the town there is a lamentable dearth of available sites suitable for Schools. The sanitary supervision of Public Schools which, under the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, devolved hitherto upon the Inspector of Schools, has at my request been entrusted, since 1887, to the care of the Sanitary Board, a measure of some importance as, in the case of an outbreak of epidemic disease, Schools serve as powerful centres for the propagation of the infection.

10. The results of the annual examinations of the Schools under the supervision of the Govern- ment will be found detailed in Table X-XV appended to this Report, and as far as the Government Central School is concerned, in the Report of its Headmaster. A few supplementary statistical details

and general observations regarding the principal classes of Schools may however be of interest.

Class.

Class.

11. In the case of the Government Central School, the result of the year's work has been tested as usual by means of a joint examination conducted by the Head-Master and myself. The general value of the year's work, as ascertained by these examinations, will be found summarized in the Head- Master's Report, but I subjoin the usual statistical tables which indicate, in detail, the progress made in 1887 by the several divisions and by each of the eleven classes of the School.

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL.-NUMBER of BOYS PASSED in EACH SUBJECT in 1887.

Total No.

Examined.

Passed.

Reading.

Dictation.

Arithmetic.

Chinese into

English.

English into Chinese.

Grammar.

Geography.

Map-drawing.

Composition.

Euclid.

Algebra.

History.

Latin.

Intelligence.

General

Mensuration.

I.,

28

II.,...... 23

III.,

IV.,

...

V.,...... 34

*

18

41

VI.,

27

VII., ... 44

* * * * * *

24

25

16

23

19

19

2290

20

21

19

20

18

18

40

40

34

33

19 20 2

15

11

14

23

26

38

26

17

31

25

26

24

19

20

43

44

44

35

40

* 29 * * *

2223

25

24

20

21

222 223

1

23

21

2235

26

16 16 19 22 16 18

22 19 17 17 15

16

17

16

17

17

39

39

36

38

38

22 333

17

12

14 12 17

12

35

41

33

31

33

30

23

19

24

23

42

41

41

38

:

:.

:

VIII.,

IX,

& H

43

43

43

42

31

40

41

33

39

37

56

55

55

49

50

51

52

56

:

:

Writing.

X,

47

47

46

44

42

45

39

:.

A:..

47

XI,

23

23

23

23

22

18

21

23

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

::

:

:

F:.

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

Total, 384

375

372 325 292

338

351 281 233 230

103

82 88 48 54

45

18

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL-PERCENTAGE of PASSES in EACH SUBJECT in 1887.

I.,

II.,

888

28

III.,

85.71 89.2857.14 71.43 75.00 89.28 85.71 82.14 89.28 92.85 57.14 57.14 67.86 78.57 57.14 64.28

23 100.00 82.61 | 82.6182.61 86.95 | 86.95 91.30 91.30 95.65 95.65 82.61 73.91 73.91 65.22 73.91

18 100.00 100.00 | 83.33 61.11 77.77 88.88 | 94.44 88.88 94.44 94.44 66.66 77.77 66.66 94.44 66.66

IV.,

41 97.55 97.55 56.10 63.41 92.68| 95.12 95.12 87.80 92.68 92.68 85.36 100.00

V.,

34 100.00 97.05 76.47 50.00 91.17 97.05 91.17 97.05 88.23

:

VI.,

27

92.59 96.29 77.78 70.37 74.07 85.17 | 70.37 77.78 85.17

VII.,

VIII.,... 43

...

44

97.72 100.00 100.00 | 79.55 90.91 | 95.45 93.18 93.18 86.36

100.00 100.00| 97.67|72.09 93.02 | 95.34 76.79 90.69 86.04|

IX.,

56

98.3598.35 88.50 90.14 91.78 93.43 | 100.00

X.,

XI.,

47 100.00 97.87 93.61 89.36 95.74 82.98

:

:

23

Total, 384

...

100.00 100.00 100.00 95.65 78.26 91.30

Writing.

100.00

100,00

69.57

97.65 96.87 84.63 76.04 88.02 91.40 89.49 90.30 89.14 93.63 74.54′ 80.00 69.57 78.26 65.22 64.28

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL.-CHINESE EXAMINATIONS.

Anglo-Chinese Division.

No. of Boys Examined.

PERCENTAGE of PASSES in EACH SUBJECT, in 1887.

Anglo-Chinese Division.

Copy Writing.

Reading. Dictation.

Chinese Transla- Characters. tion.

Total Percentage Passed.

12

12

12

10

12

100

II.,

12

11

9

12

12

9

100

III.,

11

7

6

9

9

10

5

73

I.,

II.,

III.,

IV.,

V........

VI.,

Chinese Class.

Chinese Class.

No. of Boys Examined.

Essay

Letter.

Prosody.

Total Percentage Passed.

41

37

35

11

90

67

59

54

50

83

71

66

39

58

87

38

34

27

24

79

40

36

28

33

82

19

16

:

16

79

12. Comparing the results of the year 1887, as tabulated above, with the results exhibited by the previous year' S examinations, it is evident that the Government Central School not only maintains its high standard successfully, but continues making solid progress year by year. As to the comparative results achieved in the several sections of the School, Classes II, III, VII, X and XI distinguished them- selves particularly by a high average uniformly secured in almost every subject, excepting only Reading in Classes II and X and Arithmetic in Classes III and VII. Compared with last year, Class I did better in every subject with the exception of Euclid, History and Map-drawing, and the progress made. in Dictation was specially to be appreciated. Classes IV and V appeared to be rather weak in Dictation and Arithmetic, but exhibited in all the other subjects sensible improvement, which was specially noticeable in the case of Class IV in Composition and Euclid and in the case of Class V in Grammar. Classes VI and VIII shewed good progress in the subjects of Dictation and Arithmetic but slightly poorer results in Translation. Class VII did very well in Reading, Dictation and Translation, but there was some falling off in Arithmetic and Map-drawing. Class IX did in most subjects better than in the previous year, with the exception of Dictation and Translation. The Chinese Classes of the School shewed on the whole satisfactory results, but especially so the Anglo-Chinese division where very marked progress has been made. The addition of Latin to the list of higher subjects taught in the Government Central School is a noticeable innovation, characteristic of the year 1887, which has added new subjects to the program of a number of other Schools in the Colony. In the early years of the Government Central School, anything beyond a partial mastery of the English language was viewed by the Chinese boys of the School as an irksome burden and as a waste of time, but after a while, little by little, they came to appreciate Mathematics also and Chemistry, and at one time (1870) even the Theory of Music and Drawing were included among the subjects taught in the School. Chemistry, which for some years dropped out of the program, and Book-keeping, which has been taken up in several of the Grant-in-Aid Schools, are at the present day making their claims felt. But there is a danger of over- burdening youthful brains and teaching multa instead of the better multum. School-hours have already reached the limit of what is safe to health. Home-lessons, indispensable as they are, are already dangerously encroaching upon the time needed for exercise. The remedy appears to me to lie in forming a higher division over and above that which now includes the first class of the Government Central School. If scholars can be induced to stay in School a year or two longer, all the higher subjects like Chemistry, Book-keeping, Latin and Mathematical Drawing, and so forth, might be relegated to this senior division which eventually might be affiliated with some English University.

1

13. The Anglo-Chinese Schools of the Government, located at Saiyingp'ún, Wántsai, Wong- naichung, Stanley and Yatimáti do not call for special remarks this year. The examinations of these Schools shewed fair results, which is the more to be appreciated as in those Schools which are situated ➤ out of town there is, with the exception perhaps of Stanley, little support given to the efforts of the Master by the villagers, who care far more for good Chinese teaching than for English. The inhabit- ants of Shaukiwán have been petitioning during the year 1887 for re-introduction of English teaching in their Vernacular School, but although another attempt in that direction has to be made, it is always done in the villages at the imminent risk of spoiling a good Vernacular School by changing it into a badly attended Anglo-Chinese School, especially in places like Shaukiwán where several Chinese dialects. arc represented among the people.

14. Those Government Schools and Aided Schools which hitherto gave a Chinese education, pure and simple, exclusively in the Chinese language and according to Chinese national methods, entered with the year 1887 upon a new phase of their existence, through the introduction of Arithmetic teaching, which is not only a striking departure from the groove of Chinese tradition but will prove the thin end of the edge for the introduction of class teaching, time table. mental training, and in short an approach to the methods and organization of a European School. For the present, the step taken in this direction is seemingly insignificant, and with one solitary exception the teachers of all the Schools, including even the Aided Schools in the Villages, took this step cheerfully. At the beginning of the year I supplied each Master with simple Addition and Multiplication Tables (in Chinese characters) and brief directions to teach all children under 10 years simple Addition whilst the rest were to be taught both Addition and Multiplication. But I left it free to each Master to choose whatever method he might prefer, to use the Chinese abacus, to have sums done in writing, or to teach simply mental Arithmetic, in any way he pleased. The results obtained at the end of the year might be called satis- factory, had they not been gained, in almost all cases, at the expense of Geography teaching, which was generally neglected in proportion as Arithmetic teaching was cultivated. Not one Master taught the use of the Chinese abacus. This is very significant and points in the direction of introducing the European method of Arithmetic, if the Masters can be led into it without driving. One Master boldly took up the European system of notation and taught, beside Mental Arithmetic, also Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication with the use of the black board and little wooden tablets (in the place of slates), making his children work out every sum in writing according to the European method. Another Master, resolved to use no foreign method whatever, but determined to teach Arithmetic strictly according to ancient Chinese models. So he took an old Chinese book, published some four centuries ago under the Ming dynasty, and actually taught his boys the four rules, and, in the case of the eldest class, he taught even the extraction of square root and cube root, with Chinese figures indeed but with the minutest adherence. to the European method. In doing so, the Master gloried all the time in the notion that he was following exclusively Chinese principles, for he was blissfully unaware that his old Chinese book was the work of a Chinese pupil of MATTHEW RICCI. The next step that may be taken will be to supply each teacher with a simple manual for his guidance in teaching the four rules according to the European system of Arithmetic, and to do the same for the teaching of Chinese Geography.

15. As regards the Grant-in-Aid Schools in Class I, that is, Schools which give a Chinese educa- tion exclusively in the Chinese language, I subjoin a comparative Table exhibiting the results of the working of the Revised Scheme (of 1883) which came into operation in 1884. The aim of that revision was to increase the pensum of work to be done under the several Standards, to reduce the earning power of these comparatively in-expensive Schools and, finally, to encourage the teachers to bring more children under instruction in the higher Standards without skipping the lower ones.

TABLE shewing the EFFECTS of REVISION of SCHEME (1883) on SCHOOLS in CLass I.

Number of Scholars examined in Schools

in Class I.

Amount earned by Passes (apart from Capitation Grant and Needle-work).

Standards.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887.

$

I.,

76

128

271

372

146

160

462

654

II.,

557

739

652

639

3,124

3,052

2,196

2,464

III.,.

470

446

474

487

3,208

2,196

2,184

2,100 -

IV.,

120

128

138

153

840

62-1

640

856.

V.,

26

26

44

32

230

210

320

250

VI.,

N

9

11

13

24

108

120

108

1,251

1,476

1,590

1,696

$7,572

$6,350

$6,222

$6,432

16. It will be seen from the above Tables that the amounts earned by these Grant-in-Aid Schools in Class I has increased from year to year but the rate of increase has been far below the natural increase of the number of children in attendance. It will further be observed that there has been from year to year an increase in the number of children annually brought forward into the higher Standards. The increase has indeed been rather small. Yet it is evident that the aim which was kept in view in revising the Scheme in 1883 has been fairly attained. There is, however, another point in connection with the above Table that requires comment. It appears from the above figures, on taking an average of the last four years, that from 1884 to 1887 the average number of scholars annually examined in the successive Standards of the Schools in Class I was as follows:-Standard I, 211 scholars; Standard II, 617; Standard III, 469; Standard IV, 135; Standard V, 32; and Standard VI, 9. At first glance, these figures appear to indicate that the children attending these Schools generally remain under instruction only some 3 or 4 years, that few stay in school 5 years, and that a very small proportion of children complete their course of education by reaching Standard VI. Now it is true indeed that, as a general rule, very few children and especially very few girls are left long enough in these purely Chinese Schools to finish their education there. But that does not prove that none of them continue their education in a higher Class of Schools. Chinese girls indeed are not sent to English Schools, and so far as they are concerned the above figures undoubtedly prove that Chinese girls are, as a rule, removed from school before they reach the highest Standards. But the above figures must also be read in the light of the fact that the vast majority of boys attending these Chinese Schools in Class I, pass on, after reaching Standard III or IV, into the Government Central School or into other English or Anglo-Chinese Schools (in Class IV of the Grant-in-Aid Scheme) to learn English there, whilst continuing, privately or in those Anglo-Chinese Schools, to keep up that Chinese knowledge obtained by them in the lower Standards of those Primary Chinese Schools in Class I. In other words, the above figures, whilst in- dicating a defect in the education of Chinese girls, shew also, in the case of boys, that those Primary Chinese Schools in Class I act as the natural feeders of our Middle Class Schools, so far as the Chinese population is concerned, and that in their case a sound knowledge of the vernacular is now generally made the preliminary stepping stone for reaching a sound English education. The same important principle has been recognized also, as I have shewn in former Reports, by the Portuguese community in this Colony. It is a principle which is now in India persistently urged upon educationists, since it has been generally recognized that the preservation of the vernacular in all Classes of Schools is required in order that the mental progress of the scholar may be reflected in his increased power to make use of his own language.

17. The Grant-in-Aid Schools in Class III (Basel and Berlin Missions) continue to show good results. In these Schools, which give a European education (to Chinese Girls) in the Chinese language, a laudable tendency has of late set in, to confine the use of the Romanized system of writing Chinese within reasonable limits and to teach in the higher Standards as much as possible of the written Chinese character. Evidence of the beneficial effect of this movement presented itself in a marked manner at the examinations held at the end of the year 1887. Formerly showy results in Chinese composition and letter writing were obtained, in the Romanized character, in these Schools, but, through comparative neglect of the use of the written Chinese character, children who passed successfully Standard VI were generally left unable to read or write an ordinary Chinese letter or simple bill for goods bought or sold. At the last examinations I noticed in this respect a great change for the better. The Chinese girls in these Schools are, for instance, still taught to write in good colloquial prose (Romanized) answers to searching questions in the history of Babylonia, Egypt, Greece and Rome, but they are now also gaining profi- ciency in writing simple prose or ordinary letters in the common Chinese character. It is to be regretted that the history teaching of these Schools excludes at present, for want of a suitable manual, the history of China. But as besides History, also Arithmetic (as far as decimal fractions) and Geography are added in these Schools to the ordinary subjects of an elementary Chinese education, it must be admitted that the wide range of education given in these Schools is eminently satisfactory, and does credit to the Basel and Berlin Missions.

18. The Grant-in-Aid Schools in Class IV have made extraordinary progress in the year 1887. I referred in the previous year's Report to the stimulus which had been given to the educational move- ment in this Colony by the introduction (at the instance of Mr. C. J. BATEMAN, Headmaster of the Hongkong Public School) of the system of non-gremial examinations conducted by the Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. I expected this measure to exercise, in time, a great and healthful in- fluence towards raising the standard of English education in the Colony. I apprehended also certain draw-backs, temptations and dangers to attach themselves to this as to every other strong stimulative measure. Surveying now the educational work of the year 1887, I certainly see, even at present, some of the draw-backs I referred to, but the suddenness and the extent of the healthful impulse which the introduction of the Cambridge Local Examinations gave, in the year 1887, to the study of the higher branches of an English education, has surpassed all my expectations. There was hitherto only one School, the Diocesan Home and Orphanage, which, during the last 5 years, annually took up three of the special subjects of the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, viz., Algebra, Euclid, and Physical Geography. But in 1887, suddenly 5 other Schools, St. Joseph's College, the two Victoria English Schools (including even a Girl's School), St. Paul's College (Anglo-Chinese School) and the Hongkong Public School,

י,

(recently placed under the Grant-in-Aid Scheme) took up those same special subjects. The Victoria English Schools came out strongest in this respect, gaining the proportionately largest number of passes, in Book-keeping (Turner's Commercial Guide and Hunter's Civil Service Examination Questions), Algebra, Euclid and Physical Geography. St. Joseph's College also distinguished itself both by the number of higher subjects taken up (adding Findlater's Astronomy to the other subjects), and by the thoroughness in which these subjects were taught. The increase in the expenditure, thus caused, made it necessary to subject all the various Classes of Schools to a uniform reduction of the grants nominally earned. There was no injustice in including under this reduction also the Schools in Class I and III, because both those Classes of Schools, but especially the Chinese Schools in Class I, being comparatively in-expensive Schools, had all along an undue advantage annually earning from three fourths to nine tenths of their actual expenditure, whilst Schools in Class IV generally earn a grant covering, at the best, one fourth or one third of their expenses.

19. The Needle work Examination was conducted on the plan adopted several years ago which now appears to work satisfactorily. Greater strictness has been exercised in 1887 in excluding from examination, after timely previous warning, any kind of needle work which did not come clearly under the denomination of plain sewing. The aim is to encourage domestic and practically useful needle- work rather than decorative and fancy work.

20. Arrangements have been made, during the year 1887, to award the Hongkong Government Scholarship henceforth on the basis of written examinations conducted by the Syndicate of the Univer- sity of Cambridge, the Inspector of Schools acting as Local Presiding Examiner. Opportunity was also taken of this measure, which is virtually another effect of the introduction in the Colony of the above-mentioned Cambridge Local Examinations, to remodel the conditions of the Hongkong Govern- ment Scholarship in other respects.

21. I enclose the usual Tables, I to XVI, containing the Educational Statistics for the year 1887.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

E. J. EITEL, M.A., PH. D.,

Inspector of Schools.

No.

TABLE I-NUMBER of SCHOLARS attending School subject to Government Supervision during 1887.

Name of School.

American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys),

";

Aplichau,

11

"

1)

:)

11

**

Station Street (Boys), Hinglung Lane (Boys), Queen's Road West (Boys),.

Basel Mission, High Street (Girls),

Shamshuipo (Boys),

Berlin Mission (Girls),

9

Central School,

10

11

12

""

13

14

15

""

16

"1

17

**

18

""

19

19

20

21

22

??

23

"

24

25

25

>>

26

27

""

28

Hoktsui,

29

Hokün,

30

31

32

33

34

35

"

Yaumáti (Boys),

36

"

37

19

38

"1

39

""

40

""

41

19

42

C. M. S., St. Stephen's 1. Division (Boys),

II.

Lyndhurst Terrace (Boys),

Pottinger Street (Boys), Saiyingp'ún (Boys),

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls), Lyndhurst Terrace (Girls),

Third Street (Girls),

Yaumáti (Mixed),

Hunghom (Boys),

Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),

F. E. S., Bonham Road (Girls),

High Street (Girls),

Queen's Road (Girls), Hollywood Road (Girls),

Pottinger Street (Girls), Stanley School (Girls), Shaukiwán,.

Hongkong Public School (Boys), Hunghom,

Little Hongkong.

.L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),.

Wantsai (Boys)...

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

Saiyingp'ún I. Division (Boys),

II.

""

Hunghòm (Boys), Shekt'ongtsui (Girls), Aberdeen Street (Girls),

Kau-ü-fong (Girls)..

(Boys).

(Boys),

43

19

Ship Street (Girls),.

44

??

East Street (Boys),

15

46

47

99

48

49

55

50

51

*

Stanley Street (Girls),

Lower Lascar Row (Girls),

Tanglungchau (Girls),

T'aipingshan Chapel (Girls),..

Saiyingp'ún First Street (Girls), Wantsai (Girls),

Staunton Street Upper School (Girls),

52

Lower

وو

"

"

(Girls),

53

Mát auch'ung.

54

55

Mongkok,..

56

Mát'auts'ün,

Nampakhong Tòkwáwán (Boys),

57

New Village (Little Hongkong),

58

Pokfúlam,

59

R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),

60

"

61

23

62

"

63

64

65

66

"

67

68

Bridges Street, Poor School (Girls),

St. Joseph's College Chinese Division (Boys),.

22

""

Italian Convent (Girls),

(Boys),.

Bridges Street Portuguese School (Mixed),....

St. Francis Chapel, Portuguese School (Mixed), Victoria Portuguese School (Mixed),

English School (Boys),

15

(Girls),

European

69

Saiyingp‘ún (English),

70

(Punti),

71

(Hakka),

72

Sháiwán,

73

Shaukiwán,

74

Sheko,..

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

19

Shéungwán (Boys),

(Girls),

St. Paul's College Anglo-Chinese (Boys), Stanley,

Táit'ámtuk,

Táiwongkung..

Tanglungchau (Hakka),

83 Tòkwáwán (Eastern Village),.

(Punti),

84

11

(Western Village),

85

Ts'attszemúi,

86

Wantsai (English),

87

$$

89

"

(Chinese),

Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens (Boys),

Wellington Street (Boys),

90

""

;;

>>

(Girls),

91

Wongkoktsui,

92

Wongmákok,

93

Wongnaichung,

94

Yaumáti,

Central School.

Native Native Grant-in- School School Aid (Govt.) (Aided). School.

Total.

...

54

***

***

601

114

8582 IZEN 500)

83

83

61

61

99

99

72

72

54

71

71

34

34

27

27

601

97

97

76

76

114

59

59

89

89

46

46

52

52

53

53

86

86

16

16

100

100

33

33

51

51

48

48

31

34

47

47

47

47

46

46

10

10

18

18

66

66

18

18

32

32

123

123

***

90

90

62

62

75

75

96

96

108

108

73

73

21

21

65

65

93

93

70

70

***

***

31

31

43

43

...

48

48

40

...

40

65

...

65

70

70

76

76

36

36

47

47

20

20

24

24

28

28

18

18.

14

14

7

7

66

66

53

53

127

127

215

215

198

198

117

117

51

51

56

56

42

40

169

172

: SN: ¦ ¦ &82; 6: 28N2; 288:⠀⠀

68

91

63

15

51

8

63

60

53

29

23

14

172

32 105

105

29

23

46

42

829 8 BRD287****8*2*= 2 *******

14

32

23

8

46

42

601

868

345

4,160

5,974

TABLE II.-PROPORTION of SCHOLARS to POPULATION in the CITY of VICTORIA and in the VILLAGES in 1887.

CITY AND HARBOUR OF VICTORIA.

Population as estimated in 1887, about 181,900 souls (exclusive of Army and Navy).

CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS UNDER GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION, IN THE CITY OF VICTORIA.

VILLAGES.

Population, including Boat Population. as per Census of 188

CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS UNDER GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION, IN VILLAGES.

No. of Scholars.

No. of Scholars.

1. American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys);

83

1. Aplichau,

54

"

>

">

3.

*

**

1.

*

Station Street (Boys), Hinglung Lane (Boys), Queen's Road West (Boys),

61

99

2. Basel Mission, Shamshuipo (Boys)... 3. C. M. S., Hunghòm (Boys),.

84

16

72

4.

Yaumáti (Mixed),

86

7. Central School,

9.

10.

"

5. Basel Mission, High Street (Girls),

6. Berlin Mission (Girls).........

8. C. M. S., St. Stephen's I Division (Boys),

>>

Lyndhurst Terrace (Boys),

71

5. F. Ë. S., Shaukiwán (Girls),

46

27

6.

601

7. Hokisui,

Stanley (Girls).

47

10

97

8. Hokün.

18

II

(Boys),

76

9. Hunghom,

18

114

11.

Pottinger Street (Boys),

59

10. Little Hongkong,

11. L. M. S., Hunghom (Boys),

32

73

12.

Saiyingp'ún (Boys),................

89

12.

11

Shckt'ongtsui (Boys),

75

13.

14.

፡፡

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls), Lyndhurst Terrace (Girls),

46

13.

"

(Girls),

21

52

14.

15.

Third Street (Girls),

53

15.

"

Tanglungchau (Girls), Yaumáti (Boys),

40

62

18.

1:

19.

::

20.

"

21.

16. Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),

17. F. E. S., Bonham Road (Girls),.

High Street (Girls),

Queen's Road (Girls), Hollywood Road (Girls),

22. L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),

100

16. Mát auch'ung,

20

33

17. Mát auts'ün,

24

51

18. Mongkok....

28

48

19. Nampakhong, Tòkwáwán (Boys),

18

34

20. New Village (Little Hongkong),

14

Pottinger Street (Girls),

47

21. Pokfulam,..

123

22. Shaiwán,

15

23.

};

Wántsai (Boys),

90

23. Shankiwán,

51

24.

22

Suiyingp'ún I Division (Boys),

96

24. Sheko,

22

25.

II

26.

Aberdeen Street (Girls),

(Boys),

108

25. Stanley,

48

65

26. Tait'ámtuk,

27.

Kau-ü-fong (Girls),

93

27. Tanglungchau (Hakka),

60

28.

Ship Street (Girls),

70

28.

(Punti), ......

53

29.

East Street (Boys),

31

30.

Stanley Street (Girls),.

43

30.

*

31.

Lower Lascar Row (Girls),.

48

29. T'òkwáwán (Eastern Village),

31. Ts'attszemúi.

29

(Western Village),

23

32.

Táip'ingshan Chapel (Girls)...

65

32. Wongkoktsui,

23

33.

Saiyingp'ún First Street (Girls),

70

33. Wongmákok,

31.

>>

Wantsai (Girls),

76

34. Wongnaich'ung,

35.

"J

Staunton Street Upper School (Girls),

36

35. Yaumáti,

42

TEHNO O*******

7

$

14

8

46

36.

Lower

(Girls),

47

37. Public School, Hongkung (Boys),

66

TOTAL,.......

.1,185

39.

>

Bridges Street, Poor School (Girls),

10.

*

38. R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),

St. Joseph's College, Chinese Division (Boys),... 127

66

53

41.

European

"

12.

"

Italian Convent (Girls)....

13.

"

44.

J

45.

46.

>

English

47.

Bridges Street, Portuguese School (Mixed),

St. Francis Chapel, Portuguese School (Mixed), 51 Victoria, Portuguese School (Mixed),...

48. Saiyingpún (English),"".

(Boys),... 215

198

117

""

(Boys), (Girls),

49.

"

50.

"}

(Punti),

(Hakka),

(Girls),

51. Sheungwin (Boys),

52.

"

53. St. Paul's College, Anglo-Chinese (Boys),

54. Taiwongkung,

55. Wántsai (English),

50.

57. Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens (Boys),

58.

59.

68

91

62

63

172

(Chinese),

32

"

Wellington Street (Boys),

115

27

>>

*

(Girls),

29

TOTAL,.....

.4,789

89

63

1829 8 8878%

56

42

40

TABLE III.-NUMBER of SCHOLARS at the GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS during 1887 and EXPENSES of each SCHOOL.

No.

Name of School.

Boys. Girls.

Total. Expense. No.

Name of School.

Boys. Girls,

Total.

Expense.

1 Aplichau,

51

2

Central School,

601

601

54 $

108.00 11,872.70

18 19

Brought forward,.. Shéungwán (Boys),

1,066

1,066

13,780.01

GS

68

306.00

(Girls),

91

91

636.00

3 Hoktsui,

10

10

60.00

20

Stanley,

48

325.95

4 Hokün,

18

18

60.00 21

Táit'ámtuk,

$

50.00

5 Hunghom,

18

18

60.00

22 Taiwongkung,

6

Little Hongkong,

32

32

60.00

7 Mát'auch'ung,

20

20

60.00 24

S Mát auts'ün,

24

24

5.00

9 Mongkok,

28

28

60.00

26

་་

23 Tanglungchau (Hakka),

25 Tokwáwán (Eastern Village)..

(Western Village),

(Punti),

23

10 New Village (Little Hongkong)

14

14

60.00

27 Ts'attszemúi,

14

11

Pokfulam,

72.00

28 Wantsai (English),

172

12 Saiyingp'ún (English),

89

528.40 29

(Chinese).

169

13

(Punti),

69

173.91

14

(Hakka).

63

264.00

15 Shaiwán,

15

60.00

30 Wongkoktsui.

31 Wongmákok,"

32 | Wongnaichrung,

23

16 Shaukiwán,

51

156.00

33 Yaumáti,

46 42

*OBARE N ****

63

325.50

60

120,00

53

180.00

29

60.00

23

60.00

14

60.00

544.79 172 {

300.00

23

72.00

8

72.00

46

12

341.98 373.90

17 Sheko,

22

22

120.00

Carried forward...

1,066

1,066 13,780.01

TOTAL,

1,723

91 1,814 $17,608.13

*

TABLE IV.—ÅVERAGE EXPENSES of each SCHOLAR or STUDENT at the Government Schools during the Year 1887.

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL.

Expenditure,

GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AND AIDED SCHOOLS.

Expenditure,

Add Inspector's Salary,

Chinese Writer's Salary,

>"

Teacher's Salary,

J

Travelling Expenses,

Total Expenditure for the year :-

Government Central School,

Government Schools and Aided Schools,

A.

Average Expenses calculated by the Enrolment.

1. Average Expense of each Scholar at Government Central School,

2. 3.

>>

""

""

*

""

at other Government Schools,....

99

at Government Aided Schools,

B.

..$11,872.70

..$ 5,735.43

..$3,000

300

120

288

3,708.00

$21,316.13

.$11,872.70 .... 9,443.43

Average Expenses calculated by the average Daily Attendance.

1. Average Expense of each Scholar at Government Central School,

2.

""

33

3.

at other Government Schools, at Government Aided Schools,..........

$19.75 5.41 3.01

.$26.40

9.38

4.37

No.

TABLE V.—AVERAGE MONTHLY ENROLMENT and DAILY ATTENDANCE at the Government Schools for 1887.

Name of School.

Average Monthly Average Daily

Attendance.

Enrolment.

124 LO CO - 00

Aplichau,

38.58

33.12

3

Central School, Hoktsui, Hokün,

Hunghòm,

Little Hongkong,..

Mát‘auch'ung,

477.56

449.68

10.00

9.40

10.58

9.27

13.16

12.86

30.16

28.41

13.66

11.00

8

Mat'ants'ün,

24.00

24.00

9

Mongkok,

18.08

17.12

10

New Village (Little Hongkong),

9.50

8.34

11

Pokfulam,..

5.66

4.27

12

Sayingp'ún, (English),

69.00

66.52

13

""

(Hakka),

24.00

20.63

14

>>

(Punti),

38.83

36.73

15

Sháiwấn,

10.75

6.87

16

Shaukiwán,

33.66

28.14

17

Shekò,

19.33

17.96

18

Shéungwán (Boys),.

35.41

31.32

19

(Girls),

45.83

41.29

20

Stanley,

38.75

34.28

21

Táit'ámtuk,

6.77

5.19

22

Táiwongkung,

37.16

33.01

23

Tanglungchau (Hakka),

35.83

30.94

24

"

(Punti),

32.58

28.12

25

Tòkwáwáu (Eastern Village),

23.66

20.06

26

""

(Western Village),

17.83

15.89

27

Ts'attszemúi,

9.75

8.47

28

Wántsai, (English),

120.25

111.79

29

>>

(Chinese),

118.16

109.42

30

31

32

Wongkoktsui,

Wongmákok,

Wongnaich'ung,

18.16

15.35

8.00

7.63

33.25

31.04

33

Yaumáti,

27.50

25.20

1,455.40

1,333.32

TABLE VI.-MAXIMUM and MINIMUM ENROLMENT and DAILY ATTENDANCE at the Government Schools during 1887.

No.

Name of School.

Maximum Monthly Enrolment.

Minimum

Monthly Enrolment.

Maximum Daily Minimum Daily

Attendance

Attendance

(monthly average). (monthly average).

1

Aplichau,

2

Central School,

525

3

Hoktsui,

225

52

18

51.20

14.78

417

509.60

376.68

10

10

10.00

8.86

4

Hokün,...........

12

10.17

7.00

567

Hunghòm,

16

5

15.40

4.42

Little Hongkong,

31

28

30.19

26.19

Mát'auch'ung,

15

10

13.45

8.44

8

Mát auts'ün,....

24

24

24.00

24.00

9

Mongkok,

22

13

21.31

8.61

10

New Village (Little Hongkong),

11

4

10.00

4.00

11

Pokfúlam,

7

3

6.78

4.33

12

Saiyingp'un (English),

72

57

69.88

48.68

13

>>

(Hakka),

40

15

32.67

13.45

14

29

(Punti),

45

31

44.17

30.04

15

Sháiwán,

13

8

9.78

5.42

16

Shaukiwán,

40

20

35.95

15.56

17

Shekò,

22

13

21.41

12.33

18

Shéungwán (Boys),

40

32

36.00

26.63

19

""

(Girls),

57

24

52.19

17.46

20

Stanley,

44

35

40.88

32.28

21

Táit'ámtuk,

7

6

6.79

3.80

22

Táiwongkung,.

43

33

.37.00

27.63

23

Tanglungchau (Hakka),

41

28

36.64

23.19

24

(Punti),

43

20

35.40

17.63

25

T'òkwáwán (Eastern Village),

28

16

22.73

14.19

26

""

(Western Village),

19

14

18.11

9.56

27

Ts'attszemúi,

12

6

10.38

4.00

28

Wántsai (English)

131

80

123.22

75.43

29

(Chinese)

130

81

122.22

74.06

30

Wongkoktsui,

20

14

20.00

12.12

31

Wongmákok,

8

8

8.00

6.75

32

Wongnaich‘ung,

39

25

36.61

24.33

33

Yaumáti,

32

21

30.24

18.66

No.

1,651

1,126

1,552.37

1,000.51

TABLE VII.-NUMBER of DAYS on which the GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS were taught during 1887.

Name of School.

School Days. No.

Name of School.

School Days.

1

Aplichau,

243

18

Shéungwán (Boys),

246

2

Central School,

234

19

""

(Girls),

224

3

Hoktsui,

247

20

Stanley,

245

4

Hokün,

252

21

Táit'ámtuk,

217

Hunghom,....

258

22

Táiwongkung,

242

6

Little Hongkong,.

250

23

Tanglungchau (Hakka),

246

7.

Mat'auch'ung,

253

24

(Punti),

244

8

Mat'ants'ün,

9

25

T'òkwáwán (Eastern Village),

250

9

Mongkok,

254

26

(Western Village),

256

ΙΟ

New Village (Little Hongkong),

240

27

Ts'attszemui,

250

11

Pokfúlam...

232

28

Wántsai (English),

241

12

Saiyingp'ún (English),

241

29

(Chinese),

241

13

29

(Hakka),

242

30

Wongkoktsui,

251

14

""

(Punti),

241

31

Wongmakok,

252

15

Sháiwán,

250

32

Wongnaich'ung,

234

16

Sháukiwán,

252

33

Yaumáti,

235

17

Sheko;

254

Total Enrolment for the Year.

TABLE VIII.—SUMMARY of ENROLMENT and ATTENDANCE at the GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS for the last twenty-five Years.

Years.

Minimum Daily. Attendance.

Maximum Daily Attendance. (Monthly Average).

Minimum Monthly.

Enrolment.

(Monthly Average).

1863,

535

469

414

301

1864,

502

417

634

324

1865,

597

535

418

330

1866,

623

572

435

337

1867,

700

610

533

408

1868,

916

664

572

460

1869,

942

748

627

504

1870,

1,302

950

683

556

1871,

1,292

937

741

571

1872,

1,480

1,157

837

665

1873,

1,838

1.326

852

760

1874,

1,932

1,271

974

836

1875,

1,927

1,312

988

863

1876,

2,171

1,383

1,057

925

1877,

2,148

1,446

1,212

1,035

1878,

2,101

1,324

1,100

936

1879,

2,043

1,356

1,027

904

· 1880,

2,078

1,468

1,082

937

1881,

1,986

1,384

1,093

956

1882,

2,114

1,444

1,062

988

1883,

2,080

1,414

1,138

990

1884,

1,978

1,420

1,066

941

1885,

1,988

1,424

1,061

926

1886, 1887,

1,893

1,544

1,040

886

1,814

1,552

1,126

1,000

TABLE IX.-ENROLMENT and ATTENDANCE at the CENTRAL SCHOOL during 1887.

Month.

Number of Scholars.

Average Daily Attendance.

Number of Attendances.

Number of School Days.

January,

417

5,700

14

407.14

February,

519

4,587.

9

509.60

March,

525

13,386

27

495.78

April,... May, June, July,

518

8,314

17

489.06

509

11,493

24

478.87

498

11,017

24

459.04

471

11,609

26

446.50

August,

449

1,767

4

441.75

September,..

470

9,864

22

448.36

October,

467

10,059

23

437.35

November,

455

9,143

22

415.59

December,

433

8,287

22

376.68

Total,

105,226

234

Total Number of ATTENDANCES during 1887,

Number of SCHOOL DAYS during 1887,.

Average DAILY ATTENDANCE during 1887,

105,226 234 449.684

Total Number of SCHOLARS at this School during 1887,....

601

TABLE X.-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS (CENTRAL SCHOOL excepted) arranged in the order of their efficiency.

Rank I.

Saiyingp'ún, English Division.

Táiwongkung, Punti School. Wántsai, Chinese (Punti) Division.

Rank II.

Wántsai, English Division. Stanley, Anglo-Chinese School.

Wongnaich'ung, Anglo-Chinese School. Yaumáti, Anglo-Chinese School. Tanglungchau, Hakka Division.

Tanglungchau, Punti Division.

Rank II,-Continued.

Shéungwán, Girls School (Punti). Sheungwán, Boys School (Punti). Little Hongkong, Punti School. Shekò, Punti School. Tòkwáwán, Punti School. Aplichau Punti School. Wongkoktsui, Hlakka School. Tòkwáwán, Hakka School. Shaukiwán, Punti School. Sháiwán, Hakka School. Ts'attszemúi, Hakka School. Hunghom, Hakka School.

Rank II,-Continued.

Mát'auch'ung, Hakka School Saiyingp'ún, Chinese (Punti) Division. Hoktsui, Hakka School.

Wongmákok, Hakka School. Mongkok, Hakka School. Saiyingpún, Hakka School.

New Village (Little Hongkong) Punti

School.

Táit'ámtuk, Hakka School. Pokfulam, Punti School.. Hckün, Hakka School.

TABLE XI.-NUMBER of SCHOLARS attending Schools receiving GRANTS-IN-AID (under the Provisions of the

Scheme of 1883), Expenses incurred and amount of Grant gained by each, in 1887.

Class of

School.

Name of School.

Boys. Girls. Total.

Expenses incurred

in 1887.

Amount of Grant gained for 1887.

$ c.

$ c.

I. American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys),.

83

83

204.00

99

>>

""

"

""

33

95

"

وو

""

Station Street (Boys),

61

61

194.00

Hinglung Lane (Boys),

99

99

324.00

Queen's Road West (Boys),

72

72

285.00

""

""

A

"

ཋཧྨ

Basel Mission, Shamshuipò School (Boys),

C. M. S., St. Stephen's I. Division (Boys),

Lyndhurst Terrace (Boys),..

34

34

92.64

97

97

404.69

II.

(Boys),

76

76

352.95

114

114

391.39

""

Pottinger Street (Boys),.

59

59

349.58

AA

Saiyingp'ún (Boys),...

89

89

285.90

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls),

46

""

""

Lyndhurst Terrace (Girls),

11

وو

Third Street (Girls),

988

46

308.38

52

264.56

53

53

313.35

""

Yaumáti (Mixed),

80

""

:

"

""

27

99

""

وو

"

""

* A

""

ود

99

"

""

Wántsai (Boys),

>>

""

""

""

""

""

39

""

Hunghòm (Boys),

F. E. S., Bonham Road (Girls),

""

High Street (Girls),... Queen's Road (Girls). Hollywood Road (Girls),. Pottinger Street (Girls), Stanley School (Girls), Shaukiwán (Girls),

L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

Saiyingpún I. Division (Boys),

II.

16

88

86

16

33

33

460.70

51

51

201.10

48

48

204.15

34

34

201.20

...

47

47

234.10

47

47

138.60

46

46

189.20

· 123

123

717.01

90

90

811.85

Yaumáti (Boys),

62

62

479.99

75

75

502.65

96

96

678.40

(Boys),

108

108

658.11

""

""

Hunghom (Boys),..

73

73

716.90

""

A

""

Shekt'ongtsui (Girls),

.21

21

418.88

27

3

"2

Aberdeen Street (Girls),

65

65

537.23

""

Kau-ü-fong (Girls),

93

93

667.47

29

Ship Street (Girls),

ΤΟ

70

336.80

وو

""

East Street (Boys),

31

31

338.19

""

""

Stanley Street (Girls),.

43

43

540.35

""

25

Lower Lascar Row, (Girls),

48

48

415.98

""

Tanglungchau (Girls),

40

40

284.05

""

93

Taipingshan Chapel (Girls),

65

65

469.44

"

""

Saiyingp'ún First Street (Girls),

70

ΤΟ

293.22

??

Wántsai (Girls),

76

76

643.48

"

""

A

>>

R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),

AA

>>

""

35

III.

""

35

99

IV.

23

Staunton Street, Upper School (Girls),

Nampakhong, Tòkwáwán (Boys),

99

Bridges Street, Poor School (Girls),........... Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens (Boys),

Wellington Street (Boys),

Basel Mission, High Street (Girls),

Berlin Mission (Girls),....................

Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),"'

St. Paul's College, Anglo-Chinese (Boys),

Hongkong Public School (Boys),

R. C. M,, St. Joseph's College, Chinese Division (Boys),

36

36

331.22

Lower

"

(Girls),

17

360.36

18

18

66

::

257.00

53

32

218.50

115

115

451.00

(Girls),

29

29

254.00

71

71

736.12

27

27

1,090.22

91

9 100

7,794.93

62

62

66

66

127

127

***

""

,,

وو

European

(Boys),

215

215

6,013.41

Italian Convent (Girls),

198 198

2.726.42

""

Bridges Street, Portuguese School (Mixed), St. Francis Chapel, Portuguese School (Mixed),.

60

57 117

912.00

20

31

51

732.00

""

""

Victoria, Portuguese School (Mixed),

20

36

56

1,205.00

""

哆哆

English School (Boys),

42

42

""

>>

29

29

(Girls),

40

40

3,263.00

2,472 1,688 4,160 41,284.67

TABLE XII.—ENROLMENT, ATTENDANCE and NUMBER of SCHOOL DAYS at the GRANT-IN-AID SCHOOLS during 1887.

Maxi- Mini-

mum

mum

mum

mum

No.

Name of Selicol.

Monthly Monthly Enrol- Enrol- ment. ment.

Average Average

Maxi- Mini- Average Daily

Monthly Attend-

Average

Number

Daily Daily Attend- Attend-

Enrol- ment.

ance

for the

ance.

ance.

Year.

of School Days.

IA CON -

1 American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys),

"}

19

Station Street (Boys),.

61

""

Hinglung Lane (Boys),

4

""

1

Queen's Road West

(Boys),

5678

Basel Mission, Shamshuipò School (Boys),.

6 C. M. S., St. Stephen's I. Division (Boys),

238 2 15

79

58

74.91

49.04.

68.25

61.41

255

51

57.74

46.53 54.45

50.59

250

90

31

76.57

25.66

72.58 62.57

279

72

58

70.63

40.29

69.45 64.16

243

34

16

30.57

6.61

27.45 21.49

262

97

49

82.03

48.56

70.90

61.04

251

II.

""

(Boys),

74

42

63.37

36.76

58.27

49.12

250

Lyndhurst Terrace (Boys),

90

64

86.18

63.00

77.66 75.00

260

9

Pottinger Street (Boys), .

59

45

55.73

31.95

51.63

46.88

251

10

Saiyingp'ún (Boys),..

64

36

59.11

32.25

50.00

45.87

263

11

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls),

46

32

41.68

28.94

41.00

35.92

257

12

Lyndhurst Terraco (Girls),

40

26

37.58

22.30

32.00 28.90

270

13

Third Street (Girls),

47

20

43.18

15.60

36.41

33.06

261

14

13

Yaumáti (Mixed),

82

45

70.07

25.83

62.45

54.90

264

15

Hunghòm (Boys),

16

9

13.96

8.00

13.63

11.65

243

16 F. E. S., Bonham Road (Giris),

31

21

29.50

20.03

28.45

27.61

232

17

55

High Street (Girls),

36

23

34.18

17.04

29.75

26.10

268

18.

""

Queen's Road (Girls),

39

22

33.07 21.50

32.08

28.98

271

13

""

Hollywood Road (Girls),.

24

14

21.50

11.84

19.50

16.74

270

20

>>

Pottinger Street (Girls),

45

29

42.07

23.15 39.45

36.50

259

21

""

Stanley School (Girls),

45

22

37.38

19.00 37.91

29.38

284

22

Shankiwán (Girls),

37

24

36.19

15.56

31.91

28.44

262

23

L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),

122

80

117.48

70.50

102.27

94.11

250

24

""

Wántsai (Boys),

87

74

78.96

70.10

80.09

74.60

252

25

29

Yaumáti (Boys),

36

28

32.75

23.68

30.90

27.69

256

26

99

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

60

43

57.50

37.52

54.50

51.11

256

27

"

28

Saiyingp'ún I. Division (Boys),

II.

75

33

72.50 32.25 70.08

67.05

262

(Boys),

78

42

61.37

32.23

63.41 54.83

272

29

Hunghom (Boys),

70

28

62.54

20.57

51.66

47.00

269

30

Shekt'ongtsui (Girls),

21

15

20.80

13.60 20.25

18.25

262

31

Aberdeen Street (Girls),.

45

30

39.34

26.52 40.41

36.58

264

32

Kan-ü-fong (Girls),

68

51

61.04

41.79

62.91

54.02

276

33

34

:9

East Street (Boys),

35

99

Ship Street Girls),

Stanley Street (Girls),

46

31

41.46

21.57

42.16

37.04

281

29

19

26.42

13.42 25.91

23.82

253

43

28

33.55

18.35 40.09

30.12

267

36

""

Lower Lascar Row (Girls),

48

33

45.64

30.26 39.81

38.01

257

37

:

Tanglungchau (Girls),..

40

26

38.07

23.18 34.54

28.50

272

38

Taipingshán Chapel (Girls),

63

38

59.84

34.93 54.81

51.19

260

39

"

Salyingp'ún, First Street (Girls),

67

47

55.18

38.07 56.90

48.48

273

40

""

Wántsai (Girls),

70

55

56.96

48.07 64.00

53.99

266

41

""

Staunton Street, Upper School (Girls),

31

28

30.44

24.00 30.27

28.46

266

42

Lower

39

""

99

(Girls),

46

26

34.77

21.84 34.72 28.98

268

43 Nampakhong Tòkwáwán (Boys), 44 | R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),

18

16

17.68

14.17 16.30

15.64

225

44

29

39.78

27.77 36.00 32.18

262

45

99

47

"7

48

39

33 3 853 885

Bridges Street, Poor School (Girls), 46 Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens (Boys),

49 Basel Mission, High Street (Girls),

50 Berlin Mission (Girls),......................

51

Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),

52 St. Paul's College, Anglo-Chinese (Boys), 53 Hongkong Public School,

52

37

48.29

32.25 45.75 43.44

258

31

21

29.51

Wellington Street (Boys),

101

53

83.21

19.88 27.60 25.41 48.07 69.27

223

60.00

260

(Girls),

26

18

20.73

11.10 21.81

18.65

266

69

46

66.51

39.11

62.66 59.59

259

27

27

26.83

24.66

27.00

26.40

260

74

56

67.50 51.33

69.83

63.34

250

50

36

44.57 31.56

40.72

37.56

246

60

41

58.38

36.36 48.72 45.32

236

54 | R. C. M., St. Joseph's College, Chinese Division

126

83 123.95

$1.62 114.41 113.79

221

(Boys),

55

St. Joseph's College, European Divi-

215

176

sion (Boys),

56

"}

Italian Convent (Girls),

176

57

Bridges St., Portuguese School (Mixed),

102

82

206.57 152.75 203.75

162 157.54 118.63 168.18 87.15 71.40 89.66

190.65

226

144.98

232

81.82

247

(Mixed),

59

23

St. Francis Chapel, Portuguese School (

Victoria, Portuguese School (Mixed),.

40

48

41

60

>>

>>

English School (Boys),

31

61

">

(Girls),

32

24225

32.63 21.93. 34.27

28.50

240

44.13

33.08 44.66

39.00

264

29

25.60 20.46 26.09 23.43 31.24 27.28 31.00 28.61

255

256

T

NAME OF SCHOOL.

Class of School.

No. of Scholars Pre-

sented.

No. of Scholars Exam-

ined.

Standard I.

Standard II.

Standard III.

Standard IV.

TABLE XIII.-RESULTS of the EXAMINATION of the GRANT-IN-AID SCHOOLS in 1887, under the provisions of the Scheme of 15th September, 1883.

Number of Scholars who No. of Scholars who Failed.]

Passed.

Sums to which the School is entitled.

Standard V.

Standard VI.

13

3.

""

4.—

}}

13

1.- American Board Mission, Bridges' Street (Boys),.

Station Street, (Boys),. Hinglung Lane, (Boys),. Queen's Road West, (Boys), . Basel Mission, Shamshuipo, School, (Boys), 6.-Q. M. S. St. Stephen's I Division, (Boys),

53

50

5

19 13

48

42

25

65

65

21

15

30.00 10

8

14

2

63

59

20

20

11

16

15

4 6

2

46

41

10

20

}}

12.-

9.-

10.-

>>

11.-

11

"

13.---

14.-

11

II Lyndhurst Terrace. (Boys),. Pottinger Street, (Boys),

(Boys),

I

41.

39

10

12

61 63

7 26

11

43 42 16 12

Yaumáti, (Mixed),

15.-

Saiyingp'in (Boys), .

St. Stephen's Baxter. Memorial, (Girls),

Lyndhurst Terrace, (Girls),

Third Street, (Girls),.

Hunghom, (Boys),

16.-F. E. S. Bonham Road, (Girls),

26

35

9 16

98

27

16

6

25

25 3 D

29

28

10

:

Standard I.

Standard II.

Standard III.

Standard IV.

Standard V.

Standard VI.

Total Passed.

Total Failed.

Average Daily

Attend-

ance during School Year.

Standard I.

LOCENSAEAO2 Standard II.

Standard III.

$

40

10

61.41

10

72

41

1

50.59 10 100

48

4+

21

62.57

8 96

90

44

15

64.16

6

80

120

12

3

21.49

8

24

12

38

3

61.04

20

80

42

34

49 12

20

48

54

58

10

75.00

14

104

84

35

46.83 32

48

42

20

45.87 18

61

18

24

35.92 32

24

25

28.90

6

36

23

5

33.00 20

28

46

45

33.

33

12

54.90

132

J

y

11.65 16

4

22

21

27.61 16

12

20.-

35

21.-

22.-

15

23.-L. M. S. Hollywood Road (Boys),

33.-

31.-

35.-

17.-

High Street, (Girls),.

18.-

19.-

"}

Queen's Road, (Girls),

""

Hollywood Road, (Girls), .

Pottinger Street (Girls),

Stanley School, (Girls),.. Shaukiwán, (Girls),.

24.-

Wántsai, (Boys),

25.-

26.

Yaumáti, (Boys),

""

21

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

27.

Safyingp'ún I Division, (Boys),. II

(Boys),

29.-

30.--

31.-

32.-

Hunghòm, (Boys),

35

""

"}

11

13

19

19 10

19

26.10 20

24

28

27

20

28.93 10

36

12

10

10

10

16.74 12

4

26

25 12

24

36.50

2+

20

25

10

2

20

29.33

8

40

1

20

7

4

18

28.14 14

• 28

-77

6

21 $1

74

94.11 12

8:4

74

73

10

28 27 4

69

74.60 20

112

25

25

15 5

22

27.69

2

60

45

42

11 3 10

16

25

17

51.10

44

68

67

49

12

1

63

4

67.05

196

:

60

30*

8

41

14

54.83

4

120

"

39

15

10

32

3

47.00

6

60

55

36.--

Shektongtsui, (Girls), Aberdeen Street, (Girls), Kau-i-fong, (Girls),.

Ship Street, (Girls),

East Street, (Boys),

Stanley Street, (Girls).

Lower Lascar Row, (Girls),

21

S 4

18

18.25 10 32

38

15

3 9

29

36.58 30

12

46

45

G 13

31

15

51.02 14

24

38

88

11

11

20

7 12

35

37.-

38.--

39.-

40.-

Tanglungchau, (Girls), .

12

11

Taipingshan Chapel, (Girls),

47

}"

Saiyingpun First Street, (Girls),

51

""

Wántsai, (Girls), .

50

Staunton Street, Upper School, (Girls),

I

27

42.-

Lower School, (Girls),

1

26

+1

""

"}

43. Nampak Hong Tokwáwán, (Boys), 41.-R. C. Mission, Cathedral School (Boys), 45.-- Bridges Street Poor School, (Girls), 46.--Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens, (Boys), 47.- Wellington Street (Boys),

48.-- 49.-Basel Mission, High Street (Girls), 50.-Berlin Mission (Girls),

I

16

1

25

31

I

20

1

(Girls),

I

51.-Diocesan Home and Orphanage, (Boys),.

52.-St. Paul's College Anglo-Chinese, (Boys),

53.-- Hongkong Public School, (Boys), .

51.----R. C. M., St. Joseph's College, Chinese Division (Boys),

55.--

}

"

European

13

(Boys),

IV

56.-

572-

58.---

59.--

"

Italian Convent, (Girls),.. Bridges' Street, Portuguese School, (Mixed), St. Francis Chapel, Portuguese School, (Mixed),. Victoria, Portuguese School, (Mixed),

IV

IV

GO.--

English

""

(Boys),

IV

61.-

""

31

"}

(Girls),

--EE 2 2 2 222 E 2

49

19

III 55

III 27

IV 43

IV 32

IV 33

85

121

121

79

GO

12

IV 36

⠀ 8 A 18CANUMIKROHAKONA

ENSE & ∞o

3

5

:::::

33

8

37.04 10

56

20

23.82

28

10

20.12

4

12

28

38.04 16

86

17

28.50 16 28

10

16

87

51.19 20

6t

13

21

47

48.48 26

81

10

12

45

53.99 20

48

12 2

2.1

28,46 144

48

17

28.98

8

28

13

15.64

36

9

h

?]

52.18 18

24

21

28

43.41 42

32

9

17

25.41

36

10

11 14

44

60.00 20

11

9 3 #

15

4

18.65 18

12

19

12

53

59.59 114

81

2 7

4

24

3

26.40

14

3 11

*

3 9

G

2

45

I

63.31 48

83

22

6

1

-

30

2 87.56 132

48

****SE :12 : :22228N

12903140528872832RAR :***** 2 2

32

24

12

8

24

12

8

8

12

32

24

58

32

8

SO

16

8

60

66

36

G

21

GG

66

64

16

108

: : : : :89 : : :3 :2 : : : :8 : :2 : : : :§9 : : :2 :8 :8£ : : : : : : :98*

AI purpuris ***::*#0:****: :****** :******** •*** :** :*::* : :2 :25

Standard V.

Standard VI.

Good.

Very

Good.

Fair.

Needle Work.

Capitation Grant.

Total Grant carned in

1887.

Amount of Reduction.

Amount Payable.

Amount due to

Teacher.

Amount due to

Manager.

* : : :

* : : : :

30

*

$

$

61.41

253.41 50.59 232.59 2.23

2.53

250.88

62.72

188.16

280,26

57.56

172.70

02.57 261.57

2.05

261,92

65.48

196.44

64.16 282.16

2.52

279.31

69.83

209.51

21.49 65.49

0.85

61.84

16.21

48.68

61.04 211.04

2.11

208.93

52.23

156.70

49.12 195.12

1.95

193.17

48.29 144.88

12

75.00 329.00

3.29

825.71

81.42

214.29

46.98 188.88

1.69

167.193

41.79 125.40

20

56

24

::BA22 :*::::::

45.87 158.87

1.54

152,36

38.09 114.25

13.50

35,92 151.42

1.51

149.01

87.47 112.44

48 1.50

28.90 222.40

2.22

33.06

4.50

54.90

181.06

232.40

1.81

220.18 55.04 179.25 44.81

165.14

184.44

11.65

* 15.83

0.16

2.32 230,08 57.2 15.67

172,50

.3.91

11.76

38 4.50

27.61

170.11

1.70

168.41 42.10

126.31

20 10.50

26.10

122.00

1.28

121,37

30.34

91.0%

20 15.00

28.98

162 98

1.63

161.85

40.33

121.02

6.00

16.74

66.74

0.67

60.07

16.51

49.58

32

9.00

3

36.50

108.50

1.69

166.81

41.70

125.11

9.00

16

29.33

146.38

1.16

144.92

36.23

108.69

18

6.00 3

28.44

121.44

1.21

120,23

$0.05

90.18

91.11

74,60 400.60 27.09 127.69

510.11

5.10

505.01

126.25

378.76

4.01

*96.59 99.14

297.45

51.11 203.11 67.05 351.05 54.8% 234.83

2.85

12

10

::: 82876C: 5: _855:

16 12.00

5

47.00

18.25

12

22.50

9

30

22.50 8

4 34.50 10

205.60

125.23

36,58 196.08

54.02

37.01 241.54

2.፡፡

1.28 126,41 $1.60 2.03 201.08 50.27

3.51 347.51 86.58 260.66 232.48 58.12 174.36 202.95 50.73 152.22

91.81

150,81

1.2.5

124001 81.00

93.00

1.96

194 12

48.55

145.59

272.52

2.73

269.79

€7.49

202.30

2.42

239.12

29.78 179,34

28.82

131.82

1.32

130.50

32.62

97.88

18

22.50

3

30.12

119.62

1.20

118,42

29 60

88.82

32

13.50 16 13.50 8

10.50 18

18.00 11

38.01

181 51

1.82

179.721

44.93

184.79

28.50

118 00

1.18

116 82.

20.20

87.62

51.19

:93.09

2.94

200.75

72.68 218.07

48.48 331.48

3.31

$28.17

24 32 20.00 12

58.99 369.99

3.70

82.01 240.18 368.29 91.57 274.72

42 4.50

28.46

174.96

1,75

178.21

43.30 129.91

15.00

:8.98

149.98

1.50

148,48

$7.12 111.36

15.61

75.64

0.76

74.88

18.72 50.16

32.18 1/2.18

1.12

11.06

27.76

8830

58

1.75

40

48

60

GO

98 7.50

51

8-1

52

90

42+

2.1+

12

2+

72

8

8 4 6 6

32

38 23 16

26

27

ཡ ུསྶསྐྱུཞེ བའི

.

24

26

18

15 10

2

119

19 17 18 12 8

3

15 8 6

1 3

17

IV 24

24

6

co

12 6 7

11

2

3

10

3

4

1ස

2 2 2 2826 S

1 45.32 48

84

61

40

1.12

43.44 175.44 25.41 109.41 1.69 108.32! 2768 $1.24 60.00 280,00 2.80 277.20 69.30 207.90 18.65 104.65 1.05 108.601 25.00 77.70 59.59 571.09 5.71 565.38 141.34 4:401 26.40 806.10 3.06 #03.34 75.88 227.51 63.4 618,24 6.13 607.21 151.89 455.41 37.56 241.56 2.12 179,86

45.32 412.32

17.69

43.412

180.27

79

4 113.79 228 200 160

113.79 701.79

239.14 59.78

108.20 396.15 102.05 7.02 691.77 173.69 521.08

214

2

190.65 156 208

210

160

210

51+

172+

190,65 1,600.65 16.91 1,673,74 418,48 1,285,31

71

5 141.98 114 186

130

|44 112 80

56

4

81.82 162 120

80

72

1.14 10.30

90

12

28.50 12

214

10

86

16

1

$9.00 60

96

60

84

132

28

48

17

23.43

10

66† Izt 21+

36

64

1

23

1

28.61

26

:

100

26

3.00

G+

144.98 ,015.48 10.15 271.33 1,005.33| 75-1.00

M1.82 605.82 6.06 149.01 589.76 140,82 2>,50 156.70 1,57 154.93) 38.73 116.20 39.00 329.00 3.30 335.61 88.90 251.71 23.13 243.43 3.43 255.00

$10,00 85.00 28.61 31.61 3.32 $28.20 82.07 2:6.22

* Reduction of 50 per cent., see C.S.O. No. 2076 of 1S 7.

+ Special Subject, under Regulations No. 22 of Grant-in-Aid Code,

TOTAL,

.$16,842.16 168.44 16,674.72 4,1C8.51 12,506,18

TABLE XIV. PERCENTAGE of SCHOLARS who passed in the GRANT-IN-AID SCHOOLs during the last two Years.

No.

Name of School.

1887.

1886.

Increase.

Decrease.

1234WOND a

1 American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys),

80.00

54.38

25.62

19

Station Street (Boys),...

97.61

95.23

2.38

"

39

"

Hinglung Lane (Boys),

67.69

90.90

23.21

Queen's Road West (Boys),

74.57

94.91

20.34

7

"

8

39

9

"

5 Basel Mission, Shamshuipò School (Boys),... 6 C. M. S., St. Stephen's I Division (Boys),

"

Lyndhurst Terraco (Boys),

Pottinger Street (Boys),

80.00

100.00

20,00

92.68

97.57

***** s

4.89

II

(Boys)

87.17

80.00

7.17

98.43

80.30

18.13

ence+

83.33

92,59

10

">

Saiyinp'ún (Boys),

82.85

88.57

11

12

13

14

આપે ભગવાન

59

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls),

88.88

100.00

9.26

5.72

11.12

Lyndhurst Terrace (Girls),

100.00

70.58

29.42

****

15

17

18

* * * * *

Third Street (Girls),..

82.14

79.31

2.81

Yaumáti (Mixed),

Hunghòm (Boys),

16 | F. E. S., Bonham Road (Girls),

73.33

******

4

100.00

95.23

45.45

49.78

High Street (Girls),

100.00

78.26

21.74

Queen's Road (Girls),

74.07

90.90

16.83

19.

Hollywood Road (Girls),

100.00

45.45

54.55

20

Pottinger Street (Girls)

96.00

92.85

3.15

21

22

Stanley School (Girls),... Shaukiwán (Girls),

86.95

95.00

8.05

90.00

90.00

23

L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),

97.36

92,13

5.23

24

Wántsai (Boys),

94.52

88.23

6.29

25

Yaumáti (Boys),

88.00

82.05

5.95

26

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

59.52

98.04

38.52

27

Saiyinp'ún I Division (Boys),

94.03

66.66

27.37

28

11

(Boys)

74.54

90.00

15.46

29

93

Hungbom (Boys),

91.42

86.66

4.76

30

"

Shekt'ongtsui (Girls),

85.71

100.00

14.29

31

34

??

35

91

32

Aberdeen Street (Girls),

Kau-ü-fong (Girls)

33 | L. M. S., Ship Street (Girls),

East Street (Boys),

Stanley Street (Girls),

80.55

76.74

3.81

67.39

90.19

22.80

86.84

89.47

2.63

100.00

100.00

40.00

90.47

*****

36

Lower Lascar Row (Girls),

86.66

100.00

*****

50.47 13.34

37

Tanglangchau (Girls),

77.27

61.29

15.98

*****

38

"

Taipingshan Chapel (Girls),

82.22

97.56

15.34.

39

Saiyingp'ún First Street (Girls),

92.15

87.50

4.65

40

99

Wantsai (Girls),

91.83

87.72

4.11

41

17

Staunton Street, Upper School (Girls),

92.30

75.00

17.30

42

"

22

Lower School (Girls),

70.83

77.42

6.59

CSESE

43 Nampakhong Tòkwáwán (Boys),

92.85

a

44

R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),

84.00

82.14

1.86

45

"

46

47

""

48

Bridges Street Poor School (Girls), Wesleyan Mission, Spring Gardens (Boys),

Wellington Street (Boys),

55

100.00

****

85.00

58.62

26.38

91.66

85.33

6.33

13

(Girls),

78.94

77.77

1.17

****

49

Basol Mission, High Street (Girls),.

100,00

100.00

......

51

50 Berlin Mission (Girls),

52 St. Paul's College Anglo-Chinese (Boys),

88.88

97.05

La

8.17

Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),

97.82

94.11

3.71

90.62

53 Hongkong Public School (Boys),...

96.96

54

R. C. M., St. Joseph's College, Chinese Division (Boys),.

95.18

95.00

0.18

******

55

"

European

"9

(Boys),..

98.34

98.18

0.16

56

**

Italian Convent (Girls),

93.67

90.00

3.67

*****

57

58

"

59

Bridges Street Portuguese School, (Mixed), St. Francis Chapel Portuguese School (Mixed),... Victoria, Portuguese School (Mixed),

93.33

100.00

6.67

100.00

74.07

25.93

97.22

86.12

11.10

60

61

**

وو

English School (Boys),...

(Girls),.

100.00

90.00

10.00

95.83

89.47

6.36

TABLE XV-PErcentage of Passes in the various subjects in which the GRANT-IN-AID SCHOOLS

were examined in 1887.

Class of

Schoool.

Name of School.

Writing, Reading, or Com- position.

Arith-

Gram- Geogra- metic. mar. phy.

History.

Repeti- Expla- | Compo- tion. nation, sition.

I.

American Board Mission, Bridges Street (Boys),..............

98.00 74.00

100.00

100.00

100.00 100.00

"

19

"

"

??

"1

Station Street (Boys), Hing-lung Lane (Boys),

100,00

88.09

100.00

100.00 100.00 100.00

95.38

58.46

100.00

100.00

Queen's Road West (Boys),

92.59

62.96

100.00

""

Basel Mission, Shamshuipò School (Boys),.

80.00

73.33

""

97

"J

,,

32

21

""

>>

">

""

""

""

13

C. M. S., St. Stephen's I. Division (Boys),

II.

Lyndhurst Terrace (Boys),

Pottinger Street (Boys),

Saiyingp'ún (Boys),..

Lyndhurst Terrace (Girls),

100,00

95.12

50.00

(Boys),

92.30

84.61

...

96.87 33.33

100.00 100.00

97.56 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

...

100.00

79.36

100.00

98.41 100.00

66.66

88.09

92,85

97.61 100.00

100.00

48.57

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

St. Stephen's Baxter Memorial (Girls),

100.00 81.48

100.00

100.00 100.00

100.00 96.00

100.00

100.00 100.00

"?

11

Third Street (Girls),

100.00

67.85

100.00

100.00

100,00

"}

Yaumáti (Mixed),

86.66

28.83

Failed

100.00

62.49

59

29

"

Hunghom (Boys),

F. E. S., Bonham Road (Girls),

100,00 100.00

100.00

100.00

95.45

100.00

100.00

100.00

*>

High Street (Girls),

100.00

94.73

100.00

100.00

100.00

"

Queen's Road (Girls).

96.42

60.71

100.00

100.00 100.00

Hollywood Road (Girls),

100.00

90.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

"

Pottinger Street (Girls),.

100.00

96.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

፡፡

"

>>

1)

>>

* * * * * ::

Stanley School (Girls),

100.00

76.00

100,00

100.00

88.88

Shaukiwán (Girls),

90.00

95.00

100.00 100.00

L. M. S., Hollywood Road (Boys),

98.68 97.36

100.00

Wántsai (Boys), .

97.26 75.34

100.00

98.68 100.00 100.00 100.00

100,00

92.85

Yaumáti (Boys),..

100.00

88.00

100.00

100.00

Shekt'ongtsui (Boys),

97.42

43.87

91,66

97.61

100.00 100.00 100.00

Saiyingp'ún I. Division (Boys),

98.50

52.23

100.00

II.

>>

13

;"

(Boys),

94.64

53.57

100.00

96.42

"

,,

Hunghòm (Boys),

100.00

91.43

100.00

100.00

97.01 100.00 100.00 100.00 $0.00

100.00

100.00

13

**

;;

27

";

وو

Shekt'ongtsui (Girls),

Aberdeen Street (Girls),

Kau-ü-fong (Girls),

100.00

85.71

100,00

100.00 100.00

100.00

77.77

100.00

100.00

100.00

93.47

73.91

100.00

100.00

100,00

"

39

Ship Street (Girls),

100.00

81.81

100.00 92.-5

17

21

East Street (Boys),

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

??

Stanley Street (Girls),

$4.00

36.00

100.00

100.00

86.66

21

Lower Lascar Row (Girls),

100.00

70.00

100,00

100.00

100.00

100.00

*

19

Tanglungchau (Girls),

95.45

72.72

100.00

100.00

100.00

"

17

Taipingshan Chapel (Girls),

97.77

71.11

109.00

97.77

100.00

29

Saiyingp'ún, First Street (Girls),

98.04

82.35

100.00

100.00

100.00

警务

Wántsai (Girls),

100.00

85.71

100,00

j 100.00

96.29

13

19

19

"+

>>

3,

"

"1

III.

29

99

Staunton Street, Upper School (Girls),.

Nampakhong Tòkwáwán (Boys).

R. C. M., Cathedral School (Boys),.

Bridges Street Poor School (Girls), Wesleyan Mission, Spring, Gardens (Boys),

Wellington Street (Boys),

21

100.00

88.45

100.00

100.00

100.00

Lower

**

(Girls),

91.66 70.83

66.66

100.00

91.66

100.00

100.00

92.86

100.00

76.00

100.00

100 00

100.00

100.00

100.00

65.00

100.00

93.75

93.75

100.00

99

(Girls),

89.42 84.21

100.00 100.00

100.00 100.00 100.00-

100.00 100.00 Failed

· 100.00 100.00 100.60 100.00

Basel Mission, High Street (Girls),.

100.00 98.11 100.00

100.00 100.00

100.00

Iv.

Berlin Mission (Girls),

>

>>

Diocesan Home and Orphanage (Boys),

St. Paul's College Anglo-Chinese (Boys),

Jongkong Public School (Boys),

R.C.M., St. Joseph's College Chinese Division (Boys),

100.00 92.59 66.66 100.00 89.13 100,00 100.00 100.00 96.00 100.00 66.66 100.00 100.00 84.84 90.90 81.25 100.00

97.59 96.38 97.59 100.00

100.00 100.00

83.33

94.12 100,00

100.00

...

100.00

">

27

""

European

כי

100.00

100.00 (Boys).

96.69

98.50

160.00

100.00

96.30

"

Italian Convent (Girls),

100.00

92.18

92.18

100.00

100.00 100.00

85.71

27

"

"

"

Bridges Street, Portuguese School (Mixed), St. Francis' Chapel, Poor School (Mixed), Victoria, Portuguese School (Mixed),

100.00

93.00

95.00

94.44

100.00 100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

94.44

100.00

100.00 100.00

"

"

English School (Boys),

100.00 91.66

100.00

""

**

(Girls),

100.00 94.73

95.83

100.00 100.00

88.88 100.00 100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

TABLE XVI.-NUMBER of UNEDUCATED CHILDREN in the Colony in 1887.

Number of Children (to local school-age) in the Colony in 1887 (about 9.26 per cent. of the

population),

Number of Children attending Schools under Government in 1887,. Number of Children attending Private Schools, in 1887,...

Number of Uneducated Children in the Colony in 1887,

....16,843

5,974

2,300

8,274

8,569

E J. EITEL, M.A., Phi D..

Insertim at Schools.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OBSERVATORY FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

165-

9

No. 88.

HONGKONG OBSERVATORY, 28th January, 1888.

SIR,-For the information of His Excellency the Governor I have the honour to forward my Annual Report for 1887.

2. The distribution of the work among the different officials connected with the Observatory has been the same as explained in last year's report. The amount of information collected here concerning typhoons during the past year has been much greater than during previous years, and this work has pressed heavily on the clerks, who are, however, at the same time learning to do their work more quickly.

3. The Eastern Extension and the Great Northern Telegraph Companies, who so courteously transmit the extensive system of meteorological messages free of charge through their cables, rendered the greatest assistance during the stormy weather in September last by giving me information about the changes in the weather setting in at those stations, which were nearest the centres of the typhoons. The China Coast Meteorological Register, in which the daily information about the weather is published, being printed in several local newspapers the Government has not hitherto found it necessary to print a daily weather-report, so that the expenses, which are elsewhere by far the heaviest item in the cost of meteorological offices, are at the present time altogether saved in this Colony.

4. The salaries of several members of the staff being considered small in proportion to the practical importance of their duties, His Excellency has been pleased to allow me to submit applications for increases of salary when the estimates for next year are under consideration.

5. One year's trace made by the self-recording tide-gauge is now ready and no funds for hourly readings being available, I have had the honour to suggest that the monthly magnetic observations might be discontinued for some years, in order to allow the tabulation of tides to be proceeded with in the meantime, this subject, although not hitherto included in the work of the Observatory, being of very great importance.

6.

*

7. Lunar distances are now less often than formerly observed on board ship to determine the longitude. There is no doubt that the too accurate and in consequence too complicated methods of reduction generally followed have been partly the cause of this. Occultations of stars claim still more complicated calculations to determine the longitude and are scarcely more accurate, being moreover phenomena of comparatively rare occurrence. The eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites promise to furnish a means of obtaining the longitude on board ship with more ease and accuracy than can be obtained from Lunars. It has therefore been my wish to pay attention to those observations as of importance to the shipping, and I expect to be able to do so in the course of the year.

S. As stated in the "Instructions for making Meteorological Observations, &c.," meteorological instruments forwarded by observers, who regularly send their registers to the Observatory, are verified here free of cost. During the past two years the following number of instruments has been verified and certificates issued:-

Barometers: 8; Thermometers: 12; Anemometer: 1.

The index-errors of barometers read off on board ship in typhoons are generally determined by aid of readings made near to or in this port, which are compared with the hourly readings in the Observatory.

9. The number of transits observed during the past year was 313, and the inclination of the axis was determined 132 times. All the chronometers were cleaned and oiled and their rates satisfactorily ad- justed in the course of the year by a local firm of jewellers. The sidereal standard clock was stopped on the 7th October, 1887, and its rate corrected. The mean daily rates during ten-day periods are exhibited in the following table, where — means gaining, and + losing rate :-

2

TABLE I.

Rate of Sidereal Standard Clock in 1887.

Period.

Rate.

Temp.

Bar.

Period.

Rate.

Temp.

Bar.

December 31-10,......

-2.$12

62.03.

30.in802

June

29- 9,.......

-3.$73

82.°1

29.ins 70

January 10-20,...

-2.23

63. 3

29. 98

July

9-19,.

-3.84

82.8

29. 62

20-30,

-2.20

61.6

29. 92

19-29,.

-3.97

81. 4

29. 47-

30- 9,.

-2.18

59.4

29. 95

29- 8,.

-3.96

83.3

29. 63

"

February

9-19,.

~2.05

60. 4

30. 15

August

8-18,

- 3.91

81. 8

29. 73

19- 1,.

-2.28

62. 3

29. 94

18-28,.

- 3.92

79.9

29. 70

March

1-11,

-2.32

61. 3

29. 97

28- 7,

- 4.01

81.8

29. 74

""

""

11–21,...

-2.36

61.3

29. 95

21-31,

-2. 34

62. 7

29. 94

""

September 7-17,..

17-27,....

<

- 4.23

83. I

29. 54

-4.25

82.3

29. 69

31-10...

-2. 48

67.0

29. 94

>

27-7,

-4. 12

79.8

29. 76

""

April

10-20.

-2.91

73. 1

29. 77

October

7-17,

+0.51

78. 5

29. 91

20-30,

-2.78

69.7

29. 89

19

17-27,

+0.60

75.9

29. 93

30-10,

-2.93

72. 1

29. 79

27-6,.

+0.81

73. 1

29. 99

May

10-20,

-3. 11

74.6

29. 79

November 6-16,

+0.79

71. 7

29. 97

20-30,

- 3. 33

78.0

29. 75

16-26,

+1.00

69: 3

30. 06

>>

June

30- 9,... 9-19, 19-29,

- 3. 49

79.8

29. 69

26-6,.

+1.01

68. 1

30. 01

""

-

www.

-3. 72 3.78

82.7

29. 63

December 6-16,.

+1.14

67.3

30. 04

83. 2

29. 68

19

16-26,..

+1.17

65. 1

30. 05

10. As stated in the time-ball notice published in the Government Gazette on the 10th January, 1885, the ball is not dropped on Sundays or Government Holidays. The ball was dropped every working day in the past year, but failed to drop at 1 p. on May 27th, June 25th and October 27th, the failure being caused the first time by a broken covered wire in the polarized relay, the second time by the switch not having been properly turned, and the third time by the battery having become weak in comparison to the elasticity of the spring on the lock. On every occasion the defect was remedied and the ball dropped allright at 2 p.

TABLE II.

Errors of Time-Ball in 1887.

means too late.

+ means too early.

Date:

Jan. Feb.

March. April. May.

June.

July.

Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

1,

2,

+0.83

0.$1 +0.96 +0.3 0.1

0.$1

0.$1

0,$1

0.51

0.$1 +0.82

0.1

0.$1

0.1

0. 1

0.'1

0.1

3,

0.$1 +0.4 0.2

-0.2 +0.3

--

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.5

+0.3

4,

0.1

+0.4

0.3

0. 1

+0.2

0.1

0. 1

0. 1

0.1

0. 1

5,

0.1 +0.4

0.3

0. 1

0.1

0.1

0. 1

0.1

0.1

0. 1

0.1

6,

0. 1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

--

0.2

0.1

7,

0.1

+0.7

-0.4

0.1

0.1

+0.3

-0.2

0.1

-0.3

0.1

-0.3

8,

-0.2 +0.9

0.4

0.1

-0.2

...

0. 1

+0.3

0. 1

+0.2

-0.4

9,

0.1

0.1 +0.2

+0.5

+0.3

0.1

0.1

+0.5

0.1

10,

-0.4

-0.3

0.1

0.1

+0.5

0. 1

+0.2

0.1

+0.3

11,

+0.3

-0.5

0. 1

+0.2

+0.7

+0.3

0.1

0.1

-0.3

12,

+0.6

-0.8

0.1

+0.7

+0.3

0.1

-0.2

+0.6

0.1

-0.3

0.1

13,

+0.9

+0.9 +0.5

+0.5

0.1

0. 1

+0.7

0. 1

-0.2

14,

0. 1

0.1

0.1

+1.2 -0.2

0.1

0. 1

0.1

+0.2

0. 1

-0.2

15,

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.7

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.1

-0.3

18,

19,

20,

16,

17,

...

0.1

0. 1

0. 1 0. 1

-0.2

0.1

0. 1

-0.3

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0. 1

-0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1 +0.2

-0.2

0. 1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

+0.5

0.1 +0.3

+0.3

-0.2

...

0.1

0. 1

+0.2

+0.2

0. 1

0. 1

+0.4.

-0.3

0.1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

0. 1

0.1 +0.5

0. 1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

21,

22,

0.1 0. 1

+0.4

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.6

0.1

0.1

0. 1

0.1

+0.7

0.1 -0.4

0.1

+0.2

0. 1

0. 1

0.1

0.1

0.1

23,

24,

+1.0 0.1

-0.2 -0.5

0.1

0. 1

0.1

0.1

0. 1

0.1

0.1

-0.3

0.1

0.1

0. 1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

25,

+0.2 +0.3

0.1 -0.7

-0.2

0. 1

+0.2

0. 1

0.1

0.1

26,

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1 -0.3

...

0.1

+0.2

+0.4

0.1

0.1

27,

+0.2

...

0.1

0.1

0.1

0. 1

+0.2

+0.5

0. 1

28,

+0.2

0.1

+0.3

-0.2 +0.2

0.1

0.1

0. 1

-0.2

+0.4

-0.2

29,

+0.3

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0. J

0.1

-0.3

-0.3

0.1

-0.3

30,

...

+0.2

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0. 1

-0.4

+0.2

-0.4

31,

+0.3

+0.4

+0 8

0.1

0.1

-0.5

11. The probable errors of the signal in the different months of 1887 (with the average percentage. of clouded sky added in parenthesis) were as follows:-January 0.18 (90), February 0.31 (64), March 0.15 (75), April 0.28 (72), May 0.17 (81), June 0.16 (71), July 0.15 (73), August 0.11 (59), September 0.20 (64), October 0.11 (27), November 0.14 (41), December 0.18 (43).--The mean of the probable errors was 0.18.

12. The absolute values of the magnetic elements were observed by Mr. F. G. FIGG and Mr. MAHOMET ALARAKIA every month as usual, and the report is ready.

13. The monthly weather reports have all been published as soon as ready. They are arranged exactly as explained in last year's report. The clouds are classified as follows:-

Cirrus (c) is the finest and most lofty of all the clouds. It looks like hair, thread or feathers.

Cirro-cumulus (c-cum) is also a high cloud, but is more rounded in shape than the former and looks like small woolly tufts.

Cirro-stratus (c-str) form a sheet of uniform thickness high up in the atmosphere. They are often seen in long straight streaks, that appear to radiate from a point of the horizon. When covering the whole sky they form a sort of vaporous transparent veil.

Stratus (str) is also a layer of cloud of generally uniform thickness but belongs to the lower regions of the atmosphere. It presents no variety of shade.

Cumulus (cum) consists of rounded heaps like enormous balls of wool.

Cumulo-stratus (cun-str) is a cumulus dark and flat at its base traversed by horizontal streaks of dark cloud. It has often a coppery hue.

Strato-cumulus (str-cum) is intermediate between cumulus and stratus. When the number of entries are counted, half is added to cumulus and the other half to stratus.

Roll-cumulus (R-cum) is formed by cumulus clouds lying apparently in long horizontal rolls.

Small-cumulus (sm-cum) are small white cumulus. They belong to a level between cirro-cumulus and cumulus.

Nimbus (nim) is a cloud from which rain is seen falling.

Cumulo-nimbus (cum-nim) has a uniform dark appearance like the true nimbus, but no rain is actually seen falling from it at the time of observation.*

14. The weather in January 1887 was quite abnormal. The rainfall was about six times larger than the average. The amount of clouds and the dampness were also excessive particularly the former, so that the rainy season appeared to have set in in the midst of the dry season and that was the case at every station in China from which reports are received. On the contrary the weather was remarkably dry and clear in March, gradients for NE winds continuing till the 29th of that month. On the 8th of April the damp weather set in, but the rainfall was very deficient in that month and also in May. The 1st of June was extremely dry and the barometric tide and daily variation of temperature excessive for the season as might be expected. The middle of that month was very squally with strong SW monsoon. Showers in the carly morning hours were distinctly marked but electric phenomena were unusually rare. The thunderstorms during July came from unusual directions. In August the SW monsoon was strong, and the clouds unusually low, as was in fact the case all through the summer but still the rainfall was below the average. September was characterised by an unusual number of typhoons in this neighbourhood as remarked at the end of the report for that month. The weather in October was very dry, clear and fine. On the 21st during N wind it was hotter in the puffs, reminding one of the Föhn in Switzerland. December was very dry and warm. At night time there occurred frequently a sudden change in the direction of the wind from about E to about N with considerable rise of temperature and great decrease of humidity.

15. Tables III-X inclusive exhibit the annual means and totals of meteorological phenomena and their frequency. The arrangement of the tables is explained in previous annual weather-reports. Tables XI and XII exhibit the five-day means arranged as in previous years. The total amount of rain measured daily at 10 a. and entered to preceding day was 66.29 at the Observatory, 61.73 at Stone Cutters' Island and 78.34 at the Peak. The total duration registered at the Observatory was 863 hours. The rainfall was at least 0.01 inch on 153 days at the Observatory, on 112 days at Stone Cutters' Island and on 84 days at the Peak. The accuracy of these observations is in a great measure due to the painstaking care of Mr. F. G. FIGG.

TABLE III.

Mean Values and Hourly Excess above the Mean of Meteorological Elements in 1887.

Mean or Total.

1 a.

2 a.

3 a.

4 a.

5 a.

6 a.

7 2.

8 a.

9 a.

10 a.

11 a. Noon.

1 p. 2 p.

3 p.

4 p.

5 p.

6 p.

7 p.

8 p.

9 p. 10 p.

11p. Midt.

Observ.

Peak.

atory.

Temperature...

1.4 1.5

Humidity,

Vapour Tension,

Pressure,

Diurnal Range,.

+.005.007-015-018

+ 5 + 5 + 4+ 4 + 4 + 3 +.013 +.008 +.001.003

013 +.001

1.6 1.8

2.0 2.0

+.017 +.032

· 1.4 0.4

+.043 +.044 +.035 +.017 0.7 +1.5 + 2.1 + 5.2

-.007 -.028 +2.8 +2.7

040 045 + 2.4 + 1.8

041 -.032 + 1.0 + 0.1

-.018

.000

+.013 +.022

0.4

0.6

0.8 0.9

+.022 +.015 | 1.2 1.3

29.846

28.107

71.1

65.6

7.2

6,5

...

...

-.008 ..009

+ 2

-,007

Sunshine (Total),

10.3

Rainfall,

0.108 0.152

0.130 0.313

0.358

0.251

102.9 171.5 196.3 0.304 0.322

Hours of Rain (Total),..

Intensity of Rain,.

35

0.037

· 39

0.047

39

52

52

53

53 46

0.040

0.072

0.083

0.057

Wind-Velocity,

1.0 0.8

0.7

0.7

0.9 1.1

Wind-Direction,

Cloudiness,

+ 1

+1

70

go

1

90

5

0.453

40 43 0.069 0.084 0.136 0.084 1.1 0.8 +0.5+1.5 70

1 6

-.010-013 -.015 203.2

0.302

4

7

7

8

8

-.011 -012

212.3 210.1

..006 -.007

216.5 218.6

..003

6

...

-.003

5

211.8 197.6

3 0 -.001 +.003 132.3 21.1

+ 2 + 3

+

+.008 +.013

4 +

+.015 +.017

+ 5 + 5

75

86

+.017 +.015|

0.605

0.579

2104.5

...

0.266

0.222

26

0.123

38

0.070

0.136

31

0.204

0.199

0.285

0,239

0.196

0.166

0.100

0.199 0.185

0.289

0.146

5.524

6.528

0.053

27

0.091

36 39

32

24

0.066 0.088

0.090

0.098

20

1.6 1.9 0° +30 + 9°

2.3 + 2.5

+ 2.3 + 1.6

+ 0.9

0.3

30 19 0.066 0.063 1.4 1.6

25

30

42 39

890

0.095

1.4

0.074

0.083

0.045

0.074

1.2

1.3

1.1

13.9

25

+ 8° +10°

+ 80 + 90

+ 70 + 4o + 3o + 10 + 10

20

40

40

E 50 SE 20° S

2

3

6

Sea-Disturbance,

1.8

2.0

1.8

1.9

...

...

Solar Radiation,

...

Excess of do. do.,

...

Terr. Radiation,

63

1.9

128.9

122.3

53.8

53.1

+2.8

+2.1

...

...

TABLE IV.

Number of Hours, during portion of which it rained, for each Month in the Year 1887.

Month.

1. .

2 a.

.3 a.

4 a.

5 a.

6 a.

7 a.

8 a.

9 a.

10 a.

11 a. Noon. 1 p.

2 p.

3 p.

4 p.

5

5 p.

6 p.

7 p.

8 p.

9 p.

10 p. 11 p. Midt.

Total.

January,

February,

March,

April,

May,

July,

June,

August,

September,

October,

November,

December,

10 00 40 40 00 - 00:00 40

1

1

7

4

4

4

1

7

1

6

5

6

∞ ∞ ∞ + 2 1 O O O N

5

1

6

8

4

6 11

10

10

7

6

5

4

2

-wacop A 013101

6

4.

10 6 00

4

4

2

2

4

4

3

4

1

1

1

6

1

2

2

9

7

5

6

4

6

2

1

5

2

1

1

1

2

2

2

1

1

2

:

1

2

2

1

1

1.

1

1

1

1

1

30+ E CO IN OHN HN H

3

2

2

1

3

4

1

2

2

1

TO DI CO GINN 10 DAM prać

24∞∞ Q = Ỡ 10 1-

CO 1 CO ON

4.

2

1OÁ TONN472:

5

2

1

3

2

3

3

4

1

HOWAN: A co co A

4

3

1

1

2

4

2

5

5

1

1

1

1

3

3

2

6

7266 -0027

7

107

4

60

94

89

2

48

79

147

101

107

18

1

1

1

24

1

...

::

1

16

:

:

Total,..............

33

39 39

52

52

3323

53

53

46

40

43

26

38

31

27

36

39

3323

24

30

19

25

25

30

42 39

890

169

TOTAL DISTANCE.

DURATION.

VELOCITY.

Miles.

Hours.

Miles per Hour.

TABLE V.

Total Distance traversed by, as well as Total Duration and Average Velocity of Winds from eight different Points of the Compass during the year 1887.

WIND.

N,

9622

874

11.0

NE.

12070

905

13.3

E,

73095

4168

17.5

SE,

8314

583

14.3

S,

5738

566

10.1

Y

SW,.

6911

506

13.7

W,

3838

475

8.1

NW,

1813

279

6.5

Calm,

251

404

0.6

Sums and Mean,....

121652

8760

13.9

TABLE VI.

Total Number of Days on which different Meteorological Phenomena were noted and Total Number of

Thunderstorms during each month of the year 1887.

Month.

Electric

Phenomena.

Lightning.

Fog.

:

:

Thunder.

:

:

Co

3

t-

2

CO

January,

February,

March,

April,

May,.

June,

July,

2

3

7

ลง

August,

September,

October,

November,

December,

:

10

:

:.

2

Co

6

:

:

1

1

30

7

5

18

16

12

12

13

13

:

:

1

1

:

1

1

1

00

00

:

:

:

:

2

1

2

10

5

2

13

11

2

6

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

5

2

6

2

6

1

:

:

ลง

8

6

Co

2

1

16

8

Co

:

O

WO

11

1

10

:

1

2

:

:

:

:

Sums,.....

16

67 60

36

12

19

77

14

30

14

37

1

-6--

TABLE VII.

Total Number of Times that Clouds of different Forms were observed in each month of the year 1887.

Month.

C.

c-str.

c-cum. sm-cum. cum. cum-str.

str.

R-cum. cum-nim.

nim.

January,

2

33

100

19

12

82

58

February,

2

ลง

11

March,

31

88

888

92

2

22

10

31

18

29

1

39

27

42

42

April,..

1

25

15

97

18

33

May,

17

9

39

160

13

27

25

26

41

40

24

June,

108

14

205

N.

2

1

9

1

17.

July,

6

114

25

17

153

20

15

13

33

August,

12

78

9

34

146

11

12

16

29

September,

1

66

24

21.

122.

11

12

36

10

32

October,.......

34

21

108

:

5

6

4

5

November,..

December,..

57

O

28

59

14

7

4

10

:

:

55

77.

1

19

190

10

1

9

Sums,....

28

516

103

314

1407

46

189

189

276

329

TABLE VIII.

Mean diurnal

RAIN FALL.

Tem-

Baro-

variabi-

perature

Month.

metric

Tide.

lity of

decrease. Mean

Height

1878-

Hourly Intensity of Rain.

MEAN DIRECTION OF CLOUDS WHENCE

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH

COMING.

CLOUDS BELOW.

Tempera-

1887.

for 1°

1887

ture.

Lower.

inclus.

Upper. Cirrus. 2000 ft. 1000 ft.

ins.

feet.

ins.

ins.

ins.

January,

0.106

1.83

348

1.47

8.430 0.058

E

W by S

:

2153

14.

February,

0.112 1.78

387

1.66

1.895

0.022

E by N

W

12

:

March,

0.106 1.63

370

3.53

2.950

0.026

E by S W

April,

0.097 2

.44

370

6.55

5.640

0.052

S by EW by S

WSW

22

May,

0.085 1.39

328

9.82

2.045

0.036

SE by E NW

26

Junc,..

0.077

0.80

230

12.67

5.475

0.096

July,..

0.062

1.15

284

16.41

12.075

S by W NE

0.124 SE by SNE by N

NE

25

NNE

August,..

0.067

1.06

294

16.93

13.155

0.152

S by E

NE by N ENE

22

2 2 2 2 1 1 2

6

19

10

13

11

25

7

2

September,

0.082 1.15

279

9.89

10.955

0.146

E

E by S

E

6

0

October,

November,

0.090 1.02

294

5.06

2.030 0.104

ENE

WSW

N

0.101 1.51

279

1.04

0.790

0.036

ENE

WSW

2

December,.

Year,....

0.102 2..32

310

0.19

0.850

0.061

E by S

WSW

3

0.091

1.51

314

85.52

66.290

0.076

:

:

:.

189

69

-7-

TABLE IX.

Monthly Extremes of the Principal Meteorological Elements registered at the Observatory during the year, 1887.

BAROMETER.

TEMPERA-

TURE.

HUM. VAPOUR Tension.

RAIN.

WIND VELOCITY.

RADIATION.

MONTH.

Max.

Min.

Max.

Min.

Min. Max. Min.

Daily Hourly Max. Max.

Sun

Terr.

Max.

Max.

Min.

January, 30.184 29.759

69.7 48.9 53

0.585

0.227

3.920 0.470

February,... .307

.815

70.0

42.8

53

.495

.201

0.895

0.135

85

42

140.4

44.0

38

137.7

39.7

March,

.135

.702

78.4

53.8 24

.631

.173

1.090 0.235

45

142.7

51.1

April,

.158

.615

82.2

56.5

32

.787

.174

3.205

0.875

42

145.9

54.0

May,

29.908

.597

88.4

67.2

36

.867

.314

1.110

0.330

35

156.1

65.8

June,

.821

.506

89.0

73.3

34

.960

.372

0.905.

0.500

31

150.1

69.5

July,

.824

.270

89.8

73.8

61

1.008

.768

2.240

1.320

50

153.6

73.6

August,

.836

.526

88.6

72.9

53

0.951

.692

3.215

0.920

51

149.7

71.5

September,.. .904

.070

90.7 73.5

55

.991

.659

5.855

1.390

69

158.6

**70.6

October, 30.085

.631

84.8 64.6

32

.818

.318

1.660

0.930

35

149.3

61.7

November,.. .168

.830

77.9

56.0

16

.644

.136

0.560

0.100

36

142.5

54.0

December,... .305

.891

73.5 44.8 12

.550

.044

0.830

0.140

36

138.8

42.8

Year,...... 30.307 29.070

90.7

42.8

12

1.008 0.044

5.855

1.390

69

158.6 ..39.7

TABLE X.

Monthly Extremes of the Principal Meteorological Elements registered at Victoria Peak during the year, 1887.

BAROMETER.

TEMPERATURE. HUM. VAPOUR TENSION. RAIN.

WIND.

RADIATION.

MONTH.

Max. Min.

Max. Min.

Min.

Max. Min.

Daily

Force Sun

Terr.

Max.

Max.

Max.

Min.

January,

28.360 28.031

65.3

45.7

February,

.467

.039

66.9

39.2

March,

.321

.016

72.3

47.2

April,.....

.330 27.926

76.5

50.3

May,

.146

.903

78.3

60.5

Junc,

.093

.861

79.5

67.3

N & & & R

65

0.563

0.244

5.01

7

135.9

41.2

67

.543

.203

0.79

132.3

37.6

38

.637

.216

1.39

7

137.1

42.8

34

.745.

.158

2.04

137.1

46.3

63

.845

.412

1.02

6

143.6

60.4

72

.864

.619

2.50

140.5

65.6

July,

.111

.594

81.3

72.0

84

.894

.733

2.79

7

149.7

70.4

August,

.111

.853

81.3

69.7

80

.900

.699

4.26

9

143.8

67.0

September,

.186

.509

91.6

71.3

73

.962

.717

1.72

10

148.1

69.4

October,........ .318 27.950

78.3

61.4

52

.795

.370

0.73

10

140.7

57.4

November,...... .378 28.097

72.2

52.7

30

.601

.211

0.52

131.2

49.3

December,

.388

.128

68.2

44.2

38

.529

.136

0.82

6

134.3

41.3

Year,

28.467 27.509

81.6

39.2

30

0.962

0.136

5.01

10

149.7

37.6

:

Barometer.

Tempera- ture.

TABLE XI.

Five-Day Means of the principal Meteorological Elements observed in Hongkong in 1887.

Five-Day Period.

Humidity.

Vapour

Tension.

Wind Velocity.

Nebulosity. Sunshine.

Rain.

January

1- 5

29.962

60.9

83

0.444

17.8

7.9

5.0

0.000

6-10

30.075

99

58.3

72

.358

20.8

7.4

4.6

0.000

.11-15

29.974

62.6

87

.498

19.0

9.5

2.9

0.004

""

.16-20

.987

59.6

79

.406

14.6

9.5

1.9

""

0.003

.21-25

.930

58.6

86

.430

13.2

9.4

1.2

0.425

.26-30

.912

53.1

87

.353

7.3

10.0

0.2

1.195

دو

February

.31- 4

.957

51.0

83

.310

7.9

10.0

0.3

0.308

5- 9

.938

51.2

84

.318

10.8

9.0

1.3

0.122

""

.10-14

30.126

54.6

72

.315

12.8

4.7

5.5

0.001

"9

.15-19

.181

57.9

70

.337

17.1

1.4

9.9

0.000

"

.20-24

29.964

61.1

74

.402

23.0

6.3

6.7

0.002

"

..25- 1

.928

59.7

83

.424

13.8

8.2

2.2

""

0.223

March

2- 6

.943

59.4

89

.452

21.4

10.0

0.6

0.086

7-11

.990

60.6

78

.412

18.1

8.3

2.0

0.008

""

...12-16

.911

61.5

84

.463

24.2

9.5

1.5

0.035

.17-21

.982

58.7

72

.356

13.2

6.1

4.2

0.229

.22-26

30.043

61.0

58

.310

18.2

5.3

7.5

0.010

.27-31

29.831

67.2

73

.493

11.4

5.5

6.0

0.004

"

April

1- 5

.990

64.3

61

.377

15.5

3.1

9.6

0.000

6-10

.885

69.6

80

.579

8.5

5.5

6.8

0.001

.11-15

**

.....

.823

71.5

89

.690

13.9

9.3

2.2

0,655

.16-20

.711

73.8

88

.733

6.8

7.3

4.5

0.047

"

.21-25

.914

64.7

87

.541

16.0

9.7

0.1

0.388

""

26-30

.866

70.2

83

.619

14.5

8.4

3.0

0.037

May

1- 5

.811

70.1

85

.630

19.5

9.1

1.5

0.033

6-10

.772

74.2

87

.737

9.2

6.5

4.7

0.013

99

...11-15

.794

73.0

72

.586

15.7

9.5

2.6

0.025

""

..16-20

""

.789

75.9

83

.739

14.2

7.4

4.8

0.014

.21-25

.810

75.8

86

.767

20.3

8.3

4.2

0.001

39

.26-30

.693

79.2

83

.824

11.5

8.0

5.2

0.323

June

31- 4

.746

77.5

76

.718

12.7

7.1

4.0

0.212

5- 9

.640

80.6

83

.864

11.0

7.3

8.1

0.184

"

95

...10-14

.641

82.0

80

.871

16.6

8.6

6.0

0.325

""

....15-19

.623

82.8

80

.894

12.5

8.2

4.7

0.153

92

...20-24

.681

83.0

77

.873

10.4

5.9

8.8

0.174

35

...25-29

.672

83.0

76

.855

9.6

5.9

10.6

0.047

July

.30- 4

.714

81.3

84

.891

8.0

7.6

5.1

0.116

5- 9

.687

80.8

85

.893

10.1

9.1

4.4

0.658

"

.10-14

.705

82.6

79

.880

14.8

4.9

10.1

0.269

93

15-19

.532

81.7

81

.875

14.7

7.4

5.5

0.437

""

.20-24

.440

80.4

84

.870

15.1

8.4

2.4

0.462

.25-29

.499

81.4

84

.895

9.0

7.2

5.0

0.415

August ......

.30- 3.

.572

83.2

80

.911

17.8

6.2

9.2

0.058

4- 8

.693.

82.4

77

.849

11.3

5.5

10.1

0.007

"

9-13

.738

81.9

79

.861

7.4

3.0

11.2

0.018

..14–18

.700

78.7

85

.827

19.0

7.4

4.4

1.009

"9

....19-23

.710

78.5

86

.842

8.3

6.9

5,0

0.779

..............24-28

.698

79.0

85

.838

6.3

7.5

4.2

0.797

September

...29- 2

.765

81.5

77

.829

4.4

3.0

10.7

0.028

3- 7

.725

81.6

76

.824

20.9

7.1

7.0

0.197

""

8-12

.446

82.6

77

.853

16.2

7.1

4.5

0.383

99

13-17

.642

81.7

80

.874

20.2

7.9

6.5

1.347

*9

.18-22

.671

.81.7

81

.873

25.7

6.4

6.6

0.159

""

October

.........23-27

.709

82.2

79

.871

22.0

6.1

7.9

0.073

........28- 2

.784

79.7

73

.747

8.8

5.0

8.4

0.058

3- 7

.741

78.9

50

.501

13.0

2.4

10.8

0.006

"

8-12

.908

76.7

65

.593

8.5

1.4

9.9

0.000

99

.13-17

.915

77.5

70

.661

13.2

1.8

9.6

""

0.000

29

....18-22

.870

75.8

68

..598

13.0

5.3

4.4

0.367

.23-27

29.983

73.4

56

.461

14.9

0.9

10.5

0.000

29

November

..28- 1

30.003

71.2

60

.463

14.6

2.8

9.6

0.000

2- 6

29.977

71.6.

69

.535

12.5

3.2

8.9

0.000

وو

7-11

.934

71.6

66

.513

17.2

5.4

6.4

0.000

12-16

30.004

68.8

56

.396

10.7

5.9

5.7

0.010

.17-21

.091

68.2

53

.361

17.1

2.3

9.5

0.000

""

22-26

.038

68.8

52

.365

10.7

0.5

9.9

0.000

"

December

.27- 1

29.977

65.7

60

.379

11.6

8.9

2.5

0.148

2- 6

30.038

64.2

59

.361

10.6

3.7

6.2

0.167

7-11

.006

66.7

65

.427

12.7

1.9

8.7

0.000

12-16.

.082

64.2

17-21

.039

62.7

.22-26

.068

62.3

..27-31

.087

59.8

8889

63

.385

13.4

9.1

1.9

0.002

66

.375

14.9

3.1

8.3

0.000

60

.341

8.3

5.1

6.4

0.001

42

.228

14.3

2.0

8:5

0.000

-9-

TABLE XII.

Five-Day Means of the principal Meteorological Elements observed at Victoria Peak in 1887:

Five-Day Period.

Barometer.

Temperature. Humidity.

Vapour Tension.

Wind Force.

Rain.

January

1- 5

28.182

56.8

86

0.410.

4.5

0.00

6-10

.281

51.4

83

""

.335

5.5

0.00

.11-15

.214

""

58.3

95

.476

4.5

0.00

.16-20

.210

25

53.6

90

.380

4.3

0.00

.21-25

.157

""

54.2

93

.399

4.6

1.43

..26-30

.106

48.5

94

.324

5.1

""

February

1.19

..31- 4

.144

45.6

94

.293

5.0

0.58

5- 9

""

.140

46.0

94

.298

4.4

0.11

10--14

""

.321

49.6

84

.319

4.1

0.00

15-19.

*

.383

53.4

79

.344

4.2

0.00

""

.20-24

.183

56.3

83

.394

5.0

0.00

..25- 1

.149

55.4

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--10-

16. Investigations concerning typhoons were continued during the past year. The results are partly contained in the already published Results of Further Researches concerning Typhoons, partly in a report containing exhaustive investigations of all the typhoons in 1886 and their paths, which is ready as well as the two maps exhibiting the paths, and partly in two minor papers about to be published one of which draws attention to an additional means of forecasting typhoons while the other explains the cause why typhoons are so frequent in the China Sea in September. It is hoped that these investigations will by degrees lessen the terrors of the Eastern Seas and that masters of vessels trading out here will in the future be enabled not only to escape damage from typhoons but to benefit by the favourable winds so as to make quicker voyages. The typhoons of 1887 have been provisionally investigated by aid of daily weather-maps drawn from the 1st July till the 1st November and by other means. In addition to the observations furnished by stations on shore, the log-books of 143 different vessels containing entries on 1561 days (counting those made on board different ships separately). are available. A great number of log-books have of course been looked through without entries bearing on typhoons having been found. The final investigation of the typhoons of 1887 will occupy my time during the next half year.

17. The remarks concerning typhoons, meteorological signals, and storm-warnings published in the China Coast Meteorological Register issued in the forenoon from here are reprinted below. The remarks, if not otherwise stated, refer to the state of the weather at 9 a. or 10 a. The position of the centre of the typhoon, as determined from a provisional discussion of observations subsequently received, is added in small print. The basis on which the information was founded is explained in a pamphlet: "The Law of Storms in the Eastern Seas," published in September, 1886:—

1887, April 16th. for SW winds are very prevails.'

1887, April 17th.

The barometer is falling over Luzon but steady along the coast. Gradients gentle. The temperature and the humidity are high and cloudy weather

The barometer is falling at all stations except Wladivostock and the fall is greatest in Manila. There appears to be a typhoon in the neighbourhood of Luzon. The temperature is high, the humidity moderate and cloudy weather prevails.'

The typhoon appears to have been at some distance E of the Philippines.

1887, April 18th.-' The barometer continues to fall in the South but has risen in the North. The temperature and the humidity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails.'

1887, April 19th. The typhoon has probably passed northwards in the Pacific. The barometer has risen except in Bolinao. Gradients for NE winds are moderate. The temperature and the humidity are high and cloudy weather prevails.'

This typhoon probably recurved in the Pacific.

1887. April 20th.

The barometer is rising except in Nagasaki where it has fallen and gradients are very slight in southern China. The temperature and the humidity are high and the weather is overcast.'

6

1887, May 11th. The barometer is still falling over Luzon but has risen along the coast. Gradients for NE winds continue steep in southern and moderate in northern China. The tempera- ture is moderate, the humidity rather high and the weather overcast.'

coast.

Typhoon in 151° N, 1261° E, (according to Faura).

1887, May 12th.-The barometer is very low but steady over Luzon and has fallen along the Gradients for NE winds remain steep. The temperature and the humidity are moderate and the weather is cloudy in the South and fine in the North.'

Typhoon in 183° N, 1261° E (according to Faura).

1887, May 13th.-The barometer is nearly steady but gradients for NE winds continue steep. The temperature is high, the humidity very low and the weather cloudy. At 10 a. the following telegram was sent to the Treaty Ports:-"There appears to be a typhoon at some distance to the East of Luzon.

Typhoon in about 25° N, 119° E.

C

1887, May 14th. The barometer has risen and gradients for NE winds are moderate. The temperature is moderate, the humidity low and cloudy weather prevails.'

This Typhoon recurved south of Japan.

(

1887, May 26th. The barometer has fallen. There is a depression SE of Shanghai. The temper- ature is moderate, the humidity high and the weather overcast and wet.'

The typhoon appears to have been situated in the Pacific East of Luzon moving NNWestward.

>

-11-

1887, May 27th.-' There is a decided fall in the barometer at all stations owing to the approach of the typhoon indicated yesterday. The temperature and the humidity are high and cloudy weather prevails.'

The typhoon appears to have been E of the Balintang Channel.

6

1887, May 28th. The barometer has risen except in the North. The typhoon is situated south of Japan and is moving northwards. The temperature and the humidity are high and cloudy weather prevails.'

The centre appears to have been in about 30° N, 129° E.

-

1887, July 11th. The barometer has risen in the south and fallen in the North. Gradients are moderate for SE winds. The temperature and the humidity are high and the weather is cloudy. A small typhoon has passed Westward across the China Sea.'

Typhoon in northern Annam.

1887, July 15th. The barometer has fallen along the SE coast of China and has risen elsewhere. The temperature is rather high, the humidity moderate and cloudy weather prevails.'

1887, July 16th.-'The barometer has risen over Luzon and fallen along the coast. There is a depression in the China Sea with steep gradients for SW winds south of the centre and for NE winds north of the centre. The temperature and the humidity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails.'

Fresh wind and high sea were reported by ships in the China Sea. Lowest pressure appears to have been situated near the Paracels.

1887, July 18th.

The barometer is falling particularly in the SE.

Gradients are moderate for S winds over the China Sea and for SE winds along the E coast of China. The temperature is high, the humidity moderate and the weather cloudy.'

There is a large typhoon

There appears to have been a typhoon in the neighbourhood of the Pratas Shoal. 1887, July 19th. The barometer is falling particularly in Hongkong. in the China Sea SE of Hongkong probably travelling towards the SEastern coast of China. temperature and the humidity are moderate and overcast weather prevails.'

Typhoon in about 21° N, 115° E.

The

At 5 a.

1887, July 20th.-' Directions to hoist the Red Drum were issued at 1.45 a. on the 19th. the following notice was issued: "There is a large typhoon approaching from the SE. Telegraphic communication is interrupted." At 4.30 a. on the 20th directions to fire typhoon-gun one round were issued, at 7.30 a. to hoist South Cone ond at noon to hoist Red Ball.-At 10 a. an attempt was made to issue the following notice: "Typhoon S of and close to Hongkong moving Westward," but this failed for want of direct telegraphic communication with the offices of the E. E. A. & C. Tel. Co., in Queen's Road.'

Typhoon in about 21° N, 114° E.

1887, July 21st.-'The barometer has risen except about the gulf of Tonquin. The following notice was issued at 4 p. yesterday: "The typhoon appears to be crossing Hainan." Gradients are moderate for E winds in China. The temperature is low and the humidity great.'

Typhoon in about 20° N, 109° E.

1887, July 22nd.The barometer has fallen in Haiphong owing to the approach of the past typhoon. It is possible that another typhoon has approached Northern Formosa from the East. The Red Ball was removed yesterday about 1.15 p.'

The past typhoon appears to have entered southern Tonquin. Another typhoon in about 27° N, 124° E..

1887, July 23rd.-The typhoon that crossed the China Sea passed south of Haiphong during the night. The typhoon that approached Northern Formosa has entered the mainland south of Shanghai. The North-Cone was hoisted yesterday at 4 p. The barometer has fallen slightly in the S.E.'

This typhoon entered the mainland during the previous night in the neighbourhood of Wenchow.

1887, July 24th.--Directions to take down the North Cone were issued at 1.10 p. yesterday.

This typhoon appears to have moved NWestward in the interior of China.

1887, July 27th.-The barometer has fallen between Shanghai and Amoy (owing to the approach of a typhoon travelling apparently NWestward) and has risen elsewhere. The temperature and humi- dity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails.'

This typhoon entered the mainland S of Ningpo during the previous night.

T

-12-

1887, July 28th. The barometer has fallen at all stations except Shanghai, where it has risen. The lowest reading of the barometer is reported from Amoy. The temperature and humidity are high and the weather is cloudy.'

4

1887, July 30th. The barometer has fallen in the north. There is a storm in the Sea of Japan, probably one of the typhoons that lately were indicated by observations in northern China. The temperature and the humidity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails.'

This depression had possibly a different origin.

1887, August 2nd.-'The barometer has risen in the South and is very low in Japan and gradients are steep for SW winds. The temperature is high, the humidity moderate and the weather cloudy but fine.'

Typhoon in about 30° N, 129° E. '.

1887, August 3rd. 'The barometer has fallen and gradients remain steep for SW winds owing to a typhoon in Corea, which is moving northwards. The temperature is high, the humidity high in the North and low in the South and the weather is cloudy and squally.'

Centre between Nagasaki and Fusan.

1887, August 4th.-The barometer has risen except in Wladivostock. Gradients continue steep for SW winds owing to the typhoon now disappearing in the North. The temperature is high, the humidity moderate and overcast and squally weather prevails.'

Centre near Eastern Corea.

1887, August 15th. The barometer has fallen in Hongkong owing to a typhoon, which appears to be travelling Westward in the China Sea.'

Typhoon in about 21° N, 114° E.

1887, August 16th.— Directions to hoist the South Cone were issued yesterday at 1.17 p. and to remove this and hoist the Ball at 4.30 p. The Ball was directed to be taken down at 10.25 a. to-day. At 4 p. yesterday the following notice was issued:-"Typhoon SW of Hongkong moving Westward," Fresh SE winds prevail over the northern part of the China Sea and the weather is overcast and wet.'

Centre in about 21° N, 109° E. The typhoon was dying out at this time.

1887, August 17th.

The barometer has fallen in Tonquin and risen in Hongkong. Gradients are moderate for SE winds over the China Sea and for SW winds in Northern China. The temper- ature is low, the humidity high and the weather cloudy.'

1887, August 24th. The barometer has fallen in the neighbourhood of Amoy and risen else- where. Gradients are moderate for SW winds over the China Sea and moderate for NE winds to the North of Amoy. The temperature is high and the weather fine and dry.'

Centre of small typhoon in 23° N, 120° E.

1887, August 25th.- At 6.10 p. yesterday the following notice was issued :-" Small typhoon in southern part of Formosa Channel." At 7 a. this day directions were issued to hoist the Drum and at 10.20 a. to hoist the North Cone. The wind increased last evening in Amoy and heavy squalls with violent gusts and a heavy swell in the sea were reported during the night. The typhoon appears to have entered the mainland and to be moving northwards. The barometer has risen and gradients are gentle over the China Sea.'

Typhoon entered the mainland close to and north of Amoy and it then ceased to blow.

C

1887, August 26th. The barometer is steady in Tonquin and has fallen elsewhere. Gradients are slight. The temperature and humidity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails with thunder- storms in Southern China. Directions to take down the North Cone were issued at 1.10 p. yesterday.

The barometer has fallen especially in Tonquin. Gradients are slight for

and humidity are high and cloudy weather prevails."

1887, August 27th. S winds. The temperature

1887, September 5th.

{

The barometer has fallen in the south and gradients are moderate for N winds. The temperature is high and the weather cloudy but dry.'

6

1887, September 6th. The fall in the barometer has continued along the SE coast of China and in Luzon and gradients continue moderate for N winds. There appears to be a typhoon SW of For-

The temperature is high and the weather fine and dry.'

mosa.

Typhoon in about 18° N, 119° E.

1887, September 7th. The barometer has fallen along the southern coast of China owing to the typhoon, referred to yesterday, passing westward in the China Sea. Directions to hoist the Drum were

-13-

""

issued at 4.15 p. yesterday, and to hoist the South Cone at 11.15 a. this morning. The following tele- gram was issued at 9.30 a.:-" Typhoon SE of Hongkong moving westward.' The temperature is high and the weather cloudy but rather dry.'

Typhoon in about 18° N, 116° E.

1887, September 8th. The barometer has fallen in Tonquin. The typhoon appears to have entered Annain. The temperature is high, the weather cloudy but fine and dry and moderate SE winds prevail. At 4 p. yesterday the following telegram was issued:-" Typhoon SW of Hongkong moving westward," and also directions to hoist the Ball."'

Typhoon is about 17° N, 110° E about to enter Annam.

1887, September 9th. The barometer has fallen in the E, particularly in the SE, and risen in the W. There is a typhoon north of Luzon. The temperature is high and the weather is cloudy but dry except in Luzon, where it is squally and wet.'

Typhoon in about 17° N, 126° E.

1887, September 10th.-The barometer has fallen everywhere. The temperature is high and the weather cloudy but dry. The typhoon raged along the NW coast of Luzon during the night accompanied by heavy rain and a tremendous sea. Directions to take down the Ball were issued at 12.30 p. on the 8th and to hoist the Drum at 12.15 p. on the 9th. The following telegrams were ad- dressed to the treaty ports: at 4 p. yesterday:-"Typhoon NW of Luzon," and at 11.45 a. this day: "Violent typhoon approaching Formosa Channel.'

Typhoon in about 19° N, 121o° E.

1887, September 11th.-The barometer has fallen along the China Coast particularly in Hong- kong. The centre of the typhoon is situated between Hongkong and South Cape and appears to be moving very slowly NWestward. It is blowing very hard in the northern semi-circle but the wind is more moderate S of the centre. At 7 p. the following telegram was issued :-"It is blowing hard in the Formosa Channel," and at 10.25 a. the following was sent to the Treaty Ports: The typhoon in southern part of Formosa Channel is moving NWestward. At 10.05 p. directions were given to replace the Drum by the North Cone.'

Typhoon in 22° N, 117° E.

1887, September 12th.-The barometer has fallen slightly in Tonquin and risen elsewhere. The temperature and humidity are rather high and the weather is overcast, wet and squally round the China Sea. Directions to fire the gun one round were given at 7.05 p. [on the 11th] and at 10.35 a. to take down the North Cone. At 10.35 a. the following telegram was addressed to the Treaty Ports (and the other stations):-" At midnight the typhoon entered China a little to the East of Hongkong." It blew hard in Amoy last evening during the first part of the night, and there was a high sea and wet weather. This morning the weather is squally with fresh SE wind, which indicates that the remainder of the typhoon is still moving NWestward on the mainland.'

Typhoon in 24° N, 112° E.

1887, September 13th.

The barometer has risen and gradients are moderate for S winds. The temperature and humidity are rather high and cloudy weather prevails.'

1887, September 14th. The barometer has risen and gradients are slight for E winds. The

• late typhoon appears to have passed northwards through China, and then NEastward to the north of Japan. The weather is hot, damp and cloudy.'

The depression north of Japan was probably of a distinct origin,

1887, September 15th. The barometer is beginning to fall in Luzon and has risen along the Southern coast of China and also in Japan. Gradients are moderate for N winds. The temperature and humidity are moderate and the weather cloudy.'

Typhoon apparently NE of Luzon not far from the coast.

1887, September 16th. The barometer has fallen along the SE coast of China and still more in Luzon. It has risen in Tonquin and in Japan. There is a typhoon North of Luzon. The weather is hot and cloudy but dry along the SE coast of China. Telegraphic communication is interrupted. Directions to hoist the Red Drum were issued at 11.20 a.

Typhoon in about 19° N, 119° E.

;

1887, September 18th. The existence of the typhoon was first indicated in the China Coast Meteorological Register

Register on the morning of the 15th according to the last paragraph of Chapter II of the "Law of Storms" (page 9). On the morning of the 16th it was stated that it was N of Luzon. Directions to hoist the Drum were issued at 11.20 a. At 7 p. the following notice was issued :-" Ty-

:

-14-

phoon approaching Formosa Channel. Strong NE winds reported from stations there." At 8.50 a. on the 17th directions to fire the gun one round were given. The following notices were issued on the 17th: (at 10.20 a.) "Typhoon SSE of Hongkong apparently moving NWestward," (at 11.05 a.) "Only a strong gale is expected or a storm at any rate it is not likely to blow so hard as in 1884,' (at 4 p.) "Typhoon SW of Hongkong apparently moving NWestward." At 12.20 p. directions were given to hoist the South Cone and at 1.03 p. to hoist the Ball. Owing to the absence of direct telegraphic connection with Hongkong and the other stations earlier or more complete information was not available.'

Typhoon at 9 a. on the 17th in about 20° N, 1154° E and at 9 a. on the 18th in about 22° N, 111o E.

1887, September 19th.-The barometer has risen along the coast and fallen in Luzon. The temperature is high and the weather cloudy but calm. At 4 p. yesterday the following notice was issued:-"There appears to be another typhoon in the Pacific. Telegraphic communication is inter- rupted." At 10 p. directions were issued to hoist the Drum. The typhoon was approaching Bolinao from the East this morning. An increasing NW gale is felt in Luzon.'

Typhoon in 15° N, 122° E.

1887, September 20th. The typhoon passed across Bolinao in the evening and is now moving Westward in the China Sea. Its full force was felt in Manila in the afternoon. The following notices were issued: (at 1 p. on the 19th) "Typhoon approaching Bolinao from the E this morning." (At 4 p. on the 19th) "Violent typhoon appears to have crossed northern Luzon and entered the China Sea." (At 10 a. on the 20th), "The typhoon appears to be moving NWestward in the China Sea between Bolinao and Hongkong.""

Typhoon in about 17° N, 116° E.

1887, September 21st. At 12.20 p. [on the 20th] orders were issued to hoist the South Cone, at 12.27 p. notice to Cape St. James that typhoon was approaching Annam, at 12.45 p. to Harbour Office that ships bound for northern or eastern ports might expect fine weather, at 8.25 p notice for distribution: A fresh East gale is expected here but no typhoon," at 10.05 p. orders to fire gun one round, at 10.22 a. to the stations: "The typhoon appears to move towards northern Hainan " and at 11.24 a. direc- tions to hoist the ball.'

66

Typhoon in about 18° N, 113° E.

{

1887, September 22nd. The typhoon appears to have passed over southern Hainan and to the south of Haiphong. It has probably entered northern Annam by this time.'

Typhoon in about 20° N, 107° E.

1887, September 23rd. The barometer has risen along the coast and gradients are gentle for NE winds. The weather is hot but rather dry and cloudy. At 12.35 p. [on the 22nd] directions were issued to take down the Ball.'

1887, September 24th.-At 4 p. yesterday the following notice was issued: There appears to be another typhoon in the Pacific." This typhoon is now raging in northern Luzon. It appears to be moving Westward.'

Typhoon entering northern Luzon.

1887, September 25th. At 12.15 p. yesterday (six hours late in the absence of direct telegraphic connection) the following notice was issued:-"The typhoon was approaching Bolinao from the E this morning," and also directions to hoist the Drum, at 2.30 p.: "The typhoon is raging furiously at Bolinao. The wind and rain are much worse than during the last typhoon," at 6.30 a. direction to fire the gun one round, at 10.20 a.: "The typhoon is moving Westward in the China Sea," and at 10.35 a. directions to hoist the South Cone.

Typhoon in about 18° N, 116° E.

1887, September 26th. At 10.35 a. to-day directions to hoist the Ball were issued. The typhoon appears to be approaching Hainan.'

Typhoon in about 19° N, 111° E.

1887, September 27th. The barometer has risen and gradients are gentle for NE winds. The weather is fine and dry and the temperature high. At 4 p. [on the 26th] the following notice was issued: "The typhoon has entered the mainland to the West of Hongkong," and at 10.05 p. directions to take down the Red Ball."

Typhoon appears to have entered southern Tonquin in the afternoon of the 26th and disappeared.

C

1887, September 28th. The barometer has fallen in the E and risen in the W. Gradients are gentle for N winds. The weather is cloudy but fine and rather dry. It is hot along the SE coast of China. There is probably another typhoon in the Pacific.'

Typhoon in the Pacific to the E of Luzon.

-15-

ŕ

1887, September 29th. The barometer has fallen in Luzon and along the SE Coast of China. The weather is fine, hot and dry in SEastern China but overcast and wet in Luzon. The typhoon appears to be approaching northern Luzon from the East.'

Typhoon in the Pacific E of the Balintang Channel.

1887, September 30th.The barometer has fallen in Luzon but is steady along the southern coast of China. The typhoon appears to have crossed southern Luzon and to be moving Westward in the southern part of the China Sea.'

One typhoon SE of S. Cape (Formosa), another [probably at this time] about crossing the southern Philippines.

1887, October 1st.—* At 10.40 a. yesterday directions were issued to hoist the South Cone and at 10 a. to-day to remove it The barometer has risen and the weather is fine and dry with moderate temper-

ature.'

The new typhoon appears to have been raging near northern Palawan.

1887, October 4th. The barometer is rising slowly in Luzon and falling slowly along the Coasts of China and Japan. Gradients are moderate for N winds. The weather is fine, dry and hot.'

1887, October 5th-At 4.45 p. [on the 4th] the following notice was issued:" Typhoon approaching Formosa.' The typhoon has since approached the Channel. It is probably blowing hard

in southern Formosa.

Typhoon in about 20° N, 132° E.

1887, October 6th.—' At 3 p. directions were issued to hoist the Red Drum. The typhoon appears to have recurved.'

Typhoon E of Formosa recurving towards the North.

1887, October 7th.-The barometer has risen and gradients are gentle. The temperature is moderate and the weather fine and very dry. At 4.15 p. directions to take down the Drum were issued.'

The storm was moving NEastward to the S of Japan.

1887, November 26th.-There is not much change in the barometer and gradients continue steep for NE winds in the China Sea. The weather is fine and cool and the humidity moderate.'

1887, November 28th.The barometer has fallen along the Coast of China but is beginning to rise in Luzon. At 10h. 5m p. yesterday the following notice was sent to Singapore.-"There is a typhoon in the southern part of the China Sea moving Westward."'

Typhoon in about 15° N, 115° E.

18. I cannot conclude this report without expressing my thanks to the heads of the Harbour, Police and Post Office Departments for their great courtesy and kind co-operation. The buildings have been kept in a good state by the Public Works Department. All the necessary repairs are being effected. The leaks in the roofs have been attended to and additional venetians put up to obviate the draughts in the main building. Benchmarks have been put on different public buildings in Kowloon, and their heights above the benchmark in the police boat-basin have been measured with the level.

I have the honour to be,

The Honourable

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

W. DOBERCK,

Director.

No. 10

88.

HONGKONG.

CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING A PROPOSED LIGHTHOUSE ON GAP ROCK.

(In continuation of No. 20 of 1887.)

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

(1.)

No. 2/G.

His Excelleney

SIR,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 16th January, 1888.

With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the proposal to erect a Lighthouse as a guide to vessels approaching Hongkong and the Canton River from the South, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the Government of this Colony, in accordance with the unanimous opinion of the maritime experts who have been consulted on the point, has decided that the only proper position for the Lighthouse is on the Gap Rock, and that the display of a light at any other of the sites suggested would be worse than useless as likely to create danger to vessels rather than avert it.

2. Under these circumstances as the provision of the light in question is of great and growing importance to the trade of this Colony, and indeed to the trade of China, I should be much obliged if Your Excellency would, on behalf of this Colony, lay before the Imperial Government of China the three following alter- native proposals for the erection of a Lighthouse at the Gap Rock as described in the annexed paper.

I.

The Government of Hongkong to erect the Lighthouse and to maintain the light entirely at its own cost and by means of its own employés, being permitted to occupy the Rock in consideration of the maintenance of such light, and of the annual payment of a nominal rent as acknowledgment that the dominion remains with China.

II.

The Government of Hongkong to erect the Lighthouse by means of its own employés, and, on its completion, to give possession of it to the Imperial Govern- ment of China on an undertaking of the latter to maintain the light, or to permit the Government of Hongkong to do so.

III.

The Government of Hongkong to pay to the Imperial Government of China the sum of $80,000 in consideration of the erection of the Lighthouse and mainte- nance of the light by the latter, it being at the same time agreed that if there should at any time be failure on the part of the Imperial Government of China to maintain the light, the Government of Hongkong would be permitted to do so. Though the above sum is believed to be a very full estimate of the cost of the work, if executed by the Colony, the Government of Hongkong, with a view to facilitate negociation and to assist towards rapid execution, is willing to increase the payment to $90,000 on condition that the Lighthouse is completed and in use within a period of two years from the 1st of May next.

Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Bart.,

H.B.M. Minister,

&C..

&c.,

&C.. PEKING.

""

3. The occupancy of the Rock temporary or otherwise for any of the purposes mentioned in the above alternative proposals would not involve "the dominion," so that in no case would the Imperial Government require to part with territory.

4. Though the first proposal would involve the heaviest cost to the Colony, and no cost at all to the Government of China beyond the permission to occupy a barren uninhabited rock of only a few square feet in extent, this Government would, on the whole, prefer it, as affording the best prospect of permanently securing an object of so much importance to our commercial interests.

5. In view of the willingness of the Colony to bear the whole cost and res- ponsibility of a work which will largely benefit the Imperial Government, I earn- estly hope that Your Excellency may be able, without further delay, to induce the acceptance of one or other of the above proposals, and thus enable the successful accomplishment of a project which has been the subject of such prolonged, and hitherto, profitless, discussion.

6. Moreover, to save the loss of another year in the commencement of the work it is important that the matter should be settled by the second or third week in March so as to permit of the occupation of the Rock at the season during which access to it is comparatively easy. For this reason I have deemed it well to avoid the delay which would be involved in communicating with Your Excel- lency only after receiving the consent of Her Majesty's Government to the above proposals, and have forwarded a copy of this letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies with the request that Your Excellency may be informed by telegraph of the approval of its contents by Her Majesty's Government.

7. I need hardly say that this Colony would be under great obligation to Your Excellency if you were able to obtain the early erection of the Lighthouse on terms less onerous to it than those proposed, and I trust that you will agree with me in considering that the Imperial Government of China might fairly make some concession on the point, in view of the large recent increase to its fleet, and the importance to the latter as well as to our mercantile marine of a provision for saving of time and increased security in the approach to this Port and the Canton River.

F

I have, &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

Enclosure in Letter No. 2/G of 16th January, 1888.

A flashing first-order great sea-light to be erected on the Gap Rock, South of Hongkong. Estimated height of rock 90 feet. Height of tower 30 feet. Height of light above sea-level 120 feet.

Derrick and apparatus for hoisting and landing persons and stores. Keepers' quarters, water-tanks, and typhoon-proof out-buildings complete.

SIR,

(2.)

PERING, 9th March, 1888,

I had the honour to receive on the 11th of February your Excellency's Despatch of the 16th of January last bearing upon the long pending question of the erection of a Lighthouse in the neighbourhood of Hongkong to serve as a guide to vessels approaching from the South.

You inform me that the Government of the Colony, in accordance with the unanimous opinion of the Maritime Experts who have been consulted on the point, has come to the conclusion that the only proper position for the Light is the Gap Rock, and that the display of a Light on any other of the sites which have been suggested would be worse than useless as calculated to create rather than avert danger.

Under these circumstances Your Excellency has requested me to lay before the Chinese Government three alternative proposals for the erection and maintenance of a Lighthouse on the "Gap" Rock, and you state that in order to facilitate the commencement of the work at an early date, you had submitted the decision of the Colonial Government to Her Majesty's Government and asked that, should it be approved, I might be informed by telegraph and so enabled to lay the matter before the Chinese Authorities without delay.

Your Despatch reached me at the commencement of the Chinese New Year, when little or no official business is transacted; but with a view to expedite as far as possible a settlement of the question, I placed myself in communication with

·

Sir ROBERT HART, the Inspector-General of Maritime Customs who is charged with the Superintendence of the Chinese Lighthouse Departmeent, and with his usual courtesy he at once promised to give your proposals his best attention, so that at the expiration of the New Year's holidays he might be in a position to discuss the proposals of the Hongkong Government with the Ministers of the Tsungli Yamên, but he did not disguise from me his fears that it would be almost useless to expect a reply from the Chinese Government in time to permit of the work being commenced by the second or third week in March, the date mentioned by Your Excellency, as in all probability it would be necessary to consult the Viceroy of Canton, within whose jurisdiction the Gap Rock lies.

On the 3rd instant I received a Telegram from the Secretary of State telling me that Your Excellency's proposals had been approved, and Sir ROBERT HART lost no time in placing them before the Government.

He himself appears to be in favour of the first suggestion, which I gather from your despatch is the one which on the whole the Colonial Government would also prefer, namely, the erection and maintenance of the Lighthouse by the Government of Hongkong, on the condition of the occupation of the Rock being sanctioned in return for a nominal "Royalty" as an acknowledgement of China's Sovereignty over the soil.

Directly I am made acquainted with the views of the Chinese Government I shall have the honour of bringing them to Your Excellency's knowledge.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,

His Excellency

THE GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(3.)

No. 30/G.

His Excellency

No. 12.

JOHN WALSHAM.

SIR,

.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 22nd March, 1888.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 9th instant, bearing upon the question of the erection of a Lighthouse on Gap Rock, and I desire at the same time to convey to you the thanks of this Govern- ment for the trouble you are taking in the matter.

SIR JOHN WALSHAM, Bart.,

Enclosure.

(See No. 1.)

H.B.M. Minister,

&c.,

&c.,

&c., PEKING.

I have &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

Governor.

(4.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 16th January, 1888.

SIR,

Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of a proposed Lighthouse for the guidance of vessels approaching Hongkong from the Southward, I have the honour to forward to you copy of a letter which I have addressed to Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Her Majesty's Minister at Peking; and, with a view to save if possible the delay of another year in the commencement of a work of pressing importance to the Colony and in favour of which there is a very strong and unanimous public opinion, I would earnestly request that if you see no objection to the alternative proposals contained in the letter, you will be good enough to cause the approval of Her Majesty's Government to be communicated to Sir JOHN WALSHAM by telegraph.

2. After much correspondence and discussion on the subject of this Light- house, and in view of the fact that the proposals of Sir ROBERT HART referred to in

the previous correspondence have recently appeared to have reference to erection on one or other of the sites which, though more easy of access are, I believe unani- mously, condemned by experienced sailors, I have come to the conclusion, in which the Executive Council unanimously concur, that the only chance of attaining the end desired without further indefinite prolongation of vexatious delay is to offer to the Chinese Government the choice of an exhaustive list of practicable proposals, such as are contained in the letter in question; and though I have not laid the matter formally before the Legislative Council, I have satisfied myself that the members, un-official as well as official, will give a cordial support to the action taken and, rather than there should be further delay in the matter, would gladly support an increase of the previously suggested tax on the shipping of the port, and vote such addition to the existing dues as will cover the whole expense involved in the acceptance of any one of the alternative proposals.

3. It is estimated that an addition to the tonnage dues of 1 cent per ton for 2 years, or 1 cent per ton for 3 years, will more than realize the whole of the $90,000 required.

4. The mercantile community believe, if I may gather their opinion from that of the leading merchants in the Legislative Council, that the saving of time to shipping would be well worth the outlay involved even in the provision of the whole cost both erection and maintenance.

5. An outside estimate for maintenance would, I am informed, be $8,000 per annum ; but in view of the reluctance of the Chinese Government to part with territory, even under lease, it is probable that the proposal would be preferred, under which this cost will not fall on the Colony.

6. Independently of the suggested communication with Sir JOHN WALSHAM, I should be much obliged if you would inform me by cable whether the proposals above referred to have not met your approval or disapproval.

The Right Honourable

I have, &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

SIR HENRY T. HOLLAND, BART, M.P., G.C.M.G.,

Governor.

HONGKONG,

No. 23.

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(5.)

DOWNING STREET,

25th February, 1888.

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 12 of the 16th of January last, regarding the erection of a Lighthouse on the Gap Rock.

2. You will have already received my telegram of the 23rd instant assenting to this proposal, and the Foreign Office authorities have been requested to send a similar telegram to Sir JOHN WALSHAM.

3. With regard to the suggested tax on the shipping of the port to cover the expense connected with the erection of this light, I observe from your Despatch under acknowledgment, that it is estimated that an addition to the tonnage dues of 1 cent per ton for two years, or 1 cent per ton for three years will more than realize the whole of the $90,000 required, whereas in Mr. MARSH'S Despatch No. 369 of the 25th of November, 1886, it is estimated that a tax of 1 cent per ton would only realize $15,000 per annum or $45,000 in three years and I should be glad if you could inform me on what grounds this estimate has now been doubled.

4. I should also be glad to be informed whether the sum of $30,000 entered in the Estimates for 1888, under extraordinary Public Works, for "Lighthouse for Southern approach to the harbour" refers to the present scheme, and whether it is intended that this sum should be recouped from the new tax.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

Governor

SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

KNUTSFORD.

[Subsequent correspondence with His Excellency Sir J. WALSHAM “Confidential.*]

No. 8.

No.

11

88.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE BRIGADE FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

FIRE BRIGADE DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 20th February, 1888.

the

SIR,-I have the honour to present the following report in connection with the Fire Brigade for year 1887.

The year has been characterized by an unusual number of fires, some of which have attained serious proportions, but the greater part of which have been soon extinguished. There were nearly three times as many fires as the maximum number recorded in any previous year and the resources of the Brigade have been very fully taxed. To those who know how easy the spread of a fire is in the crowded Chinese town with its back to back houses, and narrow lanes, I think the Brigades may be congratulated on the success that has attended their efforts.

In one of these fires only has a charge of incendiarism been made. It was made at the instance of an Agent for a German Insurance Office, and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, where the defendant was acquitted without being called upon to make his defence.

I understand that a civil suit is pending in connection with this trial and I forbear therefore from dwelling upon this particular case. Generally speaking, however, I may say that the practice of in- suring contents of Chinese houses without any check beyond what is caused by the self-interests of the parties concerned is a grave source of temptation, and is fostered by the interests both of those who insure and of those who accept the risks.

Even supposing abuses not to arise it is inexpedient to give opportunity for them and the danger created by the facilities for bad practices is aggravated by the difficulty of detecting and exposing such as take place, and by the natural reluctance which a Company concerned only with its own interests feels to take the initiative by refusing a claim.

In the interests of the Brigade I think it would be well if it were made obligatory upon Insurance Companies and Agencies to furnish the Superintendent or the Government with full particulars as to date, amount and nature of policies effected in houses in which fires occur, and thus possibly to afford some idea as to how far Insurance and fires stand to each other in the relation of cause and effect. I do not think there would be any reluctance to give the information, and it might in time form a valuable record.

It is possible however that when systematic enquiries on oath are made, other causes such as the indiscriminate and careless use of Kerosine oil, or the increase of accidents arising with the growth of the population may be found to be the prime promoters of conflagrations, but the tendency of insuring is undoubtedly to give rise to incendiarism, and even apparent carelessness may be the result of careful forethought.

Two or three cases of undoubted incendiarism have come under my own notice, occurring not necessarily in the house in which the fire originated, but in the house adjoining it, and I am credibly informed that on the occasion of the large fire in Queen's Road West some weeks ago, the fire broke out simultaneously in three different houses separated from each other and with no possibility of inter- communication of the flames.

The fires of the past year have been marked by some painful incidents. Towards the close of the extensive conflagration in Queen's Road West to which I have just referred a member of the Government Fire Brigade named Fox lost his life in venturing into a house, the upper portion of which was in a dangerous state. The house collapsed and fell down upon him while he was inside.

In another case, six Chinese lives were lost. The fire broke out in a room on the first floor and communicated itself to the stair-case before the inmates above were made alive to their danger. There were no means of escape either by the roof or by windows and all six lost their lives.

The last incident that occurred was at an extensive fire in Bonham Strand, where, without a minute's warning, five houses fell outwards across the street resulting in the most serious injuries to Mr. Ross the foreman of the Volunteer Fire Brigade. A member of the Government Fire Brigade was also slightly injured, but to those who witnessed what took place, it was a mercy that no more harm was done than was actually occasioned, as there were at least six firemen whose position at the time seriously jeopardized their lives.

It may not be out of place at the commencement of another year to take stock of the existing con- dition of the Fire Brigade and of its adequacy to meet the requirements of the Colony.

At the present moment the Fire Brigade consists of thirty three Europeans of whom seventeen are firemen, six engine drivers, and the rest, superintendents, foremen, and assistant foremen, and of ninety-one Chinese firemen besides stokers and interpreters. The pay of the European firemen is four dollars and fifty cents a month and that of a Chinese fireman from one dollar and fifty cents to one dollar. The foremen, stokers, and interpreters are of course paid at a higher rate. The Brigade is further strengthened by the services of the Hongkong Fire Insurance Volunteers, the Pawnbrokers, and other bodies all of whom have been present on every occasion of a fire and have rendered most valuable services.

The head quarters of the Fire Brigade are at No. 5 Police Station in Queen's Road. Watchmen are stationed at the Clock Tower and at the Tower of the Fire Brigade Station, and upon an alarm of fire the bells are rung at the Central Police Station, at the Fire Brigade Station and at the Clock Tower. Three separate strokes indicate a fire west of the Harbour Office, two separate strokes a fire between the Harbour Office and the Murray Barracks, and one stroke a fire east of the Murray Barracks.

The Engines are located at the Fire Brigade Station. They are four in number, not including the floating engine which is known as the No. 1 Engine. The latter is located in the harbour near Yau- mati. It is an invaluable engine and can throw four jets of some sixty feet high. It has recently been modified with a view to increasing its speed and it is now capable of steaming at a rate of about eight knots an hour.

In addition to the steam engines I have mentioned, there are also a certain number of manual engines stationed in different parts of the island. So far as the City of Victoria is concerned, there is one at Government House, one at the Central Police Station, one in Hollywood Road, one at the Harbour Office and one at Saiyingpún. There are also boxes with fire appliances in various parts of the Town.

Practically speaking however the main strength of the Brigade is at the Fire Brigade Station. At an alarm of fire in the City of Victoria, a telephonic signal is immediately sent to what is known as the No. 2 Tank. This tank is situated in Caine Road, and supplies the City of Victoria with water from the Pokfulam Reservoir. The water is distributed by two main pipes from which branch out smaller pipes throughout the Town. Its limits are broadly speaking Queen's Road at the foot of Gough Street to the west, Queen's Road to the north and the City Hall to the east. At frequent intervals are what are known as street fire plugs. They are distinguishable by iron plates level with the street, and on removing this iron plate, hose can be attached. Many of these plates have a raised knob on the top of them. The knob is to distinguish them from the other plates that are without them, and indicates that they are stop plugs, that is to say that they are merely for the purpose of shutting off water. Before this distinguishing mark was put, the greatest confusion often resulted, and much time was lost in waiting for water at one of these stop plugs, when there was none to come.

The No. 2 Tank is in its turn supplied from another tank at the western end of Robinson Road. This tank also supplies Caine Road and some other streets. These are the two chief distributions of water from the Pokfulam Reservoir. There are other subsidiary supplies which are strictly local. One is in Glenealy Ravine and supplies the Gaol and Police Barracks. Another is above the Government Civil Hospital and another near the Albany. Wanchai, as far as the City Hall, is supplied from the tank that is to be seen in the Wong-nei-chung Gap.

Generally speaking the fresh water supply is very unsatisfactory. It is uncertain inasmuch as it is not always running, it is inadequate and its pressure is not uniform. Much of its possible pressure is also diminished by leakage throughout the houses in which it is distributed along its route to the fire and by other causes such as the friction of the pipes, and sudden changes in their diameter. In reducing therefore the working of the Brigade to a system, it is impossible to regard the fresh water supply as other than a very poor adjunct, and in almost every instance recourse is had to the harbour.

In starting the engines in connection with the harbour, consideration has to be given to the locality of the fire. Experience has shown that it is impossible to safely work pressure to a higher point than is able to afford a sufficient jet for houses placed between Queen's Road and the harbour. The rule therefore is to work direct from the harbour with all houses comprised within those bounds, but in the case of fires at a higher level than Queen's Road, the engines are distributed at intervals up the hill as far as may be required; they are connected the one with the other with hose and each engine pumps into the other until the level of the fire is reached. All this occasions great wear and tear of engines and hose and fire materials, and leaves only a very limited supply of water when the fire is reached, but it is inevitable so long as the fresh water supply is arranged as at present. Nor do I see that the increased supply of water from Tytam will much improve matters unless with it there is an increase of pressure, a uniformity of distribution and a certainty of water at all times.

It is impossible to insist too much upon the element of certainty. It is not as if fires could be met by arrangements devised for them at the moment. They must be treated in accordance with general arrangements applicable to all cases, and of these the first desideratum is water, and until one can base one's arrangements upon the certainty of a sufficient fresh water supply at any given point, the harbour must be regarded as the single basis of one's calculations.

The hilly nature of the site of the City of Victoria would seem to point to a system of high level tanks as being that best adopted for the requirements of the Town. In the case of a fire spreading up the hill it would be of immense advantage to be able to meet it from above and the constant growth of the Town up

the hill points still further in this direction. Nor am I at all sure that with such a system, if properly devised and carried out, the necessity for land steam engines will not almost entirely cease to exist. The cost would of course be considerable and it may not be thought to be worth while to incur it. The proposed Praya reclamation scheme, however, if carried out, will necessarily bring this matter to the front, and in the meantime I would merely ask His Excellency's attention to the question and also to the consideration as to the extent to which the working of the reclamation scheme will interfere with the water supply from the harbour.

The following is the arrangement at present in force with regard to the steam engines. Three of the engines proceed to the Praya. Two of them run out hose to the fire. The other stands by with fires lighted, but does not run out hose until the order is given. The fourth engine remains in the station in reserve. Each engine has its own hose reel, and the branch pipes have special marks to indicate to which engine they belong. In order that in the confusion the branch pipes may not be attached to the wrong hose, a slight delay takes place between the removal of each engine from the station, and the driver is under orders to see that his engine never starts without the proper hose reel accompanying it. With a view further to obviate any miscarriage from hurry or ignorance or neglect, duplicate branch pipes are supplied, two being attached to each engine and two to each hose reel. The branch pipe is frequently termed the nozzle, but strictly speaking the term "nozzle" is applicable only to the end of the branch pipes from which the water issues.

Generally speaking the efforts of the Brigade have been directed rather to the simplification of duties and to the instruction of the men in a few broad elementary rules with regard to the running out of hose, the protection of the adjoining property, and such like matters, together with the provision before hand of all such arrangements as are likely to be of service on the occasion of a fire.

Owing to the constitution of the Fire Brigade, which consists of Policemen who have in the first place to consider their Police duties, it is not possible to assign particular duties to individual firemen and it has been sought rather to familiarize each one with the elementary rudiments of Fire Brigade drill, and by a careful prearrangement and simplification of appliances and by general rules as to dealing with fires, to minimize the drawbacks occasioned by the impossibility of assigning special duties

to selected individuals.

very

Among some of the principal changes that have been made in this direction, I may mention the substitution of a broad thread screw for the narrow thread that it was customary to use in the hose couplings. A great saving of time and labour has been effected by this change, and it has been found to be of the greatest possible advantage to the Brigade. Another change that has been found valuable has been the institution of a light service in the form of what is termed a "Supply Cart." This Cart can be drawn by two men, and contains all the necessary appliances for dealing with a fire at the outset. Inasmuch also as it has been found that very frequently a fire without actually spread- ing to an adjoinning house, will ignite it inside to the extent of making it necessary to play water upon the incipient flames, the Supply Cart carries with it two hand pumps and two extincteurs, which have been constantly found sufficient to extinguish the flames, when without these appliances resort must have been had to a hose, with the consequent delay of stopping the engine, attaching a new length, and a great destruction of property by a deluge of salt water, even supposing the flames to have not made uncontrollable way in the interval.

Other changes of a similar kind have been made, of which I have already mentioned the duplicate branch pipes, and in which I may include the institution of reserve hose reels to be taken to the fire

and used exclusively for adding new lengths when required, instead of as formerly having recourse to the engines when additional lengths were wanted, and lastly the practice of indiscriminately cutting down wood work has been entirely abandoned. No wood work can now be cut down without the order of an officer, and such an order is seldom required. In the opinion of many the spread of the great fire in 1878 was largely due to the immense destruction of wood work on that occasion, the streets in some places being blocked with shutters and broken timbers which at one and the same time impeded the movements of the Brigade, and served as a bridge for the flames.

With regard to the spread of fires they are occasioned by the beams and rafters of the roof of the house on fire being in contact with those of the adjoining houses, and in many cases protected from access by the ceiling below; also by the falling of lighted matter through the smoke holes of neighbouring houses, and again by projecting verandahs which probably contain inflammable articles. Heat alone is often sufficient to ignite either the opposite houses, or anything near that is capable of catching fire. A double brick-wall is however absolute protection to the extent of the space covered by it.

The clothes stands on roofs though invariably igniting have not so far as my experience goes been a principal cause of fires spreading. They consist only of upright and horizontal bars, with hollow spaces between them, and do not readily burn.

The accompanying report from Mr. BREWER will show the state of the engines at the present time. They have worked well throughout the year, and have been carefully tended by Mr. BREWER, the Engineer, and Mr. WAGNER, the Assistant Engineer.

There is great need of another floating engine. The present floating engine lies at Yaumáti, and is not immediately available for service on this side. Also when a fire occurs anywhere on the other side or in the harbour, there is no launch at the disposal of the Brigade for taking the men to these places. What is required is a floating engine similar to that now in use, and capable of trans- porting men to different parts of the Island. At present if the existing floating engine breaks down, there is nothing able to take its place, and considering the vast shipping interests in the harbour, and the valuable property located at Yaumáti, the Naval Yard, Kowloon, and Hunghom, one floating engine is not enough. The nature of the country on the other side does not admit of the transport of land engines, and the only practicable method of dealing with fires there is by floating engines. I trust therefore that His Excellency will give this matter his favourable consideration and will sanction the purchase or construction of another floating engine.

Also I think the European element of the Brigade should be further increased. Men who before were available for fire duties have now to attend to engines, and considering the growth of the town I do not think an increase of ten men would be by any means out of place. We are always hampered by want of men, some being in Hospital and some on Police duty, and at the initiatory stages of a fire the want of a sufficient European complement is much felt, as it is on them that the Superintendent has mainly to rely to see that his general system of organisation is properly carried out. Police firemen are not allowed to leave their beat to go to a fire, so that the nominal strength of the European element is reduced by one half at the outset, and to this must be added absence from sickness and other causes.

On the other hand I think the Chinese element might be largely reduced. With an increased European element, I think we might easily dispense with a sufficient number of Chinese to balance the additional expense in the increased European element, so that the change could be accomplished without further cost to the Brigade.

I will conclude this report with a return of fires and alarms of fires during the past year. The origins assigned to the different fires given in the schedule must be accepted with reservation, and are not to be taken as authoritative.

I have only to add that the Brigade has enjoyed the hearty co-operation of the officers and men, throughout the year, who have all worked well under the exceptional strain that has from time to time been put upon them.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

H. E. WODEHOuse, Superintendent, Fire Brigade.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.

&c.

(Copy.)

FIRE BRIGADE DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 5th January, 1888.

Annual Report on Fire Engines.

SIR, I have the honour to forward herewith a report on the state of the Government Fire Engines for the year ending 31st December, 1887.

No. 1 Floating Fire Engine by Merry Weather.

This engine is 19 years old, and was formerly a land engine on wheels, but was found too heavy for the roads and cumbersome of transportation; it was therefore put into a launch in March, 1883, and has since done good service. The Boiler is now 10 years old, and requires a new fire box. It was intended to execute this repair some months ago, but it was postponed pending the arrival of the new engine from England. The fresh water tanks are rusting internally, and require to be removed for scraping and painting and generally overhauling, I would recommend this be done immediately after the Chinese New Year.

The machinery and hull of the launch are in good order and with a view to increasing the speed of the launch, a new propeller of more suitable design is now fitted.

No. 2 Steamer by Merry Weather.

This Engine is 19 years old. It was fitted with a new boiler in 1878 and new steam cylinders by Messrs. FENWICK & Co. in 1886. The Engine is of obsolete type and too heavy for our roads, proof of which, it has on two occasions broken through the roads and sunk up to its axles. The engine has however done good service feeding the small engines on high levels with salt water. engine should be supplemented by one of modern type lighter more powerful and a quick generating boiler (as the present one takes 25 minutes against the modern one of 7 minutes to raise steam.)

No. 3 Steamer by Shand and Mason.

This

This Engine is 8 years old and was formerly of the auxiliary cylinder type. It was altered last year upon my recommendation, the auxiliary cylinder removed and a balance wheel substituted, which has rendered the engine more efficient and has given every satisfaction. In consequence of the age of the boiler, I have reduced the working pressure of steam to 75 lbs. which has necessarily somewhat handicapped the engine in its work. In my last year's report I recommended a new fire box which I find it is impracticable to attach, and would suggest that Messrs. SHAND & MASON receive instructions to send out a new boiler complete, which we can fix here.

No. 4 Steamer by Shand and Mason.

This Engine is 5 years old and is in excellent condition. New valves have been fitted and the working parts adjusted.

No. 5 Steamer by Shand and Mason

Was supplied upon my recommendation last year. This engine is of the most modern type, and has proved a valuable auxiliary to our fire extinguishing apparatus.

66

Stanley" Floating fire pump has only been used once during the past year, and is not available on emergency, as the launch is kept at Stone Cutters' Island.

The manual engines 9 in number, are all in good working order.

Generally.-Though the calls on the Fire Brigade have been heavy this year, I am happy to state that no Engine has been totally disabled during a fire, and no serious breakdown has occurred at any time, yet I am still of opinion, we have not sufficient engines for the increasing size of the Colony, as two fires at the same moment would drain our resources, and an engine laid up for repairs renders our appliances insufficient.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

(Signed)

JOHN S. BREWER, Assist. Supt. and Engineer.

H. E. WODEHOUSE, Esq., C.M.G.,

Superintendent, Fire Brigade,

&C.,

&c.,

1

&c.

.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887.

No. of

No.

DATE.

TIME.

SITUATION OF FIRE.

2

OTIA CO 10-

Jan.

3,

Grass on the hill-side at Mount Davis,

4,

Grass on the hill-side above Kennedy Road,

>>

A stack of grass at No. 207, Shaukiwán,

BUILDING

DESTROYED.

DAMAGE.

Wholly. Partly.

...

Trifling

Unknown.

Do.

Do.

$10

CAUSE.

REMARKS.

""

8, 12 Midnight.

A wooden hut in Garden Lane,

1

$100

9 a.m.

""

A partition on the ground floor of house No. 199, Holly- wood Road.

...

...

Trifling

6

CO

12,

1 a.m.

House No. 16, Sai Woo Lane, top floor,..........

1

2

$1,400

"

10

11

78961

12,

12.15 a.m.

Some clothing in No. 39, Tank Lane,

...

Trifling

Incendiary.

Ignited by the burning husks. Accidental while cooking.

Upsetting of a kerosine lamp on a quantity of hemp bags. Unknown.

""

13,

4.30 a.m.

>>

13,

9.30 p.m.

A straw shed at the back of No. 146, Third Street,. No. 142, Second Street, ground floor,.

1

Do.

Do.

2

3

$14,000

Do.

14,

9.30 a.m.

""

14,

4 p.m.

The verandah of No. 115, Queen's Road West,. Gallery of the Ko Shing Theatre, ....

...

Trifling

Accidental.

12

15,

5 a.m.

No. 48, Queen's Road West, cock-loft, ground floor,..

2

""

13

14

15,

""

9 p.m.

15

16

17

4567

16,

""

16,

""

16,

""

""

6666

9 a.m.

18,

18

39

20,

19

20

2222

20,

""

""

21

""

>>

21,

22,

22,

4 p.m.

11.30 p.m.

4.30 p.m.

6.30 p.m.

8.15 p.m.

11 a.m.

5.8 a.m.

11.20 p.m.

A quantity of mattings at the back entrance of No. 215, Queen's Road East.

A mosquito curtain at No. 172, Wellington Street, Some and old baskets at No. 230, Queen's Rd. Central,] papers A kerosine lamp at No. 117, Queen's Road Central,... Grass on the hill-side at Deep Water's Bay, .....

A number of mat bags saturated with kerosine on the roof of No. 5, Bonham Strand.

A stack of grass on the hill above Man Ming Lane,.

The chimney of No. 31, Lyndhurst Terrace,

Some

papers and a wooden box at Man Mo Temple, House. No. 103, First Street,

None.

$23,000 Capsizing of a kerosine lamp on a quantity of paper, straw and shavings.

This was a false alarm and greatly excited the audience for a short time.

Was insured in Messrs. Siemssen & Co.'s Office for $3,000.

None

:

:

$2

DA

Incendiary.

Accidental.

...

Trifling

Unknown.

...

...

:

:

...

...

...

Do.,

...

...

$5

Unknown.

None

Trifling

None

Do.

Do.

Incendiary,

None Accidental. Unknown Incendiary,

$30

A large number of young trees were des- troyed.

The man who sat fire to the bags on the roof was seen running away by a boy.

23

25,

2.45 a.m.

Some

""

24

26,

:

,,

1 p.m.

stored on the second floor of house No. 63, papers Wellington Street. A Printing Office.

Ground floor of house No. 59, Queen's Road West,

$25

Unknown,

:

...

1

1

$3,000

Do.,

25 Feb.

3,

8 p.m.

Ground floor of house No. 3, Bonham Strand, ......

1

$12,000

Dropping of a kerosine lamp,

...

28

8885

26

13,

""

27

17,

5.40 a.m.

22,

The grass on the hill-side at Kai Lung Wan, Ground floor of No. 129, Queen's Road West, Grass on the hill-side near Stanley,

...

1

Trifling

Unknown.

1 $2,900 Accidental,

Trifling

Unknown.

A small quantity of paper and shavings saturated with kerosine with a cracker and a lighted incense stick attached were found at the foot of the staircase. Was insured in Messrs. Adamson, Bell & Co.'s Office for $5,000.

Was insured in Messrs. Schellhass & Co.'s Office for $3,200.

The contents were insured in Messrs. Meyer & Co.'s Office for $12,000.

The buildings were not insured.

No. DATE.

TIME.

CAUSE.

REMARKS.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887,-Continued.

No. of

SITUATION OF FIRE.

BUILDING

DESTROYED.

DAMAGE.

Wholly. Partly.

...

Trifling

Do.

Unknown.

Do.

None Incendiary.

Do.

Unknown.

Do.

Do.

29 Feb. 22,

7.20 p.m.

3.45 p.m.

8.20 p.m.

12.30 a.m.

5 a.m.

Some clothing on the ground floor of No. 81, Hollywood Rd., A shed on the roof of No. 17, Salt Fish Street,

The shrubbery under one of the matsheds at the Race Course, Chimney of No. 63, Bonham Strand East,....

A wooden partition in house No. 22, Queen's Road West,. No. 15, Sz Mi Lane, ground floor,

30

""

24,

31

27,

"

32

March 4,

""

7,

9,

""

12,

15,

""

8.50 p.m.

A cooking stall in Chinese Recreation Ground,. No. 76, Jervois Street, ground floor,

33

34

35

36

""

6

::

::

$19,000

Carelessness with joss papers,... Insured for $2,000 at Messrs. Schellhass

None

Unknown.

Trifling

Incendiary,

Upsetting a kerosine lamp, Unknown.

Falling of a kerosine lamp,

& Co.

A large quantity of paper, a number of books saturated with kerosine were found, and also a chatty and a tin containing some kerosine.

Property of Government.

Three small pigs roasted alive. Insured for $2,000.

Insured for $20,000 in Messrs. Meyer & Co., and $20,000 in Messrs. Pustau & Co.

37

16,

5.50 p.m.

38

22,

10 a.m.

Chimney of No. 276, Queen's Road Central,.. Matsheds at Taitám Water-Works,

None

Unknown.

14

$550

Unknown,

39

22,

4.25 p.m.

Two matsheds at Tsimshatsui,

2

$10

Careless use of fire,

40

23,

3.50 a.m.

No. 17, Wing Kut Street,

1

$2,500

....

41

23,

""

5.20 p.m.

42

24,

9 p.m.

No. 34, Bonham Strand West,

43

26,

""

44

27,

""

45

27,

10 a.m.

12 a.m.

Grass on the hills between Stanley and Táit'ámtuk, No. 143, Queen's Road Central,

Chimney of No. 135, Queen's Road West,

Wood-work in the cook house of No. 36, Bonham Strand West.

...

1

None

$1,800

Slight

Accidental while cooking.

Do.

...

::

...

Incendiary.

None

Attempted arson,

...

"

46

47

29,

1 a.m.

A kerosine lamp at No. 111, West Street,..

Do.

Accidental.

29,

""

6 p.m.

The chimney of No. 4, Wellington Street,...

Do.

Unknown.

48

29,

9 p.m.

No. 13, Tank Lane, ground floor,

49

31,

>>

4.30 p.m.

No. 8, Táit'ámtuk,

1

$70

50 April April 3,

11.15 a.m.

51

""

52

""

Grass on the hill-side at No. 2 Bridge, Pokfulam Road, Grass on the hill-side at Mount Davis,

Grass on the hill-side near Whitfield,

Do.

$7

Do.,

Accidental,

53

""

54

,,

55

"}

56

99

57

5,

ເລ ົາ

A quantity of kerosine was found poured over the staircase.

Slight Upsetting a kerosine lamp.

Accidental.

Unknown Unknown,

Combustion of accumulated coal Burning of joss paper.

[gas.

A number of young trees were destroyed. Some young trees were destroyed. Caught fire while some Chinese were wor- shipping at the graves. Three men

were arrested and ordered by the Magis- trate to pay the damage.

Caught fire while worshipping at graves. Caught fire while worshipping at tombs. A number of trees and shrubs were burned.

Grass on the hill-side near Shaukiwán Village,. Grass on the hill-side at Stanley,

...

Unknown

Do.

Do.,

Do.,

...

...

2 p.m.

5.30 p.m.

4.30 a.m.

Messrs. Blackhead & Co.'s coal shed at Tsimshatsui,

No. 37, Market Street,..........

A quantity of firewood on the ground floor of No. 19,

Sheung Fung Lane.

...

$125,000

Trifling

None

...

Do.

No.

DATE.

TIME.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887,- Continued.

No. OF

BUILDING

SITUATION OF FIRE.

DESTROYED.

DAMAGE.

Wholly. Partly.

None

Incendiary,

58 April 27,

No. 17, Graham Street,

59

30,

7.10 p.m.

60 May

1,

9 a.m.

No. 273, Queen's Road Central, No. 4, Wai Tak Lane,

2

$8,000 Unknown, Trifling Incendiary,

CAUSE.

REMARKS.

Chan A-woo who formerly lived in the same house as the woman Ching Hi, and had been charged at the Police Court for assaulting her, poured kerosine oil on the stairs and attempted to set it on fire, when observed by inmates he ran away. Insured for $10,000 at Messrs. Pustau & Co. Kau Hung placed a basket of shavings satu- rated with kerosine and set fire to it. He was arrested by P.C. 236 and charged with arson.

Some oakum caught fire.

The house was not insured.

61

""

62

>>

63

64

>>

4,

4,

6 p.m.

6.45 p.m.

7.25 p.m.

65

7,

""

66

13,

11 a.m.

Cock-loft of No. 51, Market Street, Hunghòm,.

15

67

16,

>>

7.30 p.m.

Tsimshatsui,

Chimney of No. 107, Wellington Street, Matshed at Sandy Bay, Pokfúlam,

None Unknown.

1

Accidental.

First floor of No. 7, Station Street,..

Trifling

Unknown,

No. 35, Battery Road,

Chimney of No. 28, Wing Lok Street,

Trifling

Upsetting of a kerosine lamp, . Unknown.

$3

None

$120

$60

:.

8889

وو

68

69

""

31,

30,

5.45 p.m.

Grass on the hill-side near Aberdeen,....

Chimney of No. 47, Lower Lascar Row,

Do.

Accidental while burning incense

paper.

Messrs. Blackhead & Co. were trying a new patent lamp at Tsimshatsui, and an alarm of fire was raised.

Unknown.

Do.

Do.

$9

Accidental,

70

71

31,

5.30 p.m.

No. 142, Queen's Road West,

31,

6.40 p.m.

Chimney of No. 2, Hollywood Road,

None

Unknown.

Insured for $3,000 at Messrs. Siemssen & Co.

""

72

73

74

75

><

une

>>

3,

13,

19,

76 July 2,

31,

Grass on the hill-side above Aberdeen Docks,

Do.

Do.

2.30 p.m.

8 p.m.

7

p.m.

The chimney of house No. 99, Wántsai Road,

Chimney of No. 180, Hollywood Road,

A mosquito curtain in house No. 362, Queen's Road West,

Do.

Do.

...

Trifling

Accidental.

None

Do.

6.45 p.m.

A mosquito curtain in house No. 56, Caine Road,

Do.

Do.

...

77

3,

9.5 p.m.

House No. 28, Tank Lane,

1

1

$300

78

25,

8.30 p.m.

House No. 185, Queen's Road West,

15

4

79

27,

2.20 a.m.

In the ruins of house No. 187, Queen's Road West,.

None

>>

80 Aug.

3,

10.55 p.m.

Room No. 14, College Chamber,.......

Very little

81

Grass on the hills near Stanley,

Slight

وو

82

23,

>>

9 p.m.

House No. 311, Queen's Road Central,

2

$2,000

Dropping of a light on some

shavings.

$26,000 | Breaking of a kerosine lamp,

Upsetting of a kerosine lamp. Unknown.

Dropping of a kerosine lamp,

Insured for $1,500 at Messrs. Melchers & Co.

Insured for $1,350 at Messrs. Carlowitz & Co.

83

84

29,

A thatched hut at Aplichau,

...

>>

30,

Chimney of house No. 135, Wellington Street,..

Trifling

None

Unknown.

Do.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887,—Continued.

No. of

BUILDING

No.

DATE.

89

90

"}

91

92

93 Oct.

94

21,

25,

2.30 p.m.

وو

4,

4.45 a.m.

حرية

85 Sept.

86

""

87

88

508

12,

""

""

TIME.

7 p.m.

8 a.m.

3 a.m.

15, 5.5 a.m.

"

15,

""

18,

10 p.m.

SITUATION OF FIRE.

Chimney of house No. 137, Queen's Road Central, Messrs. Russell & Co.'s coal godown, Praya East, A basket of charcoal at No. 2, Tak Hing Lane, No. 39, Wing Lok Street,

No. 37, Wing Lok Street,

Some papers in cook house on first floor of No. 15, Mor- rison Street.

No. 76, Queen's Road West,

A small quantity of hay at No. 52, Hing Lung Street, The chimney of house No. 254, Queen's Road West,

DESTROYED.

Wholly. Partly.

...

1

:

:

:

:

DAMAGE.

CAUSE.

REMARKS.

Unknown Unknown.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

$1,200

Unknown,

None

Incendiary,

*

Trifling

Unknown.

2

1

$4,000

Do.,

None

Do.

Do.

Do.

5,

5 a.m.

House No. 9, In Ku Lane,

1

...

$1,500

Do.,

95

7,

5.25 p.m.

House No. 5, Gage Street,

1

1

$3,000

Dropping of a lighted kerosine

lamp.

Both houses were insured for $1,600 at Messrs. Schellhass & Co.

* A paper torch was found in a clothes press and partly burnt along with some papers and a Chinese jacket.

Insured for $1,500 at Messrs. Carlowitz & Co.

The contents were insured for $25,000 at Messrs. Meyer & Co.

8588

11.40 a.m.

Some clothing on second floor of house No. 7, Station St.,

Very little

Unknown.

""

2 p.m.

""

98

10,

""

8 p.m.

A wooden hut at Mongkoktsui,

Some clothing on first floor of No. 2, Wing Fung Lane, ...

{

13

Huts

$250

$1

Accidental.

99

26,

Grass on hills at Stanley,

""

100

31,

4.45 a.m.

A matshed at Kennedy Town,

العربية

...

{

2

Sheds

""

101 Nov.

8.45 p.m.

The cook house chimney of Star Hotel,

102

Cook house No. 7, Pokfúlam Road,

103

**

11.42 a.m.

House No. 9, Sheung Fung Lane,

...

1

104

7,

>>

5 p.m.

First floor of house No. 12, Gilman Street,

...

...

105

Some grass on Victoria Peak,

""

106

10,

107

14,

6.30 p.m.

108

16,

7.20 p.m.

109

16,

7.30 p.m.

:.

::

110

111

112

""

""

18,

18,

19,

10 p.m.

""

11 p.m.

Some grass near Magazine Gap,.......

Some empty packing cases on first floor of house No. 5,

Cochrane Street.

House No. 253, Queen's Road Central,

Staircase of house No. 55, Square Street,

A quantity of mat bags on hill-side at Shekt'ongtsui, Ko Shing Theatre,

House No: 115, Wellington Street,...

24 10

::

...

Slight Accidental.

$90,000 Bursting of a kerosine lamp,

Slight

$3

None

Incendiary,.....

Unknown.

Slight

Incendiary,

Firema: Fox was killed at this fire while engaged in its suppression.

A rag soaked with kerosine and a lighted joss stick were found at the foot of the staircase.

This was a false alarm and greatly excited the audience who made general rush for the doors.

A quantity of joss paper saturated with nut oil was found burning just inside the street door.

Slight

Unknown

Burning of joss paper.

None

Unknown.

Do.

Accidental.

1

Do.

Slight

None

Shavings caught fire, Unknown.

Do.

Unknown.

Carelessness with matches.

Unknown.

The house was not insured.

Discharging of rockets.

:

No. DATE.

TIME.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887,—Continued.

SITUATION OF FIRE.

No. of

BUILDING

Destroyed.

DAMAGE.

Wholly. Partly.

CAUSE.

...

Slight

Do. .

None

Carelessness with a lamp.

Unknown.

Do.

...

Very little

Do.

None

Do.

Do.

Incendiary.

REMARKS.

$150 Unknown,

Very little Spontaneous combustion.

Some old rags saturated with kerosine were found in the staircase.

The house was not insured.

12

None

Unknown

None

Unknown.

Do.

...

:

:

:

Not much Incendiary.

Unknown Unknown,

Do.,

Do.

None

Do..

Accidental.

......

This was a false alarm and a general rush was made for the doors.

A considerabe amount of damage was done to growing trees.

A few acres of grass burnt and part of the wood and young plants slightly damaged. This was a false alarm. A general rush was made for the doors. Two men were arrested for raising false alarm.

$190 Accidental, upsetting of an oil The house was not insured.

1

Slight

Unknown.

1

$1,000

Accidental,

$150

[lamp.

The house was not insured. The house was not insured.

Accidental, bed curtain caught fire while worshipping.

113 Nov. 20,

10 p.m.

114

21,

115

21,

5.30 p.m.

116

22,

8.15 a.m.

Rutter's Lane.

117

22,

11 p.m.

118

23,

""

9.15 p.m.

Partition of house No. 21, Stanley Street,...

Grass on the hill-side near Hoktsui,

A quantity of firewood in the cook house No. 341, Queen's Road West.

Some clothing and matting on ground floor of No. 2,

A mosquito curtain in house No. 32, Third Street, House No. 42, Queen's Road West,

:

119

24,

3.10 a.m.

House No. 13, Triangle Street,

1

**

120

24,

""

3.30 p.m.

Coals in one of the Kowloon Godown Company's sheds at Tsimshatsui.

121

24,

""

9.30 p.m.

Some dried grass at No. 16, Wing Fung Street,

122

25,

""

123

25,

""

8.20 p.m.

Ko Shing Theatre,

124

25,

"

9 p.m.

125

26,

""

126

26,

""

3.30 p.m.

Matsheds at Taitám Water-Works,

Beams of verandah of No. 348, Queen's Road West, Grass on the north-side of the hill below Mount Kellet,

Grass on the hill-side near Kai Lung Wan,

...

127

26,

Ko Shing Theatre,

""

128

15

27,

129

27,

130

27,

""

7.5 p.m.

131

28,

House No. 107, Wellington Street,..

""

132

29,

6.40 a.m.

House No. 163, Queen's Road East,

8.15 p.m.

6.30 p.m.

8.45 p.m.

A kerosine lamp on the ground floor of house No. 20, Graham Street.

First floor of house No. 1, Nullah Lane,

A basket of old clothing at No. 348, Queen's Road West,

:

:

:

:21

>>

133

29,

""

134

29,

""

135

29,

"

ឥតគ

7.30 p.m.

House No. 165, Queen's Road East,

7.40 p.m.

8.30 p.m.

|House No. 4, Staunton Street, House No. 107, Wellington Street,.

136

30,

"

137

30,

""

""

138❘ Dec.

5 p.m.

1,

7 p.m.

House No. 40, Wing On Street,

Messageries Maritimes Coal Godown, Praya East,

House No. 55, Square Street,

I-

:

1

$150

Unknown.

Very little

Do.

3

...

:

None.

$16,000 Accidental, upsetting of an oil

None

lamp.

Do. Incendiary,

The smouldering ruins of old fire broke out afresh.

No fire, but the coal was smoking and it was removed.

A piece of rag saturated with kerosine, some matches and joss sticks were found burn- ing at the foot of the staircase.

FIRES AND ALARMS DURING THE YEAR 1887,—Continued.

No. of

BUILDING

No.

DATE.

TIME.

SITUATION OF FIRE.

DESTROYED.

DAMAGE.

CAUSE.

REMARKS.

Wholly. Partly.

139 Dec. 1,

ல்

10101066

9.20 p.m.

House No. 21, Pound Lane,...

140

1,

""

9.30 p.m.

Ko Shing Theatre,

141

>>

3 p.m.

House No. 55, Square Street,

142

2,

""

4 p.m.

143

144

""

145

146

""

147

""

1

$200

Unknown,

None

Do.

Incendiary,

148

149

100

7,

150

151

152

""

200908

20, 5 a.m.

20,

6.50 p.m.

7 p.m.

wood Road.

28,

1.30 a.m.

153

154

155

156

""

"

""

4.15 p.m.

8 p.m.

6

p.m.

1.40 p.m.

11, 6.50 p.m.

20,

24,

26,

5.50 p.m.

7.20 p.m.

House No. 55, Square Street,

Chimney of No. 3, New West Street,....

A bed quilt at house No. 336, Queen's Road West, Servant's quarters at Staunton Street, Grass on the hill near Táit'ámtuk, House No. 116, Wellington Street,.

Cook house chimney of house No. 31, Elgin Street,.

A grass water-proof coat on the hill-side at Yaumáti caught fire while Wong Tai, a mendicant was wearing, House No. 15, Morrison Street,

A mosquito curtain at No. 88, Station Street, Yaumáti, House No. 5, Kau-ü-fong,

House No. 34, Cochrane Street,

Chimney of No. 22, Hing Lung Street,

Some wood on the back premises of house No. 112, Holly-

:

:

Do.

Do.,

:.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Incendiary.

Slight

Unknown.

None

Incendiary,

Do.

Unknown.

Do.

Accidental while cooking,

2

:

$1,800

Unknown,

A:

Slight

4

$1,500

Accidental while smoking opium. Accidental, falling of a kerosine lamp.

Slight

Upsetting of a kerosine lamp.

None

Unknown.

...

Slight

House No. 56, Bonham Strand,

16

$30,000

157

158

159

"}

""

28,

28,

7.30 p.m.

10.45 p.m.

28,

""

160

28,

7.50 p.m.

A stack of grass near the Burning ground at Yaumáti, The temporary Market at Hunghom, Matsheds and grass at Wántsai Gap, House No. 223, Queen's Road West,

Unknown

...

34

Do.

Do.,

Sheds

2

Do.

Do.

......

Sheds

None

Incendiary, ....

161

31,

1 p.m.

Some books in a drawer at house No. 1, Square Street,

Do.

Accidental.

Carelessness with joss paper.

Carelessness with some lighted joss sticks.

Unknown, but very currently reported to have been the act of incendiarism. Unknown.

Carelessness with matches.

Seven people were perished.

False alarm. Great confusion was caused amongst the audience.

Two men were arrested for raising false alarm.

Some shavings soaked with kerosine oil were found on the staircase.

A few rags and shavings were discovered alight on the staircase.

A lighted joss stick and a handful of white cotton saturated with kerosine oil were found on the staircase.

Wong Tai died subsequently.

The contents of house No. 15 were insured for $6,000 with Messrs. Schellhass & Co.

The contents of the house were insured for $5,000 in Messrs. Schellhass & Co.'s Office.

Mr. Ross, the foreman of the Volunteer Brigade, sustained severe injuries.

A woman was slightly burnt.

A lighted bundle of paper was thrown into the window.

:

:

Fire Brigade Office, Hongkong, 13th January, 1888.

H. E. WODEHOUSE, Superintendent, Fire Brigade.

195

No. 92.

No. 12

88.

HONGKONG.

RETURNS OF SUPERIOR AND SUBORDINATE COURTS FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

REGISTRY SUPREME COURT,

HONGKONG, 20th April, 1888.

SIR,--I have the honour to forward herewith the following Returns :--

1. Criminal Cases, &c.

a. Appeals, Criminal Cases.

2. Civil cases commenced and tried in 1887.

a. In Original Jurisdiction.

b. In Summary Jurisdiction.

3. Bankruptcy.

4. Admiralty.

5. Probate and Administration.

6. Revenue (Fees, &c.)

7. Proceeds paid into Treasury.

It will be seen that while there is an increase under the head of Criminal cases both in the number of cases and in the number of persons tried there is a considerable falling off under the head of Civil

cases.

The number of adjudications in Bankruptcy have also decreased.

The other Returns call for no remarks.

To The Honourable

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

:

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

I have the honour to be.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

ALFRED G. WISE,

Acting Registrar.

I

RETURN of CRIMINAL CASES that have been brought under the COGNIZANCE of the SUPREME Court, during the last Ten Years.

Charges Abandoned.

Postponed.

Number Number

YEAR.

of

of

Convicted. Acquitted.

Cases. Persons.

No. of Cases.

No. of Persons.

No. of Cases.

No. of Persons.

1878, (b.) 1879,. 1880,.

157

216

163

15

6

8

148

202

135

54

11

13

91

160

120

34

6

6

1881,

105

154

111

39

Ι

4

(c.) 1882,

124

187

124

38

15

21

Total....

625

919

653

210

39

52

I

(d.) 1883,.

91

126

70

1884,.

68

101

65

1885,

91

147

103

(e.) 1886,.

75

107

59

(f.) 1887,.

94

155

82

22228

26

14

28d

2

2

20

8

16

16

22

20

16

27e

1

36

17

26

Total,.....

419

636

379

124

71

119

11

Average of 1stĮ

125

1833

1303

42

73

103

13

Period,

Average of 2nd}

834

127/

75%

244

143

233

21

Period,.

J

(b.) 1. Under offence of Breaking into a Dwelling House out of 9 prisoners, 6 only are accounted for, the remaining 3 must have been

acquitted, and have been posted accordingly.

2. Under Murder out of 3 prisoners, 2 only have been accounted for, the 3rd was probably acquitted.

3. Under Unlawfully giving false statement to Registrar General the prisoner, although convicted, does not appear under the head-

ing, but the facts appear in a foot note on the Return.

(c.) In one case the recognizance estreated, this case is included in the total, but not in any other of the above headings

(d.) In one case the recognizance estreated, and one prisoner committed suicide in the Gaol.

(.) In one case the recognizance estreated.

(f) In three cases the recognizances were estreated.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

EDW. J. ACKROYD,

Registrar.

INDICTMENTS and INFORMATIONS in the SUPREME COURT of HONGKONG, for the Year 1887.

Including Attempts and Conspiracies to commit the several offences.

:

Showing how the cases tried in the

Superior Courts ended.

(Each prisoner tried, counted as a separate case ; where a large

number of Prisoners have been convicted together, the fact is mentioned in a note.)

Rape.

Unnatural Crimes.

Other offences against the Person.

Malicious Injuries to Property. Robbery with violence.

Prædial Larceny.

Other offences against Property.

Miscellaneous offences.

Murder, other than wife or child murder.

Manslaughter.

Attempt at murder.

Murder of wife, Reputed wife,

or Concubine.

Child murder.

Concealment of Birth.

Total.

:

:

10

5

:

Judgment for the Crown,

Judgment for the Prisoner,..

Prisoner found Insane,...

Cases which fell through for want

36

29

of prosecution or absence of (a) accused, and cases thrown out by the Grand Jury (Attorney General),

Cases postponed,

SH

Abortion.

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:.

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

155

11

16

1

:

:

13

1

:

:

37 11

=

14 14

:

5 18

8

30

:

21

14

64

43

Note.-29a Including three who did not appear and whose recognizances were estreated.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

EDW. J. ACKROYD,

Registrar.

Number of Cases.

Number of Persons.

1

1

11

al

RETURN of CRIMINAL CASES tried in the SUPREME COURT of HONGKONG, during the Yeur 1887.

SENTENCE.

199

CHARGES CASES

ABAN-

POST-

DONED.

PONED.

CRIMES.

Convicted.

Acquitted.

Death.

1

Administering stupefying drug..

Arson,

Assault and unlawfully imprisoning,

7 Burglary and receiving stolen goods,

Conspiracy...

Demanding money with menaces,. Embezzlement by a Police Officer,

2 Embezzlement by a Public Servant,.

Embezzlement by a Clerk,

Escape,

1 Feloniously wounding with intent to do grievous

bodily harm.

5 Feloniously forging a certaiu receipt for money with

intent to defraud,

1

Feloniously setting fire to a dwelling house,

Larceny on board ship in the Harbour,

4 Larceny in a dwelling house,..

1 Larceny from the person,

4

Larceny and receiving stolen goods,.

3 Larceny and feloniously wounding,

1 Larceny by a servant.

Larceny by a Police Constable,

12 Larceny and previous conviction,

7 Manslaughter,

Murder,

Obtaining money under false pretences, Perjury,

Piracy,

Piracy and receiving stolen goods,

Receiving goods feloniously taken by pirates,

2 Receiving stolen goods,

13 Robbery from the person with violence,

Robbery and Larceny from the person,

3 Unlawfully attempting to bribe an Inspector of Police. 1 Unlawfully being a member of the Triad Society,...... Unlawfully detaining for the purpose of prostitution,

8 Unlawfully bringing into this Colony for the purpose

of prostitution,

1

5

3

1

1

4

1

1

3

1932

12

1

3

4

3

4

Unlawfully bringing into this Colony for the purpose

of emigration,

b1

3

Unlawfully printing and publishing obscene libel,

-~

2 Unlawfully falsely and deceitfully uttering certain

counterfeit coin,.

Unlawfully shooting with intent to do grievous and

bodily harm,

76 123

Of 123 Persons only

2 were not indicted, which are included under the

heading of charges abandoned,

and

3 Recognizance estreated,

3

1 1

7

:

82 36

:

Death Recorded.

:

:

Penal Servitude.

over one Year.

Hard Labour

Hard Labour one

Year and under.

Number of Persons. Solitary Confinement,

Number of Persons. Privately Flogged.

No. of Cases.

No. of Persons.

No. of Cases.

No. of Persons.

:

:

:

2

:

:

تان

:

O

1

2

:

::

15

17

17

17 17

26

.118 were tried.

Convicted,. Acquitted,

3

Charges abandoned, Recognizance estreated. Cases postponed,

123 Persons.

Total,

a. In this case the Jury found the Prisoners guilty of manslaughter.

b. In this case the 1st Prisoner was fined $250, the 2nd and 3rd Prisoners were find $100 each.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

:

::

:

:

.82

36

118 Persons.

26

3

155 Persons.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Acting Registrar.

!

APPEALS COMMENCED.

No. of Cases.

Appellant.

1887.

2

No. of Cases.

Appellant.

1887.

2

JUDGMENT.

Respondent.

APPEALS TRIED.

JUDGMENT.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

1

Respondent.

Pending.

case remitted back to Magistrate.

Pending.

1

1 case remitted back to Magistrate.

CASES COMMENCED.

JUDGMENT.

Settled or

No.

Jurisdiction.

of Cases.

Debt and Damages.

withdrawn

before

Trial. Plaintiff.

Defend-

ant.

Non- Suit.

Struck out, Dismissed

and Lapsed Writs.

In Dependency.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Acting Registrar.

TOTAL CASES TRIED.

Cases.

Debt and Damages recovered.

1887.

Original,

40 $283,189.33

2

2

Summary,

1,296 $149,077.42

502

445

57

15

200

223

29

77

4 | $ 4,461.04

517 $53,640.97

CASES TRIED.

JUDGMENT.

Jurisdiction.

No. of Cases.

Debt and Damages.

Plaintiff. Defendant. Non-Suit.

1887.

Original,

10a

$232,722.22

6

2

Summary,

7336

$ 86,928.21

455

60

16

Struck out, Dismissed & Lapsed Writs.

Debt and Damages.

2

$199,222.22

202

$ 59,094.56

a. 6 of these cases were pending on 31st December, 1886.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

b. 23 of these cases were pending on 31st December, 1886.

ALFRED G. WISE,

RETURN of ADMIRALTY CASES for 1887.

Acting Registrar.

1887,

Year.

Entered.

Amount claimed.

Tried.

Judgment for Plaintiff.

Amount recovered.

Judgment for Defendant. Discontinued.

Pending

or

Settled out of Court.

$76,000

3

2

(Not yet settled.

1

3

1

Vice Admiralty Registry, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Acting Registrar.

56/

RETURN of all BANKRUPTCIES filed in the Supreme Court of Hongkong during the Year 1887.

Name.

Date of Adjudication.

Official or Petitioner. Creditor's Assignee.

Debts in Schedule.

Assets.

Amount Total received by amount of

Official Assignee.

debts

proved.

$

$

$

Antonio Augusto da Cruz,

18 Jan., 1887 Bankrupt

Official

3,064.00

320.00

399.99

2,507.04

John Juster,

19,182.47 7,158.86

2,501.40

""

""

""

Lok Choi,

Jacob Sayed,

Ho Yuk Tong,

Hu Tak Pui alias Hu Yan Shan, 19 April, 1887

Creditors

1887 Bankrupt

2 May, 1887

3 Mar., 1887

15,950.00 46,035.00

649.05

3,793.50

"

22

No Schedule filed.

1,072.00

16

4,139.19

3,520.09

33.10 2,672,82

1,183.00

97

Yan Chung, *

10 June, 1887

4,567.37

15.00

22

Paul Bohn, †

Wong Cheuk,

4 Aug., 1887

In forma Pauperis Creditors

9,408.50 8,612.81

No Schedule filed.

22,257.98

"

Tsoi Shing Ying alias Tsoi |

9

Tsik Ting,

1887 Bankrupt

Creditor

21,600.28 13,674.72

2,353.11 12,229.34

Lo Hoi,

12

1887

Official

>>

Rasmus Adolf Apenes,

13 Oct. 1887

""

6,349.59 2.217.77

16,636.68

851.35 6,523.76

748.54 3,738.13

Leong Sing Yee, ‡

Total,..

9,080.05 5,540.00

$111,161.13

87,094.25

5,035.14 57.295.97

* Bankrupt discharged 6th December, 1887.

† Adjudication refused. Petitioner not a pauper.

Bankruptcy not proceeded with.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

ALFRED G. WISE. Acting Registrar.

RETURN of BANKRUPT and INTESTATE ESTATES and of all JUDICIAL DEPOSITS, paid into the Treasury, by the Registrar

of the Supreme Court during the Year ended 31st December, 1887.

DATE.

ESTATE, CAUSE OR ACCOUnt.

JUDICIAL INTESTATE BANKRUPT DEPOSITS. ESTATES. ESTATES.

TOTAL.

1887.

April

28

Barnett Samuel Barnett, Unclaimed balance,.

22.54

22.54

28

Lau Tin Ho,

35.70

35.70

"

28

""

Carl Wassenins,

129.15

129.15

28

""

Captain Jarvis,

14.05

14.05

"

29

June

10

Cheung A Ho,

1,655.44

1,655.44

""

Total,...

1,856.88

1,856.88

I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct account, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Acting Registrar.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

CALENDAR of PROBATES and ADMINISTRATIONS granted by the Court of Probate, Hongkong during the Year 1887.

Value of the

Date

of

Grant.

Name of Testator or Intestate.

Place and Time of Death.

Probate, Administration with Will annexed, or Administration.

Effects as

Name and Description of the Executor or Administrator.

sworn to, set forth in the Commis- sion of Ap- praisement.

Jan. 13 Tercio da Silva,

13 Cheung Li Kwai,.

Macao, H'kong,

3rd Oct., 1886, | Administration, 3rd Nov., 1886,

Do.,

Anna Maria Barros d Silva, the widow,... Lam A-tso, the lawful wife by second

marriage.

$11,000.00

300.00

-13 | Ah Min alias Chan A-min,

21 How Sow Choong,

33

21 Ng Yuk,

H'kong,

27 Theresa Annunciação Danenberg, Macao,

Feb.

Adolf Schumacher,

H'kong,

4 Lim Leack,

Amoy.

At Sea, 1st Nov., 1886, Hang Tin Village, Canton,

26th Oct., 1886. 9th Jan., 1887,

1st Sept., 1886;

15th Jan., 1887,

22nd Aug., 1887,

Do..

Tse A-nü, the widow,

1,000.00

Do..

How Siu Tong, nephew of the deceased,

1,000.00

Probate.

Administration,

Ng Kang Tong, the executor according

to the tenor of the Will.

2,000.00

Carlos Diocleciano Danenberg, the ad-

8,800.00

ministrator,

Do.,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

500.00

):

14 Wong Mui Hin alias Wong Sang, Canton,

16th Nov., 1886,

Adm. with Expn. of the Will and Codicil annexed, Probate,

William Henry Gaskell, as attorney of

Lim Teck Gee,

Pow Chow otherwise Pow Ping Kwan,

the exccutor according to the tenor

6,700.00

9,700.00

of the Will.

14 Helena Maria Goularte d'Aquino, H'kong,

1:

15 Wat Wai,

19 James White,

29th Oct., 1886,

H'kong, 30th Aug., 1887,

England, 9th Jan., 1883,

Administration,

Eusebio Ischirião d'Aquino, husband of (

the deceased,

7,500.00

"?

19 Mary White...

England, 13th July, 1884,

Probate,

Adm. with Expn.

of the Will annexed, Do..

Ü Shing and Wat Kai Hi, the executors according to the tenor of the Will, Bendyshe Layton, as attorney for Henry Osborne White and Alfred Cromwell White....

1,500.00

50,750.00

Bendyshe Layton, as attorney for Henry

Osborne White and Alfred Cromwell White,.

50,750.00

**

21 John Lindsay,

H'kong,

Mar. 3 Francisco Manoel da Cunha...

Macao,

6th Feb., 1887, 22nd Oct., 1885,

Administration,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise. Official Admi-

4,000.00

nistrator,

Adm. with Will | Carolina Antonia da Cunha, the widow,

+,775.00

3 Sorabjee Merwanjce Oomrigur,

H'kong,

3rd Feb., 1887,

aunexed, Probate,

13

11 Wong Leung Shi,

Canton,

16th Feb., 1887,

Do.,

Nowrojee Pestonjce Dhalla and Hor- musjec Merwanjec Mehta, the exe-

cutors..

Wong Yat Sun, the sole executor,

900.00

2,300.00

18 Li Leung Nam,

Canton,

18 Ng Kwang alias Ng Luk Chiu,. H'kong,

18 Max. Behr,

18 Herajee B. Atia,

29

21 Susan Mary Wood,

H'kong,

Macao,

4th Jan., 1887,

21st Jan., 1887,

Frankfort-on-Main,

Germany, 7th April, 1886,

8th Dec., 1886,

13th May, 1884,

Do.,

Administration,

Li Kwok Lam, the executor according

to the tenor of the Will.

23,000.00

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

3,800.00

nistrator,

Adm. with Expn.

of the Will annexed, Administration,

Friederich Gustav Gerhard Seip, as

attorney of Meyer Behr,

1,400.00

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

50.00

Do.,

Apr.

1|Li Ng.

H'kong, 11th Mar., 1887,

Do..

1 Chun Moon,

"

9

Pang Yuk Man,

9 Hu Fung Ting,

12

Lillie Happer Cunningham,

"" 12

Chan Hoi Shan,

"

12 Fok Li Tai alias Fok Fuk Shan, H'kong,

3

12 Chun Hcong Po,

""

13 Thomas Edward Blair,

Macao, 3rd Jan., 1887, H'kong,

26th Feb., 1887,

Heung Shan, 31st Dec., 1886, Canton, 9th Dec., 1886, H'kong, 9th Jan., 1887,

6th Mar., 1887,

Canton, 12th Sept., 1886,

England, 5th April, 1886,

Do..

Adm. with Will

17

Do.. Adm. with Will annexed, Do.,

Administration,

Adm. with Expl. of the Will annexed,

annexed.

Administration,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-i

nistrator,

Li Chun Fui, first son of the deceased, Ng Fan, the administrator, Pang Yuk Tseung, the sole executor during the minority of Ying Un. Hu Ching, the eldest son of the deceased, Theodore Bliss Cunningham, the husband, Chan Kam and Chan Pin, sons of the

said deccased and executors,

3,000.00

300.00

8,000.00

500.00

5,000.00

4,000.00

1,800.00

Fok Tim Ying, the eldest son of the

deceased,

1,500.00

13 Frederick Jerdein,

Hankow,

4th Nov., 1886,

Do.,

Chun Kai Shui, the younger son of the

deceased, Bendyshe Layton, as attorney for

George Alexander Blair. Power being reserved to Florence Ellen Blair and Francis Hamilton Grove, the other executors, Bendyshe Layton, as attorney for Alex- ander George Wood and Alexander McLeod,

200.00

400.00

3,600.00

52

19 Leung San,

11

25 Alexander Brand Inglis,

;;

22

May 11 Harrison Tate Bewley,

18 Thomas Oxley,.....

18 Miguel Ayres da Silva,

20 Pang Heung,

20 Lo Fuk,.

20 Thomas Theodore Benning,

June 2Albino Mencarini,...

2 Wong Sik,.

13 Sam Tsuk Pui,

19 Chun Shui,

19 Romão Lourenço do Rozario,

21 Matthew Young,

Macao, 23rd July, 1870, Shek Tz Tan Village,

Pun-u District, China,

23rd May, 1884, H'kong, 25th Feb., 1887, Shek Kang Village,

2nd Dec., 1886, England, 11th Oct., 1886,

England, 13th Sept., 1886,

S.S. Taiwan, 9th Oct., 1886,

Adm. with Will annexed, Adm. and Codicils annexed, Adm. with Expn. of the Will annexed, Do..

Administration, Adm. with Will annexed,

Administration, Do.,

Yü Shee, the widow,

3,500.00

Chun Shat Shang and Chun Yik Wan,

500.00

Agostinho Guilherme Romano,. Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,..

5,000.00

60.00

Charles David Bottomley, as attorney)

16,000.00

for Annie Young,......

Alfred Buimer Johnson, as attorney for

Jesse Anne Inglis,

1,100.00

Alexander Wright, as attorney for Eliza

Bewley,

3,800.00

H'kong,

13 José Maria Jesus da Silva,..

Macao,

England, 6th Mar., 1886,

Macao, 17th Sept., 1886, H'kong, 9th Aug., 1885, H'kong, 29th April, 1887, H'kong, 12th May, 1887,

At Sea, on board S.S. Oxus,

4th Dec., 1886, 2nd April, 1887,

28th Mar., 1886,

Alfred Bulmer Johnson, as attorney for

14,800.00

Harriet Oxley.

Administration,

Do., Do.. Probate,

Administration,

Josephina Ferreira da Silva, the widow, Pang Ping Sai, the only son of the deceasd. Yong A-tsing, the first lawful wife, Augustus Harrison Benning, one of the

∙1,000.00

1,500.00

113,000.00

executors,

Domenico Musso, as attorney of Idaļ

10,000.00

Mencarini,

Do.,

Wong Hang, the eldest son of the said

600.00

deceased,

Do.,

Capitulina Maria da Silva, the widow,

1,800.00*

1

L

CALENDAR of PROBATES and ADMINISTRATIONS,—Continued.

Probate, Administration

Date of

Grant.

Name of Testator or Intestate.

Place and Time of Death.

with Will annexed, or Administration.

Name and Description of the Executor or Administrator.

Value of the Effects as

sworn to, set forth in the Commis- sion of Ap- praisement.

June 17 Elizabeth Berkeley,

India,

12th July, 1885, | Administration, Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

$ 600.00

nistrator,

17 William Wood,

H'kong,

18th May, 1887,

Do..

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

255.00

nistrator,

17 Margaret Elizabeth Benning,..

Масао,

30th May, 1887,

Do.,

Augustus Harrison Benning, the eldest

son of the deceased..

33,000.00

20 Montague La Vigue Salamon,

H'kong,

4th June, 1887,

Do..

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-)

800.00

nistrator,

July 1 Chan Shi Tai alias Chan Mi-ho,.

H'kong,

21st Oct., 1886,

Do.,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Offic! ! Admi-¡

200.00

nistrator,

,,

4 Henry Osborn Jeyes,

Switzerland,

Adm. with Will

Victor Hobart Deacon, as attorney of

18.100.00

*

4 Ludwig Wiese.

8

Juan Antonio Barretto,

Luzon,

12

8 Alexander Milne Humphreys,

H'kong,

14 Tso Wing,

H'kong,

26 Richard Smith,

**

27 Vicente José Gracias,

H'kong,

Macao,

**

23rd Sept., 1886, London, 22nd Mar., 1887,

21st Nov., 1881,

27th June, 1887, Administration,

24th June, 1887, Probate,

12th July, 1887, | Administration,

20th April, 1887, Adm. with Expn.

of the Will annexed,

annexed, Do.,

Frank Leyburn,

Heinrich Hoppius, as attorney of Jo-1

15,300.00

hanna Wiese,.

Do.,

Andronico Francisco Alves, attorney of

2.000.00

J. A. Barretto,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

600.00

Aug.

2 Leung Chim alias Sz Shun,

2 William Forrest,

2 Robert Boyd.

H'kong,

11

Au Yeong Shing alias Ow Yeong

Shing,

Foochow,

"

12 Augustus Charles Gardner,

H'kong.

15 J. V. Rodrigues,

H'kong,

3rd July, 1887,¦

6th Dec., 1886,

29th July, 1887, 1st Aug., 1887,

Sun Ming, 29th Feb., 1884, Adm. with Will

annexed, Do.,

Administration,

Probate,

Administration,

Tso Tsu Shi, the exccutrix according to

the tenor of the Will, Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

José Antonio dos Remedios, as attorney

of Eufrozina Esmeralda dos Reyes Gracias,

Mui Shi, mother of the said deceaseà,

Thomas Henderson Whitehead, as attor-

ney of Thomas Forrest. Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator.

18.000.00

100.00

24,400.00

$,000.00

150.00

500.00

Au Ycong Kü, the executor according

to the tenor of the Will, William Frederick Garone,

29,000.00

1,400.00

Do.,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise. Official Admi-

nistrator,

100.00

#

15

Fung Yau Ngan,

H'kong,

13th July, 1887,

Do..

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

350.00

nistrator,

15 Lee Tak,

H'kong,

10th July, 1887,

16 George Augustus Kinloch Honey, England,

11th April, 1887, |

Do., De bonis non, Adm. with Will annexed,

Low Fun, (the widow of Lee Choong),

Thomas Henderson Whitehead. Frede-

25 Yeung Fu Wing,

H'kong,

19th July, 1887,

Probate,

rick William Marshall, and John Fowler, as attornies of Robert Phil- lip Wood, George Rainy Young and Duncau Adam Smith. Pang Shi, Yeung Kwai Kit, and Yeung

4.800.00

25 Cornelio José Gracias,

""

31 Henri Fournier,

"

Sept. 2 Anthony Eugene Berg,

8 Lam Man Ho,

13 | Henry Daniel Jamieson,

Macao, 24th Dec., 1886,

Marseilles, 31st May, 1887, | Administration, H'kong, 12th May, 1887, H'kong, 28th Aug., 1887,

Adm. with Will annexed,

Kwai, the executrix and executors, according to the tenor of the Will.. Caetano João Gracias, the eldest son of j

the deceased,.

3,000.00

8,000.00

Do.,

Marie Fournier, sister of the deceased, Emma Andreza Maria da Silva,

30,600.00

3,150.00

Do..

Lam A-tan, younger brother of the de-

ccased,

40.00

13 Cheung Shc,

24 Lai Kung Shan,

""

24 Chung A-koi,

Oct.

4 Dora Fry,

""

5 Peter Danova,

24th Sept., 1887,

H'kong, H'kong,

H'kong, 15th Aug., 1887, Adm. with Will

annexed, H'kong, 16th Sept., 1887, | Administration,

H'kong,

England, 23rd Feb., 1887, | Adm. with Trust Disp. and Settle- ment annexed, 11th July, 1887, Probate, 26th July, 1887, | Administration,

|

William Gibson Brodie, as attorney for George Auldjo Jamieson and James Auldjo Jamieson,

11,800.00

Tsang Tsun Fat, the sole executor,

11.000.00

Tang Lai Pan, Fung Lo Chun, Kwok

Tun, and Leong Liu Kai,

30.000.00

Kwok A-ying, the executor,

2,500.00

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

3,800.00

+9

5 Leung Tai Ku alias Leung Ku........ H'kong,

5 Arnold Christoph Steinmetz,

5 Galstaun Edgar,

19th Sept., 1887,

Shanghai, 25th July, 1883,

H'kong, 30th Jan., 1887,

31 J. R. Burns,

At Sea,

"1

Nov.

1 William Henry Brereton,

H'kong,

14th Oct., 1887,

24th Oct., 1887,

Probate,

Adm. with Will annexed, Administration, |

Adm. with Expn. of the Will annexed, Administration,

Probate,

Very Revd. Giuseppe Burghignoli, sole

500.00

executor:

Tsang Ping, a legatee under the Will,

9.300.00

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

250.00

nistrator,

Mary Galstaun Edgar, the Widow,

8,000.00

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi- Į

nistrator.

150.00

Anna Maria Brereton, one of the exe-

cutrixes.

Power being reserved to

72,900.00

Georgina Brereton,

"

4 Phoorja Mahomed Arab,

H'kong,

16 Hermann Busch..

**

H'kong

16 Aganoor Peter Aganoor.

London,

16th Oct., 1887, 2nd Nov., 1887,

25th Jan., 1886,

Do.. Administration,

Idroos Moosdeen, the sole executor. Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-{

nistrator,

36,000.00

1,500.00

24 Richard Gibbon,

Southampton.

16th Oct.. 1885,

Do..

Adm. with Expl. of the Will annexed.

Dec.

1 George Theodor Siemssen,.....

Alfred Gascoyne Wise. as attorney of

Gregory Eleazer Gasper,. Victor Hobart Deacon, the attorney of Emma Jane Gibbon and Rowland Escanbe. Power being reserved to Charles Deighton Braysher, the other executor,

Hamburg, 24th Nov., 1886, Administration, Heinrich Hoppius, as attorney of Maria

Amalia Siemssen, Carl August Schröder, Magdalena Cornelia Schröder, Cornelia Maria Siemssen, Louise Marianne Emilio Siemssen, and Carl August Schröder,.......

SC0.00

61,550.00

123,500.00

CALENDAR of PROBATES and ADMINISTRATIONS,—Continued.

Date of Grant.

Name of Testator or Intestate.

Place and Time of Death.

Probate, Administration with Will annexed, or Administration.

Name and Description of the Executor or Administrator.

Value of the Effects as sworn to, or set forth in the Commis- sion of Ap- praisement.

Dec.

3 Louisa Hams,

3 Lee Yau Tsoi,

2:

3 William Dickinson,

Amoy,

H'kong,

H'kong.

15th July, 1887, Adm. with Will

and Codicils annexed, 5th Aug., 1887, | Administration, 14th Aug., 1887,

Do..

Thomasine Charlotte Nicholls. attorney

of Susan Filewood,

$ 2,000.00

Lee A-luk, sister of the deceased, Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

nistrator,

3,000.00

400.00.

"9

3 Sophy Goldenburg..................

H'kong,

5th Oct., 1887,

Do.,

Alfred Gascoyne Wise, Official Admi-

250.00

nistrator,

14

30

Andrew Gillon Walker,,

London,

30th Oct., 1885,

Do.

John Duflon Hutchison, as attorney of

2.775.00

14

30

Tam Kung Ping alias Tam Ping

Jessic Duncan Walker,

Kai,..

Canton,

25th Nov., 1887,

Adm. with Will

30

Lee Tuk Cheong,.

San Ui,

5th May, 1887,

...

30 Wong Ping,

30 Hormusjce Dorabjee Camajee,

Canton, 15th Nov., 1887, Shanghai, 3rd Sept., 1886,

of Probate annexed,

"

30 Charles Dewhirst Weeks,

Foochow, 2nd Oct., 1885, Adm. with Will

annexed,

annexed, Do..

Probate, Adm. with Expl.

Wong Ching Ki, one of the executors. Dadabhoy Muncherjee, as attorney for Manakbai. Power being reserved to grant like Probate to Jamsetjee and Minocher when they or either of them shall attain majority. Alfred Parker Stokes, as attorney of

Emily Dewhirst Weeks,

Tam Kwan Shi alias Kwan Shuet, the

lawful widow of the deceased, Lee Sow Kin, the eldest son of the

deceased.

J

20,300.00

140,000.00

40,000.00

2,000.00

2,100.00

ALFRED G. WISE, Acting Registrar.

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

RETURN of all sums received as REVENUE in the Registry of the Supreme Court during the Year 1887.

Original Jurisdiction,

Summary Jurisdiction,

Bankruptcy Jurisdiction,

Probate Jurisdiction,.

Official Administrator's Commission,

Official Assignee's Commission,

Official Trustee's Commission,

Appraiser's Fees,.

Sheriff's Fees,

Bailiff's Fees,

Interest on Deposit of surplus cash,.

Fees on Distraints,................

Registrar of Companies,

Fine and Forfeitures,.

Land Office Fees,.

.$ 1,791.65

3,197.18

302.05

822.90

751.64

1,170.16

166.07 87.62

101.00

1,042.50

3,903.54

1,043.75

720.00

995.00

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

$16,095.06

4,366.00

$20,461.06

ALFRED G. WISE, Acting Registrar.

RETURN of all sums collected in the Registry of the Supreme Court for the Year 1887, and paid into the Treasury.

1887.

1886.

REGISTRAR.-Court Fees paid by Stamps,.

$ 9,499.64

$ 7,157.53

OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE.-5 per cent. on amounts encashed paid into the

Treasury,

2,517.88

OFFICIAL ADMINISTRATOR,.

938.68

1,170.16 751.64

OFFICIAL TRUSTEE.-2 per cent. on amount of Trust on taking over up to $10,000; above $10,000 commission, 1 per cent. on further amount, 1 per cent. commission on income,

247.35

166.07

APPRAISER OF INTESTATE ESTATES.-2 per cent. on Houses, Land, Goods, Furniture, &c., 1 per cent. on cash, Banking Account or Shares,

531.01

BAILIFF,

1,078.00

87.62 1,042.50

SHERIFF,

173.50

101.00

REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES,.

1,982.40

720.00

INTEREST on Registrar's balance at the Bank,

4,013.29

3,903.54

FINE AND FORFEITURES,.

2,000.00

995.00

$16,095.06

LAND OFFICE FEES,...

4.366.00

DEPOSITS UNAVAILABLE. -Intestate Estates not claimed,

Registry Supreme Court, Hongkong, 21st January, 1888.

$22.981.75 3,985.00

$26,966.75

$ 2,290.35

$20,461.06

2 1,856.88

ALFRED G. WISE, Acting Registrar.

TOTAL

NUMBER

TOTAL

NUMBER

OF

ԴՐ PRISON-

CASES.

ERS.

ABSTRACT of CASES under COGNIZANCE of the POLICE MAGISTRATES' COURT, during the Year 1887.

CASES, HOW DISPOSED OF, AND THE NUMBER OF MALE AND FEMALE PRISONERS UNDER EACH HEAD.

Ordered to find Security.*

*

WRITS ISSUED BY THE POLICE MAGISTRATES DURING THE YEAR 1887.

Warrants.

TOTAL.

M. F.

M.

12,015

14,182

10,354| 325 | 2,620

F.

159 158

M.

F. M. F.

9 28

M. F. M.

183 16 228

F. M.

36

F.

M.

F.

M. F.

M.

F.

1

14

47

...

..

13,633 549

3,777

190

86

153

13

977

203

5,349

14,182

TOTAL MALES AND FEMALES,.

* Consisting of Offenders not sentenced to Imprisonment.

OFFENCE.

THE CASES CONSISTED OF:-

NO. OF

No. OF CASES.

PRI-

SONERS.

OFFENCE.

NO. OF

No. of

PRI-

CASES.

SONERS.

Animals---Cruelty to..

Arms---Chinese not Holders of Night Passes found car-

Arson.

rying.

--Carrying without reasonable excuse,

Assault --Causing grievous bodily harm..

-Common..

-Indecent,

-On Females, and Boys under 14 years of age, -On Police in the Execution of their Duty, and

obstructing and resisting Police,

-With wounding,

Attempting to commit other Offences (indictable),

Bail-Personating,

Bailiff-Unauthorized..

Banishment-Returning after (see also Conditional

42

42

Brought forward,.

4,589 6,449

-}

8

8

Larceny-by a Public Servant,

1

1

195

195

-from Ships or Boats in the Harbour,

-from the Person,

8

12

101

112

3

3

-from the Person with Violence.

2

2

9

-in a Dwelling House,

24

30

502

664

-of Beasts or Birds, not the subject of Larceny

5

6

9

10

at Common Law,

1

1

139

155

-of Vegetables and Fruits from Gardens and

enclosed places,

2

2

Letters--Sending threatening,

1

16

Malicious Injury to Property.

36

36

1

Manslaughter,

1

1

Marine Store Dealers-Breach of Ordinance for,.

1

Markets' Ordinance-Breach of...

427

427

15

ότι

15

Menaces-Demanding Money by,

17

27

Pardon),

Mendicancy,

280

280

Birds-Breach of Ordinance for Preservation of,

1

1

Misdemeanor-Aiding and Abetting in,

1

1

Births & Deaths-Breach of Ordinance for Registration

2

N

of,

Murder,

Boats-Leaving Harbour without a Clearance,

2

2

-Refusing to accept Hire when unemployed,

2

2

Bonfires-Firing Crackers or making,

360

360

-Noises by Watchmen. &c..

Bribery,

Burglary,

"

Chinese Territory-Crimes and Offences committed in, Coin-Offences relating to,

Chairs and Vehicles-Breach of Ordinance for Street,.. Child Stealing,

Breach of the Peace,

Buildings-Breach of Ordinance for,

Burial of Chinese Corpse elsewhere than in a Cemetery,

Cattle

Diseases Ordinance-Breach of,.

--Slaughtering in a place other than one set apart į

for the purpose,

-Turned loose on Public Ways...

41

41

-Attempting to commit,

Night-Found in Dwelling Houses by-with Intent to

commit Felony therein,

Nuisances-Allowing Dirt and Filth to remain on Pre-

1

3

5

16

19

1

1

57

57

4

mises or in immediate Vicinity thereof,

3

>>

48

-Blasting Stones to the danger of Persons

and Property, ·

10

10

:1

-Blowing Whistles..

7

7

6

">

-Exploding Dynamite to the danger of Per-

10

10

N

sons and Property.

-Exposing Night Soil in the Streets in

1

uncovered Buckets, and in open Boats

36

36

135

173

along the Praya.

-Hanging wet Clothes, &c., to dry over

Public Ways..

41

41

17

17

*

-Keeping Pigs, &c., without a Licence,.

16

46

Contagious Diseases' Ordinance-Offences against

11

11

-Latrine,

2

2

""

Contempt of Court,

12

12

-Neglecting to clean out Dust Bins, and

Cutting and Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily

18

19

throwing Rubbish, &c.. into the Streets,

838

838

harm.

*

-Neglecting to provide Dust Boxes.

10

>

with intent to murder,

1

3

-Obeying Calls of Nature in the Streets,

50

Dangerous and Offensive Trades-Carrying on,

!!

-Raking Dust Bins,

Dangerous Goods-Carrying on board Ships under false

1

2:

-Regulations-Breach of,

21

description,

Dangerous Goods Ordinance-Breach of,

19

Decoying Persons into or away from the Colony,

22

95

H. M.'s Army and Navy,

Property,..

--Drunkenness, Fighting, &c.,

Disorderly House-Keeping a,

Desertion from Foreign Ships,

British Merchant Ships,

Desertion of Soldiers and Seamen-Assisting in the,

Disorderly Behaviour-Accompanied with damage to

Dogs Allowing unmuzzled ferocious, to be at large, &c., Domestic Servants-Misconduct as,..

14

60

DAHON N

19

14

6

1

2

220 07

-Rough Dressing, &c. of Granite in or near

a Public place,

28-23

10

50

1

21

3

وو

6

2

849

1,446

3

3

15

15

Passage--Obtaining surepticiously a..

28

28

-Throwing Rubbish into the Harbour or on

the Beach,

60 Obstruction of Navigation,.

of Wharves by Boat People.

Offensive Weapons-Having Possession of,.

Opium-Breach of Ordinance for Preparation and Sale

of prepared.

Passengers-Carrying in Excess of that allowed by

151

151

235 235

of Roads and Streets, &c., by Hawkers,

Chair Coolies and Shopkeepers,.

1,302 1,421

178 178

13

13

907

939

3

3

Drugs-Administering,

1

4

3

Licence.

Embezzlement,,

Passes-Chinese out at Night without.

192

192

by a Public Servant,

Pawnbrokers-Breach of Ordinance for..

4

Emigration Officer-Neglecting to report within 24

hours the Arrival of Ships to,... f

1

I

Fawning-Illegally.

Escape of Prisoners from Gaol,

1

Perjury, (see also Preferring false Charge and giving

wilful false Testimony).

"

from Custody of Police,

4

Piracy,

1

5

**

Negligently allowing,

with Violence,

2

10

Excise Officer-Personating,

Police-Rescuing Prisoners from Custody of,

2

";

Extortion or Attempt to extort,

False Charge-Preferring or giving wilful false evidence,

Pretences-obtaining Goods and Money by,

Police Constables-Misconduct as,..

2

17

17

-Personating as,

1

23

27

Police Officers on Duty-Licensed Grocers harbouring,...

Felony-Accessory after the Fact to,

3

Rape,...

1

1

"3

-Attempting to commit,

28

28

Rates, Municipal Ordinance-Breach of,

3

3

Forgery,

$

8

Receiving Stolen Goods,

23

31

Fugitive Offenders' Act- Offences against,.

8

8

Recognisances-Breach of..

15

15

Furious Driving,

16

20

Gambling-Breach of Ordinance for Suppression of,.

3551,226

Religious Ceremonies & Festivals Ordinance-Breach of, Roads and Streets-Injury to..

22

22

6

6

-in the Streets, treated as Obstruction of

Public Ways, .

547

547

Robbery From the Person,.

3

3

-Registered Householder permitting in a House,

2

2

-From the Person with Wounding or with)

Violence,

2

3

Gaols-Breach of Ordinance for,

8

8

"

Harbour Dredging at Anchorage for Ships of War in the,

20

20

Regulations-Breach of....

19

19

-On the Highways with Arms or with Violence, Rogues & Vagabonds-As Street Gamblers and Watch-

men to Gamblers,.

2

3

34

34

House Breaking,.

5

9

As suspicious Characters,

118

118

House-Neglecting to have a legible Number affixed to,...

3

3

-As Vagrants.

3

3

-Overcrowded.

--Wandering abroad and lodging Į

Householders and Servants-Breach of Ordinance, for

12

12

in the open air.

Registration of,.

Sanitary Regulations-Breach of,

1

Indecent Exposure of Person by Bathing or otherwise,

and Lewdness...

44

44

Indecent Prints.

3

3

Jurors-Neglecting to answer Coroner's Summonses to Į

attend Inquests.

Larceny. -as a Bailee,

1

1

*

-Common,

866

969

Scavenging Contract-Breach of. Shooting with intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm,

to prevent lawful Apprehension. Spirituous and fermented Liquors-Breach of Ordinance

for retail of.

Stones and other Missiles-Discharging to Danger of

Persons and Property,

12

12

15

15

5

5

Carried forward,

4,589 6,449

Carried forward...

9,956 12,029

.

No. of

OFFENCE.

CASES.

No. OF

PRI-

SONERS,

OFFENCE.

Brought forward...

9,956 12,029

Brought forward........

Streams-Defiling,

49

49 Unlicensed-Money Changer,

Streets-Noises by Hawkers..

129

129

#!

Threats with intent to murder,

I

""

Trees, &c.-Cutting and destroying,

77

77

Trespass on Crown Land.

146

Triad and Unlawful Societies-Breach of Ordinance for

25

25

Suppression of,

Unlawful Possession of Property,

281

of Trees. Shrubs. &c..

23

-Plying, of Boats or Vessels for Hire,

-Seamen's Boarding Houses, -Undertaker,

146 Unwholesome Provisions-Exposing for Sale, or bring-

ing into the Colony,.... Watchmen-Misconduct as Private,

342 Weights and Measures-Breach of Ordinance for,

23 Women and Female Children-Breach of Ordinance for

Unlicensed-Coffee Shop,

1

1

-Hawkers, ---Latrine,

992

protection of...... 992 Workmen-Intimidating.............

1

Carried forward.......

11,631 13,815

TOTAL,.

No. of

NO. OF

CASES.

PRI-

SONERS.

11.681 13,815

2

12

12

1

1

I

1

30

30

1

1

207

207

78

111

2

12,015 14,182

Total Number

Years.

of Cases.

Committed

Convicted and Punished.

Discharged.

for Trial at Supreme Court.

Magistracy, Hongkong, 9th January, 1888.

H. E. WODEHOUSE, Police Magistrate, for the Police Magistrates.

ABSTRACT of CAases brought under COGNIZANCE at the POLICE MAGISTRATES' COURT during a period of Ten Years, from 1st January, 1878, to 31st December, 1887, inclusive.

CASES, HOW DISPOSED OF, AND THE NUMBER OF MALE AND FEMALE PRISONERS UNDER EACH HEAD.

Committed to Prison

or detained pending Orders of His Excellency

To keep the Peace, and to be of Good

Ordered to find Security.

Punished for Preferring

Total

False Charge Undecided.

or giving

Number

False

of Defendants.

the Governor.

Behaviour.

Testimony.

2

B

4

6

8

9

10

#

12

13

14

15

16

17

M.

F.

M.

M.

M.

F.

M.

F.

M.

F

M.

F.

M.

F.

1878,

9,100

7,166

628

2,126 251

200

18

1879,

7.009 5,758

861

1,900 .189

145

B

50 M

11

98

22

18

230

32

1880,

7,998

5.892

252

1,775

187

170

27

15

204

1881,

1882,

1883,

10,658

8,203 7.049 BBB 7.567 6.049 394

8,127

1,678 178

192

48

369

2236

10

19

9,630

922

18

34

8,103

602

48

87

33

8,126

531

53

9,379

630

1,922 255

209

263

13

80

8,622

780

670

2,398 349

121

154

62

160

11,008 1,101

1884,

14,065 11.748

1,088

2,294

268

101

228

105

14,517 1.418

1885,

10.281

7,951

849

2.188 258

159

357

99

18

10,690 1,211

1886,

1887,

14,611 12.015

12.081

842

2.98 190

157

869

100

168

15,510 1,137

10,854 826 2,620 159

158

28

411

52

14

*48

13,633 549

Grand Total for

the 10 Years,

100,602

82,175 5,742 | 21,099 2,279

1,662 146

200

14

8,183

633 176

36

718 31

109,213

8,881

Average per 40,000.2-8,217.5 5742 2,100.9 227.9

Year,

166.2 14.6 20.0

1.4

318,3

63.3

176

71.8

8.1

10.9215 | 888.1

One male committed suicide in Gaol while under remand.

Magistracy, Hongkong, 9th January, 1888.

CORONER'S INQUESTS.

TABLE A-RETURN OF ALL CORONER'S CASES, 1887.

H. E. WODEHOUSE, Police Magistrate, for the Police Magistrates.

Inquest Held.

Buried without Inquest.

NATIONALITY.

Men. Women. Boys. Girls. Total. Men. Women. Boys. Girls.

Very much decomposed:

sex not

ascertainable.

Total.

Europeans and Americans,...

Portuguese,

9

1

9

7

1

2

Japanese,

1

Jews,

1

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

1

:

:

:

Chinese,

72

10

13

7

102

60

11.

73

73

18

235

Total,.......

84

10

14

- 3

115

68

75

73

18

245

Total for 1886, .

69

16

7

100

55

34

41

10

144

Japanese.

Jew.

TABLE B.-RETURN OF INQUESTS, 1887.

European and American.

::

:::

Portuguese.

VERDICTS.

Wo-

Men.

Men. Boys.

men.

4

1

...

:

Chinese.

Total.

Wo-

Men.

Boys. Girls.

men.

42

1

22-

5

10

::

8

∞ : :

10

5

:

65

2

1

:

:

:

:

:

:

1

:

1

1

42

72

1257

11

:

:

:

::

:

:

2

~:

1

5

2

2

1

3

1

7.

Accidental death,·

Death by misadventure,

Death by hanging,

Deceased met with his death in knock- ing against something in the confu-

sion caused by the dispersal of the crowd by the two Constables, P.C. 211 and P.C. 283,

Deceased came to his death from the effect of a blow received from the shaft of a jinricksha running against his right side and being drawn at the time by the witness described as the prisoner, but that there is no sufficient evidence to show whether or not the prisoner was to blame in regard to the collision between the deceased and the jinricksha, Deceased met with his death owing to

the fall on him of certain cargo, but that there is not sufficient evidence to show whether any person was guilty of culpable negligence or not, Deceased met their deaths by reason of the explosion of a cartridge in course of firing a salute on board H. M. S. Mutine and the explosion was occa- sioned by the concussion in closing the breech and the ignition of the tube owing to its non-removal. The jury declined to attach any particu- lar blame to any individual for its non-extraction,

Felo de Se,

Do. in Gaol,.

Found dead from injuries received from

a fall from the window of his room, Found drowned,

Murder,.......

Manslaughter,

Natural causes in Gaol,

Opium poisoning, but that how the

Opium was administered there is not sufficient evidence to show,................... Suicide while in an unsound state of

mind,...

::

***

:

2

1

1

Suicide under the effect of an attack of

1

fever,........

:

...

:

:

:

1

1

1

2

:

:

:..

1

1

1

1

72

10

13

:

:.

:

:.

:

9

1

-J

7

115

H. E. WODEHouse,

Coroner.

TABLE C-RETURN OF BURIALS WITHOUT INQUEST, 1887.

European and American.

Chinese.

Reason why no Inquest

was held.

Men. Boys..

Men. Women. Boys. | Girls.

Portuguese.

No jurisdiction,

1

1

No suspicious circumstances,

3

1

45

9

24 39

1

No evidence and/or decomposedĮ

state of Body,.......

48

34

Post Mortem Satisfactory,

3

1

10

1

Very much

Found on Land. Found in Harbour.

de-

composed; Total.

sex not ascertain-

Known.

Un- known.

Known.

able.

Un- known.

2

2

122

31

:

53

29

18

111

11

68

10.

3

1

Total,....

7

2

60

11

73

73

1

18

245

38

97

12

98

Total,.....

Coroner's Office, Hongkong 13th January, 1888.

HONGKONG.

209

13

No. 18

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

88.

BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 13th April, 1888.

SIR,-I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on this Department for the year 1887.

ESTABLISHMENT.

There has only been one change amongst the officers and foremen. That change was the loss of the foreman in charge of the plant houses; he, unfortunately, died from the effects of a wound received while arresting a youth who was pilfering flowers. There were, however, as usual, a large number- 16-of changes amongst the lower ranks. These frequent changes are a great inconvenience and drawback, but there will be no help for it while recruits have to be obtained from the only source which is now available.

A carpenter was added to the staff during the year, and the result has been very beneficial to the department.

BOTANIC GARDENS.

The general condition of the Gardens is kept up to as high a standard as possible with the means at my disposal, but, although the Colony is proud of its Gardens, there yet remains very much to be done in order to bring them up to a standard which would not be too much to expect being realised. When the estimates were submitted last year I had the honour to advert to this subject and to point out how improvements might be effected, but as the additional means could not be furnished I can only do the best with what is at my disposal and hope for better things in the future. As it is I regret that any attempt at improving Glenealy Ravine in the New Garden will again have to be postponed.

I fear too that some curtailments will have to be made in the arrangements for the propagation and growth of plants for sale to the public. The glass plant-house will also, I fear, scarcely stand through another year.

Fountain Terrace.

The re-arrangement of this terrace has been completed, and the beds have been planted with roses, so that now the whole of the terrace is a rose-garden. In addition to the improvements of new beds and relaying of the turf, an examination of the underground drainage showed it to be wholly defective, consequently a large quantity of the drains were removed and re-laid, and the curb stones and levels of walks were also taken up and re-arranged.

Thinning and removal of Trees.

This work has been continued whenever opportunities offered for effecting improvements.

Plant Houses.

An addition to these has been made by the erection of a Propagation House 50 feet long by 12 feet wide. Our own carpenter has been employed on this work whenever he could be spared. A portion of this house was obtained from Messrs. FOSTER and PEARSON, of Notts, England.

Fern Houses and Plant House.

The bamboo screens, of which the roofs and sides of these houses are composed, were all in a con- dition not calculated to carry them through another year, therefore a large quantity of new material has been manufactured in the Gaol for re-roofing the houses.

The space between the above two houses has been enclosed and furnished with specimens of ferns of species of large stature.

The three houses now form a continuous range 123 feet long.

Glass House.

This is in a very rotten state and will not, I fear, be able to stand a gale this be blown down we may have to regret the loss of the plants it contains.

year.

If it should

+

Donors.

Adams, Rev. J. S., Ningpo. Armstrong, J. M.

Botanic Gardens, Adelaide, South Australia.

Brisbane.

}}

""

Jamaica.

11

""

29

""

19

"5

""

""

""

""

Cook, Mrs.

Mauritius. Melbourne.

Natal.

Penang. Port Darwin. Saharanpur. Singapore. Townsville.

Trinidad.

Cooper, W. M., Ningpo.

Cox, J. H. Cundall, C. H., Manila. Diercks, F., Hankow. Henry, Rev. B. C., Canton. Johnstone, D. A., Hoihow. Kneebone, Miss.

Koch & Brunner, Messrs., Cebu. Livesey, J., Stone-Cutters' Island. MacGowan, Dr. D. J. Roebelen, C.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta.

""

>>

""

Ceylon.

"}

""

""

Kew, London.

""

Palm Nurseries, U.S.A.

Schultz, Mrs., Perak.

Thurston, K.C.M.G., Sir J. B., Fiji. Veitch & Sons, Messrs. J., London.

HERBARIUM.

The facilities and accommodation not only for extending, but even for maintaining the collections of scientific dried plants are still lamentably deficient. We have now about reached the limit of possibility of progress unless the suggestions which I have made on several occasions be responded to. There are now large collections of plants put away which have been made, dried, and poisoned, and which cannot be mounted, labelled and incorporated with the general collections in cabinets until the additional accommodation for working at and storing the specimens is available.*

As much attention as possible has been given to the herbarium demands whenever a little time could be obtained between other work. A considerable number of plants have been poisoned, and mounted by the clerk and office boy, and labelled and incorporated by myself, but there are large numbers which it has been impossible to overtake.

A collection of nearly 2,000 named specimens of chiefly Asiatic plants have been procured by purchase. Since they came into our possession they have all been poisoned to preserve them from damage or destruction by insects, and many of them have been mounted. Another large collection was obtained during a journey made by myself, with Chinese assistants, up the North and Lienchau Rivers in the Kwangtung Province. Duplicates of all these have been sent to Kew Gardens. They have not yet been examined and determined, so that I am not yet able to make a report on the species which were obtained.

Donations of dried plants have been received from the Rev. E. FABER, of Shanghai, amongst which were many species of Chinese plants which were not before in our herbarium.

BOTANICAL LECTURES.

When the Chinese Medical College was inaugurated last year I was invited to give the Botanical Lectures to the students. With the approval of the Government I consented to do this, and have continued since last October to deliver two lectures a week. The lectures have all been given after office hours. For the sake of the demonstrations it would have been more convenient to give the lectures during daylight, but this was found impracticable to work into the time table of the College. Botanical specimens to illustrate the lectures, have been supplied to the students from the Botanic Gardens.

Since the Herbarium has been provided with more suitable accommodation, the students have received their lectures twice a week in the Herbarium room instead of at the Medical College. By this arrangement the resources of the Herbarium have been readily available and of great assistance to the students. The students take great interest in the botanical lectures, and many of them give promise of capacities for making considerable acquirements in botanical science.

LIBRARY.

A copy of the Chi Wu Ming, a valuable work on Chinese Botany which is difficult to procure, was obtained from Peking, through the kind aid of the Registrar General's Department of this Colony, and of Dr. DUDGEON at Peking,

I have to thank the Indian Forest Department for sending regularly copies of its various Reports which have been received throughout the year, and also the Directors of the many Botanic Gardens in various colonies for Annual Reports.

To Mr. THISELTON DYER, Director of Kew Gardens, we are specially indebted for numerous copies of the "Index Flore Sinensis" of the various parts as they were published, and also for copies of "Icones Plantarum" and the "Kew Bulletin," the latter complete for the year 1887, the first year of its publication.

* Since the above was written I am very pleased to say that by some alterations in the departmental buildings very greatly improved accommodation has been provided by the Government, and work long delayed is now progressing satisfactorily.

:

473

The following is a list of receipts for the year :-

Botanical Magazine, 1887. Journal of Botany, 1887. Gardeners' Chronicle, 1887.

Report, Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, 1886.

""

Botanic Gardens, Jamaica, 1886.

""

21

Ceylon, 1886.

""

55

"

""

})

"1

*1

Mauritius, 1885. Natal, 1886.

>>

11

""

">

>>

39

Indian Forest Reports.

Forest Administration in Assam, 1886-87.

Central Provinces, 1886-87. Bengal, 1886-87.

,, Ajmere Merivara, 1885-86. British Burma, 1885-86. Coorg, 1885-86.

""

22

""

"}

>>

11

""

>>

>>

27

""

""

>>

32

>>

>>

Madras, 1886-87.

""

>>

>>

North-West Provinces,

1885-86.

Andamans 1885-86.

""

""

2.9

Hyderabad, 1886-87.

Saharanpur, 1886. Singapore, 1886. Agri-Horticultural So- ciety, Madras, 1886.

Report, Queensland Acclimatisation Society, 1886.

Forests, Straits Settlements, 1886.

21

Survey Branch, 1885-86.

Review of Forest Administration in British India,

GOVERNMENT-HOUSE GARDENS.

1885-86.

The ordinary yearly routine work has been performed at the gardens appertaining to Government House, but besides the thinning of over-grown trees, of which a good deal has been done, no special works have been undertaken.

INVESTIGATION AND PLANT COLLECTING.

A journey was undertaken by myself in August along the North and Lienchau Rivers in the Kwangtung Province. Besides an extensive collection of dried plants for the herbarium about 800 living plants were brought back. These are chiefly plants of an ornamental character which are most desirable additions to cultivation. When these living plants have become established and grown they will, in many cases, be new objects of great beauty and interest in the gardens of this Colony. When the collections have been thoroughly examined, a work which will yet take some time, the scientific results of the tour will, I feel sure, be of considerable value and interest.

Besides the introduction of new living plants, and the acquisition of a large quantity of material for the herbarium and for the enrichment of science, I may mention another result which is important and of direct and immediate practical utility to the Forest Department. For several years I have endeavoured, in vain, to procure through Chinese and other sources seeds in quantity of the tree (Cunninghamia sinensis) which yields the timber, so called China fir, that is universally used here and in South China for all kinds of building, and many other purposes. While I was absent I found the tree growing abundantly about 100 miles North of Canton, and under circumstances which ren- dered it possible to procure seeds in quantities as were desirable. I made arrangements for seeds to be collected there when they were ripe and delivered in Hongkong. We have now a large quantity on hand, and experiments on a large scale will be made with the cultivation here of the tree during this year. The timber from this tree, if it be found to succeed here, will be of much more value than that of Pinus sinensis, the tree which hitherto we have planted very extensively.

FORESTRY.

After the reduction of planting works which took place in 1886, the number of trees dealt with in artificial reproduction during 1887 was again brought up to something nearer former work, but until the Forestry vote is again placed at the figure which was provided before its reduction last year, we cannot accomplish annual afforestation works to the same extent as formerly.

Roughly estimating the area of ground operated on by the number of trees planted at fairly regular distances apart we have about 312 acres as the area for 1887. 157,144 trees were reared in nurseries and planted on the hills. Planting as usual was commenced in December, and finished in April, which was somewhat earlier than in former years. Planting in the dry season can only be done in places where water is available for artificial irrigation. In other places we are entirely depen- dent on favourable weather. In all places the planting was very successful.

Nurseries.

Nine nurseries have been maintained. These were situated at Kowloon (two) Saiwan, North Point, Sokoupo, Deep Water Bay, Little Hongkong, Aberdeen and Pokfulam. From them the trees were carried to the various planting grounds ranging from Saiwan in the East, North Point in the North, Pokfulam in the West, and Deep Water Bay in the South of Hongkong, and north eastwards of Yaumati at Kowloon.

The trees reared in nurseries under contract have this year, as a rule, been very successfully managed by the contractor, they show a great improvement on the previous year's work in this respect.

Rearing Trees in Situ.

Trees reared in situ have been successful. The number thus treated was 217,738. They are situated on Mount Parker, and near Deep Water Bay.

The total number of trees planted and reared in situ was 374,882.

The following is a list of the trees planted and reared in situ :---

Pinus sinensis,

""

وو

Eucalypti.

Bamboos,

Acacias,.

Cocoa-nuts,

Miscellaneous,

in situ.

.151,081

.217,738

3,621

1,864

197

128

253

374,882

Broad-cast Sowing.

In addition to planting and rearing in situ some pieces of land were operated on by sowing seeds broad-cast without any preparation of the ground. În certain places the method promises to give good results at a very small cost, as already stated in my report for last year.

There is, however, a serious difficulty to contend with where this work has been done, it is, the operation of grass-cutters, who cut grass, and the young seedling trees in it not caring, or at the least not knowing about the existence of the young trees. Until we have more control over grass-cutters this method of rearing trees cannot be extensively carried out. Some experiments made four years ago of sowing seeds broad-cast have given very good results, there being now abundance of healthy trees about two feet high.

Cunninghamia sinensis.

As mentioned elsewhere a considerable quantity of seeds of this valuable Chinese tree have at last been obtained from a distant part of the Kwangtung province. The seeds are the first instalment for what I hope will be the establishment of successful plantations to supercede the common Pinus.

sinensis.

Camphor Trees.

In 1886 about 4,500 camphor trees were planted as an experiment. The success of the camphor in the Botanic and private gardens of the Colony gave promise of its succeeding on the hills when placed within plantations of the China pine which were sufficiently large to afford shelter from winds. In such plantations where the soil is somewhat better than the average soil the trees have succeeded beyond my expectations, but where the shelter and soil is inferior the trees have made but little pro- gress. The general results, however, were such as to lead me to continue the experiment, therefore about 12,000 trees were reared in the nurseries for planting during the present season.

Pinus Massoniana.

A few pounds of seeds of this tree were procured from Japan, and sown in situ by the side of our native pine, but the seeds, unfortunately, germinated very badly, probably owing to their not having been sufficiently ripened or harvested in Japan. The germination of our own seeds on the ground was perfect. A fresh lot of seeds have been obtained for further experiment this year.

Tristanea conferta.

In my report for last year I drew attention to this rapid growing tree of which 800 were planted four years ago. These trees are now about 20 feet high (some have reached 30 feet). They flowered and produced seeds in abundance during the year under report. Seeds were collected and sown, and an abundance of young trees have been obtained for planting this season. I have great hopes of this tree. From its rapid growth and large amount of leafage it should be a much better tree than most species of Eucalypti for this Colony.

Persea nanmu.

The specimen in the Botanic Gardens of this Chinese tree which was introduced from the Sze Chuen province has now reached 24 feet high and it is thoroughly established in its new home. As previously reported on, the wood which it yields is extremely valuable in China. A number of young plants

were propagated from the tree and planted for experiment on a piece of land which was subsequently utilised for a portion of the new Tytam Water-Works before I had any opportunity of dealing with the trees. The result of the experiment was therefore lost in consequence of the destruction of the little trees. Last year another experiment was tried which it is to be hoped this time will have a chance of being undisturbed.

Thinning Plantations.

This work has been continued throughout the year in plantations which were sufficiently advanced. The thinnings have been disposed of by sale without difficulty. However extensively surplus wood

be produced there is no prospect of there ever being any difficulty in its disposal in this Colony.

may

Fire Barriers.

Grass fires during the dry season have always been numerous and extensive and besides burning the grass, which was of minor importance, the fires have in their progress naturally destroyed or damaged the small trees and shrubs which were on the ground, thus effectually preventing natural reproduction. The increase of fires and the rapid extension of plantations which required greater protection led me to devise a system of barriers to check the progress of fires. With the consent of the Government about 40 miles of these barriers were made before the dry season set in. The result

.

has been even better than I anticipated. Besides a fire which occured from a bonfire at the Jubilee celebrations, there were only two fires which spread beyond a very small extent, and these two did not extend over more than five acres of planted land. In the vicinity of roads, paths, and cemeteries a great number of burnt patches of grass have been seen where the fires had been arrested by the fire barriers. There is no doubt but that for the existence of the fire barriers the fires which were arrested would have spread to a very great extent and have destroyed immense quantities of trees. If these barriers are maintained, and other suitable precautions carefully observed, there is now hope of

grass

fires being reduced very much in area.

Protective Service.

An additional Forest Guard was placed on the staff in January. Forest offences do not seem to have increased during the year. The number of cases brought before the Magistrates by the Forest Guards was 27, that is 11 less than during the previous year. There is a great deal of trouble in keeping the guards up to their duty, in fact there is rarely any case instituted which is not done by pressure brought to bear on the guards by the Superintendent. This is not satisfactory, as the Forest Guards should be of a sufficiently high character to move themselves in matters instead of continually shirking their plain duty. This duty of continual surveillance of the guards is becoming more difficult and troublesome to perform as other duties increase and demand attention and time in so many other ways. There will, perceptibly, have to be some improvement in the protective service before long. I fear that we shall never get really effective Chinese guards, but the employment of efficient men would involve a greatly increased cost, however, the time may arrive when it will in the long run be real economy to incur this cost.

Ferneries.

The rockery in Glenealy Road near St. Paul's College, which I referred to in last year's report, has been constructed and is now partially planted. The older rockeries have been maintained in as good condition as circumstances would permit.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

CHARLES FORD,

Superintendent,

Botanical and Afforestation Department.

\

HONGKONG.

THE COLONIAL SURGEON'S REPORT FOR 1887..

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

No. 14

88.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,

HONGKONG, 31st May, 1888.

SIR,-I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year 1887 together with the Tables showing the work done in the Medical Department under my supervision, and the Reports of the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, and the Government Analyst.

POLICE.

The admissions to Hospital from the Police Force show a slight increase as compared with 1886, a year during which the number of admissions was larger than the previous decade. In 1886 the increase was principally among the Chinese portion of the Force, while in 1887 the Indians were the greatest sufferers as the following table shows:-

Admissions to Hospital, 1881,

Europeans,

Indians.

Chinese.

88....

212...

..198

Do.,

1882.

92..

.230..

.227

Do.,

1883,

..113..

.246.

.239

Do.,

1884,

87..

....

...224.....

...175

Do.,

1885,.

124..

208.....

....163

Do.,

1886,.

..138..

Do.,

1887,

..139..

.243. .293.

221

..187

This table records an increase of sickness among the Europeans, 1; Indians, 50; and a decrease among the Chinese of 34 as compared with 1886.

Table I shows the admissions to Hospital of the different sections of the Force during each month of the year. The summer months as usual exhibit the largest number of admissions, September the largest of all.

Table II gives the average strength of the different sections of the Force, rates of sickness and mortality relative to strength.

Table III shows the admissions to Hospital from the different Stations and Districts during each month of the year.

The Central Station sends in a larger number than in 1886, the increase being greatest amongst the European and Indian portions of the Force. In this Station the increase of sickness has been uniform from year to year. The dormitories are much overcrowded.

Whitfield Station and the Water Police Station have decidedly improved this year sending in only 108 sick compared with 158 in 1886. Shaukiwán shows a slight increase. Pokfúlam, Aberdeen and Stanley a slight decrease. No 7 Station is worse than ever, sending in 51 cases compared with 41 in 1886.

Four of the European Police and two of the Chinese were admitted to the Small-pox Hospital; one of the Europeans died.

There were 9 deaths in the Force this year, 4 Europeans, 1 Indian, and 4 Chinese; 5 died in the Government Civil Hospital, and 1 in the Small-pox Hospital. Inspector Lindsay died of aneurism at No. 7 Station, a Chinese Interpreter died at his own house and one European Constable was killed at a fire.

3

1880, 1881 1882.

J

The following table gives the Police admissions to Hospital and deaths for the last 10 years :-

1878,. 1879,

>

Admissions.

566...

Deaths. 6

566....

8

588.....

...13

....498....

.....10

549.

8

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887.

599..

..10

..486..

7

..495.

9

.602..

..14

619..

9

TROOPS.

There was a still further increase in the amount of sickness among the Troops last year as compared with 1886, but the death rate was as usual small compared with the amount of sickness. 1,749 men were admitted to the Military Hospital as compared with 1,607 in 1886, an increase of 142.

There were 14 deaths, of these two were cases of suicide, and two were from an explosion of fire- works.

Table IV gives the average strength of the Garrison and shows an increase of 88 compared with 1886. The admissions to Hospital with the percentage of sickness and mortality are also given.

The following were the admissions to the Military Hospital and deaths for the past 10 years :--

1878,. 1879,

1880,

".

1881.

1882.

1883,..

1884,

1885,

1886,.....

1887,.....

Admissions.

Deaths.

944....

.10

1,035

8

1,075

...13

..1.116.

4

}

1,019....

9

·

1,105....

.10 .

1,097....

.12

1,190....

.24

1,607.... .1,749.

9

.14

The sickness as will be seen exceeds that of any of the previous years. There were no cases of Cholera among the Troops last year.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.

There has been much trouble connected with the Staff of this Establishment during the past year. The Superintendent resigned in the beginning of the year.

Surgeon YARR, A.M.D. acted as Superintendent for six months during the summer, but as he had his own Military duties to attend to, he could not reside at the Hospital. He was however most energetic and efficient in the performance of his duties notwithstanding that he was hampered by his Military work which lay at one end of the City while his Civil work was at the other. He had eventually however to resign the Acting Appointment, his whole services being required by his own Department. and Surgeon THOMPSON, A.M.D. took charge for a few weeks till the arrival of the new Superintendent. Surgeon THOMPSON in addition to the trouble of double duty as had been the case with Surgeon YARR underwent the unpleasant experience of having to put the Senior and Assistant Wardmasters under arrest. Fortunately he discovered we could obtain the assistance of two non-commissioned Officers of the Medical Staff Corps to act in their place, and these two officers were accordingly engaged. I am greatly indebted to the Army Medical Department for the valuable and prompt assistance they have rendered the Hospital in its difficulties and I have much satisfaction in recording my appreciation of these services.

Dr. ATKINSON, the new Superintendent, arrived out in the Colony and took charge in November finding the unpleasant state of affairs to which I have alluded, to greet him on his arrival.

The Senior Wardmaster has since been sentenced to seven years hard labour in Gaol for embezzling the property of patients in the Hospital two of whom were in a dying condition.

The Wardmasters have been a continual source of trouble during the fourteen years I have been in charge of this Department. I have seen over twenty appointed besides a number acting for a time. At present we have two Acting Wardmasters neither of whom is satisfied with his post. The Acting Senior Wardmaster, a Police Constable, prefers to return to the Police Force as he finds the hours at the Hospital twice as long, and the ward duties themselves far more arduous and harassing and entailing a greater amount of anxiety and responsibility than his former Police duties while the pay and advantages are inferior. Moreover at the Hospital he has no prospect of promotion in the service. The Acting Assistant Wardmaster a young Portuguese formerly employed in the Sanitary Department thinks the work, too much for his strength and prefers less pay with lighter work and less responsibility

elsewhere.

In my first Annual Report for 1873, I had to comment on the trouble which appeared to beset the filling of these posts and for fourteen years my reports in the same connection have been incessant but though the Wardmasters' pay has been slightly increased it is not sufficient to secure trained men or in view of the duties performed, or compared with the pay of officers of the same rank in other Departments. The Wardmasters have twelve hours of continuous duty to do. They have to attend the Superintendent in his rounds, to see the Chinese nurses do their duty, to administer medicines, to change dressings, to see diets given out and temperatures taken, to receive and admit patients, to attend to their wants pending the Superintendent's arrival, and many other things which keep them incessantly engaged during the whole twelve hours.

It would be difficult to appreciate adequately the discomfort of the Superintendent, with untrained men attending to the ward duties and the uncertainty he must be in as to whether his directions will be attended to properly and correctly if at all, or yet the bewilderment of a new and untrained Ward- master with the multifarious directions written and unwritten for about from 60 to 100 different patients, or the unpleasantness to the patient himself at having to put up with the nervous, awkward handling, of the untrained nurse, however willing and kindly the intention.

I think I have said enough to show that it is very detrimental to the proper administration of the Hospital that continual changes should recur in these posts by reason of the employment of inferior men at low salaries. Such changes add very greatly to the troubles of the Superintendent, and detract very much from the comfort of the patients. It is true that for the most part the latter are only seaman, Government servants, Police Cases, or destitutes, but there should be no distinction of class in the treatment of the sick in Hospitals. All are entitled to the same efficiency of nursing as if they belonged to the influential section of the Community.

Dr. ATKINSON has had the trouble of training the two present Wardmasters for three months at a time of great emergency while an epidemic of small-pox was raging in the Colony. The duties of training and instruction doubled his work, and naturally caused him not only a great amount of care and anxiety but necessitated much extra and harassing watchfulness. This burthen Dr. ATKINSON has borne with great cheerfulness, not sparing himself in any way if he could lighten the labour and increase the comfort of those under his charge, and I cannot speak too highly of the skill, care, and attention he has shown in the performance of his duties, but I submit that he should be relieved from a recurrence of such anxieties in the future by the proper organization of his staff.

Fortunately in Mr. WATSON, the Assistant Apothecary, lately arrived and whose appointment is a new one, in Mr. ROGERS the Steward, Mr. U. I. KAI the Student Apothecary, Mr. CARNEIRO the Wardmaster of the small-pox Hospital, Mr. Lo CHEUNG IP the Clerk, and A Lok the Chinese Ward- master, he has found energetic and willing assistants these officers being thoroughly conversant with their duties.

The office of Clerk at the Hospital is another post which gives considerable trouble and which is subject to frequent changes owing to insufficiency of pay. Mr. Lo CHEUNG IP the present holder of this post is one of the most efficient Clerks we have ever had. His office hours are from nine A.M. till five P.M. and more often seven P.M., and even then were it not for the assistance rendered him by Mr. ROGERS the Steward he would very often not be able to get through his days work at all. Clerks in other Government Departments and Offices, some of whom have been in the post he now occupies, work as a rule from 10 A.M. till 4 P.M., and while having lighter duties are better paid, consequently Mr. Lo CHEUNG IP is naturally in search of other employment and I shall be forced to recommend a good officer for promotion though it will be much against the interests of the Hospital that it should lose his services. The Hospital has in consequence of this combination of overwork and insufficient pay hitherto found it impossible to retain a Clerk long after he had learnt his duties, and if he has not found promotion in the public service he generally has sought private employment.

It must always be a matter of regret that discontent should prevail among the subordinate staff of a Hospital for the constant changing of officers in an Institution filled with people distressed in mind or body is not at all conducive to the comfort or alleviation of the latter.

A scheme for the employment of European Female professional nurses in the Hospital has been drawn up by Dr. ATKINSON at the request of the Government and is now under consideration. If on enquiry in England it is found feasible the scheme will undoubtedly be a very great benefit to the Hospital. It is not however entirely without some drawbacks for the nurses will have to reside on the premises and this will require a considerable increase of accommodation in the shape of an additional block of buildings which means considerable expense. As usual it is a question of initial outlay.

Last September Mr. W. E. CROW the Government Analyst was transferred for temporary duty to the Sanitary Department. This transfer has, I am glad to say not deprived the Hospital of Mr. Crow's valuable services. He continues to attend as heretofore to his analytical duties and researches and the supervision of the Dispensing Department of the Hospital.

The admissions to the Hospital this year show a slight increase of 33.

There were 432 cases of Fever of various types, of these 11 died; 40 cases of Dysentery were admitted of whom 6 died; 53 cases of Diarrhoea of whom 3 died.

The following table shows the number and classification of those brought to Hospital for the last seven years

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887.

Police,

........549

599

486

495

602

619

Board of Trade,..........116

110

60

100

132

103

Private paying Patients, 268

260

259

283

381

324

Government Servants,... 88

105

96

124

144

147

Police Cases, .............207

227

231

238

142

208

Destitutes,

.230

201

222

270

222

255

1,458

1,502

1,354 1,510

1,623 1,656

The increase in the number of admissions is principally among two classes. Police cases, an in- crease of 66 as compared with 1886. Destitutes, an increase of 27.

The admissions and deaths in Hospital for the last ten years are as follows:-

1878,

1879,

1880,

1881.

1882

1883,....

1884,

1885,

1886,..

• 1887

Admissions.

.1,289..... ...1,071

1,055.

Deaths.

...50

.55

44

1,236..... 1,458......

....

.49

.68

.1,502..

..70

1,354.....

50

1,510.....

76

.1,623.

79

.1,656....

...89

years.

The percentage of deaths relative to admissions was 5.37, the highest percentage in the last 10 Eighteen deaths were from injuries received, six of them were fractured skulls, and three from burns.

SMALL-POX HOSPITAL.

Small-pox became epidemic in the Colony towards the latter end of November, and between the 22nd of that month and the end of the year 40 cases had already been admitted to Hospital. The accommodation not being sufficient for the demand, three large matsheds were improvised and enclosed in the Hospital grounds and a Police Guard had to be put over them. Dr. ATKINSON had charge of these inflammable temporary buildings and they caused him no small anxiety in consequence of the dangers of fire to which they were several times exposed from the flying sparks of houses burning below the Hospital. In three months, ie: December 1887, January and February 1888, there were over 100 small-pox cases admitted to Hospital. For the use of European females I utilized the female ward of the Lunatic Asylum which happened to be vacant at the time. I had personal charge of these cases, of which three were only varioloid, and none very severe.

Table VIIa shows the number of small-pox cases, the nationality of the patients admitted in 1887, and the dates of their admission. There were 65 cases in all, of these 11 died.

The Medical Members and Secretary of the Sanitary Board together with the Registrar General met and made arrangements for daily vaccinations in different parts of the Colony and at all the Hospitals. All the prisoners in the Gaol were vaccinated and every one admitted to Gaol now is vaccinated.

Government orders have been given that all new members joining the Police Force shall be vacci- nated. There was an extraordinary demand for vaccine lymph, and as it soon got very scarce it had to be husbanded with great care. The best vaccine that was procured was calf lymph from Japan which was excellently put up for travelling and arrived in very good condition, it was used with excellent results. There are very few Europeans now in the Colony that have not been vaccinated or revaccinated and if there are it is not from any want of facilities.

Another result of the recent experience was a recommendation from the Sanitary Board that the small-pox Hospitals both for Europeans and Chinese be removed to the outskirts of the City of Victoria. Small-pox is endemic among the Chinese in the winter months and notwithstanding all safeguards and precautions must inevitably be imported into the Colony by them. The recommendation therefore is one deserving of earnest attention. The Sanitary Board also drew up a set of rules and precautions to be followed on the appearance of small-pox in private tenements, this list was printed in English and Chinese and freely circulated and the Sanitary Inspectors visited all houses where cases occurred and saw the instructions of the Board carried out.

The Chinese Washermen were also instructed in the disinfecting of wash-clothes in boiling water and Jeyes' Disenfecting Fluid and the latter was supplied to them the Sanitary Inspectors seeing that the instructions for its use were carried out.

2 21

The vaccination of infants within six months after their birth is now compulsory by law but there will, I apprehend, be some difficulty in carrying out the provisions of the new Ordinance among a travelling population like the Chinese who are here many of them for a short time only. This difficulty will be due to the number of infants of whom nothing is known constantly arriving from without, and to the many taken away soon after birth.

PUBLIC MORTUARY.

Table VIII shews the number of bodies brought to the Mortuary for examination i. e.; 183, of these 11 were Europeans, 1 coloured, and 171 Chinese. Of the latter 36 were children.

VICTORIA GAOL.

The following figures give the number of admissions into Gaol and the daily average number of prisoners for the past ten years.

Total No. admitted

to Gaol.

Daily average No.

of Prisoners.

.395.22

1877,

.3,964.

1878,

.3,803.

519.22

1879,

.3,665....

......576.13

1880,

.3,530....

...575.25

1881,

4,150...........

...666.00

1882,

3,498....

.622.00

1883,

3,486....

..542.15

1884,

4,023.

.552.00

1885,

.3,610.

530.00

1886,

.4,600....

...674.00

1887,

.4,302....

.584.00

These figures show a decrease of nearly 300 in the admissions and a decrease of nearly 100 in the daily average number in the Gaol.

Table IX shows the number of prisoners admitted to the Gaol Hospital, the nature of their com- plaints and the number of deaths.

Table XI shews the rate of sickness and mortality of prisoners under treatment in Gaol. The record of prisoners in the prison Hospital last year shows an increase of 27 as compared with 1886, while the number of deaths shows a decrease of 3. In 1886 there were in that Hospital 239 cases and 9 deaths, in 1887, 266 cases and 6 deaths. In 1886 there were two suicides and two sudden deaths in the cells, in 1887 two suicides and one sudden death.

Table XIb. shows the number of opium smokers consuming one mace and upwards received into the Gaol, their age, consumption of opium, weight on admission and weight at the end of a month or on discharge.

Table XIc. shews the number of opium smokers admitted to the Gaol Hospital and the diseases they were suffering from; there were no deaths among these opium smokers.

As usual there were no evidences of suffering from the deprivation of the opium-pipe, though opium in any form was carefully excluded from their treatment. The exclusion of opium is rigidly adhered to unless the treatment of the disease imperatively demands it; this however did not happen to be the case with any of the opium smoking prisoners under treatment last

I

year.

I give the ages, consumption and weights of the largest consumers received into Gaol. They were six in number, all had habitually consumed 4 mace, i.e., half-an-ounce of opium daily, the time they have been addicted to the habit of opium smoking is also set forth :-

Number of years Opium

Weight at end

Age.

Consumption per diem. Weight on Admission.

* 56

smoker.

20 years.

of 4 weeks.

4 mace.

110

106

67

40

$

103

109

""

>>

52

30

4

120

114

""

78

35

4

96

96

""

""

70

36

4

106

98

""

""

36

4

75

80

""

""

* 72

Those marked with an asterisk were under treatment for general debility, the others were under no treatment for other ailments. It will be gathered from these figures that the habit of opium smoking does not interfere with the digestive powers. These men all consumed an amount of opium equivalent in value to 30 cents a day or $9 per month. Therefore they must have been of a comparatively well to do class and when at liberty could afford better food than the diet of the Gaol Hospital, for in order to live well, (for instance as well as the best class of Chinese servants,) it need not have cost them more than $3 per month for food.

Of the three not under treatment two decreased in weight, and the one who is 78 years old remained A man of 78 that can digest the ordinary Gaol diet and keep his weight must have his digestive powers in excellent order.

the same.

There were 78 opium smokers of over one mace a day received into Gaol of whom 17 were taken into Hospital, none of them having very serious complaints as Table XIc. shows.

Moreover it must be remembered that opium smoking prisoners not under treatment have the ordinary rice and water diet one day every week which would tend to decrease their weight, notwith- standing this however, most of those weighing under a hundred pounds remain of the average weight. The Chinese of the chain-gang are picked from the strongest of the prisoners and their average weight is 110 lbs. It is only reasonable to expect that those who are above the average weight on admission should not add to that weight on a Gaol diet which though sufficient and wholesome cannot be said to be fattening. These tables which have been given for the last six or seven years with my Annual Reports prove conclusively that the opium smoker can discontinue the habit at once without any treatment whatever and without any detriment to himself, and that it is idle to talk of the suffering which the deprivation of the opium entails. I do not think the suffering attendant on that deprivation is more than that of a tobacco smoker if so great.

Opium smoking held forth as the Chinaman's greatest vice is certainly not to be compared in its evil effects with the European vice of spirit drinking, a habit to which the Chinese as a nation are not given. Instead of making such an outcry and wasting large sums of money in trying to reclaim the Chinaman one cannot but reflect with how much greater advantage we might look nearer home and attend to our own need of reform, in respect of intemperance.

From the 1st September Dr. MARQUES took over the medical charge of the Gaol from me, and I again took medical charge of the Lock Hospital.

LUNATIC ASYLUM.

Table XId. gives the number, nationality, disease and description of patients admitted to the Lunatic Asylum during the past year.

Nine were admitted during the year, of these three remain.

Fortunately there were no females in the Asylum at the end of the year and it was therefore possible to utilize the empty ward as a small-pox Hospital for European females.

TUNG-WA HOSPITAL.

The total number of patients treated in this Hospital was 2,231 of these 1,213 died, 376 having been admitted already in a moribund condition. The great majority admitted into this Institution are incurables in a destitute condition.

The number of out-patients treated was 130,910.

There remained in the Hospital at the end of the year, 158 cases.

There were no small-pox cases in the small-pox wards of this Hospital at the beginning of the year, but 310 were admitted during the last two months, of these 221 died. The majority of the admissions were children a large proportion of whom were under four years of age and nearly all unvaccinated. 2,138 vaccinations were successfully performed by the vaccinators attached to the Hospital, which is entirely under the management of the Chinese.

TEMPORARY LOCK HOSPITAL.

This year the new Lock Hospital will be given up to the special use for which it was designed. For the last two years it has been occupied as a portion of the Government Civil Hospital, but the new wing being nearly finished this accommodation will no longer be required.

On the 1st of September, 1887, by an order from Her Majesty' Government the compulsory medical examination of women was abolished. This decision having been announced to them the Europeans, Japanese, and Chinese went to the Registrar General and petitioned for a continuance of the exami- nations, the Chinese requesting that I should again take charge of this duty.

Every woman was interviewed separately by the Registrar General at his office with a view to ascertaining if this request was entirely voluntary and whether any pressure had been put upon the petitioners by the keepers of houses of ill-fame. But such was not found to be the case.

On their attending the Hospital when I took charge on the 1st of September, I made it perfectly clear to them that they were not compelled to continue their visits unless they wished to do so, and every woman admitted to Hospital has since been told that she is under no compulsion to remain, that she is free to go or to stay as she pleases and only in one or two trivial cases have I even had any occasion to advise them to remain. The attendance weekly has been very regular and orderly and I have had no trouble with them whatever. I have no hesitation in saying that had these examinations been discon- tinued it would have been nothing short of a disaster to the health of the Colony. It was scarcely to be expected that women of three different nationalities should have shown such unanimous good

:

יד

sense and appreciation of the benefit to themselves of these examinations. Their decision speaks well for the way the examinations have been conducted and the fact that the women treated should voluntarily have expressed a desire for a continuation of the practice and that no repugnance has been shown by them, proves that kind and civil treatment has not been misspent in their case.

These voluntary examinations have been now going on for over eight months and up to the date of my forwarding this Report I have had no complaint from any of the women of the treatment received by them from the nurses or attendants at the Hospital.

Table XVa. shows the number of admissions to the Lock Hospital and average number of days' stay in Hospital for the last thirty years. The admissions have varied between 411 and 44 in the last fourteen years as compared with 722 and 124 in the previous years. The average number of days treated has varied between 21 and 12 in the last fourteen years as compared with 13 and 18 in the previous years. This gives a good idea of the decrease in the extent and severity of the disease of late years.

The daily average number in Hospital for 1887 was 5, and the longest number of days detention for any one case was 90 days. The average detention for the year was 13.9 days.

The total number of examinations made was 12,223. Of these 144 cases were found diseased, or about 1 per cent. Only six of these suffered from constitutional disease. The number of women detained in Hospital last year was 144 as compared with 401 in 1886.

Table E shews the number of admissions to the Military, Naval, Police, and Civil Hospitals from the various types of venereal disease. The admissions to the Military and Naval Hospitals are about the same as in 1886. There is a very large increase among the Police for which I am unable to account, as neither the Military, Naval or Civil Hospitals show a similar increase of disease contracted in the Colony.

Table E 2 shows the number of cases of venereal disease affecting the constitution among the admissions to the Naval Hospital; 8 cases were contracted in the Colony as compared with 20 in 1886. Table E 3 shews the same for the Military Hospital 39 cases were contracted in the Colony as compared with 41 in 1885. There were 10 cases admitted to Hospital from among the Police and 11 to the Civil Hospital.

However, taking every thing into consideration the type of disease from this source is for the most part of the mildest, and both the Military and Naval Authorities bear witness that no other British station shows such freedom from venereal disease of a bad type as Hongkong.

HEALTH OF THE COLONY.

ERRATUM.

At page 716 of the Supplement to the Gazette of the 14th instant, for the two last lines of the first paragraph under the heading, Health of the Colony, read,—

"In 1887 the deaths were 108 as compared with 103 in 1886 and 99 in 1885. of deaths to the population is 3.55, an increase on the average of the past 10 years. has been steadily increasing for the last five years."

The percentage This percentage

Continueu.

1873,

6

2

17

25

1874,

4

17

26

1875,

18

24

1876,

14

24

1877,

8

4

10

27

1878,

15

9

29

1879,

21

14

38

1880,

12

10

24

1881,

2

17

10

29

1882,

10

13

1

13

37

1883,

1

9

9

19

...

1884,

4

12

23

1885,

11

9

19

...

46

1886,

.8

18

1887,

10

2

25

1873, 1874, 1875,

.......

1876,

1877,

1878,

1879,

1880,

1881,

1882, 1883,

1884, 1885,

1886,

1887,

:

DEATHS AMONG CHINESE.

FEVERS.

YEARS.

Enteric.

Simple Continued.

VOMITING DIARRHEA. CHOLERA. AND

PURGING.

TOTAL.

Typhus.

12

96

16

195

125

46

231

31

291

2

288

94

343

259

145

370

8

311

89

481

33

701

116

733

21

608

309

373

348

...

438

168

38

435

679

71

465

262

571

3

660

132

600

301

105

755

561

9

772

10

326

441

25

276

...

319

402

612

696

834

1,304

1,478

1,030

1,079

1,215

1,496

1,035

176

1,604

19

1,136

13

764

In respect therefore of those diseases which may owe their origin to insanitary conditions we see that the European Table of deaths keeps about the same average, while the Chinese Table shows a very marked reduction, in fact the latter has never been so low for the previous ten years.

The improved methods of surface scavenging and the thorough cleansing of tenements at certain periods, insisted on by the Sanitary Board for the last three years, appear to be doing a great amount of practical good. In 1886 there was a decrease in this Table of nearly 400 deaths as compared with 1885, this year there is another decrease of nearly 400 deaths as compared with 1886. With these facts before us the Sanitary Board must have every reason to be satisfied with the result of their work in the practical sanitation of the town although their best efforts will be I fear but of little comparative avail until their hands are strengthe- ned by the new Public Health Ordinance which it is very deeply to be regretted should not have been confirmed and brought into operation last year.

During 1887-8 fever has prevailed extensively in the extreme Western District, along the upper levels of Victoria and a Medical Commission has been appointed by His Excellency the Governor to enquire into the nature and cause of the disease and to suggest preventive measures. This Commission has not yet submitted its Report.

In November, a very serious outbreak of small-pox occurred, there were 15 deaths among Europeans and 233 deaths among Chinese from this cause up to the end of the year. There was for a time a very large demand for vaccine and the latter was telegraphed for to Japan, Australia and England. The calf-lymph procured from Japan was found admirably put up for travelling, it arrived in excellent condition and was effective and satisfactory.

The small-pox epidemic was severe while it lasted, and necessitated the building, of a tempo- rary mat Hospital with 100 beds in the Government Civil Hospital grounds. So large was the number of admissions that it reached 50 cases in Hospital at one time. Thanks to the precautions and the energetic measures taken by the Sanitary Board this epidemic was not of long duration. An Ordinance for the compulsory vaccination of infants has since been passed and it will be interesting to see whether it can be successfully enforced among the Chinese population.

As the Government Medical Staff of the Colony at present stands, each member of it has his full complement of work, and there is no relief possible in case of emergency, except from outside sources which cannot always be depended upon. If any member of the Medical Staff falls sick there is no one to take his place. None of us can take vacation leave without great personal loss as according to the Rules of the Service every officer absent on furlough has to find a substitute. The finding of a substitute is feasible in almost every other Department without detriment to the individual who takes his leave for there is always some brother officer in the service who can take his place, or his limited hours of duty render it possible for him to find outside assistance. With the Medical Department however such is not the case. The duties require the incumbent of the office to be on duty at all times night and day, and there is no one in the Service that can relieve him. The Army Medical Department have hitherto come to our relief but this cooperation cannot always be depended on as from press of work, sickness, or other cause, the Army Medical Staff may be short of hands themselves. If therefore the recent recommendation of the Sanitary Board in favour of an Epidemic Hospital outside of the town be carried out, it would be absolutely necessary to obtain the permanent services of an additional Surgeon.

I have the honour to be,

Sir, Your obedient Servant,

The Hon. F. STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

POLICE.

I.—TABLE shewing the ADMISSIONS into and DEATHS in the GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL

during each Month of the Year 1887.

EUROPEANS.

INDIANS.

6

11

11

7

12

11

19

July,

15

August,

6

September,

18

October,

6

November,

5

December,

12

MONTHS.

Remaining on the 1st Jan.,

1887,.

January, February, March, April, May, June,

Admissions. Deaths. Admissions.] Deaths. Admissions.

CONNONOGAEREFR

CHINESE.

TOTAL. TOTAL. Admissions. Deaths.

Deaths.

12

6

11

14

13

6

1

20

7

29

10

31

26

*2828,32

24

29

26

1

50.

76

1

29

29

73

20

18

1

44

1

40

20

78

1

36

11

1

53

24

17

46

14

23

49

::

Total,......

139

1

293

1

187

3

619

5

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B., Superintendent.

II. TABLE shewing the RATE of SICKNESS and MORTALITY in the POLICE FORCE during the Year 1887.

AVERAGE STrength.

TOTAL SICKNESS.

TOTAL DEATHS.

RATE OF SICKNESS. RATE OF MORTALITY.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

Total. European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

116

201

319 636

139 293 187

4

1

4

119.82 145.77 58.62

3.45

0.49 1.25

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B.,

Superintendent.

III.-POLICE RETURN of ADMISSIONS to HOSPITAL from each District during the Year 1887.

GOVERNMENT

STONE CUTTERS'

CENTRAL

No. 1

No. 5

HOUSE

8

"

No. 2

9

3

"

"

ISLAND,

No. 6

WATER POLICE STATIONS, TSIMSHATSUI,

WHITFIELD.

SHAUKIWAN,

POKFULAM. ABERDEEN.

STANLEY.

No. 7

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

February,

Remaining on 1st Jan., 1887,

January,

11

March,

4

10

2

April,

9 12

May,

7

20

June,

17

July,...

7 15

10

August,

9 4

September,

6

25

3

October,

3 24

3

November, 3 15

December,

6 10

3

1

2

Total,

76 182

48

10

27

10

3 1 2

4 2

:::

::::

:::::::*

:::::

Ni: Ni wwHi Hi Mi

14

THE ** :~*** : 2

3413 EN 16

:::::::

19

الله

1

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

3

13

1

10

2

14

4

7

2

12

13 3

92

to

Chinese.

European,

YAUMATI,

HUNG HOM.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

::::::::

:::

:::

:::

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

European.

Indian.

Chinese.

TOTAL,

1

2

2

3

:::::/:::~*

1

ZABRAOKC

24

29

32

26

39

50

76

73

44

78

53

.2

46

2

49

3

12

5

7

11

3

31

11

5 10

7619

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B.,

Superintendent.

IV. TABLE shewing the RATE of SICKNESS and MORTALITY of the TROOP3 serving in HONGKONG during the Year 1887.

AVERAGE STRENGTH.

ADMISSIONS INTO HOSPITAL.

DEATHS.

White. Black. Total. White. Black. Total. White. Black.

1,217 177

1,394

1,423

326

1.749

10*

AVERAGE DAILY RATE OF SICKNESS.

Total.

RATE OF MORTA- LITY PER 1,000 of THE STRENGTH.

White. Black. White. Black.

14

57.54

6.53 8.21*

22.59

* This includes 4 deaths out of Hospital, viz.: 2 Suicides and 2 from an explosion of fireworks, deducting these the deaths will be 6, and the rates per 1,000, 4.93.

RT. LEWER, Deputy Surgeon General,

́P.M.O. China Station.

V.-TABLE shewing the ADMISSIONS and MORTALITY in the GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

ADMISSIONS.

DEATHS.

ADMISSIONS.

DEATHS.

DISEASES.

Europeans,

Total.

DISEASES.

Brought forward..............

439 363 278 1080 21

18

22

61

Congestion of Liver,

11

2

13

Hepatitis,

3

::

Cirrhosis of Liver,

1

12

26

Abscess of Liver,

Jaundice,

Peritonitis,

9 of Spleen,

Congestion of Kidneys,

Acute Nephritis,

Bright's Disease,

Cystitis,

Vesical Calculus,

Extravasation of Urine and

Retention......

Stricture of Urethra..

Measles,...

Rötheln,

111

Variola,

Enteric Fever,.

Dysentery,

23

Febricula,

15

14

Remittent Fever,

43

40

134

Intermittent Fever,

68

80 242

Beri-Beri,

Syphilis, Primary,-

Hard Chancre,..

8

~ M

Soft Sores,

15

Secondary,-

Iritis,

Removal of Eye,

Tertiary,-

Rupia,

3

Ulcer of Leg,

1

Gumma of Brain,

Gonorrhoea,

27

19

Gleet,..

12

Privation,

3

Scurvy,

Alcoholism,

25

Delirium Tremens,

Debility,

15 13

Rheumatic Fever,

Rheumatism,

19

B: B-wi - 5~

~~ *-* :* :*

1

52

13

6

31

59

13

Leprosy,

Ancemia,

5

Diabetes Mellitus,

Tuberculosis,

Febroma of Foot,

Carcinoma of Stomach,

Do. of Upper Jaw,.

1

Cancer of Tongue,

Do. of Breast,.

Epithelioma of Penis,

Do. of Nose,

1

:-

N

1

Rupture of Urethra,

1

Paraphimosis,

Excoriations of Penis,

1

Warts,

Hydrocele Testis.

Scrofulous Dis. of Testis,

Orchitis,

11

31

2

2 Metritis,

Prolapsus Uteri,..

3

Menorrhagia,

2

Ovaritis.

2

Parturition,

Synovitis, Knce,..

1

Necrosis of Lower Jaw,

Do.. Wrist,

Do.. Abscess of Loin,

Edema of Leg,

Phthisis,

Homoptysis,

18

2

Anasarca,

Ascites,

Softening of the Brain,

1

Meningitis,

2

Alcoholic Paralysis,

2

Paralysis of Extremities,

1

Hemiplegia,

1

General Paralysis,

1

Apoplexy,

1

Sun Stroke,

2

Headache,

Nervous Debility,

3

Mania,

2

Dementia,

1

:

Hysteria,

1

Conjunctivitis,

Ulcer of Cornea,

3

2

13

Splinter of Iron in Cornea,

Rupture of Eye-ball,

Abscess of External Meatus of)

Ear,

Deafness,

Valve Disease of the Heart,

Popliteal Aneurism,

Bronchitis,

Bronchial Catarrh,

Asthma...

Pneumonia, Acute,

Pleurisy,

Edema of Face,

Caries of Teeth,

Ranula,

Tonsillitis,

3

~-wwwi ai

...

Abscess,

Scabies,

Eczema,

Acne,

Herpes,

Hypertrophy of Toe,. 12 Alopecia,

Tinea,

Urticaria,.

Keloid,

Erysipelas of Face,

Ulcer,

Bubo,

Boils,

Burns and Scalds,

Whitlow,

1

2

Sebaceous Cyst,

Tumour of Thorax,

Poisoning, Opium,

Do., Mercurial.

Do., Lead.

Immersion in Water,

Inebrietas,

Moribund,

Observation,

Dog-bite and by Tiger,. Contusions,

Sprain of Shoulder,

Do. of Ankle,

Do. of Knee,

Wounds, Contused,

10

21

6217 21

17 12:

6

1

2

3

14

14 18

46

6

IS

29

CANN: Ni

11

2

28 37,

2 21 27

Do., do.,

of Scalp,

Do..

Incised,

4

43

Do.,

Lacerated,

10 43

1

Do.,

Gun-shot of Face,

3

Do.,

do. of Scalp......

Do..

do. of Upper Arm,

Do..

do.

of Shoulder,

Do..

do.

of Abdomen,

Do.,

do.

of Thumb,

Do..

do.

of Thigh,...

Do.,

do.

of Leg,

2

1

Laryngitis,

Gastric Catarrh,

Do., Punctured of Neck,

Dyspepsia,

3

2 12

Do.,

do.

Obstruction of the Bowels,

2

Do.,

do.

over Ribs, of Forearm,

-:

Hernia, Inquinal,

Do., do.

of Thigh,

Tape-worm,

2

2

Do..

do.

Diarrhoea,

27 21

53

2

Do., do.

Do., Chronic,

1

1

Do.,

Constipation,

1

2 1

Colic,

9 18

Fistula in Ano,

1

2

of Abdomen,

of Scrotum, do. of Back,

Concussion of Brain,....

Fracture Simple of Radius,

Do. do. of Ulna,.

124

Hæmorrhoids,

6

2

8

Do.

do.

of Humerus.

1

1

Lacerated Wound of Sphincter

Do.

do.

of Patella,

1

Do.

do.

of Fibula,

Ani-rectum,

Hypertrophy of Liver,

Do.

do.

of Tibia....

Carried forward..

439 363 378 1080 21 18

22 61

Carried forward,

615 458 550 1623 27

21 32

80

DISEASES.

TABLE shewing the ADMISSIONS and MORTALITY, &c.,—(Continued).

ADMISSIONS.

DEATHS.

ADMISSIONS.

Europeans.

Coloured.

Chinese.

Total.

Europeans.

Coloured.

Chinese.

Total.

DISEASES.

DEATHS.

Europeans.

Coloured.

Chinese.

Total.

Europeans.

Coloured.

Chinese.

Total.

HA: A

: 10

do. of Lower

Jaw,

مر

Brought forward......

Fracture Simple of Femur and ]

Ulna,

Do.

do.

of Femur,

Do.

of Spine,

Do.

of Skull,

Do.

Compound of Skull,

Do.

615 458 550

...

t-

27 21

32

80

Brought forward,......

Fracture Compound of Finger

& Toes,

619 460 565 1644 28 21 39

A

:

:

888

Do.

do.

of Tibia

1

1

& Fibula, Do.

do. of Tibia, Dislocation of Humerus, Amputation of Toe,

Carried forward....

619 460 565 1644 28 21 39

88

TOTAL,.

622 460 574 1656 28 21 40

89

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B., Superintendent.

VI. TABLE shewing the RATE of MORTALITY in the GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL during the last 10 Years.

Rate to Total Number of

Admissions.

Rate to Number of Europeans Rate to Number of Coloured Rate to Number of Chinese

Admitted.

Persons Admitted.

Admitted.

1878,. 1879.

Per cent.

3.88 5.13 1879,

1878,

Per cent.

3.46

Per cent.

Per cent.

1878,

3.08

1878,

5.76

3.12

1879,

8.39

1879,

4.72

1880,

4.17

1880,

3.73 1880,

2.66

1880,

5.80

1881,

3.96

1881,

3.87 1881,

3.09 1881,

4.80

1882,

4.66

1882,

4.35

1882,

4.38

1882,

5.24

1883,

4.66

1883,

4.37

1883.

3.01 1883.

6.08

1884.

3.69

1884,

3.15

1884,

1.24

1884,

6.08

• •

1885,

5.03

1885,

4.65 1885,

3.06

1885,

7.01

1886. 1887,

4.86

1886,

4.25 1886,

4.66

1886,

5.73

5.37

1887,

4.50

1887,

4.56

1887.

6.96

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B., Superintendent.

VII.—TABLE shewing the ADMISSIONS into and DEATHS in the GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL

during each Month of the Year 1887.

MONTHS.

EUROPEANS.

COLOURED.

CHINESE.

Remaining on the 1st

Admissions. Deaths. Admissions. Deaths. Admissions. Deaths.

TOTAL TOTAL Admissions. Deaths.

January, 1887,

January,

February,

March,

April,.

34

23

37

21

32

20

28

22

46

30

May, June,.

40

41

65

47

July,

58

43

August,

58

19 00 00 × 10 12 m -*

20

37

31

35

27

39

77

57

55

66

September,

64

56

56

October,

49

54

46

November,

57

37

50

December,.

54

29

3

55

HION 00 00 01 00¤¤#0 : A

95

83

85

103

120

4

169

8

156

15

161

14

176

8

149

144

138

:

Total,

622

28

460

21

574

40

1,656

89

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B.,

Superintendent.

No.

SEX.

NATIONALITY. AGE.

DATE OF ADMISSION.

DATE OF DISCHARGE.

VIIa.-TABLE of ADMISSIONS INTO and DEATHS in SMALL-POX Hospital, 1887.

DESCRIPTION OF PATIENT.

NO. OF DAYS IN HOSPITAL.

RESULT.

-22 10 20 100 ✪

Male

English

23

1st January

American

22

Chinese

"

4

German

":

#

Spanish

28

27th

11th January 31st

10 4

Private Paying

99

*1

"

28

3rd February

8th February

5

4th

28th

24

">

27

Recovered Died Recovered

$5

23

6th

22nd

16

""

**

Swede

26

6th

3rd

25

་་

7

American

22

7th

5th

26

*!

8

""

English

23

15th

28th

13

""

"

19

19

""

"

"}

9

French

25

22nd

14th March

20

>>

=>

10

American

22

12th

14th

30

"

gg

>>

19

*

11

Manila

24

5th March

14th

9

19

**

12

Scotch

27 26th

29th

""

13

Aden

35 31st

5th

"3

14

15

"

Chilian English

30

14th

14th

"

1

29 21st

16

::

Jappe

22 24th

22nd 25th

62

"T

1

99

""

17

Chinese

25

25th

26th

1

"J

""

18

French

30

25th

":

9th May

14

19

Scotch

26

9th May

27th June

49

""

20

Scotch

40

14th

""

18th May

?

21

Swede

28

18th

29th June

42

""

22

Scotch

27

7th June

1st August

55

P.C. 98

23

Female

Chinese

12

11th

"

2nd July

21

24

Scotch

26

26th

24th

28

17

"

Destitute

Private Paying

The Board of Trade P.C. 57

Private Paying

Government Servant

Private Paying

Government Servant

Police Interpreter's Daughter Private Paying

Died

??

29

Recovered Died Recovered

"?

33

Died Recovered

>>

91

25

Male

West Indian

28

29th

11th

12

Destitute

95

26

English

29

27th October

16th November

20

Private Paying

27

Indian

24

22nd November

25th

3

The Board of Trade

28

Chinese

16

23rd

31st December

39

Private Paying

Died Recovered

29

English

34 25th

31st

37

23

*

"1

:་

30

Irelish

21 25th

31st

37

"

11

31

Swede

33 25th

16th

21

">

"

"

32

English

36 26th

31st

36

"

33

Chinese

30

26th

31st

36

*

>>

34

Chinese

17

26th

16th

20

11

Destitute

Government Servant Private Paying

35

Chinese

21

29th

31st

33

P.C. 189

**

"

36

Female

Chinese

13

30th

17th

17

Destitute

**

37

Male

American

43

5th December

31st

27

"

38

Chinese

19

5th

6th

1

>:

77

""

39

Scotch

27 11th

31st

21

P.C. 49

"

>>

40

Chinese

20

12th

26th

14

"

"

"

41

Chinese

37 12th

27th

15

";

12

Chinese

30

13th

14th

1

2.

Private Paying

43

"

English

13th

31st

19

**

Assistant Turnkey

44

Scotch

23 13th

21st

8

P.C. 106

""

"

,,

45

"

Portuguese

6 14th

31st

18

21

Private Paying

16

Portuguese

19 14th

23rd

9

""

"?

47

Manila

16 14th

21st

7

>

""

57

48

English

30 14th

16th

2

"

""

Destitute

*

Private Paying

Destitute

Government Servant

11

Died" Recovered Died Recovered

Died"

}}

""

19

33

.་

"

95

"

39"

"

"

19

"?

49

Italian

19 15th

22nd

7

"1

1:

""

50

English

15 17th

31st

14

*

Son of Sergeant Interpreter

Recovered

51

Female

Portuguese

28 19th

31st

13

Destitute

"

29

52

Male

Scotch

26 20th

30th

10

33

53

Female

Chinese

17 22nd

31st

10

Private Paying

Wife of P.C. 230

54

Male

Colonian

39

55

"

English

23rd 23 23rd

31st

9

The Board of Trade

31st

9

Destitute

">

::

**

56

་་

English

40 24th

31st

"

Private Paying

57

.་

Indian

18 26th

31st

Destitute

12

58

Malay

20 28th

31st

"

59

Canacian

""

32 29th

31st

>>

60

Female

Japanese

18 29th

31st

The Board of Trade Destitute

"

19

11

Male

Chinese Chinese

28 29th

31st

Private Paying

26 30th

31st

"

Female Japanese Male Chinese

23 30th

31st

29

5 31st

65

19

English

26 31st

31st 31st

P.C. 208

Son of Inspector Quincey Destitute

J. M. ATKINSON, M.B., Superintendent.

VIII.-LIST of DEAD BODIES brought by the POLICE to the PUBLIC MORTUARY during each Month of the Year 1887.

>

Destitute

11

33

MONTHS.

January,

February,

March,

April,.

May, June,.

July,

August,

+

September,

October,

November,

December,

Total,

EUROPEANS.

Adults.

Children.

COLOURED.

Adults.

Children.

CHINESE.

Adults.

Children.

Male. Female. Male. Female. Male. Female. Male. Female. Male. Female. Male. Female.

ကာ

11

* 1 of them was Japanese:

† 1 of them was European,

:

1

:

TOTAL.

9

2

4

:

2698

17.

15

12

8

8

11

12

18

10

::

17

24

13

16

11

21

4t

31

115

20

15

21

183

L. P. MARQUES,

Medical Officer in charge

of Post Mortem Examinations.

IX.-TABLE shewing the ADMISSIONS into HOSPITAL in VICTORIA GAOL, and MORTALITY during the Year 1887.

DISEASES.

Remaining under treatment 1st January, 1887,

I.-Febricula,

Intermittent Fever,..

Remittent Fever,

ADMISSIONS.

DEATHS.

peans.

Euro- Coloured

Persons.

Chinese. TOTAL.

Euro-

peans.

Coloured Persons.

Chinese. TOTAL.

15

15

3

2

1000 2

2

Nii

2

Small Pox (Removed to Tung-

Wah Hospital),

1

Hordeolum,

IV.—Anæmia,

V & VI-Bubo Sympathetic,.

VII.-Chronic Bronchitis,

Asthma,

Bronchitis,

Phthisis Pulmonalis,

Homoptysis,

Inflammation of Lung,

VIII.—Aphtho,

Ascites,

II.-Rheumatism,

Secondary Syphilis,

philitic cachexia,

III.-Cephalalgia,

Conjunctivitis,

Granular Conjunctivitis,

Paralysis,

Debility Paralysis,

Morbus Cordis,

2

:

1

:

::

:

::

Ulceration of pharynx, and sy-

1

:

:

]

1

1

2

3

...

1

1

...

1

1

1

1

1

1

4

5

1

6

6

1

2

1

1

3

1

2

1

1

Ascites,

1

Hæmaturia,.

Orchitis,

Boils,

Carbuncle,

Erysipelas,

Diarrhoea,

Dysentery,

Dysentery ulcers of rectum,

Hemorrhoids,

Jaundice,...

Prolapsus Ani,

IX & X.--Soft Chancre,

Soft Chancre, and Gonorrhoea,

Necrosis of Lumbar Vertebra,

Stricture,..

Sores on Penis, Not Syphilitie,...

XII-Abscess,

...

1 1

co co

3

1

5

12

1

1

...

1

...

3

1

1

...

2

2

1

1

...

1

1

1

...

1

1

1

52

...

CO ON:

2

53

3

234

5

10

...

Herpes Zoster,

Ulcer,

Cystic tumour in the left thigh I

-extracted,

Deep ulcers of perineum, and

ulceration of tongue,

Deep gluteal abscess after flog-

1

1

1

1

:

1

1

1

1

ging,

:

:

:

:

:

:

...

...

:

Deep abscess of right pophiteal

1

1

space,

Urticaria,.

1

1

Scabies,

:::

:

:

:

::

:

:

Unclassed.

Alcoholia,

4

1

:::

36

37

1

1

...

Debility,

Edema feet,

Wounds and Injuries.

Contusions,

Contused Wounds,

Contused Wounds from Flogging,

Incised Wound,

Bullet Wound,..

Incised Wound for extracting

a bullet in the back,

Sprain,....

Simple fracture of lower jaw,

Unknown or Unrecognized.

Observation,

TOTAL,...

5

10 10

5

17

17

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

3

11

::

:.

1

1

13

24

42

1

223

266

::

:

:

:

...

6

6

OTHER DEATHS-1 Chinese, Rupture of Blood-vessel near the heart.-Found dead in Ward B III, No. 5 cell. 1 Remand, Rendition Case- Suicide by strangulation in Sleeping-cell, Remand Ward. I Remand, Rendition Casc.-Suicide by Opium poisoning.

L. P. MARQUES, Medical Officer,

I

Europeans.

Coloured Persons.

Chinese.

TOTAL.

X.—TABLE shewing CASES not ADMITTED to HOSPITAL, treated by the MEDICAL OFFICER, during the Year 1887.

DISEASES.

Remaining under treatment 1st January, 1887,

3

I.

Febricula,

II.

Scrofula,

Secondary Syphilis,

VII.

Bronchitis,

VIII.

Diarrhoea,

Dyspepsia,

Hemorrhoids,....

XII.

Abscess,

Carbuncle,

Herpes Zoster,

Whitlow,

Unclassed.

!

Debility,

Old Age,

Wounds and Injuries.

Contused Wounds from Flogging,

Unknown or Unrecognized.

Observation,

:

2

:

1

:

1

:

:

:

2

:

10

5

1

3

:

:

1

1

1

I

1

1

2

~

1

1

1

1

1

9

15

1

1

1

:

24

24

وت

3

4

TOTAL,

14

1

50

65

XI.-TABLE shewing the RATE of SICKNESS and MORTALITY in VICTORIA GAOL during the Year 1887.

Total No. of Prisoners admitted to Gaol.

Daily Average No. of Prisoners. Hospital.

Total Sick in

Total

Serious Sick, Total Sickness Trifling Deaths.

Cases.

Rate of Sickness.

Rate of Mortality.

to Total.

To Total. To Average. To Total. To Average.

4,308

584

266

68

6

0.617

0.775

0.381

0.0139

0.1027

TABLE XI,-CASES ADMITTED to VICTORIA GAOL HOSPITAL, at the first Medical Examination by the MEDICAL OFFICER, during the Year 1887.

SENTENCE.

No.

DISEASES.

DATE

DATE

OF

ADMISSION.

OF DISCHARGE.

REMARKS.

Years. Mos.

Days.

1

Bullet Wound,

6

Intermittent,

4 January. 7

11 January. On Remand.

13

92

"

Contusion,

10

18

On Remand.

**

""

42

Bubo,

13

28

>

"

Debility,

15

21

Bubo,

15

""

21

Debility,

29

29

3 February.

16 February. 19

42

Debility,

2 March.

4 March.

Contused Wound,.

10

19

On Remand.

""

10

Contusion,.

11

25

On Remand.

""

11

Debility,

16

"

13 April.

12

Observation,

25

33

2

On Remand.

"

13

21

14

15

16

17

18

coco:

Debility,

1 April.

16

35

Contusion,

2

9

25

Observation,

12

19

On Remand.

""

Observation,

14

16

On Remand.

""

3

Debility,

18

17 May.

3

Sprain,

30

4

"3

وو

19

Observation,

20

42

Debility,

19 May. 14 June.

27

On Remand.

"

28 June.

21

14

Abscess,

23

25

""

99

22

14

Alcoholia,

24

28

"}

""

23

14

Alcoholia,

24

6 July.

24

6

Sprain,

29

"

4

33

25

2

Debility,

1 July.

8

26

Boil,

18

On Remand.

"

A

27

42

Observation,

9

">

28

42

Observation,

9

"

29

I

Observation,

11

30

Fever,

13

"

31

42

Observation,

14

22

,,

3

35

32

Alcoholia,

20

21

39

33

2

Abscess,

23

30

""

34

1

Alcoholia,

3 August.

10 August.

35

42

Debility,

11

30

"

55

36

42

Observation,

11

13

"

37

14

Debility,

11

25

38

42

Observation,

11

17

>>

39

3

General Debility,

19

1 October.

40

1

Debility,

31

>>

24 Sept.

41

12

Secondary Syphilis,

31

23

42

...

Intermittent Fever,

2 Sept.

43

Dysentery,....

5

""

44

Contused Wound,

14

15

22

22

15 October.

9 Sept:

7

Remand. Sent Civil Hospt. On Remand.

45

21

Intermittent Fever,

19

""

46

6

Sprain of elbow joint,

19

30

24

""

99

47

2

Soft Chancre and Gonorrhoea,.

24

26

39

48

14

General Debility,

27

22

49

12

Incised Wound for extracting

11 October.

""

8 October.

24 ""

Paid his fine.

a bullet in the Back,

50

51

53

OHNGH 3958

2

General Debility,

14

24

27

1

Sore of Penis,

18

52

42

General Debility,

25

"

3

Dysentery,

1 Nov.

54

1

Soft Chanere,

14

31

21 Nov.

14

1 Dec.

55

42

f Deep ulcers of perineum,

30

:

56

57

N

:

42

ulceration of tongue,

Ulceration of pharynx, syphi-

""

30

litic cachexia,

42

General Debility,

General Debility,

22 Dec. 22

COLO

13

27

Paid his fine.

"

30

>>

1

1

XI6.-TABLE showing the WEIGHTS of PRISONERS (OPIUM SMOKERS) for the First Four Weeks' Confinement in VICTORIA GAOL), during the Year 1887.

NUMBER OF

No.

AGE. YEARS OPIUM

SMOKER.

CONSUMPTION

PER DIEM,

WEIGHT WHEN ADMITTED.

WEIGHT FIRST FOUR

WEEKS.

REMARKS.

42

45

$

50

9

56

10

40

11

35

12

46

13

53

14

15

48

16

62

17

61

18

64

53 13

20

19 38 10 20 50 20

21

22

30

6

19

58 16

23

55

24 67

25

48

26

52

27

56

28

50

29

59

20

30

32

31

52

32

32

33

30

34

43

35

33

36

36

37

38

38

50

39

31

40

40

41

38

42

.53

43

29

44

29

45

44

46

26

47

55

48

47

49

78

50

36

51

45

52

54

53

52

54

58

55

38

56

44

57

55

58

40

59

45

60

49

61

48

62

70

63

39

64

45

65

42

66

44

67

30

68

72

69

34

70

25

71

28

72

48

73

50

74

48

75

30

5888-5*5...KUMU-UUN~-~~~-„NENHU„WMNA,N,ENZUMEZH,NUN,NNEWORN ANNEES

38

10

Years.

48

""

10

43

10

19

20

20

"

"

Q CO TH 22-24D TH

2 Mace.

119

Ibs.

115

115

114

114

3

106

108

105

107

105

፡፡

""

106

Paid his fine.

83

83

85

84

84

22

27

117

118

117

119

116

"3

108

102

106

105

1

*

"3

104

99 100

97

97

*

22

101

96

97

96

96

""

110

105

107

107

106

"

99

100

105

102

100

>

109

106

106

106

105

""

90

88

89

89

11

"

102

94

95

96

117

Paid his fine.

1

*

107

107

104

2

106

"

77

78

80

80

80

2

84

2

"

87

88

88

87

110

99

2

100

19

101

103

105

110

19

108

"

108

110

110

100

""

99

"

99

100

104

133

"

128

"

130

131

132

135

..

129

129

127

10

106

106

5:

108

107

109

103

21

**

102

10

104

=;

120

99 103

104

108

109

103

102

4

"

113

116

"

113

114

112

""

109

19

113

118

118

98

"

97

98

101

102

"

113

"

111

111

33

111

110

109

""

"

107

06

108

107

20

96

""

""

95

"

100

101

100

6

90

"

"2

91

92

93

93

"

116

""

>>

114

116

115

111

20

"

104

"

>>

101

06

108

118

13

114

108

107

111

108

99

27

>>

92

92

96

98

103

""

32

101

97 102

101

30

109

"

101

105 106

105

16

89

19

>

85

88

88

93

111

"

105

103

100

96

10

89

"

85

87

86

84

110

"

108

108

106

106

95

"

95

95 100

99

"

91

??

1

*

88

87

89

92

"

20

115

""

2

3:

116

113

116

117

*

99

19

1

"

100

95

98

97

"

30

141

29

3

>>

140

140

138

138

"

105

17

1

100

102

100

99

96

19

""

93

94

96

96

19

98

"

97

102

101

102

99

96

"

19

95

95

94

94

25

89

90

92

99

94

"

20

95

29

94

95

95

101

>>

105

102

100

100

100

39

1

96

94

94

92

89

"

2

112

106

109 107

106

118

111

19

113

113

114

110

19

100 102 104

106

12

2

110

108

108 109

"

1

116

"

114

114 115

116

109

"

106

108

"

108

107

106

22

100

101

98

"

91

2

100

101 102

100

102

12

110

105 104 102

**

11

115

110

111 110

"

20

99

29

93

94

96

**

10

109

27

103

102

106

3:

36

75

??

74

77

78

80

"

19

115

113

*

110

112

112

"

102

*

91

88

91

"2

1

110

"

119

106 106

"

20

2

116

115

114

113

111

"

19

20

2

120

115

""

117 116

117

19

28

113

"

>>

103

105

104 102

10

1

98

88

88

88

88

XIC.-TABLE shewing OPIUM SMOKERS ADMITTED to HOSPITAL and treated by the MEDICAL OFFICER,

DISEASES.

Remaining under treatment 1st January, 1887.

during the Year 1887.

Coloured

Europeans. Persons.

Chinese.

Total.

Intermittent Fever, No. 4,

General Debility, Nos. 9, 12, 14, 16, 24, 34, 38, 49, 53, 63, 68,. Ulceration of pharynx, and syphilitic cachexia, No. 74,

Soft Chancre, No. 71,

Observation, Nos. 39, 41, 50,

TOTAL,........

........

:

...

1

1

11

11

1

1

1

1

3

3

17

17

XId.-TABLE shewing the NUMBER and DESCRIPTION of PATIENTS treated in the GOVERNMENT LUNATIC ASYLUM during the Year 1887.

No.

Native of

Sex.

Age.

Diseases.

Date of Admission.

Date of Discharge.

No. of Days in Asylum.

Description of Patients,

1

- G3 C3 = 10 6 1-∞∞

Germany,

F.

2

Austria,

F.

43

Jamaica,

M.

+

Barbadoes,

M. 30

RO

25

Dementia, Dementia,

1st Jan.

26th Dec. 15th Mar.

360

74

"

""

31

Dementia, Mania,

22nd Oct.

294

19

"

21st Dec.

365

11

5

Macao,

F.

27

Dementia,

7th Feb.

37

"

27

Ireland,

M. 34

20th Feb.

31st Dec.

314

7

England,

M. 46

8

England,

M. 46

India,

M. 50

Melancholia, Melancholia, Dementia,

30th July 24th August

8th Aug.

9

25th Dec.

16th Sept. 31st Dec.

23

Remaining in Hospital 31st Dec.,

1886.

Males.

Private Paying.

The Board of Trade.

19

Private Paying.

"

Government Servant, Destitute.

XII. TABLE of STATISTICS relating to the TUNG WA HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

Admitted during the year 1887.

No. of Cases Treated in the Hospital, 1887.

No. of Patients Discharged during the year 1887.

Died during 1887.

No. of Out-Patients Treated during 1887.

Moribund Cases,

1887.

Remaining in Hospital 31st Dec., 1887.

86

97

1,837

394 2,231 1,837 394 2,231 839 118 957 955 258 1,213

99,716 31,194 130,910 240 136

376129 29 158

XIII.-CASES of SMALL-POX treated at the TUNG WA HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

Remaining in Hospital Admitted during 1887.

31st December, 1886.

Discharged.

Died.

Remaining in Hospital 31st December, 1887.

Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total.

...

181

129 310 39

16

55 119

102

221 23

11

34

XIV.-VACCINATION performed during the year 1887 by TRAVELLING VACCINATORS of the TUNG WA HOSPITAL.

In the City of Victoria.

2,913

In Out District.

Shaukiwán,

Aberdeen, Yaumáti,

..97

.45

.83

Total.

3,138

JAMES J. CLERIHEW, Inspector of Nuisances,

Western Health District.

XV.-LOCK HOSPITAL.

TABLE A

SHEWING the ADMISSIONS into the GOVERNMENT LOCK HOSPITAL, during the 30 Years of its Existence, with the Number of DIETS issued and the AVERAGE LENGTH of TREATMENT.

ADMISSIONS.

NUMBER OF DIETS ISSUED.

AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TREATED.

1858,

124

1858,.

4,797

1859,

162

1859,.

1858, 5,389 1859,

43.8

30.8

1860,

36.1

1860,.

9,107

1860,

23.7

1861,

442

1861,

10,778

1861.

23.4

1862,

485

1862.

12,193 1862.

22.0

1863,

420

1863,

11,707

1863.

23.7

1864,

442

1864,

11,940

1864.

27.0

1865,

890

1865.

11,303

1865.

28.0

1866,

406

1866.

13,060

1866.

28.6

1867,

434

1867.

18,120

1867,

25.5

1868,

579

1868,

16,462

1868,.

23.6

1869,

546

1869,

16,779

1869,

24.8

1870,

722

1870,

18,382

1870,

23.1

1871,

593

1871.

12,308

1871.

18.5

1872,

656

1872,

15,103

1872,.

20.9

1873,

500

1873,

11,219

1858,

19.5

1874,

345

1874,.

6,814

1874.

18.6

1875,

134

1875,

2,916

1875,

187

1876,

168

1876,.

2,730

1870,

14.3

1877,

177

1877,

3,069

1877,

16.6

1878,

105

1878,

2,242

1878,

19.0

1879,

129

1879,

2,199

1879,

13.6

1880,

57

1880,

1,300 1880,

14.7

1881,

44

1881.

1,330

1881.

21.7

1882,

99

1882.

1,831

1882.

15.5

1883,

273

1883.

3,451

1883,.

12.0

1884,

325

1884.

5,174

1884,.

13.1

1885,

411

1885,

6,161

1885,

15.6

1886,

401

1886.

4,837

1886,

12.2

1887,

144

1887,

2,014

1887.

13.9

Daily Average, 5. Longest stay, 90 days.

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

TABLE B.

RETURN of the NUMBER of PROSTITUTES, brought under the Provisions of Ordinance No. 10, during the Year 1887.

Number admitted

Number of Beds in

to Hospital

on Certificates of

Lock Hospital.

Visiting Surgeon.

32

144

Number

who submitted voluntarily.

269

Number against whom

it was necessary to proceed

by Information before the Registrar General,

30

Total Number brought under the Provisions of the Ordinance.

269

Total Number of Examinations

made during the Year.

12,223

Total Number of Examinations made when no Disease was found.

12,079

Total Number Discharged from Hospital.

143

*

Including the examinations which were made outside the Lock Hospital.

TABLE C.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES RETURN for the Year 1887.

Pн. B. C. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon.

TOTAL NUMBER OF MEN DISEASED

Total No. of Females admitted

ADMITTED INTO

AVERAGE NUMBER OF MEN IN GARRISON AND PORT (per month).

into Lock Military Naval Police Civil Hospital. Hospital. Hospital. Hospital. Hospital.

Total No. of Men Diseased.

Soldiers. Seamen. Police.

Average No. of Men in Mer- Garrison chant and Port Seamen. (per month).j

Average Percentage

of Men Diseased (per month).Į

REMARKS.

144

222

268

70

54

614

1,401

1,132 636

15,648

18,837

0.270

Every day, Sundays and Government holidays

excepted.

TABLE D.

RETURN of WOMEN examined and treated in the GOVERNMENT Lock HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

EXAMINATION.

HOSPITAL.

DISCHARGED.

12,223

144

12,079

DISEASES.

Primary Syphilis, uncomplicated, Gonorrhoea,

do..

Do., and Primary Syphilis, combined, Secondary Syphilis,

P. and Secondary Syphilis and Gonorrhoea,

TOTAL.........

No. remaining in.

Hospital, 31st

December, 1886.

Admitted.

Total Treated.

80

25

*****

33

33

80

*

144

:

Cured.

144

143

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

1

No. remaining in

Hospital, 31st December, 1887.

TABLE D. 2.

Shewing the Number of UNLICENSED PROSTITUTES apprehended under Ordinance No. 10 of 1867, during the Year 1887.

In Houses,

NO. OF WOMEN.

CONVICTED.

DISCHARGED.

FOUND DISEASED.

30

30

15

15

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

TABLE E.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES RETURN for the Year 1887.

DISEASES.

Primary Syphilis, uncomplicate !,

Gonorrhoea, uncomplicated,

Do.,

and Primary Syphilis, combined,

do.,

Primary and Secondary Syphilis, combined,

Gonorrhoea and Primary and Secondary Syphilis and Gonorrhoea, Gleet,

do.,

January, February, March,

April,

May,

June,

July,

August,

Military

Hospital.

Naval Hospital.

Police Hospital.

Civil

Hospital.

69

95

23

15

113

144

33

19

9

40

15

10

11

*

9

TOTAL,

..1887,..

* 222

+268

70

54

TOTAL,

..1886,..

216

235

25

65

TOTAL,..

..1885,....

145

200

27

130

TOTAL,

.1884,.

159

149

41

.94

*Military Hospital, of these cases 12 were contracted out of the Colony. † Naval Hospital, of these cases 106 were contracted out of the Colony.

TABLE E 2.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE.

TABLE shewing the number of NAVAL MEN admitted into NAVAL HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

Months.

SECONDARY SYPHILIS.

Contracted in Hongkong.

September,

October,

November,

December,

Contracted elsewhere.

Total.

3

4

7

1

1

2

2

1

3

I

1

1

Total Number,......

TABLE E 3.

3

4

17

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE.

TABLE shewing the number of MILITARY MEN admitted into MILITARY HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

January, February,

March,

April,

May,

June,

July,

August,

September, October, November, December,

Months.

SECONDARY SYPHILIS.

Contracted in Hongkong.

10

6

2NDON HQ — — 05 05 Co

2

1

1

3

3

Contracted elsewhere.

Total.

2

2

10

6

3

2421 21 10 00 so

Total Number,......

40

23

Years.

XVI. TABLE shewing the rate of MORTALITY among the FOREIGN RESIDENTS in Hongkong during the last 10 Years.

Number of European and

American Residents.

Percentage of Deaths to Number of Residents.

Deaths.

1878,

2,767

67

2.42

1879,

2,767

55

1.98

1880,

2,767

69

2.49

1881,

3,040

64

2.10

1882,

3,040

55

1.80

1883,

3,040

81

2.06

1884,

3,040

94

3.09

1885,

3,040

99

3.25

1886,

3,040

103

3.38

1887,

3,040

108

3.55

Average of 10 Years,.........

2,958.1

79.5

2.612

Enclosure 1.

Report from the Superintendent of the Civil Hospital.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,

HONGKONG, 6th March, 1888.

SIR,-I beg to forward report of the work done at the Civil Hospital during the year 1887 with the usual statistics.

I arrived at the Colony in November 17th, and took over charge from Dr. THOMPSON on the following day.

I was very much surprised and perplexed at the state of affairs then existing at the Hospital. The two European Wardmasters were on their trial for robbing patients under their care.

To undertake the nursing of the patients in addition to the Chinese attendants who have practi- cally no knowledge of nursing, I had the services of two of the Army Medical Staff Corps to the end of December, who were of great assistance, and of CHAN A LOK the Chinese Wardmaster. The latter during his long period of service at the Hospital has acquired some practical knowledge in regard to nursing and is very useful as an Interpreter. Unfortunately he is leaving soon, wishing to retire, as he does not feel strong enough to continue his work.

As the services of the Army Medical Staff Corps men were not available two Wardmasters Mr. CUBIT a Policeman and Mr. CARNEIRO son of the Wardmaster of the Small-pox Hospital were appointed on probation for three months.

Meanwhile as the Nursing Staff of the Hospital generally seemed so inefficient, I had drawn up a scheme for the re-arrangement of the Nursing Staff, which was submitted to His Excellency The Governor. In this scheme I recommended that in addition to the two European Wardmasters who should be preferably retired Army Medical Staff Corps men, the obtaining of five European trained female Nurses, one to act as Head Nurse; this scheme is still under consideration.

Since my arrival there has been an epidemic of Small-pox. I have had under my care 111 cases of that disease, many of a very severe type. The present building which is used as a Small-pox Hospital only contains 10 beds. This had to be augmented, first by the erection of one and afterwards as this soon was filled, by the erection of two bamboo sheds. This has entailed a great deal of extra work upon the Hospital Staff. Fortunately the epidemic seems to be subsiding thanks in a great measure to the energetic measures taken by the Sanitary Department. I would strongly urge the necessity of the erection of an Infectious Hospital either on one of the Islands of the Harbour, or as far away as possible from any habitation, as the present building is quite inadequate for the treatment of such cases; also that such Hospital have a separate Medical Officer and Staff of its own. The sooner this is done the better, as the Colony is always liable to an outbreak such as this.

On refering to the Statistics it will be found that the Hospital Register contains 1,656 cases, 43 more than in 1886, of this number 619 were Police, seventeen more than in the previous year.

Table III shows the number from each station, Table V shows the varieties of disease a mongst the patients generally, with the mortality from each.

There were forty cases of Dysentery of which six proved fatal.

Nine cases of Typhoid were treated of which one died.

ī

Remittent Fever seems to have been very fatal as out of 134 cases there were nine deaths. Altogether out of 420 cases which Dr. WHARRY classes as Hongkong Fever, there were ten deaths, as against one death out of 406 cases in 1886; out of these ten, one was a European, two were Coloured, and seven Chinese.

Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatism sent 38 cases, of which one died.

There were seven cases of opium poisoning, of which two died.

The total number of deaths were eighty-nine, the death rate compared to the total number of admissions being 5.37, the highest yet recorded.

The total amount of fees received from patients during the year was $10,275.68 of this the Board of Trade paid $2,181.75 and the Police $970,75 this is exclusive of $1,788.18 fees from patients in Lunatic Asylum which amount in previous years has been included in the Civil Hospital accounts.

Mr. WATSON the Assistant Apothecary arrived in the Colony on September 25th and forthwith commenced his duties.

Mr. Crow the Senior Apothecary and Analyst is temporarily performing the duties of Sanitary Superintendent.

I have to thank these officers and particularly Mr. ROGERS, the Steward, for the assistance they have rendered me in becoming acquainted with the working of the Establishment.

In conjunction with the Colonial Surgeon I have made certain alterations in the existing rules in order to keep the Chinese attendants more under control.

In conclusion I wish to point out the necessity there is for an assistant Resident Medical Officer. In a Hospital like this in which so many of the cases are acute and so many accidents are admitted, and in which, as I gather from the previous reports, the greatest stress of work falls in the Summer months, the work is too great for one Medical Officer; one cannot always be on duty; under the existing arrangements it is impossible to leave the Hospital for even a couple of hours without a feeling of anxiety that something may happen during one's absence; if there was another Resident Medical Officer, there would always be one on duty.

My report is necessarily incomplete from the late period of the year in which I took over the charge of the Hospital.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

JOHN MITFORD ATKINSON, M.B., Superintendent, Government Civil Hospital.

Dr. PH. B. C. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon.

Enclosure 2.

Lock Hospital's Returns.

SYPHILIS.

Primary.

Year.

Number of examinations.

And Cutane-

Hard Chancre

ous

Erup-

tion,

1885.

12,454

67168 38

1886.

12,407

111 155 51

1887.

11,496

28 4233*

1

N

:

::.

3

1

93

40 367 12,087

1

4

N

333

1

378 12,029)

21

129 11,367

REMARKS.

* 1 Woman was found with soft sore, but was not detained.

D.

RETURN showing the NUMBER of TIMES in which WOMEN were EXAMINED and TREATED in the LOCK HOSPITAL during the Year 1887.

1887.

Number

of

Women

Examined.

Gonorrhoea.

Leucorrhoea.

Soft Sore.

FOUND DISEASED.

SYPHILIS.

Pri- Secon-

mary. dary.

Hard

Chancre.

January,

1,058

1

so

4

I

February,

981

4

2

:

March..

1,066

4

ལྟ་

4

10

1

April,

985

14

1

May,

967

12

June,

1,008

10

1

July,

914

10

August,

988

6

10

00

:

:

:

September,

931

October,....

885

November,

874

December,

869

:

:

:

:

2

:

:

1*

:

:

1

:

Total,......

11,526

28

53

333

35

2

4.

Labial Abscess.

Abrasion of os

Ul. of os Uteri.

Uteri.

Abscess.

Free from Disease.

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

1

1

2

4

1

1

:

:

:

:

1

:

N

:

:

:

:

2 18

2

Remained.

Admitted.

Total Treated,

Gonorrhoea.

Leucorrhoea.

:

DISCHARGED CURED.

SYPHILIS.

Pri-Sccon-

mary. dary.

Hard

Chancre.

Soft Sore.

...

1,047

11

11

1

971 1

1,046 3

10

11

4

20

963

14

946 10

994 15

895

9

966 11

931

881

21

222

23

N

36

31

10

:

5

14

19

22

CO NO NO

9

:

Co

4

Co

2

3

10

10

13

1

29

4

8

4

28

4.

4

33

7

4

N

9

1

5

1

4

4

N

874 1

1

867

1

1

...

:

F:..

:

:

:.

111,381

:

:

* Was not detained in Hospital but treated outside.

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

1

:

1

:

:

I

Labial Abscess.

Abrasion of os

Uteri.

Ul. of os Uteri.

Abscess.

Total Discharged.

Remaining in Hospital.

2

:

1

1

:

:

10

1

8

3

9

14

...

:

26

10

16

15

2220

9

17

11

24

9

9

1

1

:

:

:

:

:

:

:..

2

:

M

:

:.

1

4

2

6

2

:

1

:

:

:.

:

:

:

:

:

:

1

:

:

1

:

:

:

:

144

144

28

53

34

2

3 2

18

2 1

143

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

1

TABLE 1.

RETURN of the NUMBER of COMPLAINTS against the REGISTERED WOMEN during the Year 1887.

1887.

COMPLAINTS FROM

Gonorrhoea.

NATURE OF COMPLAINTS.

SYPHILIS.

Soft Sore.

Primary.

Hard

Cut.

Chancre. Erupt.

No. OF WOMEN

POINTED OUT.

RESULT OF EXAMINATION.

Free from Disease.

Found diseased Detained.

January,

Different Quarters,.

12

7

February,

13

8

>>

March,

+

1

>>

1

April,

12

9

1

>>

""

May,

""

"

June,

8

10

9

:

"

July,

August,

A

"

Total,.....

A

9

10

5

71

49

2

1

2225

20

20

21

20

1

8

:

:

:

:

3

22

15

7

17

17

11

13

11

A

4a

4

122

90

32

23 2

a. One of the women was pointed out by two men.

TABLE II.

RETURN showing the RESULT of the EXAMINATIONS of the REGISTERED WOMEN stated to have infected men from

H. M.'s Army, Navy, and others with Venereal Sores during the

1887.

COMPLAINTS FROM

Soft Sore.

NATURE OF COMPLAINTS.

SYPHILIS.

Primary.

Hard Chancre.

and Cut. Erupt.

Secondary.

Year 1887.

NO. OF WOMEN

POINTED OUT.

RESULT OF EXAMINATION.

Free from Disease.

Found diseased

Detained.

January, February,

Her Majesty's Army,

5

"}

April,

>>

>>

>>

May,

""

""

June,

33

"

>>

July,

"

""

August,

"

38

January, February,

Her Majesty's Navy,

2

42

4

""

>>

""

6

2

5

8

6

3

2 106 MM N

5

3

3

5

1:263110

5

38

21

17

1

10 21

5

10 2

t

5

:

1

7

April,

June,

July,

Government Civil Hospital, 1

1

2

2

1

1

12

"

1

1

">

""

3

4

4

January, February, March,... July,

Miscellaneous,

""

""

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

I

1

1

3

1

:

H

2

2

Total,

50

2

1

:.

53

34

19

PH. B. C. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon.

TABLE III.—Showing the RESULT of the EXAMINATIONS of the REGISTERED WOMEN stated to have conveyed Gonorrhea infection during the Year 1887.

RESULT OF EXAMINATIONS.

NATURE OF COM- PLAINTS.

1887.

COMPLAINTS FROM

No. of WOMEN POINTED

REMARKS.

GONOR-

Free from

OUT.

RHEA.

Disease.

Found diseased Detained.

January,

Her Majesty's Army,

February,

Do.,

March,

Do.,

April,.

Do.,

May,

Do.,

June,

Do.,

July,

Do.,

5 7 7

5

6 6 10 10 257

7 7

6678 10 11

60 61 ∞ ONE

2

3

46

46

36

10

January,

Her Majesty's Navy,

February,

Do.,

May,

Do.,

2

November,

Do.,

6623

6629

6699

3

3

17

17

17

April,

Government Civil Hospital,...

1

1

1

May,

Do.,

1

1

...

June,

Do.,

3

2

1

July,

Do.,

1

1

7

4

7

10

5

2

1

1

1

February,

Miscellaneous,

Total,

71

71

59

12

Pí. B. C. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon,

Abrasion.

Ulceration of os

Uteri.

Warts.

F.

RETURN of WOMEN examined in WANTSAI during the Year 1887.

Number

of

Free from

1887.

Women Examined.

Disease.

Found diseased and sent to the Lock Hospital.

Gonorrhoea.

Soft Sore.

Leucorrhoea.

NATURE OF DISEASE.

SYPHILIS.

Primary.

and

Hard cutaneous Chanere.

eruption.

Secondary.

January, February,.

March....

:

...

26

26

April,

39

37

2

May,

28

28

June,

28

28

July,

42

42

August,

26

25

I

1

September,

October,

26

26

November,

..

27

27

December,

32

32

3

:

O

:

:

:

...

...

During the months of January, February, and September, the Wantsai women were all examined at the Lock Hospital their expenses

being paid by me.

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon,

Total,.......

274

271

G.

LOCK HOSPITAL.

RETURN of the RESULT of EXAMINATIONS of WOMEN from UN-REGISTERED BROTHELS during the Year 1887.

1887.

January,

March...... April,. June,

July, August,

Total......

30

No. of Women.

Place of Residence.

9

O7NQ ∞ N

Different Quarters,.

دو

""

""

19

"

""

"9

""

2

"

TABLE A.

NATURE OF Disease.

Free from Disease.

Found diseased and detained.

Leucorrhoea.

Ul. of os Uteri.

Gonorrhoea.

Warts.

Soft Sore.

SYPHILIS.

Primary. Secondary.

Hard Chan-

and cut.

cre.

erup- tion.

LO CO TH (pred pound proj

4

4

3

4 12-

15

15

11

3

1 1

1

1

1

1

:

:

÷

2

1

:

...

1

:

PH. B. C. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon.

RETURN of the NUMBER of PROSTITUTES, brought under the Provisions of Ordinance No. 10, during the Year 1887.

Number

of Beds in Lock

Hospital.

Number admitted to Hospital

on Certificates

of Visiting Surgeon.

32

Number against whom it was necessary to proceed by Information before the

Number who submitted Voluntarily.

Registrar General.

Total Number brought under the Provisions

of the Ordinance.

Total Number of Examina- tions made during the Year.

Total Number of Examina- tions made when no Disease was found.

Total Number Discharged from Hospital.

REMARKS.

144

269

30

269

12,223*

12,079

143

*In this table are included also the women examined at Wántsai and those examined outside.

TABLE C.

RETURN of WOMEN examined, and treated in the GOVERNMENT LOCK HOSPITAL, during the Year 1887.

EXAMINATION.

No. of days

in Month on which

Examinations

were held.

Total Number of

Examinations made during the

Year

Number admitted

to Hospital.

Total Number of

Examinations made when no

Disease was found.

Examina-

tions are

heid daily Sundays & Govern- ment holi- days ex- cepted.

12,223

144

DIBEABES.

12,079

Primary Syphilis, uncomplicated

do.

Gonorrhoea

Do.

and P. Syphilis combined

P. & Secondary do.

P. & Secondary Syphilis & Gonorrhea

TOTAL.

Admitted.

HOSPITAL.

Total treated.

Cred

DISCHARGED.

TOTAL.

33

80

25

3842

33

25

87588

80

80

****

33

24

24

4

****

33

80

4

2

Number remain- ing in Hospital,

31st Dec., 1887.

144

144

143

143

1

REMARKS.

In this table are included also the women examined at Wantsai and those examined outside the Hospital.

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

Enclosure 3.

ļ

Report of the Government Analyst.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,

HONGKONG, 21ST APRIL, 1888.

SIR,I have the honour to forward a statement of the work done in the temporary laboratory of this Hospital during the

year 1887.

WATER.

During the months of February, March, and April analysis of 328 waters derived from wells or springs within the City of Victoria were made at the request of the Sanitary Board. My instructions were to simply "separate the wells into two classes viz. ; those which were evidently much polluted and those which were not." Many of these waters had been examined in former years and in previous special and annual reports I have expressed my views on the danger incurred by the public in having recourse to the shallow wells in this City for a supply of water for dietetic purposes.

In judging of the extent of the pollution of these well waters some considerable care was taken to ascertain the existence or absence of nitrites the detection of which in shallow well waters being, in the opinion of most chemists, held as conclusive evidence of the presence, in the water under examina- tion, of fresh decomposing sewage.

Of the 328 waters examined 223 or 68 per cent. showed unmistakable evidence of the presence of nitrites; and 199 or 60 per cent, contained considerable quantities of free ammonia. The specimens of good well water I have analyzed in this Colony have been found to contain practically no free ammonia and certainly not even the faintest trace of nitrites.

In all cases an accurate determination was made of the amount of Chlorine present in the water and after a careful consideration of the chemical data and an inspection in many instances of the localities whence the samples were drawn, I placed 233 of the samples or 71 per cent. in the category of waters that were evidently much polluted.

I may add that the greater part of the remaining 95 samples contained Chlorine considerably in excess of the quantity found in water derived from wells that are without doubt uncontaminated; and in the last report on water analysis I submitted to the Board, a recommendation was made that when an abundant water supply was available the Government would do well to order the closing of all wells in the City of Victoria.

MILK.

During the

year nine samples of milk which had been obtained by the Nuisance Inspectors were analyzed at the request of the Sanitary Board. Of these three were returned as being adulterated. One of the specimens was estimated to contain at least 50 per cent. of added water.

Sometime ago the necessity of checking the quality of the milk supplied to the Civil Hospital was very clearly demonstrated to the Civil Medical Staff, and it was decided that once a month samples from the morning and evening milk delivered by the contractor were to be analyzed.

To enable me to form a proper estimate of the quality of the milk an analysis is made, regularly once a month, of a sample selected at the Contractor's Farm from the mixed product of the whole Dairy.

Too much weight cannot be attached to the necessity of providing the sick with milk of the best quality seeing that in many cases it forms their sole article of diet. Mr. ROGERS the Hospital Steward has been, for some months, in the habit of noting the Specific Gravity and Temperature of every delivery so that all possible precautions are now taken to prevent an inferior article being sent up to the wards for the patients' consumption.

In all 36 samples of milk were analyzed during the year. The process adopted in every case is the one devised some years ago by Dr. JAMES BELL the Principal of the Somerset House Laboratory.

TOXICOLOGICAL.

Investigations were conducted in three cases where there was evidence pointing to the use of poisonous agents.

1. Calomel Poisoning.-On the 3rd of August Dr. J. A. LOCKHEAD brought me a small quantity of a decoction of coffee which he had received from one of his patients-an officer of the American

ship Alice D. Cooper then lying in the harbour of Hongkong. The officer, at the request of Dr. LOCKHEAD, presented himself at the Government Laboratory and furnished me with the following information :-

"About 5 o'clock one morning while I was on watch-the ship being then in the China Sea within a few days sail of this port I received at the hands of a negro cabin-boy a cup of Coffee which had been prepared by the ship's Cook. I drank about a mouthful and fancying from the taste that there was something wrong I carelessly threw overboard the greater part of the beverage. I soon felt very violent pains about the region of the stomach and about five minutes after drinking the Coffee I vomited. On hearing of the occurrence the Captain gave me an emetic and something to drink. None of the vomits were preserved, what remained of the Coffee was placed in a small bottle and handed over to the Doctor soon after our arrival in Hongkong. For several days I felt very weak and had a nasty taste in the mouth. I complained of a bad stomach. These symptoms continued until I placed myself under Dr. LOCKHEAD'S treatment after the ship came into port."

The bottle contained about half an ounce of Coffee. There was a considerable sediment of a greyish brown colour which at first could not be very easily diffused throughout the supernatant decoc- tion. A microscopical examination of the deposit revealed the presence of a number of fat globules (milk fat) and an amorphous body which was in due course identified with Calomel, the Sub-chloride or mild chloride of mercury of the British and United States Pharmacopoeias.

A special report on the result of this analysis was forwarded to the American Consulate at the request of Colonel WITHERS, the United States Consul.

Most persons will agree with me in condemning in the strongest terms the practice-revealed in the course of my enquiry into this case-of leaving a ship's medicine chest open to persons other than the senior officers of the vessel.

2. Fish Poisoning.-On the night of the 16th of September some men were observed to put into a live fish tank in one of the City markets a substance known as

Ch'á tsai ping. The fish were killed almost immediately. The water containing the poison was removed and a supply of fresh water put into the tank. The only material available for analysis was the dead fish.

The above data-derived from the depositions of the witnesses who gave evidence at the Magistracy -was obligingly placed at my disposal by Mr. H. E. WODEHOUSE, C.M.G., the senior Police Magis-

trate.

In this case two questions were referred to me by the Court for consideration and report :-

1. Can the active principle of Ch'á tsai ping be detected in the dead fish?

2. Are fish destroyed as above fit for human consumption ?

Before giving an opinion on these two points I wrote to Mr. CHAS. FORD, F.L.S., the Superin- tendent of the Botanical and Afforestation Department enquiring if he could give me information con- cerning the preparation and uses of this poison, special reference being made to the possibility of more than one plant entering into its composition.

I append as an Appendix to this report, an extract from Mr. FORD's letter and also an extract from a memorandum sent to me by Mr. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, the Registrar-General, of whom I requested assistance in obtaining the opinion of the Chinese fish merchants as to the suitability or otherwise as an article of diet, of fish destroyed by Ch'á tsai ping or Ch'á fu as it is sometimes

termed.

It will be seen from Mr. FORD's account (Appendix A) of its preparation that the seeds of Camellia oleifera, Abel, of the Natural Order Ternstroemiaceae, minus the oil, are the sole consti- tuent; and the practical observations he makes as to the uses of the substance for the destruction of low forms of animal life without doubt prove that it is a poison although only a mild one. Confirma- tory evidence on this latter point will be found in Mr. LOCKHART's memo. (Appendix B).

The only recorded description of this fish-poison accessible to me is that given by Mr. HUGH MCCALLUM in his annual report for 1882 and in a paper by the same author in the Pharmaceutical Journal (3) Vol. XIV, p. 21. Mr. MCCALLUM refers to its use as a fish-poison, and states that its activity is doubtless due to the glucoside saponin which exists in the seeds to the extent of about 10 per cent. The seeds also contain about 44 per cent of a fixed oil.

The action of saponin on man has been but little studied but Mr. WYNTER BLYTH' is of opinion that it is an undoubted poison and capable of endangering the life of man.

The attempt made by me to discover the glucoside in one of the fishes sent to the Laboratory by the Police proved a failure.

With regard to the question as to the use as human food, of fish destroyed by Ch'á tsai ping, I would invite attention to the following consideration :-

1. The absence of any record of such fish acting injuriously.

2. The opinion of the Chinese as to their harmless nature.

3. The fact that birds are not affected by worms similarly destroyed.

(1.) Camellia Sasanqua, Thunb. Index Floræ Sinensis p. 82.

(2.) Poisons (1884), p. 421.

2.

I can scarcely imagine, considering the rapidity of the action of the poison, that fish killed by saponin would have absorbed sufficient of the glucoside to render them objectionable as an article of diet: nevertheless the practice of destroying them by such means is one that the Government should, for several reasons, do all in its power to prevent.

of

3. Supposed Administration of a Stupefying drug.-This was the case of a Chinese youth, 19 years age, who on the 20th of May was admitted into the Civil Hospital under the influence of a narcotic poison.

The Magisterial enquiry elicited the following particulars :-Between 7 and 8 A.M., on the 17th of May, the boy-then residing in Canton with his parents--was sent by his father to pay a sum of money to a certain shopkeeper in that City. The lad did not return to breakfast and suspicion being aroused, his elder brother left for Hongkong the same evening and reported the occurrence at the Central Police Station. A reward was offered for the recovery of the boy and on the 20th of the same month a Detective found him in a state of insensibility on board a steamer that was about to leave Hongkong for Singapore.

When the boy was discharged from the Hospital and examined by the Magistrate he stated that as he was passing along one of the streets of Canton a man, whom be had never seen before, puffed some smoke into his eyes and rubbed his hand once down his face. He at once became insensible and remained oblivious of everything that took place from that day (the 17th) until the 20th when he regained his senses and found himself in the Hongkong Civil Hospital.

Dr. M. T. YARR, A.M.S., then the Acting Superintendent, was of opinion that when he examined the boy he was recovering from the effects of a narcotic poison; but I failed to detect any poisonous principle in the material extracted from the lad's stomach soon after his admission into the Hospital. In this instance a special search was made for Atropine the active principle of Datura alba, Nees, the

Nau Yeung fa of Chinese Materia Medica.

A number of men were charged with kidnapping this youth but the case fell to the ground through lack of evidence.

A perusal of the cases of poisoning by Datura cited in No. 8 of Notes on Chinese Materia Medica3 would lead one to imagine that this boy had been drugged with some agent allied in its physio- logical action to this easily accessible poison; and that the somewhat extraordinary symptoms recounted by the victim might be referred to the hallucinations to which persons are subject in the early stages of poisoning by drugs of the mydriatic class.*

The remainder of the analysis were of minor importance and call for no special remarks.

REMARKS.

The new Assistant Apothecary Mr. W. MALCOLM WATSON entered on his duties on the 25th of September.

The appointment, to the Civil Medical Staff, of this officer who holds the Major Diploma of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, places the Department-so far as the Analytical and Pharma- ceutical work is concerned-on a proper footing. To provide quarters for his accommodation I vacated my rooms at the West end of the large building and pending the appointment, and for some months after the arrival of Dr. ATKINSON, I resided in the quarters set apart for the Superintendent. After this I removed to quarters at the East end of the Civil Hospital and am at present lodged there pending the construction, in connection with the Hospital extension scheme, of the new Laboratory with quarters attached, which will, I understand, be completed during the course of the present year.

I avail myself of this opportunity for stating that the Student Apothecary, Mr. Ü I KAI, conti- nues to make satisfactory progress with his studies.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

WM. EDWARD CROW, Government Analyst and Apothecary, Civil Medical Department.

Dr. PH. В. С. AYRES,

Colonial Surgeon and Inspector of Hospitals.

(3.) Notes on Chinese Materia Medica, by C. FORD F.L.S., HO KAI, M.B., and W. E. CROW 8. Datura alba, Nees, in China Review

vol. XVI, p. 2.

(4.) Toxicologists will be interested in the discovery, last year, on this island of Datura Stramonium, Liun, a species hitherto unrecorded

from South China.

2

Appendix A.

Extract from a letter received from Mr. CHAS. FORD, F.L.S. Director of the Hongkong Botanical Gardens.

"In reply to your enquiries concerning the preparation and uses of Ch'à tsai ping I have much pleasure in being able to furnish. you with some information."

"While on a Botanical tour in the Kwangtung province, from which I have just returned, I had an opportunity of inspecting plantations of the shrub from which the material is obtained, of seeing mills in which the article is prepared, and of receiving information on both the cultivation of the plant and the preparation of tea oil from an intelligent and courteous old Chinese gentleman."

“Camellia oleifera, Abel, is extensively grown in South China for the production of seeds which yield a valuable oil known as tea oil. Ch'à tsai ping is the refuse matter left after the oil has been ex- pressed. The preparation is very simple. The seeds are collected in October or November, dried and taken to a mill where they are crushed in a circular mortar or trough by a pestle drive through it by water power. The seeds after being crushed are steamed and then the mass is placed in a powerful press which expresses the oil. The refuse, after the extraction of the oil is the article known as Ch'á tsai ping. It is produced in cakes weighing, when dry, about 3 ozs. and 3 lbs. respectively. The quality of the two kinds of cake is the same. I am not aware that anything besides the seeds of Camellia oleifera enters into the composition of these cakes."

"Ch'á tsai ping is used by the Chinese as a hair-wash and as soap for cleansing both the person and clothes. It is also used for the eradication of earth worms from the soil in which plants in pots are grown.

In these gardens we also use it for eradicating earth worms from grass lawns. For this purpose the cake is crushed and boiled. The decoction is then diluted and poured on the grass when the worms come to the surface of the ground. As a rule the small worms die, but the larger ones after a time recover. After being picked up from the grass the worms are often given to fowls and ducks which devour them readily and apparently thrive on them, experiencing no inconvenience from the effects of the Ch'á tsai ping with which the worms were killed.”

BOTANICAL Gardens,

Hongkong, September 20th, 1887.

Appendix B.

Extract from a memorandum on fish-poisoning agents received from Mr. J. H. STEWart Lock- HART the Registrar-General.

"In ponds of great dimensions these drugs (more than one is mentioned) are often used for killing fish and shrimps and are so powerful that not a single fish can escape. The fish so caught are offered for sale and the writer has never heard of a single instance in which any one has suffered from eating fish obtained in this way. Ch'á fu is sometimes used for killing earth worms.'

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE;

"}

Hongkong, September 21st, 1887.

True extracts,

WM. EDWARD CROW.

HONGKONG.

RETURNS OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS FOR THE YEAR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

RETURNS OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS FOR THE YEAR 1887.

DISTRICTS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN COMMUNITY.

CHINESE.

No.

15

88.

GRAND TOTAL,

BIRTHS.

DEATHS.

BIRTHS.

DEATHS.

BIRTHS. DEATHS,

Boys.

Girls. Total. Males. Females. Total. Boys.

Girls.

Total.

Males. Females.

Sex

Unknown.

Total.

Victoria,.....

100

90

190

176

67

243

725

583

1,308

2,444

1,802

4

4,250

1,498

4,493

Kaulung,

2

2

4

1

1

35

28

63

273

142

10

425

67

426

Shaukiwán,

Aberdeen,

1

49

37

86

133

90

223

86

224

:

***

2

1

19

17

36

84

59

1

144

36

145

:

:.

8

10

18

19

10

29

18

29

:

Stanley,

TOTAL,.

DEATHS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN COMMUNITY.

:

...

102

92

194

179

67

246

836

675

1,511

2,953

2,103

15

5,071

1,705

DEATHS IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. .

ESTIMATED POPULATION.

5,317

Annual Birth-Rate Annual Death-Rate

per 1,000 for the Year.

per 1,000 for the Year.

Males. Females. Total.

Europeans, exclusive of Portuguese,... 76

Of the Deaths in Victoria, there were in the-

British and Foreign Community,

10,552

18.38

23.31

Portuguese,

62

Italian Convent,.

163

394

557

Indians, &c.,

59

Chinese,

.175,410

8.61

28.90

Asile de la Ste. Enfance,

168

291

459

Non-Residents,

49

Tung Wa Hospital,

944

248

1,192

Whole Population,..............

.*185,962

9.16

28.59

TOTAL,............ 246

TOTAL,

1,275

933

2,208

* This does not include the moving population.

Registrar General's Office, Hongkong, 8th March, 1888.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Registrar General.

RETURN SHOWING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS REGISTERED DURING THE

CHINESE COMMUNITY.

CAUSES.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN COMMUNITY.

1.-Zymotic Diseases.

Acute Throat Disease,..

Diphtheria, ...

Dysentery,

Diarrhoea, (Acute),

Cholera Nostras,

Do. Infantum,

Fever, Simple Continued,

Do., Intermittent,

Do., Remittent,

Do., Typhoid or Enteric,.

Do., Typhus,

Do., Scarlet,

Civil.

:27

6

Army.

.1

1

10

2 1

6

5

...

Navy.

Sokonpo.

Bowrington.

Wantsai.

1

...

1

...

4

6

...

1

...

3

2

1

Do., Puerperal,

1

Sinall-pox,

14

1

Measles,

3

...

Whooping Cough,

...

Syphilis,

...

་..

Anthrax,

1

...

Septicæmia,

Hydrophobia,

Phthisis,

Acute Tuberculosis,

Chronic Tuberculosis,

Trismus Nascentium,.

Beri Beri,

Leprosy,

Pyæmia,

Cancer,

2.--Constitutional Diseases.

Catarrh,

20

1

3

1

2

1

...

...

...

...

...

::

Marasmus,

Inanition,...........................

Scurvy,

Rheumatism,

Dropsy,

Anæmia,

Alcoholism,

Debility,

Delirium Tremens,

1

...

1t

1239 1-

1

...

1

I

...

1*

....

Apoplexy,

3.-Local Diseases.

Nervous System,-

Hydrocephalus, Convulsions,

Paralysis,

Meningitis,

1

7

1

...

1

...

2

...

a

Mania or Insanity,

1

Tetanus,

2

Cephalitis,

1

...

Epilepsy,

...

Hemiplegia...

1

Cerebral effusion,

1

...

Sunstroke, .............

1

...

Respiratory System,-

Quinsy,

2

Hæmoptysis,

1

...

Croup,.....

1

...

Pleuro-pneumonia,

Bronchitis and Pneumonia, 11

Carried forward,...142

...

...

...

3

Hawan.

VICTORIA DISTRICT.

DIVISION.

Sheungwan.

Chungwan.

Táip'ingshan.

Saiyingpun.

Shektongtsui.

Kennedy

Town.

Harbour.

1

2

8

79

6

1

1

5

33

2

10

94

20

1

1

1

68

35

15

3

23

340

35

10

14

20

30

18

5

2

1

3

3

1

1

3

4

5

1

1

1

1

2

5

3

17

178

2

23

1

4

2

...

1

...

...

...

1

...

...

...

1

1

1

...

**

...

...

...

I

242

...

1

3

...

1

1

...

216

7

5

1

1

1

...

226

...

...

1

...

1

...

-

4

...

1

...

12 102

16

6

...

...

:

...

:

:

...

3

...

.6

2

16

57

1

...

...

10

1

189

296

80

4

15

5

13

4

...

1

6

1

...

3

12

22

2

3

...

16

: : : : :

...

:

1

1

...

...

15

8 33

6

44

460

33 785 1,243

246

34

5

3

:: wo

...

6

...

15

10 N N

2

2

...

...

...

64

8

1

14

1

...

1

1

:

YEAR ENDING THE 31ST DAY OF DECEMBER, 1887, AND THEIR CAUSES.

CHINESE COMMUNITY.

KAULUNG SHAUKIWAN ABERDEEN STANLEY DISTRICT. DISTRICT. DISTRICT.

DISTRICT.

3

27

3

1

108

1

49

ww::

NNNUNZI: Ow::

Land

Population.

Boat

Population.

1

3

7

24

19

22

2

1

17

1

22

28

GES:

21:01

9

12

13.

23

14

11

11

17

1

2

4

1

...

1

3

3

10

:*

4

1

2

...

100

5

3

...

171

90

106

:::::

8 : : : : :

2

Boat

TOTAL AT THE DIFFERENT AGE PERIODS.

Population.

Under 1

Month.

Over 1 & under 12 Months.

Over 1 & under

5 Years.

Over 5 & under 15 Years.

Over 15 & un-

der 45 Years.

Over 45 Years.

Grand Total.

24

REMARKS.

1

4

1

2

2

2

11

Ι

1

2

4

co on :: wo

3

1

3

...

: 5:

11

8

74

43

137

40

36

19

96

2

9

88*

88

282

4

15

1

10

66

84

48

132

111

451

4

10

51

326

124

515

1

II

15

16

79

48

170

1

1

12

2

16

1

5

18

1

25

1

3

5

1

1

1

29

106

37

72

3

8

3

N

:

247

Age unknown I.

14

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

...

1

1

14

8

23

...

Age unknown 1.

1

...

4

4

1

1

458

20

1

480

1

1

1

4

3

8

...

...

1

54

131

39

2

1

...

1

93

52

:

22-

::

1 226

1

1

f* And Gastro-

Enteritis.

2 S† And Endocar-

151

r

ditis.

2321

6

22

1

1

2 208

347

103

660

14

10

24

1

21

12

34

1

2

6

4

10

1

47

6

3

56

1

1

1

3

1

1

1

1

6

10

1

1

1

9

17

2

:

N

3

2

::

1

2

12 2

73

30

52

-14

2 588 543

684 307 1,009 527 3,658

And Heart Di-

aease, 1.

Sheungwan.

Chungwan.

Táip'ingshan.

Saiyingpun.

Shektongtsui,

Kennedy

Town.

Harbour.

RETURN SHOWING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS REGISTERED DURING THE

BRITISH

AND

FOREIGN COMMUNITY.

CHINESE COMMUNITY.

VICTORIA DISTRICT.

DIVISION.

CAUSES.

Wantsai.

Army.

Navy.

Sokonpo.

Bowrington.

Civil.

Brought forward,...142 15 8 33

F

Local Diseases,--Contd.

Respiratory System,--

:-

1

...

6

1

::

Lung disease, (Chronic),......

Emphysema,

Circulatory System,——

Heart disease,

Aneurism,

Endocarditis,

Digestive System,-

Liver complaint,

...

1

6

Hawan.

44 460

7

25

:

2253

I

1

Jaundice,.

Piles,

Hypertrophy of Liver,

1

Inflammation of Stomach,

1

Do. of Bowels,

1

Peritonitis,

Hepatitis,

Pyloric obstruction,

1

3t

...

7851,243

246

34

6

64

:

62

14

125

401

112

16

5

57

33333

:

:..

1

1

2

3

1

6

1

1

1

...

1

1

22:2

33333

...

::

7*

...

1

...

:

:

1 1

...

::

:

:::

3

∞ a w

3

6

...

1

1

1

::

:

4

...

:

:

...

...

::

3

1

1

1

:

1

...

::

:

21:

:::

:

Hernia,

Urinary System,-

Rupture of Urethra,

Stricture of

do..

Do. of do., and

Uræmia, .....

Nephritis,

Stone in bladder,

Kidney disease,

Reproductive System,-

Puerperal Peritonitis,.....

Integuments, Bones, and

Joints,-

Abscess,

Ulcer,

Disease of Bones & Joints,

4.-Developmental Diseases.

Child Birth,

Old Age,

Premature Birth,

5.-Parasitic Diseases.

Worms,...

6.-Violent Deaths.

Hanging,

Suicide,

Opium Smoking,

Accidental Injury,

Drowning,

Internal Injuries, Wounds,

Murder,

Manslaughter,

7.-Undiagnosed and Un-}

known, .......

1

2

...

:

:..

9

60

10

...

1

1

1

N:

2

10 2

5

2

3

2

1

...,

...

...

1

1

17

:

...

...

:

:

:

...

...

1

∞ 2

::

:~ :

:

:

::

:

:.

:

3

2

2

221

:

...

9

1

1

4

:

1

:

1

4

:

20

18

8

1

10

2190

1

1

2

8

I

པ་

+

TOTAL,.........214 20 12 62

15

83

539

57

3335

43

52

4

4

43

1,035 1,738 445

55

19

202

TOTAL AT THE DIFFERENT AGE PERIODS.

YEAR ENDING THE 31ST DAY OF DECEMBER, 1887, AND THEIR CAUSES,—Continued.

CHINESE COMMUNITY.

KAULUNG SHAUKIWAN ABERDEEN DISTRICT. DISTRICT.

DISTRICT.

STANLEY DISTRICT.

Land

Population.

Boat

Population.

171

06

REMARKS.

Population.

Under 1

Month.

Over 1 & under 12 Months.

Over 1 & under

5 Years.

Over 5 & under 15 Years.

Over 15 & un- der 45 Years.

Over 45 Years.

Grand Total.

Boat

106

73

30

52

14

2 588 543

2:

833:3

44

33888

39

18

13

*:

21

23

...

5

...

:::

::

:

⠀ ⠀

...

::

...

684 307

1,009

527 3,658

2

7

17

+

:

...

:

:::

:::

...

::

:

4

:

1

3

cod

...

:

***

222332

Age unknown 1.

36

477

449

1,018

1

1

2

10

18

30

...

3

...

...

1

2

co co 8

3

3

...

...

1

...

::

...

...

....

...

::

:

::

:

:

::

:

:

9

16:

...

:

...

:::

:

21:

1

2

1

:

1

4

:

1

1

1

1

...

1

...

1

...

...

::

:

:..

1

1

1

1

1

2

3

- - -

1

4 R

St And Cirrhosis

of Liver, 1.

1

1

1

3

— Q

1

2

12

1

2

1

1

7

2

(* And Cirrhosis

of Kidney, 1.

1

1

1

...

1

...

1

...

...

1

...

1

~

2

1

:

1

1

25

25

3

2

:

13

::

...

:::

:

~::

1

4

H

21:

7

16

1

5

16

3

crab

31

2

9

6

10

5

1

3

...

30

82

2

33

30

:

1:.

17

3

1

4

3

18

3

24

1

1

6

8

55

12

84

1

15

20

Age unknown i

1

1

1

...

2

...

125

1

:

95

45

29

13

73

37

292

Age unknown 10

5,303

14

Age unknown.

10

5

704

616

767

379

1,732 1,105

5,317

261

164 132

91

59

85

24

:

Registrar General's Office, Hongkong, 8th March, 1888.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

Registrar General.

DEATHS RATES IN DIFFERENT GROUPS OF AGES FOR THE YEAR 1887.

AGES.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

CHINESE.

Deaths.

Per cent. of whole.

Deaths.

Per cent. of whole.

Under 1 month,.......

18

7.32

686

13.53

Over 1 and under 12 months,

24

9.75

592

11.67

Over 1 and under 5 years,

26

10.57

741

14.61

Over 5 and under 15 years,

3.25

371

7.32

Over 15 and under 45 years,

123

50.00

1,609

31.73

Over 45 years, •

Unknown,

44

17.89

1,061

20.92

3

1.22

11

0.22

Total,

246

100.00

5,071

100.00

Registrar General's Office, 8th March, 1888.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

Registrar General.

To

.

No.

16

HONGKONG.

THE ASSESSOR'S REPORT ON THE ASSESSMENT FOR 1888-9,

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

SIR,

ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 4th June, 1888.

I have now the honour to hand you the second Annual Report shewing the result of the work of the Assessment Department for the year ending 31st May, 1888.

1. During this period I have made an entirely New Assessment of Victoria, The Hill District, Pok-fu Lam, So-kon Po, and Kowloon Point; the assessment for the remaining portion of the Colony has been adopted for the ensuing year by order of the Governor in Council in accordance with the provisions of the Rating Ordi-

nance.

2. The result of the New Assessment is that the Rateable Value of the entire Colony has been raised from $2,902,933 to $3,050,790 on the Old Assessment, shewing an increase of 5 per cent on the Rateable Value, viz.: $147,857 and an increase in the Rates to be collected of $16,697 or about 4.6 per cent above this year's Rates.

3. A perfectly reliable comparison cannot, however, be made between the Assessments of this year and that for the ensuing year as the latter has been made in accordance with the New Rating Ordinance, which has reduced the percentages in some cases, in the amount of rates to be paid, viz.: at Quarry Bay and Pok-fu Lam, the rates were 8 30 on the Rateable Value, and the Piers in Victoria are now only to be charged with 7 per cent instead of 13 per cent on their Rateable Value.

4. I annex hereto a Tabular statement which will more clearly shew the relative values of the respective Assessments.

5. The Rateable Value of property generally in this Colony is still on the increase. District No. 1 at the West End of the City has considerably increased in value, not so much in the value of individual Tenements as in the number of New Tenements erected. The Rateable Value of this part of the Town has increased 17 per cent. The Hill District, (Victoria Peak) has also considerably increased in value since the last Assessment and likewise Kowloon Point, mostly on account of the extensive Godowns which are being erected on the Praya.

6. The number of Rateable Tenements is 9,537 being an increase of 102, this is a small number, caused no doubt by the numerous Fires, 150 Tenements being thereby destroyed in twelve months and most of these Tenements although being rebuilt are not yet Rateable.

7. A very considerable portion of my time allotted for the General Assessment has been taken up in investigating the Returns made by the Chinese of the Rents they receive, on which I base my Assessment, and I regret to say that I believe a very large number of the returns made to me are false, in eight cases I conclusively proved to the Magistrates before whom I summoned the offenders, that false returns were knowingly made to me, in some cases by Chinese occupying a good position in the Mercantile World, and notwithstanding the widest publicity was given to the Magisterial proceedings, the offences were continued. In the above cases Fines to the amount of $2,875 were recovered.

The Honourable A. LISTER,

Colonial Treasurer.

88.

-

8. In the course of the investigations I discovered a fraud which no doubt has been going on for some years whereby the owner of a property not only made a return to me of the rent he said he received, which, however, proved to be about half of what he actually did collect, but he collected Taxes from his Tenants by producing to them an authority purporting to emanate from the Colonial Treasury demanding Taxes based on a Řental even greater than the amount received thereby making a very large profit out of the Rates for which he was arrested and the Magistrate admitting him to bail in the sum of $1,500 to come up on remand, the defendant did not appear and so the bail was forfeited, and I have reasons to believe that this is but one of many such cases, but the difficulty of obtaining evidence from the Chinese is so great that it is almost impossible to get a conviction.

9. The House numbering of the tenements having now been added to my duties by the Rating Ordinance, I purpose re-numbering the Old Tenements and numbering the New Ones, in the respective Villages as soon as possible as until that is done it is impossible to accurately assess them or describe them in the Rate Book.

10. In conclusion I beg to state that, I believe the recent prosecutions have had a wholesome effect on the Chinese in making them see, that they can no longer, with impunity and without great risk of being very heavily fined, make false returns of their Rents to the Assessment Department.

11. The amount of fines, &c. viz.: $4,375 will more than pay the entire cost of my Department this year, for which a sum of $3,598 was provided for in the Estimates.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

A. SHELTON HOOPER,

Assessor.

.

.

COMPARATIVE STATEMENTS OF THE ASSESSMENTS FOR THE YEARS 1887-88 AND 1888-89.

1887-8.

1888-9.

DISTRICT.

No. of

Assesst.

Rateable Value.

REMARKS.

Amount of Rates.

Rateable Value.

Amount of Rates.

No. of

Assesst.

VICTORIA.

6,876

15

2,588,072

336,439

2,719,555

17,200 (g)

2,236

3,050 (g)

353,542

213

6,962

4

2,605,272

338,675

2,722,605

353,755

HONGKONG VILLAGES.

Existing Assessment adopted,

1,296

55,104 (a)

3,857

7

32,646 (b)

2,856

87,750

6,713

87,750

6,142

1,303

28

1

400 (h)

Village transferred from Victoria,

37

34,490 (c)

3,017

43,710 (c

Villages re-assessed,

24

6,298 (d)

551

6,362 (d)

2)

3,824

44

445

25

40,788

3,568

50,072

4,269

KOWLOON VILLAGES.

Existing Assessment adopted,

1,128

120,928 (e)

8,464

120,928

8,464

1,128

Village re-assessed,...

52

48,195 (ƒ)

3,373

69,035

4,832

70

TOTALS,..

9,435

2,902,933

о

(a) All the Hongkong Villages except Quarry Bay, (b) Quarry Bay formerly paid 82% now reduced to 7 °/ (c) The Hill District formerly described as Victoria Peak. (d) Pok-fu Lam formerly paid 84 % on Rateable Value now reduced to 7 01 (e) All the Kowloon Villages except Kowloon Point.

%.

%.

360,793

3,050,790

377,490

9,537

(f) Kowloon Point.

(9) The Piers in Victoria formerly paid 13 % now reduced to 7 %. Many Piers this year are not separately assessed but rated with their adjoining Godowns.

(h) So-kon Po Village formerly paid 13 % now reduced to 7 %.

REFERENCE.

HONGKONG.

THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

No. 17

88.

No. 64.

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 10th February, 1888.

SIR,-I have the honour to forward the following Annual Returns for this Department for the year ending 31st December, 1887.

!

I. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered.

II. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared.

III. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels of each Nation entered. IV. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels of each Nation cleared.

V. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered at each Port. VI. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared at each Port. VII. Return of Junks entered from Macao.

VIII. Return of Junks cleared for Macao.

IX. Return of Junks entered at each Port from China and Formosa.

X. Return of Junks cleared at each Port for China and Formosa.

XI. Gross Total Number of Junks entered at each Port.

XII. Gross Total Number of Junks cleared at each Port.

XIII. Return of Junks (Local Trade) entered.

XIV. Return of Junks (Local Trade) cleared.

XV. Summary of Arrivals and Departures of all Vessels, and of all Chinese Passengers. XVI. Return of Vessels registered.

XVII. Return of Vessels struck off the Register.

XVIII. Amount of Fees received under Section 3 of Ordinance 8 of 1879.

XIX. Return of Chinese Passenger Ships cleared by the Emigration Officer.

XX. Return of Vessels bringing Chinese Passengers to Hongkong from Places out of China. XXI. Return of Marine Cases tried.

XXII. Diagram of Tonnage of Vessels entered.

XXIII. Return of the work performed by the Government Marine Surveyors.

2. This being the last Annual Return it will be my duty to make to the Government, I trust it will not be thought out of place to give a short account of the progress in Shipping, &c., the Colony has made since I have held the Offices of Harbour Master, Marine Magistrate, Emigration and Custom's Officer. I was in the first instance, while serving in the Royal Navy, temporarily employed by the Colony from the 17th March to 26th November, 1860; and in March, 1861, I was, on the resignation of my predecessor, permanently appointed to this Department.

3. The Department when I took charge consisted of the Harbour Master, three Clerks, and one Boarding Officer, the annual tonnage of the Port, exclusive of Junks, averaged about 878,135 tons, and the number of foreign built ships entering the Port daily was about 5.

4. The returns accompanying this report show the progress the Colony has made. Twenty-seven years ago steamers were the exception, and sailing ships the rule, and previous to 1866, Junks went in and out of harbour unnoticed. The average tonnage of a steamer then was very little over one thousand tons, whereas now it is no uncommon thing to see three or four steam-ships in Port at one time each measuring from 3 to 4000 tons and upwards.

5. The Regulations for the control of the Harbour had been in force since the Colony was created. My attention was soon drawn to this, and to the absence of, any means of providing for payment of fees for registering ships under the Merchant Shipping Acts, any Marine Court to enquire into casualties at sea, any regulations for cargo-boats, and any board to grant Certificates of Competency to Masters

and Mates in the Mercantile Marine. On these matters being brought to the notice of the Government, the following Ordinances, affecting these great interests, were framed and became law :-

No. 10 of 1860, regulating fees under Merchant Shipping Act 1854.

No. 11 of 1860, to constitute Marine Courts of Enquiry.

No. 15 of 1860, to regulate Cargo-boats.

No. 17 of 1860, to constitute a board of examination for Masters and Mates.

No. 1 of 1862, to regulate and control the Harbour.

6. Previous to 1866 Piracy in Colonial and neighbouring waters was of common occurrence, and Shau-ki-wan bore a very bad name as the centre where Junks fitted out for piratical purposes. Its close proximity to the Lyeemun Pass enabled Masters of heavily manned and armed Junks to follow vessels that had been ascertained to have opium, or other valuable cargo, on board. These were too frequently come up with and attacked at night, stink-pots and arms of all descriptions being freely used. Shortly after Governor Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL'S arrival his notice was attracted to the unenviable character Hongkong bore as a Pirate resort, and he introduced Ordinance 6 of 1866, which brought all Junks under the supervision of this Department, which was considerably increased to meet the requirements of the Ordinance. Harbour Master's Stations were created at Shau-ki-wan, Stanley, and Aberdeen (now supplemented by Stations at Yau-ma-ti and Hung-hom) so as to bring all Junks visiting these waters under close inspection, and no Junks have since been allowed to leave or enter the waters of the Colony without undergoing an examination by Inspectors appointed for the purpose. Ordinance 7 of 1866 compelled the registration of all Chinese householders, and the two Ordinances assisted by Gunboats which the Senior Naval Officer kept constantly cruizing had the desired effect, and Hongkong soon ceased to be a resort for Pirates, and that trade (if it may be so called) came to an end. Isolated acts of Piracy are still reported, but they are not attended with the slaughter and burning that existed in Hongkong's earlier days.

7. In 1867 Messrs. LANDSTEIN & Co., were permitted to keep a hulk off Yau-ma-ti, clear of all shipping, for the storage of Gunpowder. At 1.15 P.M. of the 17th January, 1867, a vessel was lying alongside the hulk discharging Gunpowder when an explosion took place and the two vessels and people on board were destroyed. A Gunpowder Ordinance (No. 4 of 1867) was at once passed bringing the storage of all private Gunpowder within the control of the Government, with a result that has proved satisfactory.

8. In 1867, the increasing shipping of the Colony brought the question of Lighthouses promi- nently before the Government. Reports were made and with the assistance of the late Staff Com- mander REED, a Naval Surveyor in command of H.M.S. Rifleman, the Islet of Waglan at the Eastern approach to the Harbour, Green Island at the Western entrance, and the Gap rock to mark the Southern approach to the Colony were recommended as the most favourable sites for Lighthouses. Difficulties were raised then, and they apparently continue, by the Chinese Government as to the Colony erecting such buildings on Chinese Territory, and it was not until after much loss of time and a great deal of correspondence that this Government was compelled to build Lighthouses within its own jurisdiction, and Cape d'Aguilar, Cape Collinson, and Green Island Lighthouses were erected under the provisions of Ordinance 17 of 1873, and lit for the first time on the 18th April, 1875. The concession, or letting of Waglan and Gap rock at a nominal rent to this Colony, together with Green Island, would have made the lighting of the approaches to Hongkong complete. At present such is not the case, and all apparently owing to a sentimental feeling on the part of the Chinese Government, for most certainly neither Waglan nor Gap rock are of any value except as sites for Lighthouses.

ment.

9. Ordinance 1 of 1874 brought the survey of unseaworthy ships under the control of the Govern-

10. In 1875, an explosion and loss of life on board a steam launch in the Harbour caused an Ordinance to be brought into force for the regulation of steam ferry boats, of which there are now 42 licensed. The Masters and Engineers of these boats undergo an examination at this Office, the boats are thoroughly examined every six months, and no further accident has occurred.

11. Till 1876, steamers plying between Hongkong, Canton and Macao were under no regulation whatever, and they at times carried as many passengers as could be crammed into them. These vessels are now, as indeed are all vessels carrying more than 12 passengers, under stringent regulations as to the number of passengers they can convey, the condition of boilers and engines is ascertained and it is stated on the ship's certificates in what parts of the ships and how many passengers can be carried.

12. The Shipping Ordinances passed previous to 1879 were consolidated by Ordinance 8 of 1879, and in framing this Ordinance advantage was taken to introduce regulations for the Survey of ships carrying more than 12 passengers, for the appointment of practical Marine Surveyors to conduct the surveys, for the examination of Engineers as to their qualifications, for the carriage of dangerous goods, for holding Courts of Survey, for regulating medicines and medical stores, and other smaller details were introduced to meet the requirements of the time.

13. The following table from 1861 to 1887 inclusive, will at once show the yearly increase of the arrivals of vessels at this Port. Where it has been possible to separate sailing ships from steamers and Junks I have done so, and the result will show a very satisfactory statement of the Colony's

progress:-

STEAMERS AND

STEAMERS.

SAILING SHIPS.

JUNKS.

TOTAL.

SAILING SHIPS.

YEARS.

Vessels.

Tons. Vessels. Tons.

Vessels.

Tons.

Vessels. Tons. Vessels.

Tons.

1861,

1,259

658,196

1,259

658,196

1862,

1,390

688,829

1,390

688,829

1863,

1,822

894,924

1,822

894,924

1864,

2,264 | 1,013,748

2,264

1,013,748

1865,

2,206

1,063,259

2,206

1,063,259

1866,

1,896

949,856

1,896

949,856

1867,

2,446

1,194,826

20,787

1,367,702

1,367,702

23,233

2,562,528

1868,

2,043

991,117

25,457 1,510,698 27,500

2,501,815

1869,

2,223 | 1,127,962

23,235 1,397,446 25,458

2,525,108

1870,

2,400 1,327,730

25,491

1,508,706 27,891

2,836.436

1871,

3,049 1,700,855

26,501 1,660,167

29,550

3,360,622

1872,

3,054 | 1,905,866

28,340 | 1,871,810

31,394

3,777,676

1873,

1,579

1,203,372

748

431,980

27,049 1,789,598

29,376

3,424,950

1874,

1,607 | 1,190,063

584

328,545

23,290

1,631,594 25,481

3,150,202

1875,

1,906 | 1,558,308

703

393,547

23,459 1,610,919 26,068

3,562,774

1876,

2,179 | 1,773,068

688

400,367

25,314 | 1,727,456 | 28,181

3,900,891

1877,

2,109 1,982,123

760

463,632

26,500 1,798,788 29,369

4,244,543

1878,

2,326 2,136,832

731

454,340

25,722 1,761,496 28,779

4,352,668

1879,

2,212 | 2,204,901

517

265,744

1880,

2,465 | 2,316,121

416

219,466

1881,

2,750 | 2,599,460

464

1882,

3,054 | 2,943,867

383

1883,

3,012 3,215,569

387

1884,

2,976 | 3,259,234

314

1885,

3,084 3,632,051

344

3,963 | 4,359,906

288

3,890 4,468,302

24,508 1,652,023 23,920 1,650,258 26,801 253,819 24,339 1,680,025 27,553 226,976 25,231 1,805,390 28,668 234,859 24,258 1,851,239 27,657 220,403 23,473 1,687,594 26,763 234,658 23,674 1,797,222 27,102 5,663,931 211,390 22,974 1,752,868 27,222 6,324,164 188 139,612 23,521 1,793,923 27,599 6,401,837

27,237

4,122,668

4,185,845

4,533,304

4,976,233

5,301,662

5,167,231

1886,

1887,

14. The Emigration laws of the Colony were not in a very satisfactory condition in 1861. Besides the Imperial Chinese Passenger's Act 1855. Ordinances 11 of 1857 and 6 of 1859 were in force and others were added, which for convenience were consolidated by Ordinance 5 of 1874, and since then additional Ordinances for the protection of Chinese Emigrants have been brought into force, but these call for no special remark.

15. I will now bring to the notice of the Government a statement of the Shipping, Emigration, &c.: in 1887 as compared with 1886.

SHIPPING.

16. The grand total of all vessels including Junks arriving here in 1887 is 27,559 vessels measuring 6,401,837 tons, or an increase of 377 vessels and 77,673 tons on the previous year, making a daily average arrival of 75.5 vessels measuring about 232 tons each; and of this very large trade 53.6 per cent is under the British flag.

17. The following paragraphs refer to the trade in vessels of foreign construction, the Junk trade being dealt with separately under its proper heading.

18. During the year under review 3,890 ships propelled by steam measuring 4,468,302 tons, and 188 sailing vessels measuring 139,612 tons arrived, being a decrease of 73 steam-ships, but an increase of 108,396 tons showing the additional capacity of steamers of the present day.

19. There is a decrease on the whole of 100 sailing ships measuring 71,778 tons, the decrease being principally in British bottoms. Sailing vessels under foreign flags are now 100 per cent in excess of the same class of vessels carrying the British flag.

Of the above mentioned 3,890 steam-ships entering the Port, 2,873 are British and the remaining 1,017 are foreign owned, or a difference of 182.5 per cent in favour of British ships.

20. The nationality of the various steam-vessels arriving at this Port come in the following order : ---

Number. Tons.

Average tonnage of each vessel.

British, German,

2,873 3,388,123

1,179

540

467,775

866

Chinese,

140

180,795

1,291

French,

100

160,765

1,607

Danish,

63

28,521

453

Dutch,.....

44

58,941

1,339

Norwegian,.

37

44,610

1,206

Spanish,

29

16,178

558

United States,

20

47,626

2,381

Italian,

14

21,520

1,323

Austrian,

13

27,421

2,109

Russian,

11

19,726

1,793

Japanese, Belgian,

5

5,743

1,149

558

558

you

!

21. The vessels under the French, Dutch, United States, Italian, and Austrian flags are few in number but of large capacity some are subsidized by their respective Governments. The Russian ships belong to the so-called Volunteer fleet and pass through with Troops, Prisoners, free Emigrants, and Stores. The British ships vary very much in size thereby reducing their average capacity, and the same may be said of German ships.

22. There is a decrease in tonnage under the following flags: American 51,783 tons, Austrian 17,093 tons, French 12,852 tons, and an increase under the British flag of 62,141 tons, Norwegian 28,984 tons. Under other flags the increase or decrease is too unimportant for special notice.

23. Of the Countries with which this trade is conducted: In British vessels there is an increase with British Columbia of 12,446 tons, Java and adjacent Islands 18,783 tons, Macao 38,710 tons, Hainan 9,532 tons and Siam 22,863 tons; there is a decrease of 26,068 tons with Coast of China and Formosa, and of 20,937 tons to Cochin-China.

24. In Foreign bottoms there is an increase with Coast of China and Formosa of 10,934 tons, India and Singapore, &c. 16,003 tons, Japan 75,851 tons, Hainan 10,058 tons, Russia in Asia 16,065 tons and Siam 35,254 tons; the decrease is with Australia 20,644 tons, Cochin-China 56,570 tons, Europe 19,728 tons, Great Britain 19,561 tons, Macao 24,988 tons and the United States of America 10,447 tons.

JUNKS.

25. The trade in Junks from the Coast of China and Formosa shows an increase of 691 vessels measuring 62,875 tons, but the trade from Macao in this class of vessel shows a decrease of 141 vessels and 21,820 tons. There is also a decrease of 620 vessels and 16,603 tons in the carrying trade between Victoria and the Villages in the Island and Yau-ma-ti.

STEAM-LAUNCHES.

26. Of these vessels there are 42 licensed to carry passengers, 43 private boats, 10 Local Govern- ment boats and 7 belonging to the War Department. These boats add much to the active appearance of the Harbour, and on one occasion, under the following circumstances, gave a practical illustration of their usefulness beyond their ordinary employment. The Pacific Mail Steam ship Company S.S. City of Peking (3,129 tons), while, passing through the shipping on her way to her buoy, collided with the Messageries Maritimes S.S. Saghalien (2,444 tons) striking her on her broadside damaging her below the water line. A large number of launches voluntarily seized hold of the latter ship and towed her until she grounded in shallow water off the Cosmopolitan Docks, probably saving the vessel from sinking in 8 or 9 fathoms of water.

- The licensed launches are gradually driving the small Junks out of the carrying trade with the Villages.

EMIGRATION.

27. Of the whole number of Emigrants leaving in 1887 (82,897) there is an increase on the previous year of 16,401 Male adults, 1,530 Female adults, 300 Male children and 144 Female children, this increase being divided as follows:--

INCREASE.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

DESTINATION.

Male. Female. Male. Female.

Straits Settlements,

7,431

1,276

206

129

San Francisco, ....

4,713

222

14

5

Australian Colonies,..

3,299

4

57

Honolulu,

921

31

31

13

British Columbia,

111

:

United States of America vial

British Columbia,..

168

Mauritius,

34

:

:

:

:

Increase, :

16,677 1,533

311

147

DESTINATION.

DECREASE.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

Male. Female. Male. Female.

Bangkok,

Dili, Timor,

Mauritius,

:

:

247

3

2

29

:

9

:

Australia,

:

1

Decrease,

276

3

11

3

Increase,

16,677

1,533

311

147

Increase,

16,401 1,530

300

144

Total Increase,18,375.

28. With so extensive an Emigration, it is scarcely possible to prevent abuses, but it is satisfac- tory to know that they are in a very small proportion.

29. Women and children under 12 years of age have to provide two photographs each, one is kept on record at this Office, and the other remains in the possession of the Emigrant, so that on arrival at their destination there can be no question as to their identity, should, after the vessel has sailed, any one appear at this Office and complain that a relative has been improperly taken away. With male adults it is more difficult to deal, and they are a good deal left to their own resources. They are all however questioned as to their desire to leave the Colony, and if their replies are in the affirmative there can be no reason why they should not exercise their rights and proceed on their voyage. If any emigrants leave here against their will it is entirely due to themselves for not stating the truth when questioned at the Harbour Office in the first place, and again when questioned and medically examined on board the ship by which they are to proceed.

REGISTRY OF SHIPPING.

30. Four vessels were registered during the year, and nine Certificates of Registry were cancelled.

MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

31. Ninety cases were heard in the Marine Magistrate's Court during the year.

EXAMINATIONS FOR THE POSTS OF MASTERS, MATES AND ENGINEERS, UNDER

SECTION 15 OF ORDINANCE No. 8 of 1879.

32. The following Table will show the number of Candidates who passed, and who failed in obtaining Certificates of Competency:-

GRADE.

PASSED.

FAILED.

Masters,. First Mates,

Only Mates,

2223

5

10

3

1

Second Mates,

3

35

9

First Class Engineers, .

Second Class Engineers,

4312

14

13

10

S. &1

5

27

15

MARINE COURTS, UNDER SECTION 13 OF ORDINANCE No. 8 OF 1879.

33. The following Courts have been held during the year :---

1. On the 30th June, 1887.-Inquiry as to the loss of the British Steam-ship Benledi, Official No. 65,767 of Leith, on the "Boat Rocks" to the South West of the Lammocks Island Lighthouse, on the 18th June, 1887. The Master's (JAMES LAWSON RIDDOCH) Certificate of Competency was returned to him. In this case the Harbour Master (President of the Court) disagreed with the Finding, and under Sub-section 5, Section 13, Ordinance 8 of 1879, reported to the Governor his reason for dissent therefrom. 2. On the 22nd November, 1887.-Inquiry as to the burning and loss of the British Steam- ship Wah Yeung, Official No. 88,834 of Hongkong, near Chuen Pee Point, in the Canton River, on the 15th November, 1887, resulting in great loss of life. The Master's (JOHANNES H. A. WITT) Certificate of Competency was suspended for three months. 3. On the 28th November, 1887.-Inquiry as to the loss of the British Steam-ship Killarney, Official No. 65,876 of Dublin, which was run down and sunk by the British Steam-ship Crusader, Official No. 63,856 of Glasgow, in Iloilo Bay, Philippine Islands, on the 14th November, 1887. The Master of the Killarney's (JAMES O'NEILL) Certificate of Competency was returned to him.

4. On the 22nd December, 1887.-Inquiry as to the loss of the British Steam-ship Lorne, Official No. 62,297 of Leith, on the East Coast of Hainan, on the 3rd December, 1887, resulting in loss of life. The only surviving Officers so far as can be ascertained being the Second Mate and the Third Engineer. No blame was attached to the Master (WILLIAM HUNTER) or any of the Officers.

SEAMEN.

34. 9,458 Seamen were shipped at the Shipping Office during the year, and 10,378 discharged. this discrepancy is owing to Consuls representing foreign flags not applying as hitherto for permits to ship Seamen on board their respective vessels, consequently no record of such shipping can now be kept.

MARINE SURVEYOR'S SUB-DEPARTMENT.

35. I append a return of the work performed by the Surveyors, since Mr. BREWER'S first appointment.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

H. G. THOMSETT, R.N., Harbour Master, &c.

I.-NUMBER, TONNAGE, and CREWS of Vessels ENTERED at Ports in the Colony of Hongkong from each Country, in the Year 1887.

FOREIGN.

ΤΟΤΑΙ..

BRITISH.

COUNTRIES WHENCE ARRIVED.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST,

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

Vessels. Tons. Crews. Vessels. Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews Vessels. Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels. Tons.

Crews Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

IN BALLAST.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

TOTAL.

Tons. Crews.

Australia and New Zealand,

British volumbia,.

British North America,

British North Borneo,...

6

Coast of China and Formosa..

Cochin-China,

16

4,088 96

1,588 1,785,644 64,388) 145 183,708 5,166

37.

71,108 2,554} 12.446 394

884

54

...

6:

12,446

}:

71.108) 2.5541.

334

884 161

6. 4,007 74

2,718 421

6,725 116]

60.

75,110 2,628)

2,718) 12 62 77,828 2,670

6

12,446

394

12,446 391

7

4,088 961

1,064

27

*30

33,085 1,041

884 16 5,152 123

1,6181,818,729 65,429 14,054 1,415,856 191,443 9,203 674,284 110,052 23,257 2,090,090 301.495 15,6423,201,500 255,831 9,233 707,319 111,093 24,875 3,908,819 366,924 145 183,703| 5,166|| 77 57,858 2,013]

78 58,039 2,024 222 241,561 7,179 82158,046 7,552|

}

884 161

1:

2: 1,064 27

9: 5,152 123

181

11

181

11}

Continent of Europe,

Great Britain,

68,700 4,012} 165: 252,524 6,904]

37

68,700 4,012] 81 157,753 7,537]

293

151

118 226,45311,549]

]

293

15

165 252,524 6,904

11

12,672 251

India and Singapore,

83 110,308 6,224)

83 110,308 6,224

58:

57,652 1,952

Japan,

147 192,443 7,186)

3,804

150 196,247 7,258

112

156,373 6,493)

2,854 97 6,318; 215

Java and other Islands in the Indian Archi-

17. 27,097 649

17

pelago,

27,097 649 31:

37,799 1,566}

131 12,672 251 601 60,506 2,049 117 162,691 6,708 31 37,799 1,566|

176 265,196 7,155] 141; 167,960; 8,176) 259 348,816 18,679)

2,854; 971 10,122 287!

223 241,742 7,190 119 226,746 11,564 176 265,196 7,155 143 170,814 8,273 267 358,938 13,966-

Macao,

336

451,973 17,409)

336

451,973 17,409

403

€8,090 9,695)

221

29,517 4,065

6241

97,607 13,760

Mauritius,

973 361

1

973 361

754

22

754

22

North Pacific,

276 19]

1

276

10

48 64,896 2,215 741|| 520,741| 27,139) 1,727

276

:

48 64,890 2,215

219

28,839 4,030

960 549,580 31,169

58)

2

10

::

1,727 58

1

270

10

Philippine Islands,

801

46,157 3,247

1,380

81

47,537 3,281)

56

29,995 1,756,

645

43

58

30,640 1,799|

136)

76,152 5,003]

2,025

139

77

78,177 5,080

Ports in Hainan and Gulf of Tonquin,

99

35,943 2,658]

647

100

36,590 2,685

199

89,756 4,152}

4,275 101

Russia in Asia,..

1,329 271

1,329 27

11

19,726 1,082)

Siam,

. Sandwich Islands,.

United States of America,

1,501 42

Bi

1,50|| 42

6

3,396 83

2,532

501

19

110 104,915 3.757 48,041; 1,614

110

101.915 3,757

751

65,286 1,877)

19

43,041 1,614

35) 66,269 2,404

TOTAL,

2,8963,393,271 126,337

38

125,699 6,810} 21,055 1,109)

6 3,390 83] 185 170,201

54 109,310 4,018)

185 170,201

54 109,310 4,018

40,417 1,216 2,934|3,433,688) 127,553| 15,219|2,244,582 232,137 9,446 723,567 114,691 24,665 2,968,149 347,128 18,1155,637,853 358,774 9,484 763,981 115,907 27,599 6,401,837 474,681

858,774

204

94,031] 4,253 298

4,922 128

304

130,621 6,938

11/

19,726 1,082} 12

12

21,055 1,109-

10!

5,928 1331

4,038) 921

131

7,429 175

75

65,286 1,877

5,634}

5,634

35

66,269 2,404

1.

1

3

II.-NUMBER, TONNAGE, and CREWS of Vessels CLEARED at Ports in the Colony of Hongkong for each Country, in the Year 1887.

TOTAL.

BRITISH.

COUNTRIES TO WHICH DEPARTED.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOes.

FOREIGN.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels. Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Cochin-China,

Australia and New Zealand,.

British Columbia,.

British North Borneo,

Coast of China and Formosa,

Continent of Europe,

Great Britain,

India and Singapore,

34

49,095 2,118]

227

1

729 16

4j 2,217 56

1,707 1,897,272į 70,171)

42 45,865 1,451

11 351 49,322 2,129 729

34

...

16

31 2,861

11 1,220 15

2,761 64

9 4,978 120

32

39,835 1,244 97 130,370 3,493||

1,739 1,937,107 71,415 16,987 1,773,998 234,176 5,963 139 176,235 4,944|| 79 68,748 2,558

23

4,081 64 328,916 64,822 22,950 2,102,914 298,998 18,694 3,671,270 304,347 5,995 19,500 643 102 88,248 3,201 121 114,613 4,009)

49,095 2,118 4f 3,590 65 4 2,217 561

227 11 351 49,322 2,129 1,220 15 2,761 64

5 4,810 80

9 4,978 120

120

368,751 66,066 24,689 4,040,021 370,413 149,870 4,136| 241 264,483 8,145

31 58,151 3,752|

31

58,151 3,752

45

99,851 5,862]

45

99,851 5,862

76

158,002 9,614

76 158,002 9,614

:

3 2,814

76

3

2,814 76

Japan,

Java & other Islds. in the Indian Archipelago,

128

209 308,344| 11,819|| 181,660 7,768

8

5,523 152

217

313,867 11,971|

7 7,267 124 87 114,150 4,039|

...

7

7,267 124

10

10,081) 2001

10)

10,081) 200

5,667| 1011

93

119,817 4,140

296

422,494 15,858||

14

11,190 253

310

433,684 16,111

44,696 1,249

165

226,356 9,017

2

3,101¡

103

10

17,014 346

12

20,115 449

1

78 123,810 6,266. 370

63

77,041 2,008

141

200,851 8,274

206

305,470 14,034

100

121,737 3,257

306

427,207 17,291

12

1,747 40

4

2,117 52

31

Labuan,.

1

330 10

1

330 10

1

3,471 115

330

13

18,761 386

16

22,232 501

10

1

330 10

Macao,

339 455,408 17,555||

::

...

339 455,408 17,555

569

92,095|12,874 51

7,733

883

620

99,828 13,757

908 547,503 30,429|

ŏll

7,733

883

959 555,236 31,312

North Pacific,

2,669

100

2,669 100

2761 12

11

276

12

276

12

3

2,669

1001

4 2,945 112

...

Philippine Islands,

20 9,731 790

12

16,028

285

32

25,759 1,075|

201

12,203] 504

10

Ports in Hainan and Gulf of Tonquin,.

109

44,646 3,038

109

44,646 3,038

205

97,191 4,460)

5

9,587 179

660

30;

21,790 683

40

21,934 1,294)

22

25,615

464

62 47,549 1,758

79

210

97,851 4,539

314

141,837 7,498

660

79

319

142,497 7,577

Russia in Asia,..............

:

1,450] 41

21

1,450 41

21

1,450| 41

2

1,450

41

Sandwich Islands,

3

1,364 44

Siam,....

41.

38,592 1,384

8,181 210 47

South America,

United States of America,

848

20

18 16,219

323

::

37113

1,364 44

5

2,750 69

51

2,750 69.

4,114j 113

8

4,114 113

46,773 1,594

56

47,117 1,361

5,717

162]

63

848

16,219

20

1,409 29

82

52,834 1,523

97

85,709 2,745

13

13,898 372

110!

99,607 3,117

1,409 29

323

35

40,599

822

35 40,599 822

48

2,257

56,816 1,145

49

3

2,257 49

48

56,818 1,145

TOTAL,.....

2,687|3,116,056| 120,484||

211 267,804 7,154 2,898 3,383,360|127,688 | 18,188 2,486,475 273,268 6,132 457,788 68,932 24,315|2,944,263 342,200 20,870 5,602,581 393,752 6,343 725,092 76,086 27,2136,327,628 469,838

}

III.-NUMBER, TONNAGE and CREWS of Vessels of each Nation ENTERED at Ports in the Colony of Hongkong,

in the Year 1887.

ENTERED.

NATIONALITY

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

OF

VESSELS.

Vessels.

Tons.

Crews. Vessels. Tons. Crews.

sVesels.

Tons.

Crews.

American,

Austrian,

52

83,655

13

27,421

2,684 797

12

13,684

215

64

97,339

2,899

13

...

27,421

797

Belgian,

1

558

18

1

558

18

· British,

2,896

3,393,271 |126,337

38

40,417

1,216

2,934

3,433,688

127,553

Chinese,

137

179,525 6,568

5

2,363

121

142

181,888

6,689

Chinese Junks,

14,133

1,113,202

185,641

9,388

680,721 | 113,357

23,521

1,793,923

298,998

Danish,

58

25,048

1,284

3,473

116

63

28,521

1,400

Dutch,

44

58,692 2,515

908

41

46

59,600

2,556

French,

102

162,299

11,285

3

1,121

48

105

163,420

11,333

German,

554

474,729

16,765

25

25

15,671

522

579

490,400

17,287

Hawaiian,

3

1,059

40

3

1,059

40

Italian,

14

21,520

850

14

21,520

850

Japanese,

3

2,855

78

Norwegian,

44

48,274

1,204

co co

3

3,330

223

6

6,185

301

2,296

48

47

50,570

1,252

Russian,

11

19,726

1,082

11

19,726

1,082

Siamese,

15

7,147

258

15

7,147

258

Spanish,

34

18,400

Swedish,

1

472

1,356 - 12

34

18,400

1,356

1

472

12

TOTAL,....

18,115 5,637,853 | 358,774

9,484

763,984 115,907 27,599 6,401,837 | 474,681

IV.-NUMBER, TONNAGE and CREWS of Vessels of each Nation CLEARED at Ports in the Colony of Hongkong,

in the Year 1887.

CLEARED.

NATIONALITY

WITH CARGoes.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

OF

VESSELS.

Vessels. Tons. Crews. Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Vessels.

Tons.

Crews.

American,

Austrian,

383

63

15

94,307 30,701

3,039 996

11

11,802

187

74

106,109

3,226

15

30,701

996

Belgian,

1

558

18

1

558

18

British,

2,687 | 3,116,056 | 120,484

211

267,304

7,154

2,898

3,383,360 | 127,638

Chinese,

126

163,753 4,535

4

Chinese Junks,

17,153

1,442,767 | 229,974

5,986

1,771 323,236

71

130

165,524

4,606

65,259 | 23,139

1,766,003 | 295,233

Danish,

56

23,073

1,264

5

3,845

124

61

26,918

1,388

Dutch,

42

57,421

2,424

3

1,197

44

45

58,618

2,468

French,

98

158,836

11,082

12

German,

553

445,736

16,247

59

29

6,031

312

110

164,867

11,394

57,559 1,428

612

503,295

17,675

Hawaiian,

2

722

24

2

722

24

Italian,

14

20,563

812

14

20,563

812

Japanese,

6

Norwegian,

8

6,399

155

36

6,185 41.721

314

6

6,185

314

1,036

44

48,120

1,191

Russian,

10

18,622

1,043

10

18,622

1,043

Siamese,

11

5,507

194

1,640

63

15

7,147

257

Spanish,

32

18,068

1,479

4

1,771

64

36

19,839

1,543

Swedish,.

472

12

1

472

12

TOTAL,

20,870 5,602,531 393,752 6,343

725,092 76,086

27,213 6,327,623 469,838

V.—TOTAL NUMBER, TONNAGE AND CREWS OF VESSELS ENTERED AT EACH PORT IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG, IN THE YEAR 1887.

BRITISH.

FOREIGN.

TOTAL.

NAMES

OF PORTS.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vls. Tons. Crews. Vls.

Tons. Crews. Vls. Tons. Crews.

Vls. Tons. Crews. VIS. Tons. Crews. Vls.

Aberdeen,

Shaukiwán,.

Stanley,

475

386

271

19,065 4,283 651 12,759 3,185 881 17,796 3,566 110

Victoria,

Yaumáti,.

Total,.

2,8963,393,271|126,337|| 38 40,417 1,216 2,934 3,433,688 127,553 13,489 2,105,081 212,611 5,511 598 89,881 8,792 2,293 2,896|3,393,271|126,337| 38 40,417 1,216 2,934 8,488,688|127,558 15,219 2,244,582 232,437 9,446

40,151 8,717 1,126 54,316 8,568 1,267 7,801 1,090 381 554,644 72,142 21,934 107,072 25,390 2,891

59,216 13,000 67,075 11,753 25,597 4,650 6,052,996 411,090 196,953 34,182

723,567 114,691 24,665 2,968,149| 9347,128 18,115 5,637,833 858,774 9,484 763,984 115,907 27,599 6,401,837 474,681

40,151 8,717 1,126

54,316 8,568 1,267

Tons. Crews. VIS.

59,261|13,000) 475| 67,075 11,753| 386 7,801 1,090 381 25,597 4,656 271 514,227 70,926 19,000 2,619,308 283,537 16,385 107,072 25,390 2,891 196,953 34,182 598

Tons. Crews. Vis.

Tons. Crews. Vls.

Tons. Crews.

19,065 4,263Į 651 12,759 3,185 881 17,796 3,566| 110 5,498,352 338,9418 5,549 89,881 8,792 2,293

VI.-TOTAL NUMBER, TONNAGE AND CREWS OF VESSELS CLEARED AT EACH PORT IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG, IN THE YEAR 1887.

RED

BRITISH.

FOREIGN.

TOTAL.

NAMES

OF PORTS.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

TOTAL.

WITH CARGOES.

IN BALLAST.

ΤΟΤΑΙ.

Vls. Tons. Crews.

Vls.

Tons. Crews. Vls. Tons. Crews, Vls.

Tons. Crews. VIS.

Aberdeen, Shaukiwán,.

Stanley,

Victoria,

2,687| 8,116,056|120,484

211 207,304 7,154 2,8983,383,360|127,688|15,057

Yaumáti,

...

Total,.

2,687 8,116,056|120,484'

9,563 1,843 881 46,572 6,120| 477 14,674 1,901 196 2,851,411|252,938 2,865 1,039 64,255 10,376 1,713 211 267,304 7,154|| 2,898 3,383,300 127,638 18,183 2,486,475 273,268 6,132

245

757

185

Tons. Crews. Vls.

49,653 11,164 1,126 19,217 5,298 1,234 10,923| 2,667| 381 256,552 27,557 18,822 121,443 22,246 2,752

Tons. Crews. Vls.

59,216 13,007 65,789 11,418] 25,597 4,658)

Tons. Crews. Vis.

Tons. Crews. Vls.

Tons.

Crews.

245

757]

185

9,563 1,843 46,572 6,120| 14,674 1,991 2,607,963 280,495 18,644 5,467,467 373,422 3,076 185,698| 32,622|||1,039 64,255 10,376| 1,713

881

477

196

49,653|11,164 1,126 50,216| 13,007 19,217 5,298 1,234 65,789 11,418 10,023 2,667| 381 25,507 4,658 523,856 34,711 21,720 5,991,323 408,133 121,443 22,246 2,752 185,698 32,622

457,788 68,932 24,315 2,944,263|342,200 20,870 5,602,581|398,752||| 6,343

725,092|76,086 27,213 6,327,623 469,838

VII.-Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks ENTERED from Macao, during the Year

ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Vessels. Tous. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passeu-

gers.

Victoria,

368 54,122

9,032

255

219

28,839 4,030

353

587

82,961 13,062

608

Total,... 368

54,122 9,032

255

219

28,839 4,030

353

587 82,961 13,062

608

VIII.-Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks CLEARED for Macao, during the Year

ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Victoria,

527

75,315 12,077

593

49

7,055

844

620

576

82,370 12,921

1,213

Total....

527

75,315 12,077

593

49

7,055

844

620°

576

82,370 12,921 1,213

}

IX.-Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks ENTERED at each Port in the Colony of Hongkong, from Ports on the Coast of China and Formosa, during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels. Tous. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Aberdeen,

475

19,065 4,283

Shaukiwán,

386

12,759 3,185

64 51

651

40,151 8,717

43

1,126

881

54,316

8,568

82

1,267

39,216 13,000 67,075

107

11.753

133

Stanley,

271

17.796 3,566

110

7,801

1,090

16

381

25,597 4,656

127

Victoria,

12,035

Yaumáti,.

598

919,579 156,783 89,881 8,792

116,561

5,284

442,542

65,562

60

2,293

107,072 25,390

30,095 51

17.269 2,891

1,362,121 | 222,845, 146,656

196,953 34,182

111

Total,... 13,765 || 1,059,080176,609 |116,847

9,169

651,882 109,327 30,287

22.934

1,710,962 285,036147,134

X.-Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks CLEARED at each Port in the Colony of Hongkong,

for Ports on the Coast of China and Formosa, during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

Cargo.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

l'assen-

gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Aberdeen, Shaukiwán,

245

9,563 1,843

79

881

49,653 11,164

757

Stanley,....... 185

46,572 6,120 14,674

252

1,991

119

Victoria,

14,400

Yaumáti,.

1,039

1,232,388 197,567 133,895

64,255 10,376

47

Total,... 16,626 1,867,452 | 217,897 |134,392

5,937

477 19,217 5,298 196 10,923 2,667 2,670 114,945 23,040 1,713 121,443 22,246

316,181 64,415

56 1,126 59,216 13,007 20 1,234 23

381 13,078 17,070 430 2,752

135

65,789 11,418

272

25,597 4,658

142

1,347,333 | 220,607 146,973 185,698 32,622 477

13,607

22,563 1,683,633 282,312 | 147,999

XI.-Gross Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks ENTERED at each Port in the Colony of

Hongkong, (exclusive of Local Trade), during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Passen-

Passen-

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

gers.

gers.

Aberdeen, Shaukiwán,... 386

475

19,065 4,283

64

651

40,151

8,717

43

1,126

59,216 13,000

107

12,759 3,185

51

881

54,316

8,568

82

1,267

67,075

11,753

133

Stanley,

Victoria,

Yaumáti,.

271 12,403 598

17,796 3,566

111

110

7,801

1,090

16

381

25,597

4,656

127

973,701 165,815 116,816

89,881 8,792

5,453

471,381

69,592

30,448

60

2,293

107,072 25,390

51

17,856 2,891

1,445,082 235,407

147,264

Total.... 14,133 | 1,113,202 |185,641 |117,102

9,388

680,721 113,357

30,640

196,953 34,182

23,521 | 1,793,923 298,998

111

147,742

XII.-Gross Total Number, Tonnage, Crews and Passengers of Junks CLEARED at each Port in the Colony of

Hongkong, (exclusive of Local Trade), during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Aberdeen,

245

Shaukiwán,...

757

9,563 46,572 6,120

1,843

79.

881

49,653 11,164

56

1,126

252

477

19,217 5,298

20

1,234

59,216 13,007 65,789 11,418

135

272

Stanley,

185

14,674 1,991

119

196

Victoria,

14,927 | 1,307,703 209,644|134,488

Yaumáti,.

1,039 64,255 10,376

47

10,923 2,667 2,719 122,000 23,884 1,713

23

381

121,443 22,246

13,698 430

17,646 2,752

25,597 1,429,703 | 233,528

4,658

142

148,186

K

185,698 32,622

Total,... 17,153 | 1,442,767 |229,974 | 134,985

5,986

323,236 65,259 14,227

23,139

1,766,003 29 5,233

477

149,212

XIII.-Return of Junks ( Local Trade) ENTERED at the Port of Victoria from the Out-stations of the Island and

the Villages in British Kaulung, during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen-

gers.

Victoria,....

3,094 98,083 31,402 3,059 1,215

43,223 11,649 4,277 4,309

141,306 43,051

7,336

Total,... 3,094 98,083 31,402 3,059 1,215 43,223 11,649 4,277 4,309

141,306 43,051

7,336

XIV.-Return of Junks ( Local Trade ) CLEARED from the Port of Victoria for the Out-stations of the Island and

the Villages in British Kaulung, during the Year ending 31st December, 1887.

CARGO.

BALLAST.

TOTAL.

Vessels.

Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

Passen- gers.

Passen-

Vessels. Tons. Crews.

gers.

Victoria, ......

1,863 54,655 16,100 6,068 2,624

99,914 28,460

826 4,487

154,569 44,560

6,894

Total,...

1,863

54,655 | 16,100

6,068 2,624

99,914 28,460

826 4,487

154,569 | 44,560

6,894

XV.-SUMMARY.

FOREIGN TRADE.

No. OF VESSELS.

TONS.

CREWS.

British Vessels entered with Cargoes,..

2,896

3,393,271

126.337

Do.

do. in Ballast,

38

40,417

1,216

Total,.......

2,934

3,433,688

127,553

British Vessels cleared with Cargoes,

2,687

3,116,056

120,484

Do.

do. in Ballast,

211

267,304

7,154

Total,.......

2,898

3,383,360

127,638

Total of all British Vessels entered and cleared;

5,832

6,817,048

255,191

Foreign Vessels entered with Cargoes,

15,219

2,244,582

323,437

Do.

do. in Ballast,

9,446

723,567

114,691

Total,.....

24,665

2,968,149

347,128

Foreign Vessels cleared with Cargoes,

18,183

2,486,475

273,268

Do.

do. in Ballast,

6,132

457,788

68,932

Total,......

24,315

2,944,263

342,200

Total of all Foreign Vessels entered and cleared,.

48,980

5,912,412

689,328

Total of all Vessels entered with Cargoes,.

18,115

5,637,853

358,774

Do.

do.

in Ballast,.

9,484

763,984

115,907

Total of all Vessels entered,

27,599

6,401,837

474,681

Total of all Vessels cleared with Cargoes,.

20,870

5,602,531

393,752

Do.

Do.

do.

Total of all Vessels entered and cleared with Cargoes,

Total of all Vessels engaged in Foreign Trade only, entered and cleared,.

do.

in Ballast,....

Total of all Vessels cleared,

do. in Ballast,

6,343

725,092

76,086

27,213

6,327,623

469,838

38,985

11,240,384

752,526

15,827

1,489,076

191,993

54,812

12,729,460

944,519

LOCAL TRADE.

Total of all Vessels entered,

Do.

4,309

141,306

43,051

cleared,

4,487

154,569

44,560

Total of all Vessels engaged in Local Trade only, entered and cleared,

8,796

295,875

87,611

Total of all Vessels engaged in Foreign Trade only, entered and cleared,

Do.

do. in Local Trade only,

54,812

12,729,460

944,519

do.,

8,796

295,875

87,611

Grand Total of all Vessels entered and cleared,.

63,608

13,025,335

1,032,130

SUMMARY OF ALL CHINESE PASSENGERS.

NAMES OF PLACES.

From Ports other than in China or Japan,

Do.

in China and Japan,.

Do.

in Macao,

Do.

in Villages of the Colony,.

92,375

617,893

54,888

7,336

Total Arrivals,...

772,492

Left for Ports other than in China or Japan,

82,897

Do.

in China and Japan,..

629,532

Do.

in Macao,

57,675

Do.

in Villages of the Colony,

6,894

Total Departures,

776,998

Excess of Departures over Arrivals,..

4,506

Grand Total of Arrivals and Departures,....

1,549,490

XVI.—RETURN of VESSELS REGISTERED at the Port of Hongkong, during the Year 1887.

Name of Vessel.

Number.

Official Regis- Horse

tered Tonnage.

Power.

Rig.

Built of

Where built and when

Penshaw,......

68,930 729.33

Dafila, str.,

68,501 535.68 99

Barque

Schooner Iron

Wood Southwick, Durham, 1875.

Sunderland, Durham, 1873.

Fatshan, str.,

88,843 1,425.12 225

None

Steel Leith, 1887.

Haitan, str.,....................

88,844 1,182.60 350

Brigantine Steel Middlesborough, 1887.

Remarks, &c.

XVII.-RETURN of REGISTRIES of VESSELS cancelled at the Port of Hongkong, during the Year 1887.

Name of Vessel.

Rig.

Built of

Where built and when

Reason of Cancellation.

Registered anew at Singapore in consc-

quence of change of ownership.

Transferred to Sydney, N.S.W.

Registered anew at Penang in consequence of change of ownership.

Willie,.

64,099 274.97 1872

Three Brothers, 40,739 366.97 1874

Presto,............ 64,122 384.33 1875

Mary Austin, str, 53,204

65,082

:

:

....

88,833

Hailoong, str.,..

Milton, str.,

Wah Yeung, str., 88,834 313.36 1885 55

Schr. Wood Vegesack, 1861.

Barq. Wood Bangkok, Siam, 1859.

Barq. Iron

Amsterdam, 1862.

140.22 1884 30 Schr. Iron Newcastle on Tyne, 1865.

277.12 1884 60 Schr. Iron Aberdeen, 1871.

149.61 1884 37 Schr. Wood Hongkong, 1884.

Sehr. Wood Hongkong, 1884.

Sold to Foreigners at Shanghai.

Victoria, str., 88,837 16.94 1885 16

Schr. Wood

Hongkong, 1885.

Glasgow, 1881.

Camorta, str., 84,285 1,355.27 1886 200 Schr. Iron

Sold to Foreigners at Hiogo,

Japan.

Registered anew at Penang in consequence of change of ownership.

Destroyed by fire.

Transferred to Port Darwin,

South Australia. Transferred to Glasgow.

XVIII-AMOUNT of FEES received under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1855, and Section III of Ordinance No. 8' of 1879 in the Harbour Department, during the Year 1887.

Matter or Duty in respect of which Fec taken.

Number.

Fee.

Amount.

Remarks, &c.

CA

Alteration in Agreement with Seamen,

Certifying Desertion, ....

2

2

133

1

133

Declaration of Ownership,...

10

2

20

Endorsement of change of Master,.

43

1

13

Endorsement of change of Ownership,.

5

10

Endorsement of change in Tonnage,

1

2

2

Granting Certificate of Imperial Registry,

15

60

Inspection of Registry,

1

i

Recording Mortgage of Ship,

5

10

Recording Transfer of Mortgage,

3

5

15

Recording Discharge of Mortgage,.

1

5

Recording Sale of Ship,..............

12

39.85

Regis eng Certificate of Sale,...............

3

6

Total,.......

373.85

XIX.-RETURN of CHINESE PASSENGER SHIPS cleared by the Emigration Officer, Hongkong, during the Year ending the 31st day of December, 1887.

No.

DATE CLEARED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION- ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

TOTAL..

WHITHER BOUND.

M.

F.

M.

F.

1 January 3

Japan, str..

2

3

งง

4

Surat, str..

"J

4

Pandora, str.

1,865 British 1,670 1,781 Austrian

T. S. Gardner

Straits Settlements

355

57

12

7

431

167

167

N. J. Nantes

">

P. Mersa

572

70

13

662

Sydney

73

4

CT

5

6

19

A

5 Cairngorm, str.

1,166 British

W. H. Pearse

Melbourne

78

::

151

,,

8 Camelot, str.

1,049

وو

J. Daily

Straits Settlements

498

513

Port Darwin

23

10 Chingtu, str.

1.450

J. D. C. Arthur

Sydney

54

152

Melbourne

75

11 Oceanic, str..

2,440

H. Davison

San Francisco

94

101

11 Kashgar. str.

1,515

C. Gadd

Straits Settlements

453

""

22

14

Wing Sang, str.

1,517

d'A. de Ste. Croix

153

2

19

10

15

""

11

""

Berenice, str.

18 Kaisar-i-Hind, str.

1,707 Austrian

2,400 British

C. Bechtinger

139

aaa

25

487

20

184

20

178

120

120

E. G. Stead

""

Port Darwin

Cooktown

Townsville

45

12

""

19 Airlie, str................

1,492

W. Ellis

Brisbane

Sydney

23

Melbourne

13 14

21

Bormida, str.

""

31

Cyclops, str.

15 February 1

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,499 Italian 1,403 British 1,392

E. Pizzarello

Straits Settlements

124

12

117

H. Nish

""

A. B. Mactavish

26

دو

16

17

18

19

20

21

""

2

Poseidon, str.

99

2,510 Austrian

G. Doncich

29

"

7 Archimede, str..

"

""

8

Khiva, str.

7

8

Tai Sang, str.

97

11

Dardanus, str.

91

12

City of New York, str.

1,849 | Italian 1,419 British 1,505 1,536 1,964 American

O. Canepa

79

3

:

"

214

11

S. Bason

وو

T. L. Davies

2101

16

""

T. Purdy

104

12

وو

R. R. Searle

San Francisco

45

4

- 2010 20

136

117

30

37

83

228

232

122

51

Port Darwin

7

Sydney

261

22

""

14 Tai Yuan, str.

1,459❘ British

W. M. Dodd

Melbourne

41

111

Adelaide

Dunedin, N.Z.

36

23

គន

14

Devonhurst, str.

""

24

""

15 Nepaul, str.

25

16 Menelaus, str.

26

"

19 Compta, str.

1,164 Dutch 1,987 British 1,300 1,291 Dutch

P. Houthoff L. M. Wibmer R. Nelson

Straits Settlements

90!

197

"

510

W. L. Laimers

7291

90

197

514

16

753

Straits Settlements

7241

Port Darwin

30

Brisbane

7

Sydney

46

:

::

27

""

21 Deepdale, str.

1,715 British

J. G. Sharp

Melbourne

44

895

Port Chalmers

Launceston

Greymouth

27

Wellington

28

29

25 Glenfruin, str.

1,936

E Norman

Straits Settlements

709

13

2

727

"

26 Thisbe, str.

21

30

27

26 Achilles, str..

1,848 Austrian 1,529 British

L. Lemesich

677

47

11

746

259

2.9

C. Anderson

31

26 | Belgic, str.

2,695

W. H. Walker

San Francisco

2901

14

1

305

34

32 March

Thames, str.

2,131

33

>>

2 Wing Sang, str.

1,617

W. A. Seaton d'A. de Ste. Croix)

Straits Settlemeuts

218

213

726

62

21

817

Port Darwin

21

42

101

31

2 Tsinan, str.

1,460

A. Hunt

Sydney

Melbourne

381

co co co co

8 *=***

35

36

37

53

38

39

5 Japan, str.

و,

A

*

40

19

15 Amphitrite, str.

41

15 Ganges, str.

5

42

""

43

44

45

"

46

25

8 | Haiphong, str.

9 City of Peking, str.

11 Glenartney, str.

11 Changsha, str. ..

17 Arratoon Apcar, str.

19 Bormida, str.

19 Hector,

str.

19 Guthrie, str..

22 Sikh, str.

1,865 1,122

3,129 American 1,400 British

1,463

2,486 Austrian 2,162 | British 1,392

1,499 Italian 1,590 British

T. S. Gardner S. Ashton

Straits Settlements

752

776

18

679

696

11

H. C. Dearborn D. O. Mackinlay

San Francisco Straits Settlements Port Darwin

1,022

7

1,034

853

47

17:

921

55

J. E. Williams

Sydney

32

200

27

Melbourne

111

,!

B. Gelcich E. Stewart J. G. Olifent E. Pizzarello H. Batt

Straits Settlements

829

45

922

216

216

700

""

610

""

685

ལཱལ ི

:

:

52

301

785

672

52

700

15

""

Port Darwin

47

>>

25 Claymore, str.

CAA

48

23

26 Tai Sang, str.

1,493

1,510

1.058 1,505

N. Shannon

Sydney

43

98

Melbourne

30

Port Darwin

68

A. Scotland

Sydney

134

333

Melbourne

125

W. A. Gulland

Straits Settlements

1,052

1 052

وو

742

49

""

26 City of Sydney, str....

50

29 Coromandel, str.

1,966 American 2,523 British

T. L. Davies D. E. Friele J. Reeves

50

19.

218

San Francisco

695:

695

Straits Settlements

250

250

i

Port Darwin

118

51

"T

29 Chingtu, str.

1,459

J. D. C. Arthur

Sydney

751

246

"

Melbourne

51

83835

52 April

4 Glenlyon, str.

03

5 Oceanic, str..

1,410 2,440

33

J. Sommers J. Metcalfe

54

5 Clara, str.

55

7 Palamed, str.

56

57

Archimede, str.

7 Kashgar, str.

Carried forward,.

675 German

! 1,536 British 1,849 Italian 1,515 British

C. Christensen C. Jackson O. Canepa C. Gadd

Straits Settlements San Francisco Straits Settlements

913

36

959

1,062

:

1,062

387

18

11

419

764

35

810

-

576

36

623

15

622

=

21

650

+7

96,823

Carried forward,..

23,622

871 287

112

24,892

RETURN of CHINESE PASSENGER SHIPS cleared by the Emigration Officer, Hongkong,-(Continued).

CHILDREN.

No.

DATE CLEARED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHITHER BOUND.

TOTAL.

M. F.

M. F.

Brought forward,........

96,823

Brought forward, | 23,622

871

287 112 24,892

Singapore

46

:

Port Darwin

58 April

7 Catterthun, str.

1,406 British

100

J. W. B. Darke

Sydney

263

44

Melbourne

71

8668838858 8 22 2 2

59

"3

12

Peshawur, str.

"

60

13

""

Medusa, str..

61

>>

13

Parthia, str.

62

15

64

14 Devonhurst, str.

Palinurus, str..

15 Jaan, str.

دو

*

16

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

دو

19

Khiva, str.

1,419 British

67

"5

19

China, str...

69

"

20

Wing Fang, str.

22

21

Fero, str.

70

22

""

Cathay, str.

71

JE

23 Stettin, str.

2,130 1,776 Austrian 2,035 British 1,164 Dutch 1,536 British 1,865 2,275 American

648 German 1,517 British

754 German 1,884 British 1,079 German

L. H. Moule E. Perini C. C. Brough P. Houthoff T. Jackson T. S. Gardner

W. B. Seabury S. Bason

J. A. Hansen

E. Ashdown

Straits Settlements

210

210

""

526

100

643

>>

1,068

14.

1,091

*

4431

443

22

153

153

457

39

on

508

San Francisco

775

Straits Settlements

539

J. P. Ulderup d'A. de Ste. Croix

12

352

:

:

:

775

17

31

560

16!

368

632

23

7

1

663

Singapore

137

Mauritius

165

CO

:

308

Straits Settlements

188

188

F. W. Warnkes

,,

439

19

460

Port Darwin

96

3

72

A

25 Tai Yuan, str.

1,459 British

W. M. Dodd

Sydney

61

Melbourne

173!

::

338

73

23

26 Gaelic, str.

2,691

W. G. Pearne

San Francisco

1,138

26

""

1,169

Port Darwin

62

77

78

79

80

RRERS

74

75

29 Chelydra, str.

1,574

H. Peace

Sydney

116!

318

>>

Melbourne

136

3

30 Deuteros, str.

1,198 German

L. Iwersen

Straits Settlements

560

31

7

602

76 May

Arratoon Apear, str.

1,392 British

J. G. Olifent

694

921

19

وو

814

39

5

Ajax, str.

1,525

J. Riley

3481

**

348

22

5

Bokhara, str.

5

City of New York, str.

1,711 1,964 American

C. R. Edwards

170

170

>>

R. R. Searle

San Francisco

691

693

Port Darwin

36

Brisbane

1

49

5 Tannadice, str..

81

6 Carisbrooke, str.

82

7 Celebes, str.

83

7 Sarpedon, str.

84

12 Bisagno, str.

1,408 British

973 1,423 Dutch 1,592 British 1,499 Italian

H. Craig

159

Sydney

40

Melbourne

79

R. Cass J. C. Joon H. Chrimes E. Pizzarello

Straits Settlements

592

559

""

167

""

597

دو

2888

30

14

640

21

11

679

25

203

75

12

10

694

Port Darwin

87

85

وو

13 Tsinan, str.

1,460 British

W. N. Allison

Sydney

99!

282

Melbourne

93

86

13

""

Zambesi, str.

1,565

C. F. Preston

Straits Settlements

737

42

794

87

""

14

Belgic, str.

2,695

W. H. Walker

88

""

14

Tai Sang, str.

1,505

89

90

91

29

17

Orestes, str.

1,323

"

27

18

Abyssinia, str.

2,346

T. J. Davies

J. W. Hutchinson

A. Marshall

San Francisco

Victoria, B.C.

1,153

1,169

Straits Settlements

638

113

11

789

458

43

516

""

29

80

"

United States

50

""

19

Deccan, str.

92

""

20 Protos, str.

2,022 1,150 German

P. W. Case

Straits Settlements

201

201

""

C. J. Sorensen

532

53

>>

13

12

610

Singapore

320

3

1

Port Darwin

69

93

12

94

::

23 Port Victor, str.

24 City of Peking, str.

95

S

A

860

23

25 Pathan, str.

96

""

27 Lombardy, str..

97

27 Titania, str.

98

99

"

1,828 British

3,129 American

1,762 British

A. Williams

488

Sydney

56

Melbourne

35

H. C. Dearborn

San Francisco

998

Singapore

273

2=

21

11

Port Darwin

57

712

1,032

J. Rowley

484

Sydney

75

Melbourne

64

::

101

3 Kashgar, str.

100 June

28 Japan, str.

31 Whampoa, str....

2 San Pablo, str..

1,571

2,011 Austrian 1,865 British

1,109

>>

3,060 American 1,515 British

G. Fawcett

G. C. Brookes S. Mersa T. S. Gardner

Straits Settlements

615

152

347

938

30

79

15

51

13

Port Darwin

77

131

22

a 16

3

652

208

417

Sydney

49

151

:

Melbourne

102

J7

3 Telemachus, str.

1,421

E. C. Reed C. Gadd H. Jones

San Francisco

582

14

607

Straits Settlements

740

63

822

323

35

367

""

27.

103

7 Parthia, str.

2,035

""

C. C. Brough

Victoria, B.C.

32

United States

57

::

90

104

>>

9 Bormida, str.

105

25

10

Berenice, str.

106

2:

11

City of Sydney, str..

107

13

دو

Khiva, str.

108

14 Wing Sang, str.

1,499 Italian 1,707 Austrian 1,966 American 1,419 British 1,517

A. Guelfi C. S. Antega D. E. Friele S. Bason

Straits Settlements

356

30

392

358

120

San Francisco

271

4

Straits Settlements

387

32

d'A. de Ste. Croix

416

76

15

Port Darwin

118

65539

14

498

283

430

11

518

Thursday Island

Cooktown

49

109

""

18 Menmuir, str.

1,247

P. Helms

Townsville

14

214

Rockhampton

31

Brisbane

7

Sydney

19

110 111

""

18 Angers, str.

2,077

J. Pinkham

Straits Settlements

323

27

364

20 Oceanic, str..

2,440

J. Metcalfe

San Francisco

427

18

7

454

112

""

20 Glenfinlas, str.

1,409

B. Quartly

Straits Settlements

182

34

10

235

113

""

25 Jason, str.

1,412

J. Miligan

139

10

5

155

2"

114

25 Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

J. G. Olifent

347

71

13

437

""

115

31

28 Tai Yuan, str.

1,459

W. M. Dodd

Sydney Melbourne

15

30

15)

Curried forward,.

193,636

Carried forward,..

48,751 2,444 646 340 52,181

RETURN of CHINESE PASSENGER SHIPS cleared by the Emigration Officer, Hongkong,—(Continued).

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

No.

DATE CLEARED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHITHER BOUND.

TOTAL.

M.

F. M. F.

Brought forward,..............| 193,636

Brought forward, 48,751 2,444| 646 340 52,181

Port Darwin

16

Cooktown

116 June

28 Deepdale, str.

1,715 British

J. G. Sharp

Brisbane

56

Sydney

Melbourne

10

117

29

28

Port Augusta, str.

1,856

J. Hogg

Victoria, B.C.

13

23

""

United States

10

118

22

30

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

2,275 American

W. B. Seabury

San Francisco

91

100

119

"}

30

Glenorchy, str....

1,822 British

F. Gedye

Straits Settlements

147

:

147

120

""

30

Venetia, str..

1,609

F. Cole

350

99

121

July

2

Tai Sang, str.

1,505

T. L. Davies

174

Port Darwin

39

122

+

6 Airlie, str.

1,492

W. Ellis

Sydney

50

:

323

3

391

11

256

194

""

Melbourne

961

123

8 Bisagno, str..

1,499 Italian

S. Anfosso

Straits Settlements

425

124

37

9 Zambesi, str..

1,565 | British

C. F. Preston

519

22

125

12 Gaelic, str.

126

"

14 Cyclops, str.

2,691 1,403

""

"

W. G. Pearne H. Nish

San Francisco

607

14

9884

460

552

627

Straits Settlements

140

140

127

14 Orion, str.

1,833 Austrian

G. Maltiazzi

359

96

19

494

Port Darwin

30

Cooktown

10

128

15 Catterthun, str.

1,406 British

J. W. B. Darke

Townsville Brisbane Sydney

63

15

Melbourne

5

129

دو

15 Japan, str.

130

">

16

Menelaus, str.

1,865 1,300

وو

T. S. Gardner R. Nelson

Straits Settlements

493

67

15

18!

593

130

130

131

"

19

Glengyle, str...

2,244

K. J. Gasson

295

35

13

351

132

J

23

City of New York, str.

1,964 American

R. R. Searle

San Francisco

186

10

193

133

""

25

Achilles, str..

1,529 | British

C. Anderson

Straits Settlements

150

134

""

25

Glenfruin, str.

1,936

E. Norman

193

::

150

193

22

27

Port Darwin

343

135

26 Tsinan, str.

1,460

W. N. Allison

Sydney

57

:

452

>>

Melbourne

43

1

136

""

30

Celebes, str.

137

30 Lombardy, str...

1,423 Dutch 1,571 British

J. C. Joon

Straits Settlements

220

60

12

305

G. C. Brookes

426

49

13

15

503

Port Darwin

10

138

""

30

Afghan, str..

1,439

""

G. Roy

Sydney

36

73

Melbourne

27

139 August 2

Wing Sang, str.

1,517

d'A. de Ste. Croix

Straits Settlements

358

39

16

472

""

140

""

2

Abyssinia, str.

2,346

141

4

Belgic, str.

2,695

A. Marshall

W. H. Walker

Victoria, B.C. United States San Francisco

10

:

30

40

262

43

312

"1

Thursday Island

1

Townsville

142

""

6 Tannadice, str...

1,408

H. Craig

Brisbane Sydney

31

16

Melbourne

11

143

"

6

Antenor, str.

1,376

J. Grier

Straits Settlements

137

137

144

"

10

Deccan, str.

2,022

P. W. Case

349

36

10

400

23

""

12

145

""

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

J. G. Olifent

107

44

5

163

32

""

63

Port Darwin

146

21

13 Soochow, str.

18

999

J. B. Harris

Sydney

2

Melbourne

:

:

88

147

"

13

Elektra, str.

2,095 Austrian

P. Mersa

71

65

Straits Settlements

148

""

15

Bormida, str.

1,499 Italian

G. B. Daquino

83

28

>>

149

">

16

Kashgar, str.

1,515 British

C. Gadd

204

27

25

150

19

Tai Sang, str.

221

56

1,505

T. Davies

""

22

Port Darwin

36

151

*

22

20 Guthrie, str..

1,493

S. G. Green

Sydney

10

""

Melbourne

152

20

San Pablo, str.

153

22

23

Khiva, str.

154

21

29

Venetia, str.

155

"

30

Changsha, str.

3,060 American 1,419 British 1,609 1,463

E. C. Reed

San Francisco

135

37

S. Bason

Straits Settlements

386

38

F. Cole

401

33

888

10

483

7837

2=0

151

119

241

12

296

54

198

442

443

""

J. E. Williams

Sydney

14

43

Melbourne

29

Honolulu

286

17

156

>"

31 City of Sydney,

str.

157 Sept.

1 Glenearn, str.

1,966 American 1,410 British

158

32

3 Japan, str.

1,865

D. E. Friele

P. Brass T. S. Gardner

San Francisco

191

43

3

19 19

551

Straits Settlements

299

70

19

11

399

218

44

8

10

280

>>

";

159

""

Pathan, str.

1,762

J. Rowley

""

Sydney Melbourne

42

57

13

160

"

8 Bellerophon, str.

1,397

W. E. Guthrie

Straits Settlements

142

19

3

164

""

161

10 Imperator, str..

2,441 Austrian

162

""

10 Bisagno, str.

163

""

10 Oceanic, str...

164

13 Zambesi, str..

1,499 Italian 2,440 British 1,565

C. Bechtinger S. Anfosso J. Metcalfe

212

90,

11

16

329

240

231

267

22

San Francisco

248

47

302

C. F. Preston

Straits Settlements

245

12

267

165

14 Crusader,

str.

647

166

""

14 Titan, str.......

1,554

J. Ogston

R. J. Brown

65

14

82

"

167

""

19

Wing Sang, str.

1,517

168

"}

19

Palamed, str.

1,536

d'A. de Ste. Croix] C. Jackson

"

"

39

39

97

:

97

367

461

13

པ་

431

80

80

169

"

19 Chingtu, str.

1,459

J. D. C. Arthur

Cooktown Thursday Island Townsville

Brisbane Sydney Melbourne

40

1

15

11

170

21 City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

171

24 Stura, str........................................

2,275 American 1,416 Italian

W. B. Seabury G. B. DeMarchi

San Francisco Straits Settlements

139

11

2

153

518

35

10

567

Carried forward,....

289,200

Carried forward,..

60,928 3,878

942

580 66,328

RETURN OF CHINESE PASSENGER SHIPS cleared by the Emigration Officer, Hongkong,-( Continued).

No.

DATE CLEARED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHITHER BOUND,

TOTAL.

M.

F.

M.

F.

Brought forward,....... 172 Sept. 28 Tai Yuan, str.

289,200

1,459 | British

Brought forward,......60,928 3,878; 942 580 66,828

W. M. Dodd

Sydney

41

61

Melbourne

20

Cooktown

15

173

28 New Guinea, str.

Townsville

11

1,700

J. W. Wale

J

58

Sydney

25

Melbourne

7

174

29

Angers, str.

2,077

J. Pinkham

22

Straits Settlements

245

240

175 Oct.

1

Gaelic, str.

2,691

W. G. Pearne

San Francisco

"

308

12:

323

170

21

Parthia, str...

2,035

J. Arnold

Victoria, B.C.

13

25

United States

28

12

177

""

4

Arratoon Apear, str.

1,392

J. G. Olifent

Straits Settlements

520

61

11

10

"2

A

611

178

""

5 Diomed, str...

1,471

W. H. Bigley

84

84

179

>>

6 Celebes, str.

1,423 Dutch

J. C. Joon

16

>>

467

Port Darwin

180

"

7 Catterthun, str.

1,406 British

181

27

11

182

183

"

184

185

""

186

""

15 | Sikh, str.

City of New York, str.

11 Amphitrite, str.

12 Lombardy, str.. 12 Tai Sang, str.. 15 Bormida, str.

1,964 | American 2,486 Austrian 1,071 British 1,505 1,499 Italian 1,510 British

J. W. B. Darke

R. R. Searle L. Lemesich G. C. Brookes T. L Davies G. B. Daquino

Sydney Melbourne San Francisco

Cooktown

34

261

21

141

23

170

Straits Settlements

377

49

442

232

13

31

250

311

40:

6!

72

367

362

32

27

406

A. Scotland

Sydney Melbourne

42

:

82

39

187

188

"

**

18 Deccan, str.

2,022

""

18 Vortigern, str.

876

P. W. Casc J. Brown

Straits Settlements

2931 241

3

323

141

7

:

149

189

25

20 | Belgic, str.

2,095

W. H. Walker

Honolulu

398

13

>>

San Francisco

297

37

768

190

191

""

21 Japan, str. 21 Deuteros, str.

1,865

192

22 | Sarpedon, str.

1,198 German 1,592 British

T. S. Gardner L. Iwersen

H. Chrimes

Straits Settlements

191

237

193

23

204

104

*

125

193

22 Tsinan, str.

1,460

F. T. Gladstone

Sydney Melbourne

26

41

15

194

25 Hydaspes, str.

1,891

E. Crew

Straits Settlements

187

187

195

29

Devonhurst, str.

1,164 | Dutch

196 Nov.

1

City of Peking, str.

197

>>

1 Ghazee, str.

པ་

198

199

"2

7 Tritos, str.

200

""

7 Kashgar, str.

201

7 Glenfiulas, str..

202

203

>>

204

"

}

205

206

>>

207

208

""

209

"

18 Arratoon Apcar,

str.

210

"

18 Changsha, str.

Tannadice, str.

3,129 American

1,764 British

1,408

J. Johnson

P. Houthoff H. C. Dearborn

494

553

";

San Francisco

153

30

188

Straits Settlements

251

Sydney

33

298

Melbourne

10

Port Darwin

19

H. Craig

Sydney

14

Melbourne

4

8 Telemachus, str.

12 Titania, str. 12 Wing Sang, str.

12 Bisagno, str................. 12 San Pablo, str..... 15 | Glucksburg, str. 16 Falkenburg, str.

2,011 Austrian 1,517 British 1,499 | Italian 3,060 American 916 German

988 1,892 British

H. Jones

M. Garofolich

S. Anfosso

E. C. Reed A. Schultz

W. Dreyer

1,341 German 1,615 British 1,400 1,421

A. L. Bleicken

Straits Settlements

149

13

C. Gadd

4331

67

2

>

B. Quartly

101

16

>>

32

>>

39

100!

56

59

d'A. de Ste. Croix

254

22

1

112

10

21

San Francisco

86

Straits Settlements

247

སྐཚལཚལ

:

:

Singapore

3:

Mauritius

11:

A. B. Mactavish

Straits Settlements

324

118

Port Darwin

79

1,463

J. E. Williams

Sydney

31

39

169

10

518

126

38

167

291

125

94

2€2

147

462

129

}}

Melbourne

14

Port Darwin

51

Cooktown

211

19 Guthrie, str..

1,493

S. G. Green

Townsville

Rockhampton Brisbane Sydney

18

Melbourne

11

212

22 City of Sydney, str.

1.966

213

22

Ancona, str..

""

214

#

25. Khiva, str.

American 1,888 British 1,419

D. E. Friele W. J. Webber C. F. Preston

San Francisco

98

Straits Settlements

187

556

58

17

27

Port Darwin

141

Thursday Island

Townsville

215

28. Airlic, str..

1,492

W. Ellis

Brisbane

Sydney

Rockhampton

:

100

100

187

630

163

101

Melbourne

4

216

29 Deuteros, str.

217

29 ¡ Cloncurry, str.

1,198 German 1,695 British

218

219

Dec.

}

29 Tai Sang, str.

Oceanic, str.

1.505 2,440

L. Iwersen

J. Deason

T. Davies

Straits Settlements

112

14,

127

Sydney

27

41

Melbourne

161

Straits Settlements

299

700

381

27

22}

2 Fidelio, str.

6 Japan, str.

222

6 Malwa, str.

223

6 Stura, str.

224

Chingtu, str.

225

9 Pemptos, str.

226

10 Poseidon, str.

227

10 City of Rio de Janeiro, str..

35

852 German 1,865 British 1,708 1,416 Italian

1,450 British

1,541 German 2,510 Austrian 2,275 | American

J. Metcalfe H. Brock T. S. Gardner

San Francisco

211

222

Straits Settlements

67

:

67

185

10

201

ولا

G. W. Atkinson G. B. de Marchi

J. D. C. Arthur

U. Johannsen S. Mersa W. B. Seabury

167

167

22

157

14

""

175

Port Darwin Sydney

72

41

122

Melbourne

7

Straits Settlements

216

249

41

503

San Francisco

871

91

Carried forward..... 383,707

Carried forward,.... 72,29

4,970 1,130

724 79,123

RETURN OF CHINESE PASSENGER SHIPS cleared by the Emigration Officer, Hongkong,-( Continued).

No.

DATE CLEARED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION

ALITY

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHITHER BOUND.

TOTAL.

OF SHIP.

M.

F.

M.

F.

Brought forward,...

383,707

Brought forward, .|72,290| 4,970 1,139

Straits Settlements

724

79,123

182

5

228 Dec. 14 Gulf of Aden, str.

1,572 British

G. J. Allan

Sydney

34

226

Melbourne

3

229

A

;"

14 Glenshiel, str.

2,240

>>

A

230

15

17 Tai Yuan, str.

1,459

R. A. Donaldson

W. M. Dodd

Straits Settlements

376

48

435

Port Darwin

91

""

Sydney

211

132

Melbourne

19

231

20

Gaelic, str.

2,691

W. G. Pearne

San Francisco

276

287

J

232

20 Ravenna, str.

2,045

A. B. Daniell

Straits Settlements

204

204

:

:

233

"2

22

Glencagles, str.

1,838

E. F. Park

448

23

483

93

""

234

23 Parthia, str.

2,035

Victoria, B. C.

14

J. Arnold

United States

6

235

23

Nestor, str.

1,269

22

J. S. Thompson

Straits Settlements

100

236

23

Venetia, str..

1,609

F. Cole

243

21

وه

"

237

ܙܕ

23

Wing Sang, str.

1,517

d'A. de Ste. Croix

120

9

19 19

23

238

""

28

Autenor, str...

1,370

J. Grier

130

21

100

273

133

136

Port Darwin

90

Cooktown

239

""

28 Catterthun, str.

1,406

J. W. B. Darke -

240

241

A

29 Glengyle, str.

242

30 Bormida, str.

"

243

30 Fero. str.

""

29 City of New York, str.

1,964 American 2,244 British 1,499 Italian

754 German

TOTAL TONS,.

411,225

SUMMARY.

To Adelaide, South Australia,

""

Brisbane, Queensland,

""

Cooktown, Do.,

Dunedin, New Zealand,

Greymouth,

Do.,

Honolulu, Sandwich Islands,

Launceston, New Zealand,

>>

Mauritius,

Melbourne,.

29

Port Chalmers, New Zealand,

Townsville Rockampton Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Honolulu

242

11

R. R. Scarle

K. J. Gasson G. B. Daquino J. N. Hansen

San Francisco

172

Straits Settlements

180

390

351

140

>>

TOTAL PASSENGERS,

10 05 10 10.09

140

434

186

435

149

75,827 5,138 1,184 748

82,897

'''

Ι

41

41

104

104

361

36

27

27

921

31

31

13

996.

4

277

285

1,515

27

1,572

1

1

2,138

30

2,178

10

10

12,946

460

91

55

13,552

55,441 4,636

978

678

61,733

1,996

16

1

2,015

5

48

48

168

168

111

114

7

TOTAL PASSENGERS,

75,827 5,138 1,184

748

82,897

""

Port Darwin, South Austra'ia,

Rockhampton, Queensland,.

San Francisco, U.S.A.,..

""

Straits Settlements,

,, Sydney,

""

دو

Thursday Island, Queensland,.

Townsville, Queenstand,,

United States of America, vià Vancouver, British Columbia,

Vancouver, British Columbia,

""

Wellington, New Zealand,

XX. RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong, from Places out of the Chinese Empire, during the Year ending the 31st day of December, 1887.

No.

DATE ABRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M.

F.

M.

F

2

1 January 3 Westmeath, str.

3 Neckar, str..

2,095 British

Stonehouse

Straits Settlements

240

co

3

247

1,870 German

>>

3 Carisbrooke, str..

973 British

Baur Cass

252

252

Mauritius

240

250

3 Amigo, str.

771 German

Samuelsen ·

Straits Settlements

190,

203

5

4 Kashgar, str.

5 Glenogles, str.

Bormida, str.

5 Bengloe, str.

6 Phra Chom Klao, str.

1,515 British

Gadd

69

71

2,000

";

1,499 Italian

1,19 British

Hogg Pizzarello Farquhar

3761

400

141

>>

:

141

30:

30

1,011

Watton

Bangkok

143

10

167

Port Darwin

17

Thursday Island

Cooktown

61

10

10 Airlie. str.

1,492

Ellis

Townsville

28.

"

Brisbane

31

242

Adelaide

21

Sydney Melbourne

82.

16

~

11

10 Jasou, str.

1,412

"

12

10

Berenice, str.

13

11

Wing Sang, str.

1,707 Austrian 1,517 British

Milligan Bechtinger

Straits Settlements

186

611 10

..

14

12

Mongkut, str.

859

Ste. Croix Loff

480. 20

""

Bangkok

94:

15

13

Deucalion, str.

16

13

Tai Yuan, str.

1,374 1,469

""

Asguith

Straits Settlements

180

Jones

"

198

2

17

13

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

2,275 American

Cobb

San Francisco

3291

18

14

E. J. Spence

519 British

Gill

Honolulu

148

19

14

Suburg, str.

921 German

Bertelsen

Straits Settlements

340

20

15 Nepaul, str..

1,987 British

Alderton

297

21

19

17 Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok"

12

22

18 Cardiganshire, str..

1,623

Wilkins

Straits Settlements

27

23

91

18 Dardanus, str...

1,536

Purdy

389

186

621.

500

108

180

200

329

150

342

297

43

29

390

24

25

26

17

20

Albany, str.....

1,488

Porter

23

180,

A

188

19

20

Gaelic, str.

2,691

Pearne

3:

San Francisco

203.

**

21

Cyclops, str.

1,403

27

25 Cheang Hock Kian, str.

956

Nish Webb

Straits Settlements

1501

28

>>

25 Poseidon, str.

2,510 Austrian

!!

185

Doncicb

200

206

153

189

200

Port Darwin

Cooktown

29

25 Whampoa. str.

1,109 British

Hunt

Townsville

133

Brisbane

16,

Sydney

47

Melbourne

39

30

31

32

""

33

19

31

34

35

36

>>

31 Archimede, str.

28 City of New York, str.

28 Arratoon Apcar, str.

31 Tai Sang, str.

Laertes, str..

31 Fidelio, str.

31 J. H. Bawers

1,964 American

Searle

San Francisco

123

1,392 British

Mactavish

Straits Settlements

126

to

1,505 1,391

Davies

"

36

Scale

>

381

9)

852 German

Brock

163

1.849 Italian

Canepa

741

697 American

Plum

Honolulu

166

312

123.

132

40

38

167

75

170

Port Darwin

4

:

Cooktown

12:

37

31 Tannadice, str.

2)

1,408 British

Craig

Townsville

6

59

Brisbane

12:

Sydney

25

38 Feb.

3 Achilles, str.

1,528

Anderson

27

Straits Settlements

54

.54

}

39

7 Polyhymnia, str..

40

8 Japan, str.

1,053 German 1,865 British

Schultz

113

113

Gardner

615

615

41

8 Belgic, str.

2.695

Walker

*

San Francisco

165

165

42

10

Ganges, str.

2.162

Stewart

::

Straits Settlements

72

72

43

10 Tsinan, str.

1.459

Allison

**

193

195

44

10

Sikh, str.

1.510

Scotland

**

2001

200

45

12 Glenroy, str.

46

12 Ingraban, str.

47

14 Amigo, str.

48

14 Nestor, str.

49

??

50

1"

51

15 Deuteros, str.

52

18 Prometheus, str.

53

19 Glenartney, str.

54

19 City of Peking, str.

55

21 Telamon, str.

15 General Werder, str.

15 Mongkut, str.

1.269 British

1,820 German

859 British 1,198 German 1,538 British

>>

1,400 3.129 American 1,555 British

Webster

Massmann

Hendervardt Thompson Schnokmann

Loff Luthjens Webster Mackinlay

Dearborn Jackson

1.411

490

10

500

"

894 German 771

"

255

2351

193

105:

Bangkok

38

2293N

259

239

198

110

40

105

110

Straits Settlements

217

220

246

250

San Francisco

50

52

Straits Settlements

235

10

240

Port Darwin

Cooktown

56

21 Catterthun, str.

1,406

Darke

Newcastle

.

35

Sydney

Melbourne

Adelaide

23823833

57

23 Thisbe, str.

"

58

25 Hector, str.

1,848 Austrian 1,590 British

Lemesich Batt

Straits Settlements

45

20

10

80

112

59

60

#

25 Picciola, str.

61

62

"

63

39

28 Ningchow, str.

64

25 Wing Sang, str.

26 Cheang Hock Kian, str..

26 Braunschweig, str..

March 1 Taichiow, str.

1,517

Ste. Croix

520

"

$75 German

Nissen

189

::

355 British

Webb

!!

400

ZANA!

116

:

23

543

196

16

423

2,150 German ·

Stouner

214

214

1,735 British

Castle

235

N

240

862

Newton

Bangkok

47

50

Port Darwin

Cooktown

65

22

1 Changsha, str.

1,463

Townsville

10

Williams

106

Brisbane

Sydney

18

28

Melbourne

40

Curried forward.....

96,217

Carried forward...

12,561 223 66

36

12,886

!

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,-( Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M.

F. M. F.

Brought forward..

96,217

2288 28

67

!!

66 March 4 | Glenlyon, str.

4 Antenor, str.

1,410 British

Somers

Brought forward..... 12,561 Straits Settlements

223

66

36 12,886

387

400

1,376

Grier

440

450

68

5 Benvenue, str..

1,497

Thompson

140

A

150

69

9 Palamed, str.

1,536

Jackson

336

357

་་

70

9 Peshawur, str..

2.130

Moule

37

37

:

9 Yorkshire, str.

1,426

Arnold

200

201

-+

72

10 Amphitrite, str.

2,486 Austrian

Gelcich

4001

20

429

Port Darwin

5

Cooktown

51

Townsville

Brisbane

24

73

11 Guthrie, str.

1,494 British

Shannon

Dunedin, N.Z.

4

Greymouth

98

11

Wellington

Sydney

27

Melbourne

4

Adelaide

4!

74

75

11 Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

:>

14 Agamemnon, str.

1,523

Olifent Wilding

Straits Settlements

150 10

184

ON

2

2

164

2

4

190

76

2

14 Mercury

1,098 American

Panno

Honolulu

37

:

37

77

14 Mongkut, str.

859 British

Loff

Bangkok

57

78

79

15 Glenfalloch, str.

16 Titan, str.

1,419

Cormack

Straits Settlements

182

*

80

**

16

City of Sydney, str.

1,554

1,966 | American

Brown

126

#!

384

60

10

200

130

Friele

San Francisco

327

327

81

17

Chi Yuen, str..

1,211 Chinese

Lunt

Straits Settlements

575

22

600

82

18

Lennox, str.

1,327 British

Thearle

119

130

">

83

21 Benlawers, str.

1.513

Webster

110

122

:>

84

21

Ching Wo. str.

1,556

22

McHugh

244

:

244

85

22

Cathay, str.

1.884

Ashdown

72

72

::

86

22

Tai Sang, str.

1,516

Davies

520!

30

6

560

Port Darwin

Cooktown

Thursday Island

10

87

22 Ching Tu, str.

1,459

Arthur

Townsville

9

78

Brisbane

11

Sydney

22

Melbourne

201

888

88

24 Amigo, str.

771 German

89

25 Oceanic, str.

2,695 British

""

90

26 Hesperia, str.

1.136 German

Hundervadt Metcalfe Christiansen

Straits Settlements

378

San Francisco

140

8

Straits Settlements

192

91

92

28 Ingraban, str.

29 Diomed, str..

894 1,471 British

Massmann

214

19

""

"

Bigley

290! 10

93

22

29 Glenorchy, str.

1,822

Gedye

514

12

23

94

29 Palinurus, str...

1.536

Jackson

50

5

""

95

19

31 Cheang Hock Kian, str..

956

Webb

226

..

13

17

96 April 1 Archimede, str.

1,849 Italian

97

98

99

"

100

101

*****

1 Bellerophon, str.

1,397 British

2 Glenartney, str.

1,400

"

2 Galley of Lorne, str.

1,380

Canepa Guthrie Mackinley Pomroy

265

15

13

78

??

200

12

38

61029 N

- ∞ ∞ → ON 10 00 10 10 OM

3

398

151

200

237

305

10

540

55

250

15

299

85

2

220.

43

**

6 Bokhara, str.

1,711

Edwards

55

55

**

17

6 Ajax, str.

1,524

Riley

191

200

Port Darwin

Cooktown

Townsville

14

102

"

6 Airlie, str.

1,492

Ellis

Keppel Bay

11

131

Brisbane

27

Sydney

60

Melbourne

6

103

9 City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

2,275 American

Seabury

San Francisco

150

150

104

9 Gleneagles, str.

1,838 British

105

9 Medusa, str.

106

12 Oopack, str..

107

12 Bayley, str.

108

12 Japan, str.

1,696 1,865

>

109

22

12 Protos, str.

1,150 German

1,776 Austrian 1,730 British

Park Perini Jaques

Child Gardner Sorensen

Straits Settlements

115

316 60

21

283 13

10

>>

651

138!

20

Bangkok

44

27038+

120

13

416

306

70

170

49

110

12

Mongkut, str.

859 British

Loff

103'

105

>>

111

12 Gaelic, str.

2,691

Pearne

San Francisco

126

126

112

13

Khiva, str.

25

1,452

Bason

Straits Settlements

100

5

105

113

2

15

Sarpedon, str.

1,592

Chrimes

521

55

多事

114

92

15

Wing Sang, str.

1,513

Ste. Croix

330

20

357

Port Darwin

11

:

Thursday Island

Cooktown

3

115

#

15 Tai Yuan, str.

1,459

Dodd

67

>>

Townsville

Sydney

16

Melbourne

28

116

"

16 Picciola, str.

117

"

18 Electra, str.

118

119

";

120

""

21 Orestes, str..

121

""

21 Deccan, str..

122

22 Oder, str.

123

>>

124

>>

23 China, str.

125

;}

126

""

25 Moyune, str.

127

99

25 Atholl, str.

128

25 Amigo, str.

18 Glengarry, str.

19 Benarty, str.

875 German 1,146 1,956 British

Nissen

Straits Settlements

255

260

Madsen

90

3

"

"

Taylor

399 27

10

31

1,119

Le Boutellier

135

1,323

2,022

Hutchinson Case

941

16

41 2 2

3996

100

441

2

150

118

>>

66

66

*

1,892 German

Pfeiffer

308

308

22 City of New York, str.

25 | Phra Chula Chom Klao, s.

1,964 American

1,091 German

Searle Haye

San Francisco

94

94

Bangkok

30

38

1,012 British

Lightwood

85

91

129

26 Tsinan, str.

Carried forward..

1,714

923

771 German 1,460 British

Hogg

Straits Settlements

2321

18

250

Coulter Hundervadt

168

~

175

";

369

21

3

401

"

Hunt

Sydney

401

40

***

193,047

Carried forward....

24,595 728 275 121

25,722

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,-(Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M.

F.

M. F.

Brought forward....

193,047

130 April 27

Glaucus, str.

1,382 British

131

27 Glenogle, str.

2,200

Hannah Duke

Brought forward... 24,595 728 275 124 Straits Settlements

25,722

190.

11

208

160

5

175

-

**

132

27 Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

Olifent

365

13

382

་་

133

27 Anchises, str.

1,304

Lapage

25

30

""

134

29

Lorne, str.

1,035

Hunter.

113

122

"

135

>>

29 Belgic, str.

2,695

Walker

San Francisco

119

123

}

136

"?

30

Niobe, str.

1,672 German

Pfaff

Straits Settlements

50

52

137 May

1 Monmouthshire, str.

1,871 British

Cuming

$7

3

101

*

Port Darwin

Cooktown

138

2 Tannadice, str.

";

1,408

Craig

Townsville

Brisbane

61

Sydney

Adelaide

139

4 Afghan, str.

1,439

140

4 Rosetta, str.

2,155

19

Roy Brady

Straits Settlements

210

217

93

93

141

4 Velocity,

491

Martin

Honolulu

87

96

142

5

Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok

71.

80

143

5 Ulysses, str....

1.301

Bremuer

Straits Settlements

147

-2

159

144

5

Cheang Hock Kian, str..

956

Webb

120

135

145

**

6 Camelot, str.

1,049

Daily

Straits Settlements.

47.

52

146

7

Tai Sang, str.

1,505

Davies

306

24

18

2

350

147

7

Alvah, str.

1,511

Young

901 1

97

148

7 Bisagno, str.

1,498 Italian

Pizzarelo

120

130

149

9 Mongkut, str.

859 British

Loff

Bangkok

98 12

110

150

"

10

Stentor, str.

1,307

Milligan

Straits Settlements

280

10

302

151

11

Zambesi, str.

1,565

Preston

121

121

19

152

"

12

Tritos, str.

1.142 German

Bleiken

Bangkok

68

70

153

12

Protos, str.

1,150

Sorensen

25

27

11

154

12

City of Peking, str.

3,129 American

Dearborn

San Francisco

116

120

155

14

19

Hydra,

785 German

Binge

Honolulu

25

31

156

17 Verona, str.

1,876 British

Speck

Straits Settlements

120

120

157

11

17 Telemachus, str.

1,421

Jones

293 16

**

315

158

"

17 Iphigenia,

1,059 German

Voltum

230 10

159

""

18

Benlarig, str.

1,482 British

Clark

176 12

160

18

China, str.

1,091 German

Haye

Bangkok

61

161

20

Glenfinlas, str.

"

162

20

Sachsen, str.

163

20 Glucksburg, str.

164

21 Patroclus, str..

165

21 Decima, str...

1,409 British 2,874 German

916 1,386 British

965 German

Quartley

Straits Settlements

170

10

22677

250

200

73

190

Zacger

153

>>>

Schultz

398 28

Thompson

80 10

மல

"

Oestmann

Bangkok

48.

Thursday Island

11

166

21 Guthrie, str.

1,494 British

Green

Sydney

47:

¡

Melbourne

37

167

23

San Pablo, str.

":

168

"

23

Duburg, str.

169

+1

25

Denbighshire, str.

170

25 Titania, str.

1

171

99.

25

Japan, str.

3,060 American 921 German 1,663 British 2,011 Austrian 1,865 British

Reed

San Francisco

99

Bertelsen

Straits Settlements

200

12

Dreyer Mersa

150

12

300 20

!

10

10 21 7-

Gardner

385

172

25

Phra Chom Klao, str.

1,011

"

173

19

27 Kashgar, str.

1,515

Watton Gadd

Bangkok

40

Straits Settlements

140 10

174

19

28

Glengyle, str.

2,244

Gasson

300

10

NN

175

31 Ancona, str....

11

1,888

Hassall

45

176

21

31 Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok

65

153

442

95

50

105

99

221

170

337

385

45

156

318

45

70

Port Darwin

10

Cooktown

5.

177

31 Chingtu, str.

1,459

Arthur

Townsville

10

54

Sydney

15

Melbourne

14

178❘ June

1 Wing Sang, str.

1.517

Stc. Croix

Straits Settlements

360

30

400

179

1

Priam, str.

1.402

Butler

248

258

**

11

180

1 Lorne, str.

1,035

Hunter

418

427

!!

181

2 Moray, str..

1.427

Duncan

100 25

10

140

182

3 Cheang Hock Kian, str.

956

Webb

150.

11

166

"

183

4 Bormida, str.

1,499 Italian

Guelfi

71

73

184

4 Deuteros, str.

1,198 German

Jwersen

Bangkok

$2

88

"

185

"

4

City of Sydney, str.

186

6 Taichiow, str.

3

187

6 Khiva. str.

188

!!

6 Berenice, str.

189

7 Jason, str.

1,966 American

862 British 1.419

::

1,707 Austrian

1.411 British

Friele

San Francisco

75

75

Newton

Bangkok

46

58

Bason

Straits Settlements

107

111

Sbutega

247

10

262

Milligan

85

90

190

7 Occanic, str.

2.440

Metcalfe

San Francisco

129

6

140

**

191

S Nankiang, str.

999

McKechine

Straits Settlements

480

30

25

N

547

*

192

9 Glencoe, str.

1,901

Gcake

259

272

"

193

9 Lydia, str.

1,170 | German

Voss

113

194

9 Mongkut, str.

$59 British

Loff

Bangkok

147

195

10 Dardanus, str...

1,536

Purdy

Straits Settlements

129

196

13

Ingraban, str.

895 German

Ruge

109

197

13 Fidelio, str....

852

Brock

178

22

re

120

160

131

112

187

י.

198

B

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392 | British

Olifent

321

331

Brisbane

15.

199

13 Airlie, str.

1.492

Ellis

Dunedin. N.Z.

18:

45

Sydney

12:

Port Darwin

68

200

13 Menmuir, str.

1.247

Helms

Sydney

14

110

Melbourne

23

201

14 Ravenna, str.

2.045

Daniell

Straits Settlements

37

202

14 Deucalion, str.

1.874

Asquith

66

72

203

16 Lombardy, str.

1.726

Brookes

201

16 Braunschweig, str...

2,150 German

Stormer

308 10 138

323

138

Carried forward......

303,558

Carried forward......

35.947 1,246

516 223 37,932

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,-(Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M

F.

M.

Brought forward

303,658

Brought forward... 35,947 1,246

516

223

$7,932

205 June

17 Venetia, str.

1,728 British

Cole

Straits Settlements

96

98

206

20 China, str.

1,093 German

Haye

Bangkok

851

100

207

20 Falkenburg, str.....................

988

Dreyer

58

65

208

20

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.!

2,275 American

Seaburg

San Francisco

80

209

22

Ghazee, str.

1,764 British

Johnson

Straits Settlements

360

10

10

380

210

22

Picciola. str.

875 German

Nissen

214

214

211

22

Glenavon, str.

1,936 British

Jacobs

377

877

212

23

Camelot, str.

1,049

Daily

337

10

360

213

23

Phra Chula Chom Khao, s.

1.012

Benson

Bangkok

83

$5

214

25

Tai Sang, str.

1,500

Davies

Straits Settlements

496

10

3

450

215

27 Cyclops, str.

1,403

Nish

146

150

#

216

28 Menelaus, str.

1.300

Nelson

110

110

:)

Port Darwin

13

Cooktown

8

Brisbane

16

217

A

28 Catterthun, str.

1,408

Darke

65

Adelaide

Sydney

11

Melbourne

13

218

29 Batavia, str.

1,554

Price

Straits Settlements

220

226

">

219 220

221 July

29 Amigo, str.

30 Decima, str.

771 German 965

Hunderwadt

340

352

Oestmann

Bangkok

52

53

2 Gaelic, str.

2,691 British

Pearne

San Francisco

181

184

222

4 Lorne, str.

1,035

Hunter

Straits Settlements

284

264

223

5 Zambesi, str.

1,565

Preston

120

120

224

6 Achilles, str.

1,528

Anderson

147

147

225

7 Orion, str.

1,833

Austrian

Mattiazzi

GO

25

95

226

7

Glencarn, str.

1,410 British

227

8 Fero, str.

228

9 Japan, str.

754 German 1,865 British

Brass

469

475

Hansen

140

144

Gardner

274

274

!

Thursday Island

4

Cooktown

229

9 Tsinan, str.

1,460

Allison

Townsville

53

Sydney

181

A

Melbourne

S

230

11 Hattic N. Bangs..

542 American

Bangs

Honolulu

78

82

231

12 Polyhymnia, str.

1,053 German

Schaefer

Straits Settlements

117

232

13 Deuteros, str.

1,198

Jwersen

253

233

13 Nestor, str.

1,269 British

Thompson

188

00 10 00

2

137

260

200

234

13 City of New York, str.

235

+

14 Carisbrooke, str..

1,964 American

973 British

Searle Case

San Francisco

130

:

130

Bangkok

40

42

236

"

14 Namkiang, str.

9991

McKechine

Straits Settlements

405

16

22

237

*

15 Antenor, str.

1,376

238

"

16 Mongkut, str.,

859

Grier Loff

180

"!

:

Bangkok

165

10

239

18 Cardiganshire, str...

1.628

Clarke

Straits Settlements

140

6100 10

426

5

185

175

5

145

:་

Port Darwin

:

Cooktown

240

18 Tannadice, str.

1.406

Craig

Dunedin, N.Z.

28

Sydney

Adelaide

1

241

20 Prometheus, str..

1.538

Webster

Straits Settlements

480)

20

450

242

22 Falkenburg, str..

243

25

Deccan, str.

988 German 2.020 British

Dreyer Cass

Bangkok

62

Straits Settlements

140

:

140

244

26

Peking, str.

2,137

"

Symonds

88!

83

245

26

Laertes, str..

1.391

| Scale

452

14

446

246

26

Belgic. str.

2.695

"

247

27 Kong Beng, str.

862

Walker Phillips

San Francisco

319

319

Bangkok

12

10

52

248

28 Wing Sang, str.

1.517

Ste. Croix

Straits Settlements

700

40

10

750

249

29 Atalanta. str.

788 German

Thomsen

91

96

250

30 Hector, str.

1,590 British

Bati

173

173

251

71

252

19

254

255

2 Amigo, str.

256

"

2 Telamon, str.

257

5 Benalder, str.

258

""

5 Arratoon Apcar, str.

259

>

6 Bormida, str.

30 Picciola, str.

30 | Phra Chula Chom Klao. S.

253 August 2 Decima. str.

2 Kashgar, str.

1,012 British

905 German

British 771 German 1.555 British

1.515

Olifent Daquino

875 German

Nissen

Benson

201

204

Bangkok

76

76

Oestmann

51

51

Gadd

Straits Settlements

100

195

Hunderwadt

450

3

471

Jackson

160)

221

1,330 1.392

>

Thompson

681

73

3751

375

22

1.499 Italian

2001

200

260

་་

6 Agamemnon, str.

1.522 British

Wilding

100

100

261

San Pablo, str.

262

263

Vortigern, str..

9 Fidelio, str.

264

"1

10 Elektra, str.

265

10. Khiva. str.

#1

266

"

10 Phra Chom Klao, str.

3,060 American

876 British 852 German 2,095 Austrian 1,459 British 1.012

:

Reed

Brown

! Brock Mersa

San Francisco

2581

258

Bangkok

57

60

Straits Settlements

400

400

124 12

136

Bason

146

146

Watton

""

Bangkok

58

71

267

>>

11 New Guinea, str.

1.700

Wale

Straits Settlements

1901

20

20

220

268 269

13 Glenfalloch, str.

1.419

Cormack

2351

285

13 Tai Sang, str.

1.506

Davies

229

229

Cooktown

270

་་

13 Guthrie, str.

1,493

Green

Sydney

10

31

Dunedin, N.Z.

13

271

*

16

Cheang Hock Kian, str. .|

956

272

17

Titan, str.

1,554

Webb Brown

Straits Settlements

205

5001

::

10

221

500

**

*

1

Cooktown

13

273

>>

17 Changsha, str..

1.464

Williams

Newcastle

31

51

Melbourne

35

274

>>

18 Bellerophon, str.

1,396

Guthrie

Straits Settlements

334

10

350

275

18

Venetia, str.

1,609

Cole

236

256

??

276

**

20

City of Sydney, str.

1,906 American

277

23 Brindisi, str.

2,153 British

Friele Ashdown

San Francisco

198

198

Straits Settlements

138

138

Carried forward..

407,098

Carried forward..

50,129 1,651

635 251

52,666

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,—( Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION-

ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M. F.

M.

F.

Brought forward..

407,098

278 | Aug. 279

23

Kiushiu Maru, str.

25

"

Palamed, str.

1,193 Japanese 1,536 British

Wallace

Brought forward... 50,129) 1,651 Straits Settlements

635

251

52,666

50

50

Jackson

482

13

495

:>

280

""

26

Japan, str.

1,865

Gardner

540

540

12

Thursday Island

3

Cooktown

281

"

26 Pathan, str....

1,762

Rowley

Townsville

16

54

Brisbane

9

Sydney

20

282

27 Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok

3.9

Townsville

Cooktown

283

27 Chingtu, str.

1,459

Arthur

Sydney

15

Melbourne

284

30 Oceanic, str.

2,440

Metcalfe

San Francisco

295

285

11

30

Palinurus, str..

1,536

Jackson

Straits Settlements

255

27

286

33

30

Duburg, str...

921 German

Bertelsen

395

10

Om a

30 10 2

N

"

287 Sept.

1

Bisagno, str.

1.499 Italian

Anfosso

184

"

288

་་

1

Hesperia, str.

1,136 German

Christiansen

190

10

289

2 Namkiang, str.

999 British

Jackson

472

16

10

290

3 Zambesi, str.

1,565

Preston

129

10

3

722

40

34

310

263

406

184

216

500

144

Thursday Island

Cooktown

Townsville

291

Airlie, str.

1,493

Ellis

Brisbane

14

38

Dunedin, N.Z.

1

Adelaide

5

Sydney

12

292

5 Imperator, str.

2,441 Austrian

Bechtinger

Straits Settlements

240

31

10

281

293

5 Moyune, str.

1,714 British

Hogg

280

15

294

5 Sarpedon, str...

1,591

Chrimes

248

12

17

11

295

7 Diomed, str.

296

8 Glenogle, str.

1,471 2,000

??

297

!!

8

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

298

"

9

Neckar, str.

299

""

12

Wing Sang, str.

300

"

12

Fidelio, str.

301

"

13

Havre, str.

302

>>

16

Lombardy, str.

2,275 American 1,869 German 1,517 British

852 German

2,662 French 1,726 British

Bigley Duke Seaburg Baur Ste. Croix Brock

La Porte Brookes

125

375

15

10 20 10 10

300

266

5

130

400

San Francisco

179

179

Straits Settlements

170

170

221

20

248

"

431

3

2

439

190

200

280

280

303

>

16

Mongkut, str.

$59

*

301

"1

17

Cheang Hock Kian, str.

956

Anderson Webb

Bangkok

107

11

124

Straits Settlements

560 10

6

580

""

305

306

307

308 309

310

་་

19

Amigo, str.

771 German

Hunderwadt

469

8

11

491

19 James S. Stone

675 American

Bastow

Honolulu

991

2

103

"

Port Darwin

16

1

Thursday Island

4

49

19 Tai Yuan, str..

1,459 British

Dodd

Brisbane

25

72

Sydney

17

Melbourne

8

་་

20

Hydaspes, str...

1,899

Crew

Straits Settlements

43

43

"

••

20

Watergens, str.

558 Belgian

Scott

47

54

"

3.

21

Elektra, str..

1,162 German

Madsen

215

10

230

**

311

35

23

Orestes, str.

1,325 British

Hutchinson

180

2

193

51

312

24 Ningchow, str.

1,735

#5

313

24 Taichiow, str.

862

Castle Newton

470

10

500

Bangkok

Port Darwin

50

54

314

24 Catterthun, str.

1,406

Darke

Cleveland Bay

33333

";

Sydney

19

315

"

26 Glengarry, str.

1,956

Taylor

Straits Settlements

505

535

316

27

Parthia, str......

2,035

Arnold

Vancouver, B.C.

46

48

>>

317

"

28

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

Olifent

Straits Settlements

584

25

27

318

"7

30

Tai Sang, str.

1,505

Davies

625 12

10

coo

615

650

319

་་

30

City of New York, str.

1,964 American

Searle

San Francisco

212

212

320

October 3 Verona, str..

1,876 British

Speck

Straits Settlements

25

::

:

25

321

4 Duburg, str.

921 German

Bertelsen

487

25

8

523

322

6 Sachen, str.

2,874

323

6 Glaucus, str.

""

324

6 Gulf of Aden, str.

325

6 Amphitrite, str.

326

"

6 Abyssinia, str..

327

7 Belgic, str.

328

8 Bormida, str.

329

"

10 Metapedia, str.

330

10 Glenfinlas, str.

"

19

331

33

10 | Phra Chula Chom Klao,s.

>>

1,382 British 1,574

31

*

2,487 Austrian 2,346 British 2,695 1,499 Italian 1,454 British 1,409 1,012

Targer

Allan Lemesich Marshall Walker Daquino

Purvis

262

262

Hannah

441 15 340

10

466

S

9

360

615 29

15

694

Vancouver, B.C. San Francisco

10

54

54

441 11

Straits Settlements

120

12

453

127

81

Quartly

176

هم

89 180

19

Benson

Bangkok

881

92

332

11 Deccan, str....

2,022

Case

Straits Settlements

213

224

";

333

11 Niobe, str.

1,672 German

Pfaff

64

334

13 Anchises, str.

1,304 British

Lapage

357

25

335

14 Velocity

491

Martin

336

17 Japan, str.

1,865

Gardner

Honolulu Straits Settlements

196

666

337

17 Telemachus, str..

1,421

Jones

115

28898

1226 o

70

370

204

704

10

133

**

338

19 Ancona, str..

1,888

Webber

76

76

339

19 Kaisow, str..

1,934

Thomson

350

360

وو

340

19 | City of Peking. str.

3,129 American

Dearborn

San Francisco

363

371

341

21 Cheang Hock Kian, str.

342

22 Ingraban, str.

956 British

894 German

Webb Ruge

Straits Settlements

303

18

3

335

82

3

87

343

22 Whampoa, str.

1,109 British

Fawcett

Dunedin, N.Z.

30

30

341

24 Namkiang, str.

999

McKechnie

Straits Settlements

547 31

40

3

621

"

345

24 Pembrokeshire, str.

1,717

Williams

116

3

119

>>

5:

346

24 Glenlyon, str.

1,410

347

24 Kalakua,

348

27 Guy Mannering, str.

382 Hawaiian 1,829 British

Somers Henderson

240 10

250

Honolulu

22

32

Hall

Straits Settlements

398 12

12

422

Carried forward.....

516,552

Carried forward........

67,645 2,218 920 320

71,103

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,-(Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION- ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

M.

F.

M.

F.

Brought forward.

516,552

Brought forward... 67,645 2,218

920 320 71,103

349

Oct.

28

Patroclus, str.

350

29

San Pablo, str.

1,386 British 3.060 American

Thompson Reed

Straits Settlements

488

4

500

San Francisco

594

594

"

Port Darwin

35

Thursday Island

2

Cooktown

Townsville

351

31 Tannadice, str.

1,408 British

Craig

Brisbane

191

Dunedin, N.Z.

Sydney

Adelaide

3

Melbourne

141

352 353

31 Benvenue. str.

1,497

Thomson

*:

Straits Settlements

150

12

31

Devonshire, str.

1.513

}}

354 Nov.

2

Kashgar, str.

1,515

"

355

2

Jason, str.

1,412

Purvis Gadd Milligan

100

20

115

285

10 10

222+

167

130

117

289

"

356

2

Preussen, str.

2,880 German

Pohle

310

310

"T

357

2

Malwa, str.

1,707 British

Atkinson

124

124

::

358

3

Dafila, str.

536

Nielsen

171

10

181

"

!;

359

3

Phra Chula Chom Klao, s.

1,012

Benson

Bangkok

64

68

360

Iphigenia, str.

1,059 German

Voltmer

Straits Settlements

130

131

361

Deucalion, str.

1,374 British

Asquith

83

86

362

5

Bisagno, str.

1.499 Italian

Anfosso

170

15

13

200

363

7

Wing Sang, str.

1,517 British

Ste. Croix

290

6

300

364

7 Titania, str.....

2,011 Austrian

365

7

City of Sydney, str.

1,966 American

Garofolich Friele

280

12

11

307

San Francisco

408

408

Port Darwin

12

Cooktown

13

366

Guthrie, str.

1.494 British

Green

Townsville

5

56

Brisbane

Sydney

201

367

32

11

Gleneagles, str.

1,838

Park

Straits Settlements

350

11

368

"

11

Amigo, str.

771 German

Hunderwadt

492

"

369

12

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392 British

Mactavish

380

370

12 Glenshiel, str.

2,240

Donaldson

259

་་

::

Port Darwin

18 5 5 OT

:

6 2

367

501

394 266

Cooktown

371

12 Changsha, str....

1,463

Williams

Brisbane

Sydney

75

45

Melbourne

10

372

"

བ་

14 Dardanus, str.

1,536

Purdy

Straits Settlements

268

12

270

11

373

16 Oceanic, str.

2,440

Metcalfe

San Francisco

889

889

"

374

375

18 Ravenna, str. 18 Khiva, str.

2,045

Daniell

Straits Settlements

32

32

1,419

Oreston

37

37

"

";

";

376

""

21

Frigga, str.

1,400 German

Nagel

287

295

#

377

22 Oopack, str.

1.729 British

Jaques

357

13

374

"3

378

23 Tartar, str.

1,604

Bailey

105

10

120

"

379

#

23 Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok

90

90

Port Darwin

Thursday Island

Cooktown

27

380

23 | Airlie, str.

1,492

Ellis

Townsville

105

Rockhampton

17

Brisbane

13

Dunedin, N.Z.

1

Sydney

28

381

24 Bengloe, str.

1,198

Farquhar

Straits Settlements

125

382

"

383

384

**

385

386

":

387

28

388

"2

24 Tai Sang, str.

25 Menelaus, str.

26 Duburg, str...

28 Cyclops, str.

28 Stura, str.

City of Rio de Janeiro, str.

30 Cambodia, str.

1,505

Davies

493

10

";

1,300

Nelson

265

!!

921 German

Bertelson

344

12

1,403 British

1,416 Italian

Nish

83

60422

4

135

3

1

507

273

360

85

:

De Marchi

138

138

2,275 American

Seaburg

San Francisco

384

1,969 British

Wildgoose

Straits Settlements

*90

~00

1

393

3

100

389 Dec.

1 Mirzapore, str.

2,189

Harvey

401

10

390

"

2 Glengyle, str.

2,244

Gasson

515

2

519

391

2 Japan, str.

1,865

Gardner

340

1

342

392

37

2 Bayern, str.

2,877 German

Sander

252

252

Port Darwin

13

Thursday Island

3

393

2 Chingtu, str.

1,459 British

Arthur

Townsville

8

121

Sydney

42

Melbourne

55

394

3 Camelot, str.

1,049

Daily

Straits Settlements

210

216

::

395

396

397

398

>

399

#

400

*

401

402

403

404

405

406

407

408

409

RARA A RAPPRR R*

5 Independent, str.

5 Ching Wo, str.

9 | Phra Chom Klao, str.

12 Mongkut, str.

12 Parthia, str.

Carried forward..

5 Achilles, str.

5 Nestor, str.

5 Pakshan, str.

5 Alden Besse

6 Cheang Hock Kian, str..

6 Poseidon. str.

6 Gaelic, str.

Antenor, str. Glenartney, str.

8 Lydia, str.

871 German 1,556 British 1,529 1,269 $35

!!

812 American 955 British

2,510 Austrian

2.691 British 1,376 1,400

1,170 German 1,012 British

859

Grier

Petersen Fowler

Hasenwinkel

96

96

Machugh

701

Anderson

177

Thompson

228

Young

"

O'Brien

Bangkok Honolulu

34

64

Blomenberg

Straits Settlements

240

Mersa

390

20

71

Pearne

San Francisco

937 13

10 N

10 1 2

78

178

230

34

65

251

420

960

Straits Settlements

146

148

99

Mackinlay

240

246

183

185

Bangkok

57

60

2,035

Anderson Arnold

82

Vancouver, B.C.

327

3 4

85

331

"

612,179

Carried forward..........

82,041 2,499 1,032

353

85,925

RETURN of VESSELS bringing CHINESE PASSENGERS to the Port of Victoria, Hongkong,~(Continued).

No.

DATE ARRIVED.

SHIP'S NAME.

TONS.

NATION- ALITY OF SHIP.

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

MASTER'S NAME.

WHERE FROM.

TOTAL.

31.

F.

M.

F.

Brought forward...... 612,179

Brought forward..... 82,011 2,499 1,032

353

85,925

Port Darwin

25

Cooktown

S

410 Dec.

12 Tai Yuan, str.....

1,459 British

Dodd

Townsville

66

Brisbane

12

Sydney

12

411

14 Venetia, str.

1,608

Cole

Straits Settlements

227

>>

412

15 Amigo, str.

771 German

Hunderwadt

528

10

::

413

15 Taichiow, str.

862 British

Newton

Bangkok

51

414

11

16

Sutlej, str.

2.144

Worcester

Straits Settlements

227

"

415

17 Denbighshire, str.

1,663

Rickard

145

416

11

19

City of New York, str.

1,964 | American

Searle

San Francisco

556

417

20

""

Edward May,

890

Johnson

Honolulu

215

418

20

31

Hattie N. Bangs,

542

Bangs

169

419

"1

420

20 Prometheus, str..

21 Bormida, str.

1,538 British

Webster

Straits Settlements

590

1,499 Italian

Daquino

190

A

10

236

540

61

227

150

556

228

174 600

207

J

421

19

22 Wing Sang, str.

1,517 British

Ste. Croix

542

600

>

422

22 Kong Beng, str.

862

Phillips

Bangkok

90

101

423

"

28

Laertes, str........

1,391

Scale

Straits Settlements

249

255

424

425

426

"

28

Arratoon Apcar, str.

1,392

Mactavish

261

266

28

99

Glenorchy, str.

1.822

Gedye

390

408

28

**

Namkiang, str.

999

McKechnie

320

21

365

**

427

28

1

Telamon, str.

1,555

Jackson

155

157

爷爷

428

99

28 Coloma,

852 American

Noyes

Honolulu

290

290

Port Darwin

17

Cooktown

10

Townsville

26

429

"

་་

28 Catterthun, str.

1,406 British

Dark

Rockhampton

16

142

Dunedin, N.Z.

10

Sydney

51

Melbourne

10

430 431

29 Belgic, str..

2,695

31

30 Mount Lebanon,

Walker 530 American Nelson

San Francisco

707

18

Honolulu

98

:

723

98

"

TOTAL TONS...

642,140

TOTAL PASSENGERS

88,247 2,6561,102

370

92,375

ADULTS.

CHILDREN.

TOTAL.

SUMMARY.

M.

F. M. P.

VALUE

OF TREASURE BROUGHT.

From Adelaide, South Australia,

25

Bangkok,

Brisbane, Queensland,

3,116 173

79

28

25 3,396

268

268

Cooktown, Queensland,

Dunedin, New Zealand,

286

291

94

94

""

Greymouth, New Zealand,

11

"

Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, Mauritius,

"1

"

25

:

??

""

"?

55

**

Thursday Island, Queensland,

35

Townsville, Queensland,

"

Vancouver, British Columbia,

;;

Wellington, New Zealand,

11

11

1,704

1,760

2401

250

Melbourne,

Newcastle, N.S.W.

Port Darwin. South Australia,

Rockhampton, Queensland,

San Francisco, U.S.A.,.

Straits Settlements,

Sydney,

390

396

6

292

3

296

41

44

9,379 89 70,814 2,341

23

9,497 $8,735,837

949

326

74,430

8831 11

13

908

44

44

222

224

427

433

Value of Treasure imported from Australian Ports.

$1.103,183

TOTAL PASSENGERS,

88,247 2,656 1.102

370 92,375 $9,839,020

6,500,000

6,400,000

6.300,000

6,200,000

6,100,000

6,000,000

5,900,000

5,800,000

5,700,000

5,600,000

5,500,000

5:400,000

5,300,000

5,200,000

5,100,000

5,000,000

4,900,000

4,800,000

4,700,000

4,600,000

4,500,000

4.400,000

4,300,000

4,200,000

4,100,000

4,000,000

3.900,000

3,800,000

3.700,000

3.600,000

A

TONS.

1867.

1868.

1869.

1870.

1871.

DIAG DIAGRAM of Tonnage entered at Hongkor

BLUE LINE represents Junk Tonnage only.

Red line represents Foreign Shipping Tonnage or

THICK BLACK LINE represents entire Trade i

1872.

1873.

1874.

1875.

1876.

1877.

1878.

1879.

3.600.000

1876.

1877.

1878.

1879.

1880.

itered at Hongkong, from 1867 to 1887, inclusive.

nk Tonnage only.

Shipping Tonnage only.

resents entire Trade in Foreign Ships and Junks.

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887.

6,500,000

6,400,000

6,300,000

6,200,000

6,100,000

6,000,000

5,900,000

5,800,000

5,700,000

5,600,000

5,500,000

5,400,000

5,300,000

5,200,000

5,100,000

5,000,000

4:900,000

4,800,000

4,700,000

4,600,000

4,500,000

4,400,000

4.300,000

4,200,000

4,100,000

4,000,000

3.900,000

3,800,000

3.700,000

Toxs.

4:700,000

4,600,000

4,500,000

4 400,000

4,300,000

4,200,000

4,100,000

4,000,000

3.900,000

3,800,000

3.700,000

3.600,000

3,500,000

3,400,000

3,300,000

3,200,000

3,100,000

3,000,000

2,900,000

2,800,000

2,700,000

2,600,00ɔ

2,500,000

2,400,000

2,300,000

2,200,000

2, ICO,000

2,000,000

1,900,000

1,800,000

1,700,000

1,600,000

1,500,000

1,400,000

1,300,000

1,200,000

1,100,000

1,000,000

4.800.000

+:700,000

4,600,000

4,500,000

4,400,000

4.300,000

4,200,000

4,100,000

4,000,000

3,900,000

3,800.000

3,700,000

3,600,000

3,500,000

3:400,000

3,300,000

3,200,000

3,100,000

3,000,000

2,900,000

2,800,000

2,700,000

2,600,000

2,500,000

2,400,000

2,300,000

2,200,000

2,100,000

2,000,000

1,900,000

1,800,000

1,700,000

ཡ་

1,600,000

1,500,000

1,400,000

1,300,000

1,200,000

1,100,000

1,000,000

Years.

XXI-RETURN of MARINE CASES tried at the MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT, during the Year 1887.

DEFENDANTS, 110W DISPOSED OF

No. OF

NATURE OF CHARGE.

No. OF CASES.

ANTS.

DE- Impri- Impri- TEND- soned soned

with in Hard default

Fined.

Forfei- ture

Repri- manded.

Sent back to

To be dis-

Dis-

Com- mitted

of Pay.

Duty.

charged missed.

from

for

Trial.

Labour. of Fine.

Ship.

Absent from Ship without Leave.....

2

B

Arrival without Report, (Junk),

Assault,

Desertion,.

Disorderly Conduct,

Drunkenness,

False Particulars, Giving, (Junk),

Fishing Junk, Breach of condition of License,..

Found stowed away,

Harbour Regulations, Breach of

Insubordination,

Leaving without Clearance, (Junk),

Obstruction of fairways,

Refusal of Duty,

Refuse to join ship.......

Throwing Ballast, &c. into Harbour,

$4.00

6.00

31.00

10.00

Wilfully remaining behind,

ANNA

10

12

12

TOTAL,......

90

152

35

12

Seti al

32.00

1

52.00

56.00

1

10

15.00

37

21

15

23

$206.00

Passenger

Certificate and Bottom.

XXIII.—RETURN of Work performed by the GOVERNMENT MARINE SURVEYOR'S DEPARTMENT.

Emigration.

Tonnage for Registration.

British Tonnage | Certificate for

Foreign Vessels.

Inspection of Crew space, Lights and

Markings.

Minor Inspec- tions.

Survey of Licen-

sed Passenger

Steam-Launches.

Survey of Boilers under Construction.

Inspection of Government Launches.

Examination

of Engineers.

9 months in

1881,...

95

67

1

10

:

41

1882,

154

127

1

15

6

1883,..

144

102

5

20

6

1884,......

200

141

10

26

33

6

1885,........

153

113

6

6

60

33

1886,.....

149

76

2

11

69

16

1311386

35

284

46

472

57

461

55

699

50

737

870

1887,

153

101

3

9

72

15

14

12

930

In addition to above Examinations, 92 Chinese Engineers have been examined (for Steam-Launches.)

Harbour Department, Hongkong, 10th February, 1888.

H. G. THOMSETT, R.X. Harbour Master, &c.

number of visits in connection with

Estimated total

foregoing Inspection,

AMOUNT OF

FEES,

HONGKONG.

No. 18

88.

REPORT ON THE BLUE BOOK AND DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

1.- ΤΑΧΑΤΙΟΝ.

There have been no changes under this head.

2.--REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

The Revenue amounted to $2,582,723.81, or excluding premiums from Land Sales to $1,427,485.79; and the Expenditure amounted to $2,023,002.06, including Extraordinary Works; excluding these, to $1,278,181.68.

The Revenue and Expenditure for the past five

years

Premiums from Land.

have been:

Ordinary

Expenditure.

Extraordinary

Expenditure, including

Year.

Revenue.

Defensive Works.

1883.

$1,289,448.29

$ 25,718.65

$1,162,247.14

$180,052.10

1884..

1,173,071.48

19,695.00

1,254,634.77

340,763.62

1885,

1,251,889.70

66,658.50

1,146,103.15

475,147.24

1886,.

1,367,977.74

34,731.59

1,195,236.81

825,624.84

1887

1,427,485.79

155,238.02

1,278,181.68

744,820.38

3.-LOCAL REVENUES.

The Chinese inhabitants contributed in 1887, by voluntary assessment among them- selves, to the pay of the District Watchmen,

and received from the Government a grant-in-aid of

4.--ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.

.$3,012.17 2,000.00

On the 31st December, 1887, the assets of the Colony exceeded its liabilities by $631,374.08. (a.) The surplus assets in:--

1883, were

$1,067,200.52

1884,

1885,

and in

$ 729,562.02 $ 427,692.42

1886, the liabilities exceeded the assets by $ 191,512.29

5.-PUBLIC DEBT.

A Public Debt of £200,000 was raised in England by the Crown Agents for the Colonies in virtue of Ordinance 11 of 1886.

6.--MILITARY EXPENDITURE.

The Military Expenditure (inclusive of the Volunteer Corps) defrayed by the Colony during the

years has been as follows:-

last five

1883.

1884.

1885,

1886,

1887.

Military Contribution, exclusive of Defensive Works, and inclusive of Volunteer Corps.

$111,962.09

$114,498.78

$117,337.00

$124,561.68

$128,815.63

(a.) A loan having been raised during the year.

Defensive Works.

$ 3,464.64 $ 72.564.45 $217,901.45 $258,444.28

7-GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

Government House.

Government House was maintained in repair, and the Sanitary arrangements were satisfactory.

8.-PUBLIC WORKS.

Several Public Works were completed during the year, among which may be mentioned:- (a.) Sanitary Works costing over $93,000.

(b.) New Market at Hunghom.

(c.) Extension of Light-keepers Quarters on Green Island.

(d.) Defensive Works, above referred to, to the extent of $258,444.48.

9.-LEGISLATION,

The following Ordinances were passed during the year:-

No. 1 of 1887.-An' Ordinance entitled The Post Office Ordinance, 1887.

No. 2

No. 3 No. 4

29

""

2)

No. 5

No. 6 No. 7

No. 8

No. 9

No. 10

No. 11 No. 12

"}

No. 13

No. 14

No. 15

No. 16

No. 17

No. 18 No. 19

>>

>>

>>

>>

No. 20

No. 21 No. 22 No. 23 No. 24

17

>>

No. 25

No. 26

>>

""

>>

An Ordinance to amend the Promissory Oaths Ordinance, 1869. ---An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 8 of 1879.

-An Ordinance for promoting the Revision of the Statute Law by repealing certain enactments which have ceased to be in force or have become unnecessary.

-An Ordinance to amend the Law respecting Defamatory Words and Libel.

-An Ordinance to regulate the carrying and possession of arms.

-An Ordinance to remove doubts as to the application of Ordinance No. 2

of 1875.

-An Ordinance for the Suppression of the Triad and other unlawful Societies

and for the Punishment of the Members thereof.

-An Ordinance for the better protection of young Girls.

-An Ordinance to abolish Transportation and Penal Servitude and to

substitute other Punishment in lieu thereof.

--An Ordinance for the more effectual Prevention of Crime.

-An Ordinance entitled The French Mail Steamers Ordinance continuation

Ordinance, 1887.

-An Ordinance entitled The German Mail Steamers Ordinance continuation

Ordinance, 1887.

---An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Law for the Establishment

and Regulation of the Police Force of the Colony.

-An Ordinance authorising the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corpora- tion to continue incorporated for the further term of Twenty-one years. -An Ordinance empowering the Courts to award Whipping as a further

punishment for certain Crimes.

-An Ordinance entitled The Cattle Diseases, Slaughter-Houses, and Markets

Ordinance, 1887.

-An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Law relating to Jurors.

-An Ordinance to enable the Trustees of The Rhenish Missionary Society to sell and dispose of certain Leasehold property within the Colony of Hongkong,

-An Ordinance for the naturalisation of Ch'an Kwok Ying.

-An Ordinance to consolidate the Law relating to various Licences. -An Ordinance for the better regulating of the trade in Opium.

-An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 16 of 1887.

-An Ordinance for amending the Laws relating to Public Health in the

Colony of Hongkong.

-An Ordinance to authorise the Appropriation of a Supplementary Sum of

Three hundred and Ninety-two thousand Four hundred and Sixty-two Dollars and Thirty Cents to defray the Charges of the Year 1886. -An Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding One million One hundred and Seventy-six thousand Four hundred and Forty-nine Dollars to the Public Service of the Year 1888.

.

10.-COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLIES.

Executive Council.-The Honourable W. M. DEANE, Captain Superintendent of Police was admitted a Member of the Executive Council.

Legislative Council.-The Honourable H. G. THOMSETT, R.N., Harbour Master was confirmed in

his appointment as a Member of the Council.

The Honourable A. P. MACEWEN was nominated by the Chamber of Commerce in the room

of the Honourable T. JACKSON, resigned.

The Honourable J. BELL-IRVING, was appointed in the room of the Honourable W. KESWICK,

resigned.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER, was nominated by the Justices of the Peace in the room of

the Honourable F. D. SASSOON, resigned.

Sanitary Board.-Mr. STEWART, having been appointed Colonial Secretary, his place on the Board was filled by Mr. LOCKHART, the Registrar General.

The following Acting appointments were made to the Sanitary Board during the year:--

Dr. JAS. CANTLIE, vice Mr. N. J. EDE, on leave.

Mr. W. E. CROW, vice Mr. H. MCCALLUM, on leave.

Board of Examiners.-There was no change in the constitution of the Board during the year. Medical Board.-Dr. JAS. CANTLIE, was appointed Acting Secretary vice Dr. HARTIGAN, on leave.

11.-CIVIL ESTABLISHMENTS.

The Honourable W. H. MARSH, C.M.G., (now Sir Wм. MARSH, K.C.M.G.) Colonial Secretary, retired from the Service on the 25th April, 1887. The Government was thereupon administered by His Excellency Major-General CAMERON, C.B. until the arrival of Sir G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, as Governor, in October, 1887.

The Honourable FREDERICK STEWART, Registrar General, was confirmed in his appointment

as Colonial Secretary, and

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Esq., Assistant Colonial Secretary, as Registrar General. Several changes occurred in various Departments consequent upon Officers going on leave of absence.

12.-OFFICERS WHO HAVE GIVEN SECURITY FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTIES.

The validity of the sureties of the various Officers was duly enquired into at the end of every quarter, and found to be satisfactory.

13. PENSIONS.

The following Officers retired on pension during the

Sir WM. H. MARSH, K.C.M.G., Colonial Secretary and Auditor General.

C. J. WHARRY, M.D., Superintendent, Government Civil Hospital.

J. J. CHAPMAN, Head Turnkey of the Gaol.

JOSEPH CHRISTO, First Class Assistant Turnkey in the Gaol.

TARRAH SINGH, Second Class Guard in the Gaol.

BEDELL LEE YUN, First Interpreter in the Magistracy.

HERAH SINGH, First Class Guard in the Gaol.

MARY COLLINS, Matron of the Gaol.

THOMAS F. GREY, Inspector of Police.

1 Chinese Police Constable.

8 Indian Police Constables.

4 European Police Constables.

14.-EXPENDITURE OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS.

The amounts paid during the year on account of the Establishments were:-

Payments in Great Britain in Sterling money,

Payments in the Colony in Local Currency,

15.-FOREIGN CONSULS.

No new Consulates were established in the Colony during 1887.

....£ £ 23,444.15.5 $ 656.988.05

16.-POPULATION.

The estimated population on the 31st December, 1887, was as follows:-

Males, Females,

which is 11,961 more than the estimated population at the end of 1886.

...152,427

60,524

212,951

The last census was taken in 1881, the population being then returned as 160,402, of which 115,369 were males, and 45,033 females.

The following is the mean estimated population for the last 6 years:-

Years.

Males.

Females.

Total.

1882,

119,704

46,729

166,433

1883.

.124,768

48,707

173,475

1884,.

.130,560

50.969

181.529

1885,........ 1886.

.137,079

53,515

190,594

.144,550

56,440

"

200,990

1887,...

.152,427

60,524

212,951

The births and deaths for the last 5 years were as follows:

Per 1,000 of mean Population.

Years.

Births.

Deaths.

Births.

Deaths.

1883,

....

-1,509

4,712

8.70

27.16

1884.

.1,551

4.311

8.54

23.74

1885,

.1,555

5,192

8.16

27.24

1886,

.1,557

5,100

7.74

25.37

1887.

.1,705

5,317

8.01

24.97

17.-ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

There were no changes in these Establishments, as compared with previous years.

18.-EDUCATION.

The total number of Schools subject to supervision by the Government amounted, in 1887, to 94, as compared with 90 in 1885 and 1884.

The total number of Scholars subject to Government supervision in the Government and Grant- in-aid Schools during the last 5 years was as follows:-

Fears.

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

Govt.

Grant-in-aid.

Total.

2,080

3,517

5,597

1,978

3,907

5,885

1,803

4,041

5,844

1,893

3,951

5,844

1,814

4,160

5.974

The total expenditure for these Schools for the last 5 years was as follows:--

1883,....

1884,

1885.

1886,

1887.

$35,412.26

36,758.14

36.085.27

43,085.50

43,070.91

19.-EXCHANGE, MONEY, WEIGHTS AND Measures.

Exchange.

The rate of Exchange on 4 months' Bills on London fell from 3s. 4d. per dollar on the 18th of January, to 3s. 1d. on the 12th April.

During the year it fluctuated between these two rates closing with 3s. 13d. in the latter end of December.

Currency.

The law affecting currency has remained unchanged.

Bank Notes.

The Bank Notes in circulation in Hongkong during the last 5 years, as furnished by the Managers of the respective Banks, were as follows:--

Years.

1883, 1884,

1885.

1886,

1887,

Average Amount. $ 5,099,661

4,114,787

4,080,071

4,368,705

5,052,473

Specie in Reserve. $ 1,779,166

1,810,033

2,000,833

2,138,333

2,362,833

r

Money Circulation.

The approximate amount of Coin put into circulation up to 31st December, 1887, was as

follows:-

Hongkong Dollars and half Dollars struck at the Hongkong Mint,......$1,421,487 Hongkong Silver and Copper Subsidiary Coins (20, 10, and 5 cent

pieces; and 1 Cent and Mil pieces).

The importation of Copper Coin has been discontinued.

Weights and Measures.

$2,481,181

The Weights and Measures in use in the Colony are regulated by Ordinance 8 of 1885.

20.-IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

There being no Custom House, it is not possible to furnish an account of the Imports and Exports.

21.-SHIPPING.

Arrivals exclusive of Junks.

The total arrivals, exclusive of Junks, during the year 1887, amounted to 4,078 vessels and 4,607,914 tons, being an excess of 36,618 tons over the arrivals in 1886.

Junks.

23,521 Junks measuring 1,793,923 tons arrived in the Colony in 1887, as against 22,971 Junks and 1,752,868 tons in 1886, showing an increase of 550 Junks and 41,055 tons.

The total arrivals for the last 5 years were:-

EXCLUSIVE OF JUNKS. Number of Vessels. Tons.

JUNKS.

Years.

Number of Vessels. Tons.

GRAND TOTAL. Number of Vessels.

Tons.

1883.

3.399 3,450,428

24,258 1,851,239

27,657 5,301,667

1884.

3,290

3,479,637

23,473

1,687,594

26,763

5,167,231

1885.

3000

3,428

3,866,709

23,674

1,797,222

27,102

5,663,931

1886,....

4,251

4,571,296 22,971

1,752,868

27,222

6,324,164

1887,...

4,078

4,607,914 23,521 1,793,923

27,599

6,401,837

Immigration and Emigration.

The following will show the number of Chinese who arrived in, and the number who departed from the Colony during the last 5 years:-

Years.

1883,

1884,

1885.

1886,

1887,

Arrived.

74,722

73,767

80,773

88,704

92,375

22.-AGRICULTURE.

Departed.

57,438

51,247

57,517

64,522

82,897

The lands of the Colony being limited and not favourable for agricultural purposes, there is no inducement for this industry here. The produce is quite nominal, and is for local consumption only.

23.

MANUFACTURES, &C. Manufactories.

Brick and Cement Factories have been erected in the Colony which promise to develop in time.

Steam-Launches.

The total number of Steam-Launches built in the Colony in 1887, was 31, with a total tonnage of 2,872, as against 26 with a total tonnage of 1,659 in 1886. The total number of licensed Steam-

launches of all descriptions, in the Colony, in 1887, were:----

Licensed to carry passengers,

Private Launches,

Colonial Government Launches,

War Department Launches,......

42

43

10

7

102

24.-GRANTS OF LAND.

Years.

1883,

The sales of land on lease during the last 5 years were :—

Total No. of Acres sold.

A.

R.

P.

60. 1. 264

Total No. of Sales.

30

1884,

76

25.

3.

81

1885,

145

28. 0.

143

1886,

88

82. 2.

313

1887,

187

76. 0. 8

25.-GAOLS AND PRISONERS.

On the 1st January, 1887, there were 612 prisoners in Victoria Gaol; 4,600 were admitted during the year, and 4,541 discharged; the total number of prisoners on the 31st of December, 1886 was 632, of whom 49 were Europeans.

The daily average of prisoners was 584, as against 674 in the previous year.

The number of prisoners admitted into Gaol during the last five years was as follows:—

YEARS.

Men.

NO. OF PRISONERS.

TOTAL.

Juveniles.

Women.

DAILY AVERAGE NUMBER IN PRISON.

1883,

3,200

137

149

3,486

542.50

1884,

3,670

168

185

4,023

552.00

1885,

3,327

147

136

3,610

530.00

1886,

4,278

173

149

4,600

674.00

1887,

4,012

149

147

4,308

584.00

26.-CRIMINAL STATISTICS.

Supreme Court.

The following is a Return of cases tried at the Supreme Court during the last five years:-

POSTPONED.

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

CHARGES ABANDONED.

Number Number

YEARS.

of Cases.

of

Convicted. Acquitted.

Persons.

Number of Number of Cases. Persons.

No. of Cases.

No. of Persons.

91

126

70

68

101

65

91

147

103

75

107

59

94

155

82

22229

26

14

28 (a)

2

2

20

S

16

16

22

20

16

27 (b)

1

1

36

17

26

Total,..

419

636

379

124

71

119

4

SH

Average of 5 years,

83.

127.

75.

24.4

14.

23.

+ho

11

21

Do.

ending 1882,

125.

183.

130.

42.

7.

10.

السريان

(a) 1 Committed suicide.

(b) 1 Recognisance estreated.

Police Magistrates' Court.

The Cases before the Police Magistrates during the last 5 years, were as follows:--

CASES HOW DISPOSED OF.

YEARS.

of Cases.

Total No. Total No.

of Prisoners.

Convicted and Punished. charged.

Ordered Punished

Dis-

Committed Committed

for pending Trial. Orders.

to Find Security.

for False Tes-

Un-

timony.

decided.

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

10,653

12,104

8,797

2.747

129

38

216

14,065

15,935

12,836 2,562

103

38

281

10,281

11,901

8,800

2,446

161

14

456

to oo to

6

171

107

6

18

14,611

16,647

12,923 2,388

159

5

969

35

168

12,015

13,458

10,679

2,779

167

32

463

14

48

Total,.......

61,625

70,045

54,035

12,922

719

127

2,385

69

512

Average of 5 years,

13,325

14,009

10,807 2,584.4

143.8

25.4

477.0

13.8

102.4

Do.

ending 1882,

7,795.4

8,867.4

6,776.4 2,091.2

193.2

15.4

286.2

28.6 47.4

Marine Magistrate's Court.

The Cases before the Marine Magistrate's Court during the last 5 years, were as follows:-

DEFENDANTS HOW DISPOSED OF.

YEARS.

Number of Cases.

Number of Defend-

Impri- ants. soned.

Forfei-

ture

Fined.

of

Repri- manded.

Sent back to Duty.

To be dis- charged

Com-

Dis- mitted

Pay.

from missed. Ship.

for

Trial.

1883,

37

58

13

11

5

1

15

1

12

1884,

78

169

85

32.

11

1

9

3

28

1885,

111

221

136

47

14

2

1

21

:

1886,

58

87

43

24

6

2

1

11

1887,

90

152

47

37

6

21

15

3

23

Total,..

374

687

324

151

42

27

41

7

95

Average of last 5 years,

74.8

137.4

64.8

30.2

8.4

5.4

8.2

1.4

19.0

:.

Do. ending 1882,...

118.0

213.0

85.8

44.2

22.8

8.2

19.4

2.0

30.2

Police.

The Cases brought under the notice of the Police during the last 5 years, were as follows:--

SERIOUS OFFENCES.

MINOR OFFENCES.

YEARS.

Number of

Number of

Cases.

Convicted. Discharged,

Cases.

Convicted. Discharged.

1883, 1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

2,423

1,178

485

5,265

4,014

1,024

2,652

1,297

560

7,551

4,743

1,102

2,466

1,298

561

4,309

3,707

757

2,500

1,389

472

6,336

6,457

672

2,577

1,234

565

5,904

6,310

1,214

Total,.....

12,618

6,396

2,643

29,365

25,231

4,769

Average of 5 years,

2,523.6

1,279.2

528.6

5,873.0

5,046.2

953.8

Do.

ending 1882,

2,396.8

1,387.6

490.6

4,083.0

3,759.6

819.2

27.-HOSPITALS, &C.

Civil Hospital.

The admissions to the Government Civil Hospital during the year were as follows, as compared with 1886.

1886.

1887.

Police,

602

619

Board of Trade,...

132

103

Private paying Patients,

381

324

Government Servants,

144

147

Police Cases,

142

208

Destitutes,

222

255

1,623

1,656

The total admissions to the Hospital and Deaths during the year were as follows:-

Years.

1883,..

1884,

1885,. 1886.

1887,

Admissions.

`Deaths.

1,502

70

1,354

50

1,510

76

1,623

79

1,656

89

1

The admissions from the Police Force and the number of Deaths for the past five years were as follows:-

Years.

1883,

1884.

1885,.

1886.

Admissions.

Deaths.

599

10

486

7

495

9 (a.)

602

14 (b.)

619

9

1887.

The admissions of Europeans were, in 1886, 138, as compared with 139 in 1887; the Chinese were 221, in 1886, as compared with 187 in 1887; and the Indians were 243 in 1886, as compared with

293 in 1887.

Military Hospital.

The admissions from among the troops during the past 5 years were as follows

Years.

1883,

1884,..

1885,

1886.

1887.

Admissions.

Deaths.

1,105

10

1,097

12

1,090

24 (c.)

1,607

9

1,749

14

Small-Pox Hospital.

The admissions during the past five years were as follows:—

Years.

1883,

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887.

Inquests.

Admissions.

12

7

14

11

65

The Inquests held during the past five years were as follows:-

1883,

1884.

1885,

1886,

1887,

..101

82

.....100

...120

....115

28.-CHARITABLE AND LITERARY INSTITUTIONS.

No fresh Institution was formed.

29.-RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.

An Ordinance (19 of 1887,) was passed during the year to enable the Trustees of The Rhenish Missionary Society to sell and dispose of certain Leasehold property within the Colony.

HONGKONG, 31st July, 1888.

ARATHOON SETH, Chief Clerk.

(a.) Only 5 of these died in Hospital, I died at his own residence, and 3 died whilst on leave.

(b.) In Hospital.

(c.) 12 died of Cholera.

No. 19

88.

HONGKONG.

PROPOSED LIGHT-HOUSE ON GAP ROCK.

(In continuation of No. 20 of 1887, and No. 10 of 1888.)

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has pleasure in directing to be laid on the table the further correspondence (other than confidential) which has taken place on the subject of the proposed Light-house at the Gap Rock.

-

Though none of the alternative proposals recently submitted by the Governor to the Chinese Government were considered altogether free from objection, an arrangement based on them has, nevertheless, been arrived at which practically secures the object in view, viz.: the improvement of the Southern approach to Hongkong by the erection of a Light-house and the maintenance of a Light at a point where this convenience to shipping has long been very urgently required, and on the site which all competent authority regards as the best for the purpose.

This arrangement is not in all respects such as might be desired; but there is excellent reason for believing that it is the most favourable that can be obtained, and that unless it were accepted, the attainment of the end desired would again be indefinitely postponed.

In this view of the arrangement, the Governor feels bound to make public acknowledgment of the service rendered, in devising and proposing it, by Sir ROBERT HART, the able Inspector-General of the Chinese Imperial Customs, who has thus found the means of furthering the interest of British trade while at the same time loyally conforming to the very natural and intelligible prejudices of the Chinese Government.

And while recognizing the means by which this benefit has been obtained, the Governor desires also to express his regret that any words used, or reported to have been used, by him in Council in connection with this question should have been considered as reflecting upon His Excellency Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin.

Nothing in the knowledge of the Governor has furnished any ground for such reflection ; on the contrary he considers that Sir JoHN WALSHAM deserves the thanks of the Colony for taking the only course which was at all likely to achieve success, and for thus bringing to a satisfactory termination, a question which has been the subject of much futile correspondence with his predecessors.

3

(2)

In connection with this Gap Rock arrangement, the Governor had hoped to be able to secure another improvement in the lighting of the approaches to Hong- kong by the removal to Waglan Island of the Light-house now at Cape D'Aguilar. But, though his efforts in this direction have so far proved unsuccessful, he does not propose to relinquish them, if such course be approved by the Council.

The erection of a Light-house at Waglan would be far less difficult than at Gap Rock; and it is possible therefore that the Chinese Government might be more easily induced to undertake the work with its own staff, if a sufficient subsidy were promised by this Colony.

But pending any such negotiation, the issue of which would of course be un- certain, the Governor considers that there should be no delay of the work at the Gap Rock, if the arrangement respecting it should meet with the approval of the Council, and receive the sanction of the Secretary of State.

For this reason the proposal recently made (with a view to save time in construction) for placing a flashing Light at Waglan and a fixed Light at the Gap, will require to be abandoned; and it is deemed to be on the whole expedient to revert to the original plan of a flashing Light at the Gap. Placed at the same height there seems to be no doubt that a flashing Light would be much more useful than a fixed Light; and apparently Sir ROBERT HART, whose experience on the subject is entitled to very great weight, is of opinion that the greater height required for the former is a disadvantage which would not be sufficient to out- weigh this superiority.

The two Light-houses, if we should succeed in obtaining both, would thus be more costly than would have been the case if the Governor's proposal to include them in the same arrangement had met with success; but considering that there now annually enter the Port of Victoria vessels with an aggregate measurement of nearly six millions and a half of tons (a tonnage it may be remarked which according to the published returns is larger than that of the Ports of all the British Possessions on the Continent of America and larger also than that of the total of the three leading Colonies of Australia) and considering that the Southern is, if anything, the most important of the two approaches to the Island, may be taken as certain that no expense which is at all likely to be incurred can be otherwise than very inconsiderable by comparison with the advantage gained in the saving of time alone, and without reference to the losses of vessels directly attributable to the absence of Lights.

it

The cost which would have been saved to the shipping trade, if a Light at the Gap Rock had been provided at the time when the subject was first mooted would now amount to a sum which could probably be only expressed in huudreds of thousands of Pounds; and the Governor trusts therefore he has reason in con- gratulating the Council and the Colony that a want of such very great importance is at length to be supplied.

By Command,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

Hongkong, 27th August, 1888.

Sessional Paper, No. 19.

"

No. 105.

MY LORD,

(3)

(1.)

(Governor to Secretary of State.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 10th April, 1888.

In reply to Your Lordship's Despatch, No. 23, of the 25th February last regarding the proposed Light-house on Gap Rock, I have the honour to inform you that I can find no data on which Sir WILLIAM MARSH based his calculation in his despatch, No. 369, of the 25th November, 1886, beyond the estimate furnished him by the Chamber of Commerce in the printed correspondence which I enclose.

2. The Chairman of the Chamber stated in his letter of the 28th September, 1886, that the payment of one cent per ton extra Light Dues would realize $15,000 per annum, and Sir W. MARSH in his despatch above referred to repeated the state-

ment.

3. The figures given in my Despatch, No. 12, of 16th January last were based on the estimated Revenue from Light Dues for the current year. The sum entered in the Estimates is $32,000, which is derived from the levy of one cent per ton. An additional one cent per ton would give an additional $32,000, which, in three years, would amount to $96,000; or, if the additional tax were 1 cent per ton, the result would be $48,000 in one year or $96,000 in two years.

4. The sum of $30,000 entered in the Estimates for 1888 under Extraordinary Public Works for a "Light-house for the Southern approach to the Harbour" refers to the present scheme, and will be recouped from the new tax.

The Right Honourable

LORD KNUTSFORD, G.C.M.G.

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

HONGKONG.

No. 45.

(2.)

I have, &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(Sir Robert G. W. Herbert to Governor.)

DOWNING STREET,

26th March, 1888.

SIR,

I am directed by the Secretary of State to transmit to you for your information with reference to his despatch, No. 23, of the 25th of February last, the document specified in the annexed Schedule.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.

The Officer Administering the Government of

Date.

21st March, 1888.

HONGKONG.

Description of Document.

Letter from the Board of Trade to the Colonial Office on the subject

of the proposed Light-house on the Gap Rock.

(Copy.) H. 1916.

SIR,

(4)

Enclosure 1.

(The Board of Trade to the Colonial Office.)

BOARD OF TRADE, HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, LONDON, S.W. 21st March, 1888.

With reference to your letter of the 25th ultimo, in which you enclose copies of correspondence between the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Governor of Hongkong upon the subject of the proposed erection of a Light-house upon the Gap Rock at the entrance to Hongkong, I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit to you a copy of a letter which has been received from the Corporation of Trinity House, to whom the correspondence was referred for their opinion, as to the character of the light that should be exhibited.

I am to request that, in laying this document before Lord KNUTSFORD, you will state that the Board concur in the opinion of the Corporation of Trinity House.

I have, &c.,

(Signed),

The Under Secretary of State,

COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Copy.) H. 916.

C. CECIL TREVOR.

Enclosure 2.

(Trinity House to the Board of Trade.)

TRINITY HOUSE.

LONDON, E.C., 16th March, 1888.

SIR,

In reply to your letter dated 7th instant enclosing correspondence on the sub- ject of the proposed erection of a Light-house on the Gap Rock entrance to Hong- kong, and requesting the opinion of this Board as to the character of the light that should be exhibited, I am directed to acquaint you that The Elder Brethren would suggest that the light be 1st Order Dioptric, giving one white flash of about five seconds duration every half minute.

I

am, &c.,

(Signed),

J. INGLIS.

BOARD OF TRADE.

The Assistant Secretary, Harbour Department,

(3.)

Minute by the Surveyor General.

HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

very

The character of light proposed by me and, now, independently by the Board of Trade is the same. As the Cape D'Aguilar light is a fixed one, the Gap Rock light would have to be a flashing one. The two could not be of the same category. The undoubted difficulties of construction on the Gap Rock make it desirable to minimize and simplify the work to be done on that almost inaccessible place as much as possible; and the question arises whether to obtain this it would not be wiser to make a fixed light of the Gap Rock and a flashing light of Cape D'Aguilar. There is a vast difference between the difficulties of construction of

( 5 )

the two classes of light. A fixed one need be nothing more than a lantern perched on the flat-roof of the keepers house, whereas a flashing one will require a revolving apparatus. A revolving apparatus necessitates a tower in order to obtain the height necessary for the drop required by the weights which drive the clock-work and revolve the apparatus. A flashing light on the Gap Rock would therefore involve the building of a tower about 30 feet high which would be avoided by the adoption of a fixed light. If this idea is favourably received the present apparatus at Cape D'Aguilar will do for the Gap Rock. The whole can be taken to pieces and trans- ferred from one spot to the other, D'Aguilar having been of course previously advertized as extinct between specified dates. The erection of the flashing light at D'Aguilar presents no difficulties. Inseparable from a light at the Gap Rock would be a fog-signal which should be included in the estimate. The proposition that the Gap Rock and Cape D'Aguilar should exchange the class of light is submitted entirely from the point of view of Engineering convenience, there may possibly be objections from a navigator's point of view with which I am unacquainted.

J. M. PRICE.

3rd May, 1888.

(4.) Minute by the Governor.

ture.

It is unfortunate that this should come in after Commander MOORE's depar- I don't know now whom to consult on the navigator's aspect of the question.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

4th May, 1888.

(5.)

Minute by the Colonial Secretary.

I think the Commodore could give, or obtain, the necessary information. The Acting Harbour Master too, could give useful advice in the matter.

4th May, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART.

(6.) Minute by the Governor.

Ask both, formner by draft letter.

5th May, 1888.

No. 571.

(7.)

G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX.

(Colonial Secretary to Harbour Master.)

3rd May, 1888.

SIR,

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE.

HONGKONG, 7th May, 1888.

I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to transmit, for your consider- ́ation, the enclosed copy of a Minute by the Surveyor General respecting the pro- posed Light on Gap Rock, and to enquire whether there are any objections, from a navigator's point of view, to the suggestions made therein.

I have, &c.,

R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Esq., R.N.,

Acting Harbour Master,

FREDERICK STEWART. Colonial Secretary.

308

No. 62G.

SIR,

(6)

(8.)

(Governor to Commodore.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 8th May, 1888.

I have the honour to transmit, for your consideration, the enclosed copy of a Minute by the Surveyor General respecting the proposed Light on Gap Rock, and would be much obliged if you would be good enough to favour me with your opinion as to whether there are any objections, from a navigator's point of view, to the suggestions made therein.

I have, &c.,

Commodore WM. H. MAXWELL, R.N., A.D.C.

(9.)

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(Commodore to Governor.)

(C

H.M.S. VICTOR EMANUEL"

HONGKONG, 9th May, 1888.

AT

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter, No. 626, of 8th instant and to inform you that I have forwarded it for the report of Commander MOORE of the Rambler, who has before received communications and has reported upon the lighting of the Gap Rock.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your Excellency's obedient Servant,

WM. H. MAXWELL,

His Excellency

SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.,

Governor.

(10.)

Commodore.

No. 227.

SIR,

(Harbour Master to Colonial Secretary.)

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 9th May, 1888.

Referring to your letter, No. 571, of the 7th instant, enclosing a Minute by the Surveyor General on the subject of the Gap Rock Light, and enquiring if there were any objections from a Navigator's point of view, to the suggestions made therein, I have the honour to report that I am of opinion that in making the change at Cape D'Aguilar, it would be advisable to place there a "Fixed and Flashing" in- stead of a "Flashing" light, because bearings of it can then be more conveniently taken by vessels using it as a leading light,

I am further of opinion that it would be a very great inconvenience to shipping for the light at Cape D'Aguilar to be extinguished during alterations, the present light should be exhibited from a temporary structure, until the new Light is ready to take its place, of which change, timely notice would be given.

The fog signal at Gap Rock I am of opinion is necessary.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Rt. Com., R.N.,

Acting Harbour Master, &c.

The Honourable FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c..

&c.

3rd May, 1888.

I

x

No. 244.

SIR,

(7)

(11.)

(Harbour Master to Colonial Secretary.)

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 17th May, 1888.

Referring to my letter of the 9th instant, on the subject of the proposed ex- change of lights between Cape D'Aguilar and Gap Rock, I find I omitted to mention that Cape D'Aguilar light, as at present constituted, has a dark arc of 90° on the in shore side. Before therefore this apparatus could be used as an "all round" light at Gap Rock, it would be necessary that this arc be fitted in with a suitable lens.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Rt. Com., R.N.,

Acting Harbour Master, &c.

The Honourable FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

>

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(12.)

Minute by Surveyor General.

I had provided for this. A lenticular quadrant will have to be ordered of the makers Messrs. CHANCE BROTHERS of Birmingham.

19th May, 1888.

(13.)

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.)

J. M. PRICE.

PEKING, 7th May, 1888.

[Confidential. Not printed.]

(14.)

(Secretary of State to Governor.)

HONGKONG.

No. 84.

SIR.

DOWNING STREET,

17th May, 1888.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 105, of the 10th ultimo, relating to the estimated cost of the Light-house which it is pro- posed to erect on the Gap Rock, and the means by which this expenditure is to be recouped.

I presume that you will report in due course, which of the schemes proposed for the consideration of the Chinese Government has been actually adopted, and also as to the progress made in carrying out the work.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

Governor

SIR G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX, K.C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

KNUTSFORD.

*

*

*

( 8 )

(15.)

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.

[Extract from Confidential Despatch.]

PEKING, May 22nd, 1888.

I have now the honour to transmit to you a copy of a communication which I received yesterday from Sir ROBERT HART con- taining the conditions on which the Chinese Government have authorized the construction of a Light-house on the Gap.

The plan adopted by the Chinese Government, which differs somewhat from the three proposals of the Hongkong Government but may be regarded as a com- bination of the first and third, the essential points in both being retained, will be formally laid before Your Excellency by Mr. Commissioner MORGAN, the Repre- sentative of the Inspector-General at the Kowloon Custom House.

As, however, it may be of interest to you to know as soon as possible the result of the steps taken by Sir ROBERT HART, with a view to facilitate a speedy and satisfactory arrangement, I lose no time in acquainting Your Excellency with the decision of the Chinese Government, which I trust will be found to constitute an acceptable solution of this long pending question.

His Excellency

&c.,

&c.

THE GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG,

&C.,

(16.)

I have &c.,

JOHN WALSHAM.

Sir ROBERT HART,

May 21.

1

C.S.O. 976 of 88.

11th June, 88.

U.S.O. 976 of 88.

29th June, 88.

No. 187.

MY LORD,

(Governor to Secretary of State.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG, 7th July, 1888.

Referring to former correspondence on the subject of the proposed Light-house at Gap Rock, I have the honour to forward for Your Lordship's consideration some further communications, telegraphic and otherwise, which have passed be- tween Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin, and myself.

2. I also forward copy of a letter which has been received from Mr. MORGAN, Deputy Commissioner of Chinese Customs at (Chinese) Kowloon, together with the reply which I have caused to be addressed to him, after consultation with the Executive Council.

3. The arrangement which I have accepted, subject to the sanction of Her Majesty's Government is shortly this

The construction and maintenance of the Light-house to be under the control of the Hongkong Government, acting in concert with the Kowloon Com- missioner of Chinese Customs.

Kowloon Customs to contribute the (almost nominal) sums of 7,500 Dollars towards construction, and 750 Dollars per annum towards maintenance. The Hongkong Government providing the remainder of the cost of both. The Gap Rock to remain within Chinese dominion, open as before to visits from Chinese territorial Officials; and the Light-house to be subject to the inspection of Officials of Chinese Customs.

If Hongkong is ever required by China to discontinue maintenance of the Light, the Kowloon Customs to provide for maintenance and continued exhibition of Light.

C.S.O. 1978 of 87.

(9)

4. Though this arrangement is in some points not as satisfactory as might be wished, Sir JOHN WALSHAM has in a private communication satisfied me that it is the only means by which we are likely to attain the end desired. Indeed so strong are the objections of the Chinese Government not merely to the cession, but also to the lease of territory to a Foreign Power, that we should in all probability have had to wait for a Light on the Gap Rock until such indefinite time as it might suit the convenience of China to place one there, but for the somewhat ingenious solution of the difficulty which has been offerred and was probably originated, by Sir ROBERT HART.

5. As it is important to begin preparations for the work at the earliest possible date, I should be much obliged if Your Lordship would communicate by telegraph the sanction of or disapproval of Her Majesty's Government.

6. I append copy of another letter which I have caused to be addressed to the Kowloon Commissioner, suggesting for the reasons given that the Light at the Gap Rock should be a fixed, instead of a flashing one; one of the latter description being placed either (1) at Cape D'Aguilar, on Hongkong Island, instead of the present fixed one, or (2) in a new Light-house on the Island of Waglan (Chinese territory) if the same terms could be conceded as in respect of the Gap Rock.

7. A fixed light at Gap Rock might be placed in a House of much less height than would be required for a flashing Light. According to the opinion of Com- mander MOORE, who is regarded by his own profession as well as others, as a high authority on such a subject, the lesser altitude would be an advantage rather than otherwise, as rendering the light more frequently visible in these seas, where "thick weather" is the rule; and as the smaller Light-house would cost very much less, there appears to be every reason in its favour. Such a change would necessitate a flashing light being placed in the Light-house next in order of proximity to this port, which is at present that at Cape D'Aguilar. All authorities are however agreed that this site is immeasurably inferior to that on the Chinese island of Waglan; which latter would, I understand, have unquestionably been selected, had it been available at the time when the D'Aguilar Light-house was erected.

8. Under these circumstances, it has appeared to me desirable, before incurring further expense in respect of the Cape D'Aguilar Light-house, to ascertain whether the Waglan site might not be now attainable on the same terms as those offered in respect of Gap Rock.

9. The mercantile community are so impressed with the expediency of having the best possible lighting of the route to this Port, that I do not apprehend the slightest difficulty in obtaining the approval of the Legislative Council of a vote for the two Light-houses instead of one, and for the imposition of the necessary tax on the Shipping to cover it.

10. Your Lordship will observe that Sir JOHN WALSHAM'S communications are marked Confidential. Though there is probably no longer any reason for secrecy with regard to some of them, it is not so with all; and I mention this in order that special care may be taken on this point, in the event of its being decided to publish any of the correspondence.

11. The fixed Light now at Cape D'Aguilar will require some alteration, it moved to Gap Rock, viz., the supply of a lens to fill the arc of the circle which is now left dark. I mention this for fear that it might otherwise be supposed that this fact had been forgotten.

12. For further elucidation of some of the points touched upon in this Despatch, I enclose copies of two passages extracted from a letter dated 21st August, 1887, of Commander MOORE, R.N. on the subject of Hongkong Light- houses. One of these refers to the height desirable for the Light-house at the Gap Rock; the other to the expediency of changing to the island of Waglan the site of the Light-house now at Cape D'Aguilar.

13. It will be observed that, according to Commander MOORE, 100 feet is regarded by the Trinity Brethren as the proper height for a Light-house in connec- tion with the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and that in his opinion the rea- sons for this judgment apply equally to these seas.

( 10 )

14. As the Gap Rock is itself 96 feet high, the Light if a fixed one might thus be placed on the roof of the necessary keeper's house, while a flashing Light would require the building of a tower about 30 feet high for the weights of the necessary revolving apparatus.

15. Since writing the above I have ascertained from the Surveyor General, that in consequence of the great saving of cost which would be effected by the substi- tution of a fixed for a flashing light at the Gap Rock, the cost of the two Light- houses would be but not little, if at all, in excess of that originally contemplated for the one.

The Right Honourable

LORD KNUTSFORD, G.C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.,

I have &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

&c.

Enclosure 1.

(A.)

SIR,

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.)

PEKING, 9th March, 1888.

I had the honour to receive on the 11th of February Your Excellency's Despatch of the 16th of January last bearing upon the long pending question of the erection of a Light-house in the neighbourhood of Hongkong to serve as a guide to vessels approaching from the South.

You inform me that the Government of the Colony, in accordance with the unanimous opinion of the Maritime Experts who have been consulted on the point, has come to the conclusion that the only proper position for the Light is the Gap Rock, and that the display of a Light on any other of the sites which have been suggested would be worse than useless as calculated to create rather than avert danger.

Under these circumstances Your Excellency has requested me to lay before the Chinese Government three alternative proposals for the erection and maintenance of a Light-house on the "Gap" Rock, and you state that in order to facilitate the commencement of the work at an early date, you had submitted the decision of the Colonial Government to Her Majesty's Government and asked that, should it be approved, I might be informed by telegraph and so enabled to lay the matter before the Chinese Authorities without delay.

Your Despatch reached me at the commencement of the Chinese New Year, when little or no official business is transacted; but with a view to expedite as far as possible a settlement of the question, I placed myself in communication with Sir ROBERT HART, the Inspector-General of Maritime Customs who is charged with the Superintendence of the Chinese Light-house Department, and with his usual courtesy he at once promised to give your proposals his best attention, so that at the expiration of the New Year's holidays he might be in a position to discuss the proposals of the Hongkong Government with the Ministers of the Tsungli Yamên, but he did not disguise from me his fears that it would be almost useless to expect a reply from the Chinese Government in time to permit of the work being commenced by the second or third week in March, the date mentioned by Your Excellency, as in all probability it would be necessary to consult the Viceroy of Canton, within whose jurisdiction the Gap Rock lies.

."

.

( 11 )

On the 3rd instant I received a Telegram from the Secretary of State telling me that Your Excellency's proposals had been approved, and Sir ROBERT HART lost no time in placing them before the Government.

He himself appears to be in favour of the first suggestion, which I gather from* your despatch is the one which on the whole the Colonial Government would also prefer, namely, the erection and maintenance of the Light-house by the Government of Hongkong, on the condition of the occupation of the Rock being sanctioned in return for a nominal " Royalty" as an acknowledgement of China's Sovereignty

over the soil.

Directly I am made acquainted with the views of the Chinese Government I shall have the honour of bringing them to Your Excellency's knowledge.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient, humble Servant,

His Excellency

THE GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(B.)

JOHN WALSHAM.

No. 30/G.

SIR,

(Governor to Sir John Walsham.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 22nd March, 1888.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 9th instant, bearing upon the question of the erection of a Light-house on Gap Rock, and I desire at the same time to convey to you the thanks of this Govern- ment for the trouble you are taking in the matter.

His Excellency

I have, &c.,

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.

SIR JOHN WALSHAM, Bart.,

H.B.M. Minister,

&c.,

&c.,

&c., PEKING.

(C.)

TELEGRAM.

(Governor, Hongkong, to British Minister, Peking.)

Kindly inform what present prospect of settlement of Light-house question.

12th April, 1888.

GOVERNOR.

(D.)

TELEGRAM.

14th April, 1888.

(British Minister, Peking, to Governor, Hongkong.)

[Confidential.-Not printed.]

1

( 12 )

(E.)

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.)

PEKING, 14th April, 1888.

[Confidential. Not printed.]

(F.).

(Governor to Sir John Walsham.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 27th April, 1888.

[Reply to Confidential Despatch.-Not printed.]

(G.)

TELEGRAM.

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.)

[Confidential. Not printed.]

(H.)

TELEGRAM.

(Governor to Sir John Walsham.)

[In reply. Not printed.]

(I.)

TELEGRAM.

(Sir John Walsham to Governor.)

[Confidential.--Not printed.]

27th April, 1888.

30th April, 1888.

PEKING, 1st May, 1888.

(J.)

TELEGRAM.

(Governor, Hongkong, to British Minister Peking.)

T

5th May, 1888.

[Replying to I.

Not printed.]

?

( 13 )

Enclosure 2.

(Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon, to Colonial Secretary.)

No. 13. HONGKONG. SIR,

CUSTOM HOUSE, KOWLOON, 11th June, 1888.

I am in receipt of a communication from Sir ROBERT HART, Inspector-General of Chinese Customs, in which he informs me that the Chinese Government see objections to the three plans proposed by your Government for the construction and maintenance of the Gap Rock Light, but are ready to authorize a plan of the In- spector-General's devising, which I am instructed to lay before His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong for consideration.

This plan is as follows:-

"The Commissioner in charge of the Kowloon Customs, in whose district "the Gap Rock is situated, is to be instructed to take the matter in "hand, and his first step is to be to communicate with the Hong- "kong Government and state that, having been authorised by the "Inspector-General to make arrangements for the exhibition and "maintenance of lights in the waters of the Kowloon Custom's dis- trict, he is prepared to place the construction of a light-house and "exhibition and maintenance of a light on the Gap Rock in the hands "of whatever person, e.g., the Surveyor General or Harbour Master, "the Hongkong Government may nominate, subject to the following "understanding-

(6

"(a.) The Gap Rock is and remains Chinese territory- "(b.) The Gap Rock is not to be used for any other purpose- (c.) The Kowloon Customs to contribute seven thousand five 'hundred dollars towards the first cost of the light and

66

"seven hundred and fifty dollars annually towards its "maintenance whatever other moneys are required for the "light over and above these sums to be provided by

Hongkong-

(4

(C

"(d.) The dates for the commencement of the work and for the "first exhibition of the light to be fixed by the Hongkong "Government in connection with the Kowloon Commis- "sioner, and to be reported on by the latter to the In-

spector General for the information of the Yamên. "(e.) The Kowloon Commissioner, Engineer-in-Chief, and Coast Inspector, or such other Customs' Officials as the In- spector-General may designate, to be at liberty to visit "and inspect the light at pleasure, and the islet itself to "remain open to the Chinese territorial Officials to visit "and deal with as before-

<<

(6

f.) In the event of circumstances ever necessitating China to "require Hongkong to discontinue the maintenance of "the light, the Kowloon Customs to provide for its

maintenance and continued exhibition.

"If the Hongkong Government accepts the undertaking coupled with the "understanding thus set forth, the work can be proceeded with at "once."

In the above scheme an endeavour has been made to retain all the essential points of Hongkong's first and third proposals; and it is hoped it may prove ac- ceptable to your Government.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

F. A. MORGAN, Commissioner of Customs for Kowloon and District.

To the Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

&c.,

Colonial Secretary.

&c., HONGKONG.

$c.

1

No. 863.

#

( 14 )

Enclosure 3.

(Colonial Secretary to Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 29th June, 1888.

SIR,

With reference to your letter of the 11th instant, respecting the proposed Light-house on Gap Rock I am directed by the Governor to inform you that this Government accepts the terms offered therein subject to the assent of Her Majesty's Government, which has been asked for by telegraph; and I am to request you to be good enough to convey to Sir ROBERT HART the thanks of this Government for procuring these terms from the Chinese Government, which though not in all res- pects as satisfactory as might be desired, are, His Excellency doubts not, the most favourable which could have been obtained.

I am to add that the Surveyor General has been instructed to put himself in direct communication with you, as soon as the assent of Her Majesty Government has been received, with a view to arrangements for the commencement of the work at the carliest possible date.

I have &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

F. A. MORGAN, Esq.,

Commissioner of Chinese Customs,

KOWLOON.

No. 920.

Enclosure 4.

(Colonial Secretary to Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 6th July, 1888.

SIR,

Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of the proposed Light- house at the Gap Rock, I am directed by the Governor to inform you that, if the Chinese Customs Authorities require it, this Government will, of course, erect at the place in question a Light-house exactly in accordance with the description contained in His Excellency's letter to Sir JOHN WALSHAM, specifying the alternative proposals, the Light-house in fact which the Customs had in contemplation in offering the terms accepted in my letter dated the 29th ultimo.

It has however, been represented to the Governor that in view of the difficulty of access to the Gap Rock, the cost and time required for the completion of the work could be considerably lessened if a fixed light were adopted instead of a flashing light. The latter with its clock-work apparatus, driven by descending weights, would require a tower of sufficient height to give the necessary drop to the weights; whereas a fixed light requiring no tower, its adoption would greatly reduce the difficulties and delays attendant on the landing of large quantities of building materials.

}

( 15 )

A fixed Light, without a Tower, would be at a height of 105 feet above the sea-level, the low elevation, as compared with that of a flashing light upon a tower, being, as His Excellency is advised, an advantage rather than otherwise. For though the higher light would of course be seen farther in a clear atmosphere, the lower one would be more frequently and more widely visible in the average weather of these seas, this view being in accordance with the experience of the Brethren of the Trinity House, who have, for the same reason, fixed 100 feet as the best height for a Light-house in the seas round Great Britain, where what sailors aptly term "thick weather" is probably not more prevalent than here.

On these grounds therefore His Excellency would ask the acquiescence of Sir ROBERT HART in the proposed alteration, if his great experience in connection with this subject should suggest no objection.

A fixed Light on the Gap Rock, however, would necessitate a flashing light at Cape D'Aguilar on Hongkong Island, which is now a fixed light and if the present suggestion in respect of the Gap Rock should be adopted, the Cape D'Aguilar light must of course be altered to a flashing one. But any proposal for works of altera- tion at Cape D'Aguilar raise another question. All experts are, His Excellency believes, agreed that Cape D'Aguilar is the wrong place for this light, and that the right one is the Chinese Island of Waglan, the erection having been at the former place simply because the better site was not available. The question to which His Excellency refers, therefore, is whether this Government with Sir ROBERT HART'S invaluable assistance could obtain the permission of the Chinese Government to erect a light-house at Waglan, on the same terms as those offered in respect of the Gap Řock. If such permission were obtained His Excellency would decide to put the flashing light at Waglan and a fixed light at the Gap Rock, removing the D'Aguilar light altogether. On the other hand, if Waglan should not be available, the flashing light would require to be placed at D'Aguilar.

Returning to the question as to the character of the Light at the Gap Rock, I am to mention that His Excellency has not omitted from consideration the greater penetrative power of a flashing light. But, apart from the fact that under the proposed alteration of plan what is lost in this respect in one place will be gained in another His Excellency is disposed to think that this comparative demerit of a fixed light is compensated by the above mentioned considerations in its favour.

I am to add that, if any change is accepted it will of course be within the discretion of the Customs Authorities to modify or withdraw the contribution offered as part of the terms accepted in my letter No. 863 of the 29th ultimo.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

F. A. MORGAN, Esq.,

Commissioner of Chinese Customs,

KOWLOON.

Enclosure 5.

(Commander Moore to Commodore Maxwell.)

Extract of Letter dated 21st August, 1887.

"The height of Jubilee island is against it as a site. It is 203 feet high and "as I have before pointed out this is too great for an efficient light. In the British "Isles 100 feet is considered by the Trinity Brethren as the proper height and their "reasons apply equally to China. Gap Rock is 96 feet and if a tower must be built "it certainly need not exceed 15 feet; 110 feet is a very suitable height.

""

( 16 )

Mr. HENDERSON's proposal regarding a light on Lamma and a change in Green Island appears to me to be deserving of the highest consideration; but as regards Cape D'Aguilar, I should like to take advantage of the opportunity here afforded me by His Excellency of stating that however troublesome it may be, I believe the site of this Light-house should be at once changed. Political considerations may have rendered it necessary in the past to keep closely within British Territory. The time has now come to enter into negociations with Sir ROBERT HART for a light on Waglan; "the nature of the light can be reserved for future discussion. The light at Cape D'Aguilar is in my opinion dangerous, on account of its peculiar position, obscured for large sectors by the off lying islands. The seaman "approaching from the S.E. on a dark night feels safe because he does not see a "light whereas in reality he may be close to Soonkong which is obscuring it. The "discovery of the Bokhara Rocks has greatly diminished the usefulness of this light."

W. USBORNE MOORE,

Commander, H.M.S. "Rambler."

66

(6

(17.)

(Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon, to Colonial Secretary, Hongkong.)

No. 16.

HONGKONG.

SIR,

CUSTOM HOUSE, KOWLOON, 10th July, 1888.

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 6th instant, in which you convey to me certain proposals of His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong with regard to the substitution of a fixed Light on Gap Rock for the flashing one originally intended; for the erection of a flashing Light on the Islet of Waglan, and for the removal of the fixed Light, now existing at Cape D'Aguilar, altogether.

In reply I beg to assure you that no time should be lost in laying this matter before the Inspector-General of Chinese Customs, who will, no doubt give it prompt attention.

I have, &c.,

7

F. A. MORGAN,

Commissioner of Customs for Kowloon and District.

To The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

&c.,

&c.,

&c., Hongkong.

(18.)

(Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon, to Colonial Secretary.)

No. 17.

HONGKONG.

SIR,

CUSTOM HOUSE,

KOWLOON, 8th August, 1888.

In reply to your communication of the 6th July last and with reference to the proposals of His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong as to lighting both Gap Rock and Waglan, I have now the honour to inform you that I have just received a despatch from the Inspector General of Chinese Customs in which he desires me to intimate to you that :

:

311

( 17 )

(a.) In view of the arrangement already arrived at in regard to the Gap Rock Light, the Chinese Customs must consider itself freed from responsibility as to the nature and construction of any Light your Government may decide to erect on the rock: but, considering the importance of the position, the Inspector-General is of opinion that the Light proposed by the Customs' Engineer-in-Chief--a Group flashing Light would certainly be most suitable:

(b.) As to the proposal to construct a Light-house on Waglan, the In- spector-General feels that he cannot treat it at the Tsung-li Yamên as he did the Gap Rock proposals.

The Inspector-General's meaning evidently is that, as he does not consider the proposal regarding a Light on Waglan can be just now successfully laid before the Tsung-li Yamên, he desires that the arrangement as to the Gap Rock Light may be carried out, but he thinks that all responsibility as to the nature of that Light must now rest with your Government. He is of opinion, however, that a flashing light would be preferable to a fixed one in such a position as that of the Gap Rock.

I have the honour to be.

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

F. A. MORGAN,

Commissioner of Customs for Kowloon and District.

To the Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

St.,

&c..

&c., Hongkong.

( 19. )

(Minute by Surveyor General.)

In view of these opinions I would advise that His Excellency sanction the construction of a flashing light at the Gap Rock, and that the Government proceed forthwith to the construction of such a light, and that the question of the transfer of Cape D'Aguilar light to Waglan stand over for future consideration.

10th August, 1888.

J. M. PRICE.

20

No. 88.

HONGKONG.

REPORT ON THE SEPARATE SYSTEM OF MAIN-DRAINAGE,

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 24th August, 1888.

SIR,

I have the honour to transmit you the enclosed preliminary Report of Mr. F. A. COOPER, on the Separate System of main drainage for the city of Victoria and to recommend his propositions to the favourable consideration of His Excellency the Governor.

2. The adoption of the Separate System will be in harmony with the drainage provisions of the new Public Health Ordinance.

3. The main features of the Project are four, viz.:-

(i.) The dissociation of the sewage of houses from storm-waters.

(ii.) The rapid conveyance of the town-sewage to the sea and its innocuous disposal in the tidal current by means of separate glazed stoneware drain-pipes of a bore comparatively small because of the elimination of storm-waters.

(iii.) The admission of a limited proportion of rain-fall into these proposed

foul water drains; and

(iv.) The escape of storm-waters and sub-soil drainage into the sea as heretofore through the present main drains of the city which remain undisturbed.

4. The dissociation of house-sewage from storm-waters will so greatly reduce. the volume of foul water to be dealt with, and will make that volume so manageable as to enable small diameters to be used for the principal arteries, and due to this circumstance the project will be feasible at an outlay that is moderate compared with the relative expense that would attend the construction of the same length of main sewers under the Combined System which requires-in consequence of our heavy rain-falls-that all channels be of an unduly large and costly size. The estimated cost of the four proposed new foul water mains comprised in this scheme, together with their branches and all contingent works amounts to $230,000, but as the eastern district of Victoria is found to be nearly on a dead level and as it is found impossible to give the proposed eastern main a gradient or inclination sufficient to induce a self-cleansing velocity, it will be necessary eventually to dispose of the

The Honourable FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

(2)

1

sewage of Wantsai and Bowrington at some additional outlay by conveying it as far east as North Point where the tidal scour is at its greatest and there esta- blishing a steam-pumping station, an expedient commonly resorted to in English towns similarly circumstanced. These extra works are estimated at $113,000 making the total cost $343,000.

5. The establishment of the Separate System of drainage will in no way nul- lify or minimize the importance of the main drainage improvements which have been effected by the Governinent from year to year during the last ten years, for even if house-sewage is now diverted to special channels of its own, properly built rain water drains of adequate sectional area and laid to proper falls are none the less a necessity to the city for the removal of sub-soil drainage and storm-waters.

6. The Separate System can be carried out without adding to the expense of house-owners, for it will impose no greater burthern on the landlord to connect his house-drain with a Government main sewer under the Separate System than with one under the Combined System. Two house-drains--one for dirty water and one for rain water—will not be required of him. His roof drainage and the rain which falls upon his back-yard may in most cases be allowed to escape over the surface through gutters into side-channels, and thence into the nearest of the numerous street gratings which everywhere communicate with the storm-water drains.

7. The Separate System of drainage is no new experiment in European cities. As its advantages are brought to light by practical experience it is becoming every year more generally adopted by Municipal and other public Bodies. To Hong- kong, if not adaptable before owing to the inadequacy of the public water supply, it will be specially adaptable now for the first time that we have a new reservoir admitting of a daily consumption of water in every house in the town sufficient to afford the drains in the shape of waste waters that volume of dry weather flow throughout the winter which is essential to the effective working of a system that seeks to act in a measure independently of rain.

8. Though Mr. COOPER's Report relates principally to main drainage I wish to invite His Excellency's special attention to that portion of it wherein he refers incidentally to house-drains for it is impossible to overestimate the importance of remedying as early as possible the evils to which he alludes.

9. Up to the passing of the new Public Health Ordinance (Ordinance No. 24 of 1887) the law on this branch of practical sanitation was inadequate for securing efficient house-drains. The Statute Book contained no provisions for the class of materials to be used in their construction, nor yet did it prescribe the method of that construction, nor were there any provisions for trapping, ventilation, or disconnexion. The result of this inadequacy of the Law was that the Public Works Department was ever in conflict on the subject of house-drains with landlords who deeply resented what were considered the expensive whims of the Surveyor General, whims which they alleged they did not find supported by any special definition of the law.

10. In 1884 a Public Health Bill designed to meet this evil-together with many others--was drafted and submitted for the consideration of the Colonial Government, but for reasons into which it is unnecessary to enter here, that Bill unfortunately was never presented to the Legislature until the assumption of the Government by His Excellency General GORDON CAMERON in 1887 when it was passed by him in spite of the opposition of the landlord interest.

11. Again a further delay arose from a request of the opponents of the Ordinance that it might not be confirmed until a Petition which they were to frame against it--had been previously considered by the Secretary of State, but after

(3)

a lapse of three months no Petition being yet forthcoming, the Governor was obliged to inform these gentlemen that unless their Petition was presented within a stated period the Ordinance must be transmitted home without it. A third and of course unavoidable delay occurred in the reference of the Ordinance by the Secretary of State to the Local Government Board, in the consideration of it by the latter, and finally in the confirmation of it by Her Majesty the Queen.

12. The Ordinance has been in force since the 2nd of June, 1888, but more delay has occurred, for after a lapse of over two months it has not yet been found possible to pass in the Sanitary Board the Bye-Laws relating to house-drains; even the original motion made by me to give preference to this most urgent matter was not carried without opposition.

13. These delays are unfortunate as it is of urgent importance to the Public Health that the reconstruction of defective and insanitary house-drains should be grappled with without further loss of time, and this can be done without any need whatsoever of waiting for the adoption or otherwise of the Separate System as pointed out by Mr. COOPER in his Report.

14. The many miles of modern main sewers that have been built by the Government within the last ten years and which have almost entirely replaced the former old defective main drains of the earlier days of the Colony, more especially in the upper levels of the city, have been well constructed and laid to proper falls as testified to by Mr. CHADWICK in his Report on the Sanitation of Hongkong, but it is clear that in spite of the best workmanship and of every precaution the newest and best built main-drain in the world will become an offensive nuisance along its whole length if the liquid matter that is led into it at every step from the connexion drains of private houses, is already in a high state of decomposition by reason of previous long stagnation, and this is what is now occurring in the city of Victoria and calling for an early remedy.

15. The remedy to be adopted to remove the bad smells in the streets which are found to emanate from the Government main sewers is so obvious that no person examining the matter for himself can fail to see it. The evil must be attacked at its source: that is at the house-drains. All house-drains found in a defective and insanitary condition, wherein kitchen and other foul waters stagnate and ferment for long periods, must be taken up and relaid to proper falls in impervious glazed stoneware in lieu of porous black brick, and must be furnished with those safeguards to health in respect of trapping, ventilation, and disconnexion which are now clearly specified in the new Ordinance and its proposed Bye-Laws. When properly reconstructed and passed by the Sanitary Board such house-drains may be connected with the present main-drains, and when the time arrives for laying the new pipe mains on the Separate System, it will be the duty of the Public Works Department to see that the connexion between such improved house-drains and the new Government mains is properly effected free of cost to the house-owner. If groups of the worst of these defective old house-drains are taken in hand at the same time and dealt with in rapid succession-and there is no reason why this should not be done the Sanitary Board at the end of twelve months will be already far on the road to relieve the public frequenting the streets of the city from the smells that have given rise to complaints, and what is far more important, as regards the inmates of private dwellings, the Board will have done more for their health and comfort than could possibly be obtained at this moment from any other form of sanitary improvement.

16. I make the foregoing remarks lest it be misapprehended that the con- sideration of the Separate System need retard early drainage reforms in private premises.

1

(4)

17. Although Mr. COOPER, since his arrival in the Colony, has been devoting a large portion of his time to the study of our local conditions with a view to the adoption of the best system of public main-drainage to be devised for the city, the vast amount of detail which had to be nastered by him before he could arrive at definite conclusions, has made it impossible to place his Report before the Governor at an earlier date. The delay, however, is not to be regretted, as it has enabled a very complete investigation to be made into a matter which is all important to the health of the community, and in this connexion, I deem it my agreeable duty to bring to the notice of His Excellency the very thorough manner in which Mr. COOPER has carried out this preliminary portion of his work.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

J. M. PRICE,

Surveyor General.

+

:

To

(5)

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 23rd July, 1888.

SIR,

In accordance with the instructions received from the Government. I have the honour to report that I have carefully studied the question of the main drainage of the city of Victoria and now beg to submit the following observations.

Since my arrival in the Colony early in January I have been making myself acquainted with the existing main-drains and I have at length obtained the necessary local information to enable me to lay before you a complete scheme of sewerage and sewage disposal. Accompanying this Report I forward:

1. Diagrams showing the Hongkong rain-fall.

2. Plans showing the tidal currents in the harbour as indicated by float

experiments.

3. Plans showing the existing drains.

4. Plans of the City-Sheets I, II, III, showing the proposed works.

5. Sections along the proposed lines of main sewers.

TOPOGRAPHICAL.

The city of Victoria as will be seen from the Ordnance Survey lies on the northern slope of the range of hills running from east to west across the Island, and extends from North Point on the east to the Sulphur Channel on the west, the harbour forming the northern, and the 400-foot contour line above sea level. the southern boundary of the city.

With the exception of the level portion of the lower town between Queen's Road, and the Praya, and of the Wantsai district, the whole of the ground has a steep declivity towards the harbour.

The level portions, to a very large extent, have been reclaimed from the sea and consequently the buildings have been erected upon made ground of a more or less porous character. The rest of the city is built on disintegrated granite in various stages of decomposition. In some parts the soil is what is locally known as red earth, in others there is a large proportion of hard rock immediately under- lying the surface. On studying the levels it will be observed that the city is naturally divided into several distinct drainage areas, the principal water partings running nearly north and south, or at right angles to the line of Praya.

The method of house construction and the habits of the Chinese are subjects which have been dealt with by Mr. CHADWICK, in his exhaustive Report on the Sanitary Condition of Hongkong, as recently as 1882, and as in that Report Mr. CHADWICK enters very fully into native local habits and customs so far as they come within the scope of the Sanitarian I propose here only to add a few supple- mentary remarks with reference to the growth of the city of Victoria since Mr. CHADWICK'S Report was written and to the probable still further extension of the city.

Since 1882 sea reclamations at Kennedytown and Slaughter-house Point on the west and at Causeway Bay on the east, have been carried out by the Govern- ment, and the two first of these reclamations are to a considerable extent already built over.

The Causeway Bay reclamation has not yet been utilized for buildings but a few houses have been erected on the Shaukiwán carriage road a little further to the eastward. In the upper town new sites have been opened further up the hillsides above the level of the Bonham and Caine Roads. Many houses in the Chinese quarter have been rebuilt in a better style and increased in height with a view to affording further accommodation.

The population of Victoria in 1882, was 163,000 it is now 180,000.

The Honourable J. M. PRICE,

&c.,

Surveyor General,

&c.,

&c.

(6)

The western district of the town situated below the level of the Pokfulam Road, High Street and Bonham Road as far eastward as Ladder Street is almost entirely occupied by Chinese tenements with the exception of the Gas Works, the Sailors' Home, the Government Civil Hospital Buildings and some large Godowns or ware-houses along the Praya.

On that portion of the Western district situated above the level of the Pok- fulam Road, High Street and Bonham Road no Chinese houses are allowed, a recent local enactment entitled The European District Reservation Ordinance (16 of 1888,) making it illegal to build any but European houses above such levels.

This higher portion of the Western District is at present only partially built over. The line of water conduit from Pokfulam practically bounds the probable future extension southward of building operations in the Western and Central Districts.

The Central District situated between Ladder Street on the west and Garden Road on the east, is occupied below the levels of Gough Street, Gage Street, Lyndhurst Terrace, Wellington Street, and Ice House Lane, mainly by Chinese houses. Along each side of Queen's Road are to be found the better class of Chinese shops, there are however situated along Queen's Road and the Praya, several European shops and most of the mercantile hongs, this being the European business part of the city. The upper portion of the Central District is occupied by European residences and public buildings including Government House, the Government Offices and the Gaol. The Botanical Gardens are also situated in this district. The portion above the Caine Road is only partially built on.

The next division between Garden Road on the west to Arsenal Road on the east is occupied almost entirely by the Naval and Military buildings. Eastward of Arsenal Road, follows the thickly populated Chinese district of Wantsai. The buildings along the Eastern Praya are principally ware-houses, there are also, however, some European tenements in the Eastern District, among others the Royal Naval Seaman's Hospital and European residences on Morrison Hill, Caroline Hill, and Leighton Hill, all situated in extensive grounds of their own. In this district there is still room for further building.

With the exception of the extreme western suburb of Kennedytown, and small portions of the Wantsai and Causeway Bay Districts on the eastern side of the town, the whole of the lower levels of the city are closely built over.

In the month of March of this year, the Registrar General caused a census to be taken in three districts of the western part of the city, of the respective areas of 13, 7.71, and 3.52 acres including streets, with the result that an average population was found of 1,077 1,602 and 488 persons to the acre in the three districts respectively. I doubt if this density of population is reached in any city or town of the United Kingdom or of the continent of Europe. In considering however the question of the effect of overcrowding on the health of the population of Victoria the fact must not be lost sight of that the city is of but limited width, occupying only a narrow strip of ground, with an extensive harbour on its northern, and with a considerable open space on its southern side.

METEOROLOGY.

Rain-fall. It will be seen from table No. 1, page 7, which I have compiled from the Reports of the Director of the Government Observatory that the island of Hongkong is subject to very heavy rain-fall during short periods. I submit here- with some information on this subject in the form of diagrams shewing the great variations in the amount of rain-fall during different months in the year. The contrast between the heavy rain-falls that annually occur between May and Sep- tember and the small rain-fall recorded during the months of January, February, November, and December is particularly noticeable.

Temperature, Humidity, Duration of Sunshine.-In table No. 2 will be found the mean monthly temperature obtained from hourly observations also the mean humidity for each month, and the total duration of sunshine. The temperature ranges from about 45° to 90° Fahrenheit, and the humidity in 1887 ranged from

19 to 95.

Winds.Table No. 3 gives the direction, duration and velocity of the winds for each month in the year.

Easterly winds predominate nearly the whole year but southerly winds occur to a large extent during the months of May, June, July, August, and September. The Meteorological Observatory is situated on the Kowloon peninsula 110 feet above sea level.

Months.

(7)

No. 1.

HONGKONG RAIN-FALL TABLES.

1884.

Total Rain-fall

in inches.

Maximum

Daily.

Maximum

Hourly.

Number of days on which rain-fall exceeded

Number of

hours in which rain-fall exceeded

Inches, 2.24

Inches,

Inchies.

Inches.

.5

*25

•10

January,

0.000 0.000

0.000

0

0

0

0

February,

3.423

1.266 no record

0

4

0

March,

5.827

1.987 1.345

0

4

6

12

April,

5.261

1.385 1.055

6

13

May,

9.039

2.649

0.800

0

5

6

19

June,

11.035 2.585

2.030

1

13

July,

13.075

3.710

1.760

1

13

August,

10.815

2.295

0.835

0

7

9

September,

12.370

5.585

1.190

2

10

10

October,

3.085 1.350

0.730

0

November,

1.495

0.925 0.120

5

2

11

1

to & a no

21

33

35

26

December,

0.000

0.000 0'000

Totals,...

75*425

Months.

Total Rain-fall

in inches.

Maximum

Daily.

1885.

Maximum

Hourly.

4

46

65

173

Number of days on which rain-fall

exceeded

Number of hours in

which rain-fall exceeded

Inches.

Inches.

2.24

*5

Inch es.

•25

Inches.

•10

January,...

February,

0.870

0.705 0.180

0

1

1

3

2.700 1·050

0.130

0

2

2

7

March,

2:470 0.710

0.335

0

1

4

9

April,

14.890

5.210 2.420

3

6

29

May,

4.860

1.450 1·130

0

11

June,

31.360

12.630 2.200

7

9

52

July,

13.545

4.259 1·130

2

5

9

31

August,

27.865

6.555

2.140

1

14

16

58

September,

5.845

2:270

0.690

5

13

October,

2:510 2.120

0.295

0

1

11

November,

0.760

0.535 0·400

0

1

1

December,

1.250 1.025 0.535

0

1

1

2

Totals,.

108.925

:

10

43

61

228

Months.

(8)

HONGKONG RAIN-FALL TABLES,-(Continued.)

1886.

Total Rain-fall in inches.

Maximum

Daily.

Maximum

Hourly.

Number of days on which rain-fall

exceeded

Number of

hours in which rain-fall exceeded

Inches.

Inches.

Inches.

Inches.

2.24

.5

•25

•10

January,

2.015

0.775

0.170

2

7

February,

1.535

0.540

0.195

2

3

March,

2.590

0.960

0.675

2

10

5

April,

5.675

1.815 0.600

3

13

May,

1.775

1.265

0.315

I

2

6

June,

10.625

2.595

0.630

1

10

34

July,

28.235

13.480

3.480

1

10

16

56.

August,

9.080

4.230

1.240

1

7

23

September,

2.995

1.040

0.595

0

4

6

October,

2.815

2.240 1.075

0

1

4

November,

0.050

0.030 0.025

0

0

0

December,

1.775

1.115 0.165

1

2

6

Months.

Totals,...

69.165

Total Rain-fall

in inches.

Maximum

1887.

Daily.

Maximum

Hourly.

3

37

59

163

Number of days on which rain-fall

exceeded

Number of hours in

which

rain-fall

Inches.

Inches.

2.24

⚫5

Inches.

•25

Inches.

•10

exceeded

?

January,

February,

8.430 0.392 0.470

1

3

27

1.895 0.895 0.135

1

3

March,

2.950

1.090 0.180

April,

5.640 3.205

0.875

1

17

May,

2·045

1.110

0.330

0

1

2

ī

June,

5.475 0.905 0.325

3

7

18

July,

12.075

2.240 1.320

0

14

34

August,

13.155 3.215 0.920

3

7

8

32

September,

10.955 5.855

1.390

1

4

27

October,

2.030 1.660 0.930

0

1

1

November,

0.790 0.560

0.100

1

1

0

December,

0.850

0.830 0.140

1

1

Totals,......

66.290

:

6

33

55

177

Month.

Months.

(9)

No. 2.

HONGKONG METEOROLOGICAL TABLES.

1884.

1885.

1886.

Mean Temperature

O Fahrenheit.

Humidity Saturation=100.

Duration of

Sunshine in hours.

Mean Temperature O Fahrenheit.

Humidity Saturation=100.

Duration of

Sunshine in hours.

January,

62.3

February,

57.0 79

38

78

:

58.7

77119.0

58.7

54.9

81 22.3

53.6

March,

62.3

91

April,

67.8

86

May,

74.8

June,

80.1

July,

82.2

August,

81.8

September,

81.2

...

October,

77.2

November,

December,

59.6

8 8 18 88 8 8 8 8 N

60.5 60.6

85124-4

61.9

79-7

70.4

85

99.1 77.6

83 149.2 80.6

83 184-5 80.9

82206.3 80.0

76 238.1 78.7

89 137·1 69.4

87165.8 75.7

85156.4 79.8

84181-1 80.6

£ R to to

67

132.1 58.6

82

75

30.2

56.0

87 62.4

61.0

87100.6

69.0

81

81 179-3

74.8

83155.9

81.6

83181.3 81.4

85 151-8

81 168.8

81.2

82201·9 80.5

79.7

67 245.7

81.9

74 238.9 75.1

70 227.9

76.8

67.8 68 177.1 68.0

62.245.3

63.6

70218.2

61 207.3 69.0

59.8

72 225-4

59 268.0

55 227.8

76.0

69.2 59 221-5

63.4

2 £ 8 = 8 8 8 ~ ~ N 88

78.8

77 128.4

76 108.9

131'0

82 117-3

79220-2

83173-4

82 229.6

78 210-1

62 281-1

60204-2

No. 3.

TABLE SHOWING THE DIRECTION, DURATION AND VELOCITY

OF THE WINDS DURING 1887.

Direction.

Duration in

hours.

Velocity in

Miles per hour.

Month.

Direction.

Duration in

hours.

Velocity in

Miles per hour.

JANUARY,

N.

99

6.9

FEBRUARY,.....

N.

83

8.2

N.E.

57

15.3

N.E. 67

11.6

E.

421

20.2

E. 390 18.9

S.E.

20

11.2

S.E. 20

9.5

S.

1

5:0

S.

4.0

S.W. 12

6.2

S.W.

10.1

W. 67

8.2

W.

34

6.9

N.W. 44

7.5

N.W.

42

4.9

Calm 23

0.6

Calm

27

0.6

1887.

Months.

( 10 )

TABLE SHOWING THE DIRECTION, DURATION AND VELOCITY

OF THE WINDS DURING 1887,-(Continued.)

Direction.

Duration in

hours.

Velocity in Miles per hour.

Months.

Direction.

Duration in

hours.

Velocity in Miles per hour.

MARCH,.

N.

28

10.9

JUNE,.

N.

N.E.

42

13.3

N.E.

18

18.1

E.

587

20.1

E.

131

14.3

S.E.

26

12.6

S.E.

43

11.8

S.

3.0

S.

304

10.9

S.W. 2

4.5

S.W.

184

13.1

W.

16

7.8

W.

29

7.6

N.W.

25

5.7

N.W.

1

7:0

Calm

16

0.7

Calm

10

0.7

APRIL,

N.

74

13.0

JULY,

N.

19

6.1

N.E.

52

13.7

N.E. 63

13.3

E.

392

15.3

E.

290 14.6

S.E. 25 10.3

S.E.

S. 36

8.7

8888

93

18.3

53

7.7

S.W. 22

16.4

S.W.

#

13.9

W.

29

7.4

W.

75

7:1

N.W.

36

4.8

N.W. 40

5.2

Calm 54

0.5

Calm 37

0.8

MAY,

N.

32

5.3

AUGUST,

N.

10

3.6

N.E.

47 11.9

N.E.

39

8.6

E. 493

18.0

E.

211

11.9

S.E.

29

8.4

S.E.

71

144

S.

30

9.1

S.

90

10.5

S.W. 46

12.4

S.W.

131

16.0

W.

23

9.1

W.

68

8.2

N.W. 19

5.1

N.W. 16

7.1

Calm 25

0.4

Calm

78

0.6

( 11 )

TABLE SHOWING THE DIRECTION, DURATION AND VELOCITY :

OF THE WINDS DURING 1887,-(Continued.)

Months.

Direction.

hours.

Duration in

Velocity in

Miles per hour.

Months.

Direction.

Duration in

hours.

Velocity in

Miles per hour.

SEPTEMBER,

N.

34

9.7

NOVEMBER,................

N.

144

12.8

N.E. 78

24.4

N.E.

158

11.6

E.

300

23.0

E. 318

15.8

S.E. 103

23.3

S.E.

47

11.0

S.

27

13.9

S.

2:0

S.W. 17

11.5

S.W.

8.0

W.

81

9.8

W.

12

6.2

N.W. 31

12.5

N.W.

Calm

49

0.5

Calm 28

88888

10

6.6

0.7

OCTOBER,.......

N. 153 14:4

DECEMBER,.

N. 198

11.5

N.E.

164

12.8

N.E.

120

10:5

E.

288

16.1

E. 317

15.7

S.E.

69

8.9

S.E.

37

8.6

S.

16

3.8

S.

4.0

S.W.

00

3

6:0

S.W.

6

9.5

W.

10

5.3

W.

31

8.1

N.W. 6

4.8

N.W.

9

6.2

Calm 35

0.6

Calm

222

22

0.8

TIDES.

The tides in the harbour of Hongkong are semi-diurnal but considerable difference often exists between the heights of two consecutive tides, the higher being called the "superior" and the lower the "inferior" tide.

The difference in height of superior and inferior tides depends mainly upon

the moon's declination either north or south of the equator.

At the times of the moon crossing the equator the tides are equal.

The maximum range of tide may be taken as eight feet and the highest_water under ordinary circumstances as 8 feet above Ordnance Datum and the lowest 1 foot below that Datum.

Tidal Observations.-With a view to ascertaining the general effect of the tidal currents at the points proposed for the sewer out-falls, i.e., Belcher's Point to the west of the city and North Point to the east, I made in conjunction with Mr. Jas. SAMPSON of the Public Works Department several float experiments on the 27th and 28th of February last during the North East Monsoon, and again on the 21st and 22nd of August during the South West Monsoon.

The floats used consisted of wooden buoys conical in shape, five feet in height and two feet in diameter from which were suspended wrought iron vanes 4 feet by 1 foot 6 inches of T shape construction and so designed as always to keep the larger surface of the vane square to the current. The total weight of a float was 236 lbs. and the depth of the vane below the surface of the water was about 7 feet.

( 12 )

Surface floats constructed of wood were also set adrift and watched during the day, but their course followed so closely on that of the sunken vanes that further observation of them was abandoned soon after sunset as unnecessary. A boat with adequate crew was detailed to watch the drifting of each float and to follow it day and night, and having a steam-launch at our disposal we were able to visit each float periodically and to note its change of position.

On the plan submitted herewith the relative positions of the several floats at the various times of our visits are shewn, the approximate course between each observation being sketched in. I will now briefly describe the courses of the floats.

On the morning of February the 27th (during the North East Monsoon) at 10.15 A.M. float No. 1 was set adrift off North Point on the ebb tide, the course followed by this float is indicated in the plan by a red line.

At 10.30 A.M. float No. 2 was started about three quarters of a mile east of North Point; its course is indicated by a blue line.

Both these floats got into an eddy in Quarry Bay.. No. 2 grounded in shallow water and on being moved out to the position of the surface float it closely followed the course of No. 1.

At 11 A.M. float No. 3 was set adrift off North Point and nearly made the Lyemun Pass; its course being indicated by the green line.

At 12.30 P.M. No. 4 was started off North Point; its course is indicated by the brown line.

At 1 P.M. No. 5 was started about a mile and a half east of North Point; its course is indicated by the yellow line.

The tide turning shortly after 1 P.M. a strong current set in through the Lyemun Pass carrying the floats westwards.

At 2.55 P.M. float No. 6 was started off North Point on the flood tide; its course is indicated by a red line.

This float passing to the west of Green Island found its way out to sea on the afternoon of the following day.

At 5.15 P.M. float No. 7 was started off North Point, after travelling a short distance westwards this float returned on the ebb as far as the Lyemun Pass but missing the mid channel current returned on the flood. Its course is indicated by a blue line.

At 6.45 P.M. No. 8 was set adrift off North Point and after travelling westwards for four hours it returned on the ebb and passed through the Lyemua Pass at 2.30 Its course is indicated by a brown line. This completed the float experiments at North Point.

A.M.

On the following day, February the 28th, a similar series of experiments was effected at Belcher's Point. At 8.45 A.M. No. 1 was started on the ebb tide and taking a westerly course, as indicated by the red line, got into shallow water to the north-west of Green Island. On being set free again this float continued its westerly course round Green Island and turning southwards made for the open sea.

At 11 A.M. float No. 2 was started and passing direct through the Sulphur Channel gained the sea; its course is indicated by a blue line.

At 1.45 P.M. No. 3 was started and also passed through the Sulphur Channel, but meeting the flood tide was carried in a north westerly direction outside of Green Island; its course is indicated by a brown line.

At 3.50, 5.10 and 6 P.M. respectively, Nos. 4, 5 and 6 were set adrift. These as indicated by the blue, red and brown lines made little progress.

At 9.25 A.M. on the 21st of August during the South West Monsoon float No. 1 started on the ebb tide, got into slack water off the west point of Quarry Bay, and remained almost stationary until the turn of the tide when it proceeded westwards arriving off the south of Stonecutters' Island at 10 P.M. During the following ebb it returned as far as Kowloon Point, and during the next flood it was carried back to the south of Stonecutters' Island arriving to the south of its previous position at 8 P.M. shewing a tendency to leave the harbour westwards; its course is indi- cated by a red line.

(13)

At 10.5 P.M. No. 2 was started and went direct through the Lyemun Pass arriving at the Pass in one hour; its course is indicated by a blue line.

At 1.20 P.M. No. 3 was started; making but little progress eastward it was carried on the flood through the harbour as far as the Canton Wharf returning thence as far as Causeway Bay on the following ebb tide; its course is indicated by a green line.

At 3 P.M. No. 4 was started on the commencement of the flood, and after passing North Point on the flood tide followed practically the same course as No. 1.

At 4.45 and 6.15 P.M. Nos. 5 and 6 were started and left afloat till the night of the 22nd. No. 5 would probably, on the following ebb tide, pass North Point, and No. 6 would follow somewhat the same course as followed by Nos. 1 and 4. The course of each of these floats is indicated by green and blue respectively.

At 8.15 A.M. August the 22nd No. 1 was started off Belcher's Point and took an easterly course past North Point; on the following flood it drifted back a little to the west of that Point and would probably have got into the mid-channel cur- rent on the following ebb and been carried through the Lyemun Pass; its course is indicated by a brown line.

At 10.15 A.M. No. 2 was started and after progressing down the Sulphur Channel for some distance returned on the half ebb, arriving off the Canton Wharf at 10 P.M.; at the end of the flood it would take a north-westerly course and would probably be carried thence up towards the Canton River on the next flood, passing out west of Green Island on the following ebb; its course is indicated by a red line.

At 12 o'clock No. 3 was started. Taking an easterly course it reached Yau- mati bay at 6.10 P.M., and after sweeping round on the flood in a south-westerly direction it took an easterly course arriving off the Canton Wharf at 10.35 P.M., at which hour the commencement of the next ebb would probably take it eastwards past North Point; its course is indicated by a green line. At 2.25 P.M. No. 4 was started and travelled eastwards slowly; its course is indicated by a blue line. At 5.40 P.M. No. 5 was started on the flood tide but made little progress; its course is indicated by a red line.

With respect therefore to a sewage out-fall at North Point it appears from these experiments :-~~-

(i.) that during both the North East and South West Monsoons there is a strong tidal current tending to carry all matters held in suspension in the waters of the harbour at or about North Point through the Lyemun Pass during the ebb tide, and that this tendency extends as far as Kowloon Point during the North East Monsoon. (ii.) that during the North East Monsoon the flood tide sweeps through the harbour and effects a general dispersion of all suspended matter, and that there is also a strong current round Kowloon Point towards the South of Stonecutters' Island.

(iii.) that during the South West Monsoon the general tendency of the flood tide is to carry suspended matter from North Point through the harbour towards the mouth of the Canton River.

And with respect to a sewage out-fall at Belcher's Point it appears from the experiments :--

(i.) that during the North East Monsoon the ebb tide will probably carry

all suspended matters out to sea to the south of Green Island.

(ii.) that the flood tide has little effect at this Point either during the

North East or South West Monsoon.

(iii.) that during the South West Monsoon the ebb tide sets in an easterly

and north easterly direction.

From the foregoing I am of opinion, considering the depth of water and strong tidal currents that exist in the harbour during the whole of the year leading to the general dispersion and mixing of all foreign matters with the tidal waters, that no nuisance will arise from the placing of sewer out-falls at Belcher's and North Points, and it is on this account that these two Points have been selected as suit- able out-fall stations.

( 14 )

EXISTING SEWERS.

In the early days of the Colony the drainage of the city of Victoria was naturally provided for by the streams traversing the numerous valleys running south to north. As the city increased lateral drains were constructed of brick and stone of a very imperfect character and some of these may still exist. Within more recent times, especially after the Reclamations between Queen's Road and the Praya had been made it became necessary, in order to maintain cleanliness and also for the convenience of the public to cover in most of these streams, large drains built of granite were therefore constructed along the valleys as shewn by red lines on the plan which accompanies this Report. There are altogether without counting small branches 33 main outlets into the harbour along the Praya, their sizes vary from one foot and a half to six feet. Most of these sewers have vertical sides with V shaped or flat segmental inverts and are covered over with granite slabs. A full description of the various sections together with diagrams is to be found in Mr. CHADWICK'S Report Part 1, Sections 2 to 4. The duty of these drains as sewers is small compared with their duty as sub-soil and surface drains as the whole of the sub-soil and surface-waters from the northern slopes of the hills above the city have to find their way into the sea by passing through them.

The drainage-areas are comparatively small but the heavy tropical rains that this island is subject to, render it necessary to provide for the discharge of unduly large volumes of water in the lower portion of the city.

After studying the rain-fall and the character of the hills, I am of opinion that during heavy storms the built area may contribute 3 inches and the hill sides above the city 2 inches of rain-fall per hour, over their respective areas. It is clear therefore that no half measures can be entertained for getting rid of the surface waters, and considering the surface levels we have to deal with, any scheme for obtaining their ultimate discharge at points outside the city is practically out of the question.

Experience has proved that the existing drains of the town are of ample size and that they efficiently fulfil their purpose as surface water drains. It may also be mentioned that the most advantageous courses in respect of efficiency and economy i.e. the natural valley lines have in most cases been selected, and that the drains are constructed in a substantial manner. As surface-water drains therefore their construction leaves little to be desired, though they may no longer be suitable as sewers.

In the earlier days of the city the Combined System of drainage was undoubtedly by far the more economical system, and perhaps with the small population and limited public revenue at its disposal the Colony would have shrunk from the expense of a dual system, but when one considers the present position of the city, the limited area of land available for building purposes and consequently the excessive crowding that exists in many portions especially in the Western and Central Districts where the population reaches to as many as 1,600 persons to the acre, the time has, in my opinion, arrived when every endeavour should be made that modern sanitary science places within our reach, to improve the sewerage of Victoria.

The principal objections to the continued use of the existing system of drains for the conveyance of sewage are :----

(1.) that the numerous outlets along the Praya render the condition of

the foreshore objectionable,

(2.) that the large sizes of the sewers cause considerable deposit in the

lower levels during the dry season,

(3.) that no efficient means of ventilation exist.

The first two evils, from what I have said, cannot be remedied, and the third also presents considerable difficulty. In drains of such necessarily large size as to be able to discharge at times large volumes of storm water any such interruption as would be caused by large flaps or traps would probably lead to the bursting of the sewer, and further, during the dry season an extensive accumulation of sewer gas must take place, for the natural forces at work in the sewers are insufficient to effect a complete change of air in a short period. From what I have seen of some of the branch drains I believe there still exist old drains in the city which should either be used for surface and sub-soil water only, or else replaced by pipe sewers.

( 15 )

There are few water closets in the city their construction being prohibited by law. The system generally adopted for removing the excreta being the pail system as described in Mr. CHADWICK'S Report. I certainly agree with Mr. CHADWICK that if a sufficient water supply can be obtained the more general adoption especially in Hotels, Clubs and large mercantile and other offices, of water closets would be advisable on sanitary grounds.

There is practically no sub-soil drainage in the city except in the Wongnei- chung Valley where such drainage has been carried out during the last six months.

PROPOSED WORKS.

After careful consideration of the whole of the foregoing facts and a close study of the locality I am of opinion that the ends of efficiency and economy will be best met by:-

(1.) the construction of a new system of pipe sewers admitting only a limited quantity of surface-water and by adopting out-falls for such a system at suitable points cast and west of the city.

(2.) the utilization of the existing drains for conveying the natural streams through the city and for carrying off surface and sub-soil

waters.

Though the sub-soil drainage of malarial soils is a matter of great importance to the Public Health, this will be impracticable in the lower parts of the city at present unless such sub-soil drains are connected with the sewers, an expedient that would be attended with serious risk for it would convert such sub-soil drains into channels for the escape of sewer air through the sub-soil into the houses them- selves. Owing to the long periods of drought or of limited rain-fall and to the steep declivity of the greater part of the drainage areas, the flow of water in sub-soil drains will always be very variable and will no doubt very often be nil. In the latter case drain traps attached to sub-soil drains will prove ineffective and sewer air will freely course through such drains and issue through the interstices provided for the escape of sub-soil water.

Further, in the case of any stoppage occurring in a foul water sewer with which sub-soil drains happened to be in communication, sewage might back into the sub-soil drains and escape through the joints as just described. These objections will be got rid of if all foul waters are diverted from the existing drains of the town into special channels of their own sub-soil drainage then becomes possible and may be led without risk into the present existing drains.

I will now briefly describe the new Separate System of sewers proposed. On looking at the plans it will be seen the city is naturally divided into four drainage districts. Three of these districts are situated to the west of the Albany Nullah, and one to the east. There are thus, four proposed main intercepting sewers which for the convenience of reference I will allude to as numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, draining districts Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively as marked on the accompanying plan.

Main No. 1 providing for the drainage of district No. 1 (coloured red on plan sheet No. 1,) will commence in Caine Road opposite Castle Road where it receives the sewage from Seymour Road, Castle Steps and Castle Road, it then takes a westerly course along the Caine Road, Bonham Road, Hill Road and Queen's Road West receiving the sewerage from Robinson and Richmond Roads, and ulti- mately discharging into the harbour at Belcher's Point.

The area of this district is 160 acres, and it is only thinly built over, but in order to allow for future extensions the sizes of the sewers have been calculated to discharge per 24 hours as much as 14 inches of rain-fall over the whole area.

Main No. 2 providing for the sewerage of District No. 2 (coloured brown on plan sheet No. 1,) will commence in Queen's Road Central opposite Pottinger Street and takes a westerly course along Queen's Road receiving the sewerage from those portions of the Chung-wan, Tai-ping-shan and Sai-ying-pun districts which are situated south of the Queen's Road. On reaching Centre Street this main will take a northerly course down Centre Street, and arriving at the Praya will turn again to the west and follow the line of the Praya where it will receive the sewage of a portion of the Shek-tong-tsui District and ultimately discharge into the harbour at the proposed out-fall at Belcher's Point.

( 16 )

The area of this district is 233 acres and it is almost entirely built over. The sizes of the sewers have therefore been calculated to discharge 2.40 inches of rain-fall per 24 hours, or of an inch per hour, over the whole area.

Main No. 3 providing for the sewerage of District No. 3 (coloured yellow on plan sheets I and II,) will commence in Queen's Road Central, at the Corner of Murray Barracks, where it will receive the sewerage from Garden Road, and will pass down Murray Road to the Praya where it will turn along the Praya in a westerly direction as far as Winglok Street, which it will traverse and thence discharge into the harbour at Possession Point. This main is designed to pro- vide for the portion of the city situated between Queen's Road Central and the Praya the area of which is 190 acres.

The circumstances prevailing in two portions of this District are so different that in calculating the sizes of the sewers I have sub-divided it into the area draining above Ice House Lane, which may be called Sub-district 3A comprising 120 acres extent and the arca draining below Ice House Lane to the west which will call Sub-district 3B, 70 acres in extent.

In sub-district 3A, are situated Government House, and the Botanical Gardens occupying extensive grounds and not likely ever to be closely built over, moreover, the elevation and position of the Albany Nullah, admit of a free outlet being always obtained for storm waters in this neighbourhood. The size of the main sewer along the Praya has therefore been calculated to convey inch of rain- fall per 24 hours over this sub-district. The other sub-district 3B being closely built over, the sizes of the sewers have been calculated to discharge 2.4 inches of rain per 24 hours falling over the whole sub-district in addition to the inch con- tributed by sub-district 3A.

Main No. 4 providing for the sewerage of district No. 4 (coloured brown on plan sheet II,) will commence in Queen's Road Central opposite the Royal Naval Yard and will traverse Queen's Road in an easterly direction as far as the Eastern Guard House, where it turns down Arsenal Road to the Praya, and continues along the Praya as far the Bowrington Canal and there discharges into the harbour. At this point also it receives the sewage of the Bowrington District.

Though the best available without pumping I cannot recommend the pro- posed position of this out-fall as a permanent measure and would strongly advise in preference, that the main be extended to the alternative point of out-fall at North Point.

The area of the eastern District is 247 acres. In it are situated the Barracks and Military and Naval Establishments but the higher levels are at present but little built over.

The sizes of the sewers have been calculated to discharge 14 inches of the rain-falling over the whole District. As just stated, I am only able to recom- mend the construction of the out-fall at Bowrington as a temporary expedient and I therefore deem it desirable to submit herewith a plan (sheet No. III,) and also a section showing the necessary works that would have to be undertaken in order to extend the out-fall to North Point. Such an extension, if carried out, would provide also for the sewerage of the Causeway Bay Reclamation and of Tung-lo-wan, giving a total area draining to North Point of 270 acres.

The size of the out-fall has been calculated to discharge per 24 hours 14 inches of the rain which falls over the whole area. The invert of the sewer being 5 37 feet below Ordnance Datum it will be necessary to adopt Pumping Machinery in order to discharge the sewage into the harbour.

Taking 14 inches of rain-fall per 24 hours over the whole surface, we get a flow of 1,470,150 cubic feet per 24 hours.

The present dry weather flow of sewage I estimate does not exceed 100,000 cubic feet per 24 hours and notwithstanding any future increase in houses and population probably will never exceed 300,000 cubic feet. I recommend there- fore that high class machinery in duplicate be installed capable of lifting 300,000 cubic feet per 24 hours and that pumps of a less costly character though not so economical in working be installed for the purpose of dealing with the larger volume 12. 1,470,150 cubic feet occasionally brought down during heavy rains.

( 17 )

The size and gradients proposed for the new sewers have been the subject of careful calculation the aim and intention being to maintain a self cleansing velocity throughout the whole system. Considering the existence of large drains through- out the city and the facilities offered for getting rid over the surface of the storm- water in back yards during heavy rain-falls I am of opinion the sizes proposed for the new sewers will be found ample to meet the requirements of the increasing population.

The Separate System as designed contemplates the provision of overflows along the lines of the proposed intercepting sewers in order to relieve them in case it should be found impracticable for the present to exclude from them as much of the storm-water as I have specified. In many instances the rain from the back yards of private houses will be admitted into the proposed new sewers but, where back yards are continuous from one street to another such storm water can easily be diverted from the sewer by a continuous surface gutter from yard to yard, iron gratings being fixed in the communication holes at each partition wall. Some rain- fall from the backs of houses must, under any circumstances, be admitted into the proposed new pipe sewers but the special method of providing for the carrying off of storm-waters from private premises is a detail that must be considered indivi- dually in each case.

The proposed sewers are intended to be laid out in straight lines and man- holes are provided at every change of direction in order to facililate inspection or the removal of obstructions should the latter at any time occur.

As a rule every manhole will be furnished with a ventilating grating to be placed as near as possible in the middle of the street. Additional ventilators will also be provided wherever the interval between two manholes is longer than 350 feet. Flushing doors will also be provided in some of the manholes on the mains where the fall or inclination is small, and for the purpose of obtaining a rapid change of air in the sewer and of preventing a decided set of air therein to one point, traps and valves will be fixed in some of the manholes. The out-falls will be protected by tidal valves.

I have not considered it necessary to design any system of sewers for Kennedy- town situated at the extreme west of the city, as that suburb is at present very sparsely built over, and because sewers can at any time without difficulty be con- structed leading into the Sulphur Channel, the scour through the Sulphur Channel being sufficient to prevent any nuisance therefrom.

HOUSE-DRAINS.

As I am here dealing with the subject of main-drainage and not of house- drainage I need not enter very fully into the question of house-drains though I need scarcely add I have considered this matter very carefully before laying the scheme for the proposed main sewerage of the city before you. I would however state that in my opinion, Ordinance No. 24 of 1887 together with the Bye-Laws now before the Sanitary Board clearly define what a house-drain ought to be and only place such restrictions on house owners as are placed on them in England and as I have found necessary in my experience as a Sanitary Engineer.

Unless house-drains are properly constructed under such sanitary provisions as those contained in the Bye-Laws above referred to they will be practically worse than no drains at all, and considering their close proximity to buildings, house- drains obviously require even more careful supervision than main sewers.

I consider that it cannot be too strongly impressed upon the public mind that it is to the connexion with the Government main sewers, of badly laid out and badly built house-drains in private premises, wherein the house-sewage, is imprisoned for long periods, and therefore entirely decomposed before it leaves such private premises to pass into the Government mains, that is to be attributed the chief cause of foul emanations from the main sewer-openings in the streets and elsewhere, and that therefore the first or initial step towards sanitary reform is obviously the reconstruction of house-drains. It is therefore of the utmost importance that defective house-drains should be dealt with as soon as possible and I see no reason why this should not be done at once under the powers conferred by the Public

( 18 )

Health Ordinance of 1887. The ultimate decision of the Government with respect to the scheme of main-drainage now proposed does not in any way affect the ques- tion of house-drainage.

DISPOSAL.

If the present Combined System of main drainage be left undisturbed the large volume to be dealt with during heavy rains will necessitate several points of dis- charge along the Praya, and the expense of carrying out large sewers to low water will be found very great compared with the expense attendant on the smaller pipe sewers under the Separate System. Besides, large sewer-extensions beyond the sea-wall would be an obstruction that will interfere with native shipping.

By the light of the float experiments I have made, and judging from the present condition of the Praya foreshore I cannot favourably view the disposal of sewage along the foreshore from a number of outlets along the Praya frontage. I repeat I consider the out-falls to the east and west of the city which I have recommended, i.e. North Point and Belcher's Point will in no way prove objectionable if the Separate System is adopted, and further I am satisfied that in the Western District the whole of the sewage south of Caine Road and west of the West Terrace may be com- pletely intercepted and carried to the out-fall without the need of any connection with the sewers of the rest of the city. Another intercepting artery can be carried along a portion of Hollywood Road, and so avoid to some extent the laying of large sewers, (in which it is difficult to effect satisfactory disconnexion), up steep gradients to carry off the sewage of the higher levels.

I am of opinion that the Separate System of sewerage for the city of Victoria presents no serious engineering difficulties and that it is unquestionably the one best adapted to meet the sanitary requirements of the community.

ESTIMATES OF COST.

The following is a tabular statement of the estimated cost of the works:-

Main No. 1 and branch sewers,.........

Main No. 2

Main No. 3

...$ 19,660.00

105,320.00

34,590.00

Main No. 4

Add 15 per cent for contingencies,

40,740.00

$ 200,310.00 29,690.00

TOTAL,......$ 230,000.00

The subsequent continuation of Main No. 4 to North Point and the installation of Pumping Machinery in duplicate at North Point I estimate at a further sum of $113,000, making the total estimate $343,000.

FINANCIAL.

to four

The construction of these works will probably occupy a period of from three

years, but considering the benefit that future generations will derive from them it seems reasonable that the burthen of their cost should be spread over a longer period.

I do not anticipate that any extensions or additions to the Project, at least any extensions of importance would be necessary before the year 1901, and I therefore think the payment for the cost might be extended at least over twelve years, and

( 19 )

accordingly I would submit the propriety of including this outlay in any Government loan that may be contemplated in connection with public improvements, or if the amount be raised as a separate loan of itself that it be paid off, capital and interest, by equal annual instalments within the time above mentioned. By this arrangement the percentage of the Annual Rateable Value would yearly decrease (assuming that the Rateable value continues to increase as it has done in the past) and a margin would consequently be available for further purposes without increasing the rate of taxation.

The Rateable Value for 1887-8 was..

The Rateable Value for 1888-9 is....

$ 2,902,933

$ 3,050,790

Showing an increase of 5 per cent. If this increase be maintained the Rateable Value in 1901 will be $5,460,914.

If a loan were negociated for $230,000 at 5 per cent for a period of 12 years capital and interest to be paid off in equal annual instalments, such instalments will equal $25,944 or '85 per cent of the present Rateable Value or 48 per cent of the estimated Rateable Value in 1901. If the larger sum of $343,000 (to include the $113,000 required to defray the North Point extension and Pumping Station) were borrowed, the annual instalment i.e. $38,690 would be 1.27 per cent of the present Rateable Value or *71 per cent of the estimated Rateable Value of 1901.

In England the raising of loans redeemable by a number of annual pay- ments for the purpose of constructing sanitary works of a permanent character has for some years received the sanction of the Imperial Government, and it is on this account that I submit this suggestion for consideration.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant.

(Signed),

FRANCIS A. COOPER,

Assoc. Mem. Inst, C.E.,

Sanitary Surveyor,

Public Works Department.

MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX, K.C.M.G.) TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN CONNECTION WITH

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

ESTIMATES FOR 1889.

The Governor has directed to be laid on the table for the consideration of the Legislative Council the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1889.

REVENUE.

With the taxation remaining as at present the Estimate of Ordinary Revenue would have been $1,740,818, or an increase of $303,148 as compared with the estimated, and of some $253,000 as compared with what will probably be the actual, Revenue of 1888, provision requiring to be made for the largely enhanced price obtained for the new Opium Farm Contract, which will affect nine months of the coming year, and also for substantial improvement in various other items, due principally to the rapidly growing population and increasing prosperity of the Colony, and also in part, as regards Assessed taxes, to more careful rating and better collection.

It will however be observed that the actual amount appearing as the estimate of Revenue is $1,737,718, the difference being produced as follows:-Deduction has been made, for reasons given below (i) of $1,100, the amount of tax now received annually from the crews (other than the headmen) of cargo-boats; and (ii) of $47,000 for re- ductions in the assessed rates; while addition has been required of a sum of $45,000, the estimated product of the additional shipping-rate to be levied for the cost of the Gap Rock Light-house.

As regards Extraordinary Receipts-chiefly derived from premiums on the sales of land-which as representing capital are rightly excluded from the accounts of Ordinary Revenue, the amount to be expected will largely depend on (i) the result of the strong representations which have been made by the Governor with the view to the removal of the Military restrictions on the sale of the sites above the Kennedy Road, and (ii) on the approval by Her Majesty's Government of the project, about to be submitted, for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office Reserves. Allow- ing however for this item $150,000 a sum likely to be realised under any circumstances, the total receipts of the year would amount to $1,887,718.

EXPENDITURE.

The Ordinary Expenditure is estimated at $1,394,665 or an increase of $62,472 as compared with that for 1888. The apparent increase in Departmental expenses of $91,808 is due, as regards $35,474, to votes for Scavenging and for the Lock Hospital, which have hitherto appeared under the head of Miscellaneous services, and are now transferred to the Sanitary and Medical Department respectively. The real increase under this head, $56,334 (principally due to the needs of the increasing population,) will be as usual explained in detail before the Finance Committee. Some of the principal items however deserve special notice.

Surveyor General.

The net increase of the votes for the establishment of this Department amounts in the aggregate to $16,708. The recommendations which involve this increase have been made only after careful consideration and consultation with Mr. PRICE, the Surveyor General, who, it may be remarked, will himself probably derive no benefit from them, as to the Governor's deep regret, the Colony is about to suffer the loss of his most valuable services, he having applied to retire on the ground of ill health.

The duties connected with the Public Works of Hongkong appear to be especially prejudicial to the health of the Officers. The occasions are rare during the hot season when several of the staff are not incapacitated by illness. During the last month no less than nine Officers at one time were unfit for duty, and many works are thereby unduly retarded. As one instance out of many, the Estimates for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office property have, owing to this cause, been delayed for several months; and it has therefore been impossible to submit to Her Majesty's Government the scheme for this long-delayed and supremely important improvement, which, the Governor is most glad to announce, received early in the year the concurrence of the local authorities, Civil, Naval and Military, (the question however of the proportion of the cost to be paid respectively by the Local and Imperial Governments remaining yet to be settled):

1

The staff as increased by these recommendations will, in the opinion of the Governor, be not more than sufficient for the work which will, under any circumstances, be required in the coming years. A still further, though temporary, addition to the strength of the Department will be required, if there should be an immediate commencement of all the Public Works to which reference is made below.

Police.

The increase of $10,684 in the votes for this Department is principally to supply an addition to the numbers of the Force, required to meet the growth of the population. Gaols.

The additions to salaries in this Department are chiefly for the purpose of bringing about a very necessary improvement in the staff, the remuneration hitherto given having rarely proved sufficient to be a permanent attraction to good Officers. The increase to the salary of the Superintendent, the Governor has felt compelled to recommend for reasons which will be explained in Finance Committee.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURE.

With Ordinary Revenue estimated at $1,737,718, and Ordinary Expenditure at $1,394,665, there is thus a balance of $343,053. Certain recommendations which the Governor intends to make to the Secretary of State, but which cannot be introduced into the Estimates without previous sanction, may possibly reduce this balance by a sum certainly not exceeding $60,000 leaving $283,053. Adding to this $150,000 which has been stated as likely under any circumstances to be realised from land-premiums, and $445,000 the probable balance in the Treasury at the end of the present year, there results a total of $878,053 available for the cost of Public Works and to meet unforeseen contingencies.

The Extraordinary Public Works specified in the List accompanying the Estimates are all of them urgently needed. The necessity for their being immediately undertaken no doubt differs in degree; but with the funds available, none of them, in the opinion of the Governor, can be commenced too soon. It will be seen that the utmost sum which is estimated as likely to be capable of being profitably expended on them during the coming year is $637,626. This amount can be readily afforded. For apart from the steady advance which is being shown in all the important items of Revenue, there will almost certainly be in 1890 a still larger surplus of Ordinary Revenue than in 1889, owing to the fact that the New Opium contract will be in force during the whole twelve, instead of only nine, months; while if, as there is reason to hope, the proposed works in connexion with the junction of the East and West Prayas should be, before that time, in progress, there would probably be largely increased receipts from Land-premiums, owing to the impetus which would thereby be given to building in the Eastern district of Victoria.

As regards most of these works, the mere mention of them by name is sufficient to suggest their necessity to residents of Hongkong. One of them, however, the Separate System of Drainage which happens to be the most costly, may possibly require further explanation.

The report of Mr. COOPER, the Sanitary Surveyor, on this subject fully supported as it is by the valuable opinion and judgment of the Surveyor General, has however produced in the Governor as complete a conviction of the necessity of the work as can be justly entertained by one who is not an expert; and he is of opinion that if the view of our local Engineers should be approved by the eminent professional authorities in England, to whom the question will be referred, this Government would assume a very grave responsibility if it failed to make the earliest practicable commencement of the works proposed.

Besides the Public Works appearing on the List there are (i) some equally required which cannot be commenced at once, such as a New Harbour Office, which requires to be placed on the proposed Reclamation, and New Supreme Court Buildings, Post Office, and Registrar General's Office, all of which it is proposed to include with the other Government Offices in one large building to be erected on the site of the present North Barracks, and on the reclamation in front of it (the whole cost of these however being likely to be recouped by the sale of the sites of the present buildings); and (ii) others which, it may be hoped, will be commenced in the coming year; viz.:-

Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office

Reserves roughly estimated to cost,

Government portion of Reclamation in front of the Town of Victoria, Reclamations in Kowloon, (first instalment),

$400,000 ,,363,000 30,000

Total,

""

$793,000

These however being all works, not merely remunerative as are some of the others, but such as will very quickly repay the whole of their cost with, in the case of the Re- clamations, a large profit in addition, the Governor is of opinion that there can be no reasonable objection to the provision of the required funds by loan, unless, as is by no means impossible, that course should prove unnecessary.

As regards borrowing funds for works which will benefit future generations as well as the present, especially such works as are of a remunerative character, the Governor believes that if the true position of this Colony were more fully known all reasonable objections against such a policy would be removed, and the interest required would moreover be reduced below the 4 per cent. which is the rate paid in respect of the last Loan. Considering the extremely small indebtedness of Hongkong with reference even to its immediately realisable assets, the Governor is decidedly of opinion that if there were necessity for borrowing a sum many times larger than is at all to be required, there could scarcely be offered more complete security for it.

For though the area of the Colony is small, its Crown lands are of an exceptional value, and a value which is morally certain to increase pari passu with the rapid growth of the population.

Without attaching undue weight to the many recent sales of land at distances of 1 to 2 miles from the town of Victoria at prices varying from 20 cents to 40 cents a square foot, or to the recent valuation (believed to be more than justified by existing market prices) of the reclamation about to be undertaken in front of the Praya at ($7,910,821, or including that in front of the Government property at) $9,714,777 it nay in any case be fairly considered that these figures throw a useful light on the prospect of the future, if the Colony, as there is every reason to suppose it will, should continue to prove an attraction to the people of the neighbouring Empire.

In the absence of calamity impossible to foresee and on the presumption that the Government is wise enough to maintain the present freedom of trade, there can be no moral doubt that the 20,000 acres of unsold land in the Colony (most of which is as suitable, or not more unsuitable for building than was originally that which is now covered with houses) will eventually realise an enormous sum. Indeed at this moment, if the necessity were to arise for changing the present policy of selling without the condition of immediate building, and of thus abandoning to speculators the profit that will otherwise be reaped by the community, there would be little difficulty of obtaining from sales within a few weeks an aggregate sum equal to several times the amount of the annual Revenue of the Colony.

But besides the land, the Colony has a most valuable asset in its two magnificent systems of water works, which unlike similar works elsewhere have been entirely paid for out of income. These could readily be sold for more than their cost viz.: a quarter of a million Sterling, while the rent-charges on land already sold, would, if capitalised, produce about half a million more. When it is further considered that there is an entire absence of import-duty in connection with the trade of a port, which in respect of the tonnage of its shipping is certainly the 4th, if not the 3rd, in the world, there seems no reason why the credit of the Colony should not be at least as high as that of the Corpo- rations and Companies which borrow at 3 and it is with a view to assist towards that end that the Governor has made this special reference to the subject.

о

There would, however, be a difficulty about obtaining on the most favourable terms a loan which would be repaid in four or five years, short periods not being at all in favour with investors. Some of the funds might indeed be re-invested, as they were recouped, in a road and tramway round the island at the edge of the water-a work which ought in any case to be commenced at no distant date-but even in that case, the expenditure would with equal quickness be returned from the development which would thereby be hastened of the resources of the island.

For this reason it would probably be advantageous that an arrangement should be made by which the bonds for any Loan that may prove to be required should not be issued to the public, unless the necessity for doing so actually arose, but should be deposited as security for temporary advances. By such a plan, if permitted by Her Majesty's Government, it appears to the Governor that the funds might be obtained at the Bank rate of interest; and it would have this further advantage to set against the possibility of a temporary rise of the Bank rate that it would obviate the necessity of borrowing more than was actually required at the moment. There may, as stated above, be no necessity to borrow at all, as the effective expenditure of the large surplus depends on uncertain conditions, and may not for various reasons prove practicable. In any case, the amount required on Loan cannot be estimated at the present moment.

On the supposition that the highly remunerative works referred to above will be carried out by means of a Loan, it would have been quite possible to provide from the balance of ordinary Revenue and Land-premiums for the commencement, and for a con- siderable part of the construction, of another important work which must probably be very soon undertaken, viz., a New Gaol of sufficient size for the confinement of all the convicts on the separate system. This work will be a very costly one, the estimate for it being $420,000, or deducting $50,000, the sum likely to be realised from such portion of the present site as can be sold, $370,000. It is, however, one which is absolutely required if the present system is to be maintained under which there are always in con- finement and supported at the cost of the Colony, some three or four hundred aliens who have come here to practice their misdeeds from the neighbouring Empire. The Governor, indeed, believes that under the very exceptional conditions which present themselves here, there would be very fully justified a change substituting short and sharp punishments, followed by banishment, for long periods of imprisonment; in which ease the number of prisoners would be so much reduced as to admit of the exclusive use of the Separate System in the present Gaol. But if, as is probable in the existing state of public opinion in England, Her Majesty's Government should be unable to sanction such a change, the provision of a new and much larger Gaol, would probably be an inevitable necessity. During the coming year the Governor intends to make strong representations on this subject; and meanwhile more time will be given to watch the effect of the severer discipline recently enforced, which has already much reduced the number of prisoners. And under any circumstances the building could not be under- taken at once without postponing a considerable number of the other proposed Works. For the Governor is advised that there will be much difficulty in obtaining the requisite number of sufficiently skilled native artisans even for the works on the list, and that it would on this account be impossible to provide for them and the new Gaol in addition.

It has been mentioned above that the balance of Ordinary Revenue cannot be es- timated with exactness owing to uncertainty as to the issue of certain recommendations which the Governor is about to make to the Secretary of State. The great rise which has taken place in recent years in the cost of living, especially in the matter of rent, demands in the Governor's opinion some consideration for the Government Officers. Those who have been appointed recently, even though as compared with their prede- cessors they may be required to do more work for emolument which is practically less, have comparatively little cause for complaint. There is however real hardship in the case of those appointed before the rise in question took place, especially those with small salaries. Some special relief also seems to be required in the case of officers appointed from England in consequence of the great fall in exchange. For their ability to make provision for the future of themselves and their families has been thereby largely decreased; and it seems right that as regards some proportion of their salaries, the difference between the rate of exchange at the time of the receipt of salary and that which prevailed at the date of their appointment should be made up to them. If this subject should be discussed in Finance Committee the Governor does not doubt that the Secretary of State would give due weight to the views expressed.

Another of the recommendations referred to is, with respect to the cost of the Gap Rock Light-house. It had been originally intended that this charge should be met by a special tax on the shipping of 1 cent per ton; and as the decision of the Government on this point was with the unanimous support of the un-official members of Council, communicated to the Secretary of State and approved by him, the probable return of such a tax, viz., $45,000 appears in the estimates of Revenue. But since the above decision was arrived at early in the year, the financial prospect has much improved; and as it is a fact clearly recognised by competent opinion, that taxes on trade affect it injuriously to an extent which is by no means measured by the amount of Revenue produced, it appears to the Governor specially desirable to render such an impost as light as practicable in a Colony to which its Commerce is of such paramount importance. For this reason the Governor will recommend to the Secretary of State that the special vote for this Light-house shall be a cent instead of 1 cent per ton. By this means the burthen will be distributed over a longer period; and it is probable that in the course of a year or two the condition of the Revenue may warrant the complete relief from it which at the present moment would be imprudent. Should this proposal be approved by the Council and receive the sanction of the Secretary of State, a sum of $30,000 will require to be deducted from the total estimate of Revenue; the balance of Revenue over expenditure being also reduced by a like amount.

As regards other remissions of taxation, the abolition of the licence for cargo- boatmen scarcely needs explanation. As the number of licences was unlimited. no advantage was obtained from the tax, and such an impost on mere unskilled labourers

could therefore receive a slight justification only from the fact that the licence was useful for Police purposes.

But as identification was impossible without photographs, to obtain which in the cases of some 4,000 people has been found impracticable, all reason for the tax completely fails.

The other and more important remission, for which allowance is made in the Estimates, consists of a reduction of one-and-a-half per cent. in the assessed rates-a remission which is over eleven-and-a-half per cent. of the whole of the rates paid in the town of Victoria and of course forms a much larger proportion of the lower rates paid in the country districts. The Governor had hoped to be able to propose a still larger reduction of this tax; but owing to an uncertainty which will probably come to an end in the course of a few months, and which he will then be able to explain, he is unable to do so at present lest he should thereby repeat the mistake of some years ago by taking a step which may shortly have to be retraced. The reduction actually proposed however is a substantial relief, and it is hoped that it may prove practicable to make a further reduction at no very distant date.

Another point requires notice. The present favourable condition of the finances appears to afford a fitting opportunity for drawing attention to the Imperial Institute- an object which in the Governor's opinion is well deserving of a contribution from this Colony. As Hongkong is almost entirely dependent on Commerce, and has little or no manufacturing or agricultural industry which would derive benefit from a more ex- tended knowledge of its products in England, the objection to taking part in a mere Exhibition is intelligible, and not without force. But the addition to the original project of a plan for a Commercial Museum seems in itself not only to justify, but to render most desirable, some substantial support to the Institution on the part of this Colony. The Governor understands that the excellent Museums of this kind which have been established in Germany have been a very appreciable factor in the remarkable commer- cial progress which has been made by that country in recent years; and it seems evident that a collection which is kept continually supplied with samples of the goods actually required by, or likely to prove attractive to, the peoples of all countries, cannot but be of great advantage to a community which, relatively to its numbers, possesses a commerce not only not equalled but probably not approached in magnitude by any other in the world. The Governor is therefore of opinion that without appealing to British senti- ment or to Imperial sentiment or indeed to any sentiment at all, the taking of some share in the Institute by this Colony may be advocated on purely "business" grounds; and apart from this consideration he believes that it would hereafter become for various reasons a subject of regret if Hongkong should persist in standing aloof from a Great Institution which has been deemed worthy of the support of all the rest of the Empire.

Though holding these views, the Governor does not feel that he would be justified in giving to them practical effect by placing a vote for the purpose on the Estimates without the unanimous, or almost unanimous, approval of the Legislative Council; and he refers to the subject here in order that it may receive consideration in Finance. Committee.

In conclusion the Governor indulges the hope that whether his opinions as above expressed meet with the concurrence of the Council or not, the Members will at least agree with him that the financial condition and prospects of the Colony, as revealed by the above survey, may be regarded as a subject of very justifiable congratulation.

The Governor has in this message confined himself entirely to questions of finance. He proposes, in another to pass briefly in review the principal events of the year about to close, and also as regards the coming year to mention the various subjects which demand attention, giving at the same time some general indications of the measures which he hopes to be able to submit to the consideration of the Council.

By Command,

Government House, Hongkong, 17th October, 1888.

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

··

HONGKONG.

PRAYA RECLAMATION SCHEME.

(1.)

(Mr. Chater to Acting Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 13th July, 1887.

.

SIR,

I have the honour to submit to His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government a project for the reclamation of the foreshore extending from the Gas Works near West Point to the Swimming Bath at Government Wharf.

It is generally recognized by those who are professionally competent to judge, including the Surveyor General of the Colony, that the silting up of the entire foreshore of the City of Victoria, due to a great extent to natural and unavoidable causes, is going on upon a scale so extensive as to make it impossible to prevent or even partially arrest the evil by the employment of steam dredgers, and that, therefore, the only alternative left to the Colony is to convert into healthy dry land the belt of noxious black mud foreshore which at present poisons the whole of the neighbourhood with its pestilential exhalations during the hours of low tide.

His Excellency General CAMERON, who, since his assumption of the Government, has manifested so keen an interest in the initiation of sanitary measures, will not fail to appreciate the enormous benefit to the Public Health which would accrue from the removal of so grave a danger to the Community as that presented by the actual condition of our Praya foreshore.

But this project of proposed new reclamations will recommend itself to His Excellency's approval on grounds equally important, i.e., the increased room which it will throw open for new buildings and dwelling houses, and the consequent relief that it will afford to the present overcrowded condition of the City in the very centres where that overcrowding exists.

The project aims at pushing out into deep water the entire Marine frontage of the City of Victoria, at present left for the most part high and dry at low tide, and by placing the new Praya Wall 250 feet, on an average, outside of the present Praya, thus securing an average depth of twenty feet of water along the sea-wall even during the lowest tides, and thereby giving ships of fairly deep draught access to the proposed new quays along their whole extent. I have now had for some years considerable practical experience of sea reclamations in Hongkong, having been instrumental in the carrying out of large works of this kind in equally deep water at Kowloon, Shektongtsui, and Kennedytown, and my opinion that the present project may be realized without any engineering difficulty is fully confirmed by the Surveyor General, whom I have professionally consulted.

A work of the magnitude here suggested may perhaps at a first glance be deemed far too ambitious, and His Exceller y may consider it too costly for the resources of the Colony, but the chief featu of the scheme is that, while benefiting the Government and the community at lar, it may be effected without involving the expenditure of one single dollar of public funds, unless the Government desires to participate also in the reclamations in respect of such of its own properties as are situated along the Praya, and for which I estimate it may obtain at auction sale a net profit of no less than $1,500,000 after paying all expenses attendant on the work of reclamation.

In Hongkong, land has now attained such high values, in consequence of the increased prosperity of the Colony and the influx of population, that it is found remunerative even to reclaim sites from the sea at great expense to the owner.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

(2)

I estimate that the average cost of the reclamations will in no case exceed two dollars a square foot when all expenses are paid, while not a square foot of the new land will sell for less than four dollars a square foot, and by far the larger proportion will realize from twelve to fifteen dollars a square foot. I am sanguine, therefore, that if the Government were to lease to the Marine Lot-owners the areas which they would be able to reclaim under the present project, they, or the majority of them, would be willing to come forward, and by carrying out the work at their sole expense, achieve free of cost to the public, the greatest sanitary improve- ment of which the Colony has ever stood in need.

To secure the co-operation of the Marine Lot-owners, however, in a great health reform like this, it would be necessary that the Government should, con- sistently with its practice in all previous cases of sea reclamation by private enterprise, not surcharge the new land to be made with any premium. To levy a premium on ground made artificially by them at so heavy a personal cost, would be to deprive the Marine Lot-owners of the fruit of their labours, and might throw cold water on a project from which so much good is to be anticipated to the whole community.

His Excellency the Acting Governor will, moreover, recognize that in surren- dering to Government a large proportion of their reclamations, for the purposes of roads and streets for the general use of the public, the Lot-owners would be pay- ing more than the equivalent of a fair premium. But the Government would not remain pecuniarily unbenefited from the labours of the Marine Lot-owners, for the yearly Crown Rent of an area so large as to extend from the Gas Works to the Cricket Ground, would amount to a very large sum, and in addition, the rates and taxes to be derived from the buildings that would soon cover this great expense of new land would create a still larger annual revenue. Viewed financially, therefore, the reclamations would be no less beneficial to the Public Treasury than they would be from a sanitary standpoint to the community generally, and it is this combination of advantages to the Government, to the Public, and to the Marine Lot-owners, which convinces me that the project must compel His Excellency's hearty approval.

I will only add that, in the event of these proposals meeting with a favourable reception from the Acting Governor, I would be happy to give any further expla- nations that may be required on the details of the project, or to assist in furthering it by placing myself in communication with the Marine Lot-owners interested, and obtaining their co-operation on the terms which I have here set forth.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

C. P. CHATER.

(2.)

(Surveyor General's Report.)

1. I have carefully considered Mr. CHATER'S scheme, and have prepared a plan of it to accompany this report, shewing tinted red those reclamations which would devolve on the Marine Lot-owners and tinted yellow those which would devolve on the Government. From the first I have thought Mr. CHATER'S project deserving of favourable consideration, for it holds out, as he observes, advantages to the Government, to the Marine Lot-owners, and to the Colony generally.

ל

!

(3)

,

2. Under this scheme I see the Government stands to realize a clear profit of over one and a half million dollars from premiums to be derived by the sale of the areas tinted yellow to be reclaimed in front of:-

(i.) The Cricket Ground.

(ii.) The City Hall. (iii.) The Central Market.

(iv.) The area opposite Lot 63.

(v.) The Harbour Master's Office.

All these are the property of the Crown, and this is the reason why the reclama- tion of the sea along their fronts would devolve on the Government, and why the land thus artificially made would become the exclusive property of the Crown.

3. Besides the one and a half million dollars from premiums, the public Rent- Roll will further benefit to the extent of $25,000 a year from the Crown Rents to be collected on the 32 acres of new building-sites.

4. The reclaimed land will be so valuable that it will not remain long vacant. Covered with buildings it will bring in to Government an additional $60,000 in Municipal Rates making the total annual revenue to Government from the reclama- tion $85,000.

5. Briefly summed up, the financial advantages to Government from the re- clamations will be: land to the value of $1,575,000, and a revenue of $85,000 a year in Crown Rents and Rates derivable from private reclamations. There will be some additional advantages in the formation of further sites outside the town. These are dealt with in paragraph 22.

6. The population generally will benefit by the very large areas of new building-land which it is proposed to throw open for the erection of houses in the very centres where overcrowding prevails. This to my mind is even a more im- portant recommendation than the financial advantages set forth in the preceding paragraph, for nothing can take precedence of the claims of the Public Health.

7. The relief to the present congestion would be very great. The proposed reclamations comprise 59 acres. Of this area. I would recommend that 27 acres be reserved for new roads and streets leaving 32 acres of building land. 32 acres will accommodate 1,320 tenements with house-room for 39,000 people or will pro- vide roughly speaking for 5 years' influx of people.

8. A new sea-wall along deep water will furthermore remedy the present offensive condition of the foreshore. The present Praya foreshore is in a worse /condition than the Thames before the embankment between Westminster and the

City was built.

9. With increased population there will of course be increased traffic. The present Praya roadway is already too narrow; the pedestrian is scarcely able to proceed along this thoroughfare without being impeded and jostled by the crowd at every step, but this scheme will enable the width of the leading thoroughfares to be increased and adapted to future demands.

10. To a great shipping emporium like Hongkong a continuous granite quay running continuously for two miles in 20 feet of water will prove the greatest of boons, because it will facilitate the landing and embarking of cargo at all times of tide and at all points along the line. At present the transfer of cargo to and from the lighters is much hindered during the hours of low tide by the shallowness of

the water.

11. The Marine frontagers would benefit by the mere fact that they would acquire extensions to their present lots at something between $2 and $3 a square foot, i.e., the cost of their reclamation, and because they would be able to command for these same extensions prices varying from $4 to $10 a square foot.

12. As far as any one can hazard an opinion without a previous detailed estimate of the cost of the foundations (which would depend on the nature of the sea-bed) I should say this reclamation would be feasible at an outlay of about $2 to $3 per square foot of land left available for building after deducting the areas necessary for new streets.

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13. The scheme does not present any serious engineering difficulty. The design of the proposed new breast-wall may be the same as that adopted in 1877 * when the Praya was re-built. Pierre-perdue foundations may be used provided the blocks on the outer slope average at least a yard cube. This form of founda- tion would be inadmissible if the work were exposed to the impact of ocean waves, but the harbour of Victoria is land-locked, and in the absence of any offing or reach of sea, there is no undue exposure to high waves capable of clawing down the rubble mound. An embankment-wall on pierre-perdue foundation that in England might be classed as a better sort of river-wall, may, as far as I am able to judge at the moment, be ventured on, but this point will require careful investigation. It is an important point, for the adoption of the expensive form of ordinary founda- tions for sea-walls exposed to the ocean, i.e., piles with concrete in mass, or con- crete in blocks lowered into place would so seriously add to the cost as to dis- courage the Marine Lot-owners from embarking in the scheme.

14. In 1865 this Government built a short section of 900 feet of Praya wall in the vicinity of Wing Lok Street, and founded the masonry in 20 feet of water on a pierre-perdue mound. This wall has stood over 20 years, without so far indi- cating any sign of weakness. Settlements there have been as was to be expected, but the coping was raised and the level has always been maintained. This wall withstood the great typhoon of 1874, and was one of the few sections that showed no injury to the foundations, and it may be accepted therefore as practically de- monstrated that the storm-waves in the harbour of Victoria have not the force to undermine the pierre-perdue substructure if built to an adequate slope with large blocks. An additional circumstance favourable to pierre-perdue foundations is the fact that the sea-bed is silting up by reason of the great quantities of detritus washed down every year, (during the tropical storms of summer) from the moun- tain range behind the town, and that there are no tidal currents in the harbour likely to be induced by the change of coast line or likely to scour out the sea-bed.

15. The Lot-owners expressed wish to be allowed to carry out the reclamation themselves through their own Engineers cannot be entertained. The Government must insist on the work being executed by its own Engineers for the reason that the subsequent maintenance of the structure will remain as a permanent charge on the Government and not on the Marine Lot-owners. It is the Government there- fore that is most interested in securing a degree of stability that will preclude any later recurring outlay in maintenance.

16. The great business activity of the port, and the yearly increasing shore- traffic require that a wide marine roadway should be made. I would stipulate for nothing less than 75 feet of width, but of these 75 feet I would allow the owners of frontage to utilize 10 feet with their verandahs and arcades over the public foot-path (ie. Government land) leaving 65 feet for vehicular and chair traffic and. for the landing and embarking of cargo.

17. The proposed City tramways could not be conveniently built along the proposed new embankment, for the cars would have to run athwart an incessant cross traffic between the lighters and the warehouses. The tramways would be far better placed along the present Praya which would become an inland thorough- fare. To admit of double-lines of tramway without danger of inconvenience to the public a minimum width should also be stipulated for in respect of this thorough- fare. I would insist on a width of 75 feet again allowing the frontagers on both sides 10 feet for their verandahs and arcades over the public footpath, and leaving 55 feet from kerb to kerb for the tramways and carriage traffic.

18. A glance at the map will show that the proposed new reclamations will form nothing less than a new town, and the repetition in this new town of the narrow lanes that disfigure the old town should be carefully avoided. We want wide streets for light and ventilation and to prevent the spread of fires. Wide streets are all the more a necessity to us, that there is a tendency now among builders, owing to the increased value of ground, to add to the height of houses, and it is certain that four and five storied houses will become the rule. In laying out new streets these eventualities should be considered. Taller houses and in- creased traffic demand that no main artery of traffic be less than 75 feet wide and no cross street of any importance less than 40 feet wide.

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19. The length of the proposed sea-wall will be 3,400 yards or nearly 2 miles. Of this length the frontagers will have to pay for 2,800 yards and the Government 600 yards. These 600 yards represent the frontage of the Crown lots tinted yellow. I am informed that if the Government would not care to go to the expense of em- banking the 600 yards the Lot-owners themselves would be glad to relieve the Colonial Treasury of this charge on condition of their keeping the land reclaimed. Such a relinquishment of its own rights, however on the part of the Government, would be equivalent to making the frontagers a present of no less a sum than one and a half million dollars.

20. Mr. CHATER who has gone very minutely into the matter calculates the cost of the sea-wall, including sewer extensions and all contingent masonry-work at $300 per yard lineal of sea-frontage. My own opinion is that the cost will be more like $360 per yard lineal, and at this higher figure, I estimate the 600 yards of wall would cost the Government $216,000. From this I deduct $50,000 for the stone available from the present old wall, reducing the Government outlay on masonry works to about $166,000.

21. With regard to the cost of filling in behind the 600 yards of wall for the formation of the five sites shewn tinted yellow on the map, and which comprise an aggregate area of 300,000 square feet I am of opinion that it will not exceed $179,000, or say in round numbers $180,000 making a total Government outlay on works of $346,000.

22. A light railway may be laid along the Praya from the Sulphur Channel to the Gas-works, at which point the new reclamation begins. The Kennedytown cliffs and steep hillsides fronting the Sulphur Channel may be excavated down and the material (red loam) used for the filling in, the cliff excavations along Sulphur Channel being so conducted and finished off as to leave level building sites for auction sale on the completion of the works. In this way I calculate that an area of 300,000 square feet of hillside may be excavated down and levelled at Kennedy- town and left available for auction sale after the reclamation works are finished. The sale of these additional 300,000 square feet of levelled sites would at $1 a square foot yield the Government another $300,000 in premiums and $7,200 a year in Crown Rent, and to the latter figure may be added subsequently about $10,000 more for rates and taxes on buildings. The total profits to the Colonial Treasury from Kennedytown excavations will be therefore as follows: proceeds from land sales $300,000, and subsequent yearly revenue $17,200. These profits are of course additional to those set forth in paragraph 5.

23. It should be made clear to the promoters of this scheme that although the Government will carry out the works, the cost of administration, of railway, plant and rolling-stock, machinery, and all contingent expenses must be borne by them and the Government respectively in the relative proportions of the areas which it will fall to each to reclaim, and that any stone and old building materials available from the present wall will be retained for itself by the Government and utilized on those sections of the proposed new wall which the Government will build on its own account. This arrangement is only fair, since it was the general rate- payers who paid for the old stone and who are therefore entitled to the benefit of it in the new works.

24. In this Colony extensions to marine lots have always been allowed by reclamation from the sea provided the lot-owner carried out his reclamation in accordance with plans approved by the Government. No premium has ever been charged for such extensions. The Government has always contented itself with the increased Crown Rent corresponding to the area reclaimed. Sir HERCULES ROBINSON and Sir JOHN BOWRING dispensed with money premiums, and deemed it best to satisfy themselves with the yearly Crown Rents. The largest reclamations were made during the administration of these two Governors, and their policy seems to have been adhered to and continued by their successors.

25. But though premium may have been dispensed with in money, it has in reality always been claimed in land as an equivalent of money, and the frontagers have been permitted to make sea reclamations only on condition of their surrender- ing to Government a portion of these for public use in the shape of roads and streets.

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26. It is to this precedent doubtless that Mr. CHATER alludes when he pleads an exemption from money premium. Mr. CHATER says in his letter he fears this charge might throw cold water on his project and frustrate its realization.

27. As the total area of sea proposed to be converted into land is 59 acres and as only 32 acres will be kept for building on, and the remaining 27 be given up to Government for roads and streets, it will be seen that already the Govern- ment takes largely from the lot-owners in land in lieu of money, and if past Gov- ernments in order to encourage and promote the creation of new building sites for the growing city, have deemed it politic to levy no premium on sea reclamations. I think the same policy should with greater reason be observed now, for never were inducements for the creation of fresh building land more required than at the pre- sent moment. The City which is hemmed in by an almost perpendicular wall of mountain at the back and by the sea along the front has already become danger- ously congested, and finds itself in the direst need of room for expansion. For this reason, any and every reclamation scheme that will give more room should be welcome to Government.

28. Touching the question of annual Crown Rents leviable on the proposed new sea lots: it is necessary to explain that the present marine lots along the Praya having been sold at different periods, there is no uniformity of rate in the rents which have been charged. Sites sold in the earliest times of the Colony when land was a drug still pay the miserably small rent of former days. As the island became more populated and some demand for building ground along the sea-board arose, rents were raised, and continued to be raised at each successive auction sale of land. We see therefore the greatest disparity in the rates of Crown Rent paid by different lots, some paying four times as much as others. I do not think this disparity should be continued in the proposed new sea lots. I am of opinion these should pay one uniform rate of rent along the entire line of shore. I would rate them all at the maximum, i.e., $200 per quarter acre per annum. This will make an aggregate Rent-Roll of $25,000.

29. As inland lot leases in this town are, generally speaking, not so valuable as marine leaseholds, it is not impossible the promoters of this reclamation scheme may upon its completion, appeal to Government to transfer their present Praya lots to the category of inland lots with reduced annual Crown Rent.

If such an appeal were made there would be but one reply and that in the negative, for the depreciation of the lots situated along what is now the sea (if any depreciation occurred at all) would be due to the deliberate act of the lot-owners themselves in having interposed new land between their present frontages and the harbour. It will be better to stipulate beforehand therefore that no request of the kind, if made, will be granted. But so far from being depreciated my own conviction is that the present value of the inner row of lots will be maintained if not enhanced by the proposed new reclamations for if the scheme is realized the inner road (at present the Praya) will front a great and important main avenue of noble width, nearly as wide as Regent Street in London with double tram-lines and enormous business traffic. Indeed I am disposed to view this proposed new inland avenue as a more important thoroughfare for shops and business premises than the proposed new marine embankment itself, and to estimate the value of frontages on the avenue at the same, if not a larger figure than the future Praya frontages.

30. Last but not least comes the important provision that must be made by Government for securing that the 32 acres of reclamation shall be built upon subject only to such sanitary regulations as may be laid down or to such lease conditions as the Government shall dictate. If left to themselves the native landlords will speedily cover the embanked lands with fever dens of the usual Hongkong type. It will be deemed a great hardship if the Government insists on light and ventilation, or on 15 foot back yards, and such other requirements as will fit the proposed new tenements for human habitation. But on this point the Colonial Government will, I apprehend, be as firm as a rock.

31. Mr. CHATER'S scheme does not extend further east than the Central Dis- trict of Victoria. He stops short at Murray Pier because Murray Pier is the boundary line of the Naval and Military premises, and because, obviously, it is no use considering reclamations in the Eastern town, as long as the Eastern town remains cut off from the larger and far more important Western town by the absence of any Praya Embankment.

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32. The continuation of the Praya along the foreshore in front of the Naval Yard and Military Cantonments has been attempted by every Governor since the days of Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL. Each Governor has failed and these failures are deplored in the Colony as public calamities. It is felt that a great and populous city like Victoria should not continue to be subjected year after year to such a grievous hindrance to its progress and prosperity as arises from the inability of the Imperial Departments in London to make any concession to the Colony in the matter of this Praya junction.

33. The connexion of Eastern and Western Victoria by a marine embankment has, however, with each successive year become a matter of so much greater im- portance to the commercial prosperity of the Colony and not only to its prosperity but to the health of its people, that it is to be hoped Her Majesty's Govern- ment will not remain much longer inactive in the matter. Our present over- crowding, if it continues, must eventually culminate in some terrible epidemic that will move all England. We must find more building room for the population or else shut out the yearly influx from China. The people cannot be driven to build in the Eastern town for it is severed from the Western Districts where mostly lie the avocations of the trader and the work of the labourer, and where the ship- ping are anchored, but if the Eastern town could be joined by a marine embank- ment to the Western town and thus enable a tramway to be laid along the entire sea-board, the people might be induced to settle in the Eastern town by these faci- lities of communication, and the Government would thus be able to avert those dangers to the Public Health which are clearly looming in the distance.

34. It is well known that the War Office is in great want of further building room for barracks. The Praya junction project supplies this military want in the most complete manner by the formation of nine acres of immensely valuable build- ing land. The value of these nine acres of reclamation at current rates is $1,368,160. The War Office will not contribute towards the building of the Praya junction or towards the reclamation, but at the same time the War Office has stated that it desires to keep all the land which the Colonial Government will reclaim at the cost of the local ratepayers. In other words the War Office contemplates receiving land to the extent of over one million and a half of dollars, but will not assist in any towards the realization of the work that is to benefit it to this extent. If the way War Office will not contribute its share of the cost of the Praya junction, then the least it might do, would be to let the Colony retain for auction sale as much of the land reclaimed as would at all events reimburse the cost of building the Praya embankment opposite the Cantonments.

35. The case is different with the Naval Authorities. The Lords of the Ad- miralty have said "the interposition of a Marine embankment between the Royal Naval Yard and the sea will detract from the efficiency of the Naval Establishments, and we are not therefore favourable to the scheme; under any circumstance we will not contribute anything towards its realization." This objection however has now been met on the part of the Colonial Government by offering to carry the marine embankment on a series of overhead arches along the Naval Yard frontage so that access to and from the beach would not be in any way obstructed. The proposition met with the approval of Sir WILLIAM DOWELL, when he was Com- mander-in-Chief in the China Station, and was I believe recommended by him to the Admiralty, but I am not sure that it was accepted by my Lords Commissioners. The attitude of indifference, if not disfavour, to the Praya junction scheme adopted by the Admiralty is however readily intelligible, for Naval interests will derive no marked financial benefit from the scheme, but what is not easy to understand is that the War Office should not have appreciated the advantage of co-operating in a scheme which enables it to become possessed of building land to the extent of nine acres fitted for barrack sites and bearing a market value of over a million and a half of dollars, a sum to be easily obtained should the Military Department ever wish to realize. I say nothing of the advantage to the Arsenal of deep water for the landing and embarking of military stores, or of the sanitary boon which the conversion of the present noxious mud foreshore along the Cantonments into a healthy sea-frontage would prove to the Garrison.

36. When the question of the Praya junction between Western and Eastern Victoria has been settled with the War Office, and communication established be- tween the two towns the larger question of sea-reclamations along the entire Eastern

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foreshore from the Arsenal to East Point may be profitably considered. In con- nexion with these proposed Eastern reclamations I submit herewith a plan by which it will be seen that 90 acres may be recovered from the sea, of which 56 acres may be made available for house building, the remaining 34 acres being left for roads and streets. The 56 acres of new reclamation would accommodate 2,240 tene- ments capable of housing 67,000 people. The Eastern reclamation must however be viewed as a second instalment of the Western scheme, and can only be embarked in, after the Colony has secured a connexion between the East and West by means of a Praya embankment along the Cantonments. It will be premature there. fore to discuss the Eastern scheme here.

37. The only question that now remains to be considered is how and to what extent will so much new building land thrown on the market, affect current lease- hold values in the City? The answer is obvious: it will not affect present house- property materially, if at all, for after all, Mr. CHATER'S project gives room only to 39,000 people. The present influx from China is at the rate of 8,000 persons a year, and as it would be five years before the houses were built and ready for occu- pation under Mr. CHATER'S scheme, the latter will not do more than give house- room to the influx that will have accumulated during the five years of construction. In other words, if Mr. CHATER'S project is realized by 1892, and that by that year 1,320 new tenements have been added to the present number of houses, those 1,320 new tenements will represent only the additional accommodation required for the 39,000 or 40,000 fresh arrivals which we must expect between 1888 and 1892. Therefore notwithstanding the reclamation with its 1,320 new dwellings we shall be in precisely the same plight that we are at the present moment. But what a worse plight shall we be in, if by 1892 we have not these 1,320 new dwellings wherein to house the 39,000 or 40,000 people that are to arrive between this and then! So long therefore as demand for house-room keeps ahead of the supply leasehold values will never be affected by reclamations, and who can tell that the stream of settlers that has set in from the mainland will stop at 8,000 arrivals per annum? When I first came to this Colony in 1873 the annual immigrants were computed at 1,500. Now they number 8,000 every year. May not this number grow before long to 10,000 or 12,000?

38. In conclusion I desire to state that the estimates of cost of reclamation and the appraisals of value of the lands to be reclaimed, though approximate, may be taken as erring if at all on the right side. I have deemed it prudent in this report to understate rather than over estimate the pecuniary advantages to Govern- ment resulting from this Reclamation Scheme. The exact costs can be given only after the completion of detailed estimates and final settlement of the designs of wall to be adopted.

18th July, 1887.

No. 1221.

(3.)

(Acting Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

J. M. PRICE.

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 11th August, 1887.

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SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th ultimo submitting a proposition to reclaim the foreshore from West Point to the Govern- ment Wharf, and offering your services with the marine lot-owners in order to obtain their co-operation in the project. In reply I am directed to inform you that the Governor in Council has had your letter under careful consideration and that in view of the congested state of the population of Victoria and the importance to the town of the large areas which you propose to throw open for building purposes,

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His Excellency is disposed to approve of the proposed reclamation, and I am to add that whilst the Government would prefer having this great scheme carried out in its entirety by the marine lot-holders themselves, in preference to undertaking the reclamation as a public work at its own risk, it would have no objection in the general interests of the Colony, should a minority refuse to join in the scheme, to exercise the rights of the Crown and to undertake the reclamation itself in con- junction with the consenting majority of the lot-owners.

His Excellency is therefore prepared to recommend the project strongly to the Secretary of State, subject to the conditions which follow:-

(i.) That the proposed reclamation, including the extension of streets and a new Praya roadway, be carried out in accordance with the general plan dated the 6th of August, 1887, which has received the approval of the Acting Governor and which may be seen on application to the Surveyor General.

(ii.) That the whole of the works, including the removal and re-erection of piers, and the extension, formation, sewering and channelling of the proposed new streets and new Praya wall and roadway, except on such portions of the foreshore as are situated in front of Government properties, be carried out by the Public Works Department at the cost of the marine lot-owners.

(iii.) That the Colonial Government shall not be called upon to incur any expense whatsoever in connexion with the proposed works, other than the wall and reclamation in front of Government properties.

(iv.) That the proposed works, except as aforesaid, be defrayed from a General Fund to be constituted by the marine lot-owners for the purpose, and that before the commencement of the works each marine lot-owner enter into a written contract with the Government binding himself to take up such allotment of the general reclamation as may be appor- tioned him by the Government, and that each marine lot-owner deposit at the Bank 25 per cent of the total value of the contribution to the General Fund by way of a guarantee of his bona fides, such deposit of 25 per cent to be forfeited to the Crown in the event of the marine lot-owner subsequently failing to take up his allotment of the reclamation. The interest accruing on these deposits to be handed over by Government to the marine lot-owners.

may

(v.) That during the progress of the works all calls of money for works that be made by the Government upon the marine lot-owners shall be duly honoured by the latter, provided that the amount of such calls does not exceed the value of the works actually done in their respective allotments.

(vi.) That immediately upon the completion of the reclamation of his allotment, including the construction of the extension of new streets and of the new Praya as aforesaid, each marine lot-owner take out a Crown lease for said allotments, paying an annual Crown Rent for the same at the rate of $200 per quarter acre.

(vii.) That no rebatement of annual Crown Rent shall be claimed by the marine lot-owners for their present holdings upon the issue to them of new marine lot leases for the reclamations, in consideration of which the Government undertakes not to levy any premium on the latter.

viii.) That any houses to be erected on the proposed reclamations shall be subject in respect of light, space, and ventilation to the following struc- tural provisions:-

(a.) No private lane on which the houses shall front to be of a

less width than 15 feet.

(b.) Every one-storied house to have a back-yard not less than 10 feet in width, and such width to be not less than 15 feet for houses of more than one story.

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(c.) Every habitable room in a house to have at least one window opening out into the external air, such windows to be of a size not less than one tenth of the floor area of the room.

(d.) Every human dwelling to be furnished with a suitable privy

placed in the back-yard.

(ix.) The Crown reserves to itself such portions of the reclamation as are required for the new streets and the new Praya, and the same, when constructed, shall remain the property of the Government.

(x.) That in the event of any marine lot-owner failing to take up his allot- ment, or to perform his contract or any portion thereof, in addition to the forfeiture of deposit as provided by the fourth condition, the con- tract shall be cancelled and all rights of the lot-holder thereunder shall cease and determine.

Subject to the foregoing provisions the Acting Governor would be prepared to meet the views and wishes of the marine lot-owners, and His Excellency will be happy to avail himself of your offer to act as an intermediary between them and the Government.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

FREDERICK STEWART, Acting Colonial Secretary.

&c.,

&c.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER,

&c.,

(4.)

(Mr. Chater's Circular to Lot- Owners.)

Mr. C. P. CHATER invites the Owners and the Attorneys or Agents of absent Owners of Marine Lots west of the Swimming Bath, to meet him in the City Hall, on Saturday, the 17th instant, at 2.30 P.M. for the purpose of considering and dis- cussing the Project for the Reclamation of the Foreshore extending from the Gas Works to the Swimming Bath submitted by him to the Government in his letter to the Acting Colonial Secretary of the 13th July, 1887, and approved of by the Government with certain conditions and limitations as set forth in the Acting Colonial Secretary's letter to Mr. CHATER of the 11th August last.

These letters were published in the local papers on Friday and Saturday, the 12th and 13th August, and copies of them and of this invitation have been posted to every Marine Lot-holder resident in the Colony, and to the Agent or Attorney of

every

absent Marine Lot-holder whose name and address could be ascertained. The Plan dated 6th August last, referred to in the Acting Colonial Secretary's letter is, from this date, on exhibition in the room of the Chamber of Commerce at the City Hall, and is open to the inspection of all persons interested:

It shows the minimum quantity of reclaimed land to which each Marine Lot- holder will be entitled under the scheme.

Mr. C. P. CHATER will be glad to receive on or before Saturday, the 10th instant, communications in writing from all persons interested, embodying :-

(a.) Objections to the scheme in whole or part.

(b.) Suggestions for its improvement or amendment in any direction. (e.) Pointing out any matters in connection therewith that stand in need

of explanation or development.

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Mr. CHATER invites these communications that, in his capacity as intermediary between the Government and the Lot-holders, and to enable him the better to serve both parties, he may have an opportunity before the Meeting on the 17th September, of submitting any proposed alterations or modifications to the Govern ment, and be in a better position at the Meeting to answer questions, and discuss the amendments that may be proposed.

Owners of Marine Lots and Attorneys or Agents of Owners who have not received the Circular letter and copy of the correspondence above referred to are earnestly requested to apply at once to Mr. C. P. CHATER, stating the numbers of the lots for which they are agents, when copies will be forwarded without delay.

Hongkong, 3rd September, 1887.

(5.)

(Mr. Chater to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 6th October, 1887.

SIR,

With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the Praya Re- clamation Project and in conformity with His Excellency the Acting Governor's desire that I should act in the capacity of intermediary or negociator between the Government and the Marine Lot-owners, I have the honour to inform you that I duly invited the Marine Lot-holders' views and opinions on the Government con- ditions, and that the only questions and objections that have so far reached me from them are contained in the documents which I now beg to forward for the information of the Government, and which are marked respectively A, B, C, D, E, and F.

By the enclosure marked A you will see that the Chinese portion of the Marine Lot-owners have held a meeting to consider the Government conditions and that they have passed a series of Resolutions embodying the whole of their objections.

To facilitate matters between all parties I venture to submit the following observations on the points raised in enclosure A in the belief that iny suggestions, if adopted, will secure the general adherence of the Lot-owners to the Project without after all entailing on the Government any very substantial sacrifice.

Resolution 1.-I would recommend that this be granted.

Resolution 2.--If the Government is not prepared to waive the preliminary deposit of 25 per cent that at all events the contractors first calls for payment on account of work exccuted be met from the preliminary deposits until the latter are exhausted, when calls can be made on the Lot-owners direct for the balances re- quired. The Lot-owners to receive 10 days' notice in the Government Gazette of each intended call.

Resolution 3.-The Marine Lot-owners appear not to have any objection to the inner road being of the width of 75 feet as they realize the necessity of having a broad street where it is proposed to have the tram-roads laid down, but I think it would be advisable if the Government modify their ideas about the width of the outer road so as to meet the views of the Marine Lot-owners, if not entirely, at least by a compromise, which certainly might be done without detracting from the beauty of the city, the value of the ground being naturally a matter of grave importance to the owners.

Resolution 4.—I would venture to suggest to the Government that here again and for the same reason as specified above, the ideas of the Land-owners should be met, and I do not think it would be unreasonable having due regard to the laws of Sanitation, to enforce a back-yard of 10 feet in width where the houses do not exceed 60 feet in depth.

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As regards that part of this resolution which objects to windows I understand the Lot-owners would like an explanation as to what is particularly referred to, and I shall feel obliged if the Government will furnish me with a detailed explanation to lay before them.

Resolution 8.-For the purposes of giving effect to this Resolution I apprehend it would be necessary to make a detailed engineering survey of the entire sea-bed and Marine frontage, and perhaps the Government would not object to this.

The rest of the enclosures marked B, C, D, E, and F from European Lot- owners speak for themselves and their contents will no doubt receive the favourable consideration of the Government. As the questions raised in these letters will have to be answered, I will feel much obliged by your furnishing me with the necessary information for this purpose at the same time that you favour me with His Excel- lency's decision on the Resolutions of the Chinese Lot-owners.

I have the honour to be,

Sir.

Your most obedient Servant.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

C. P. CHATER.

Enclosure A.

Translation of

The Resolutions made by the principal Chinese owners of Marine Lots in Victoria, Hongkong, at a Meeting held in the On Tai Insurance Office on the 11th September, 1887.

Resolution 1.-That the Crown Rent of the land to be reclaimed shall bear the same rate as that of the existing Marine Lots and shall be apportioned according to the quantity of land to be reclaimed.

Resolution 2.-That there shall be no deposit on account of the costs of recla- mation. But the contractor shall be paid by instalments; and each Marine Lot- owner shall sign an agreement to contribute a proportionate part as and when any instalment becomes payable. Such proportionate parts to be fixed by the Surveyor General and paid by the Marine Lot-owners at one month's previous notice on the former's receipts.

Resolution 3.-That the proposed tramway road shall be of 75 feet wide but the other proposed new road of 50 feet only, the land being too valuable to be dedicated to the public more than is necessary.

Resolution 4.--That paragraphs B and C of condition 8 in the letter from the Acting Colonial Secretary dated the 11th August last relating to back-yard and window should be struck out.

Resolution 5.—That the costs of the reclamation shall be estimated and the terms of the contract with the contractor settle by two or more surveyors to be appointed by the Marine Lot-owners. Such estimate and contract to be approved of by the Surveyor General and the works supervised by him.

337

( 13 )

Resolution 6.-That a new plan shall be drawn up and the land to be reclaimed shall be delineated thereon in such divisions as are proportionate to the frontages of the existing Marine Lots; and the land when reclaimed shall be allotted according to such divisions.

Resolution 7.--That the Government should compensate the Marine Lot- owners for the lands taken from them to make bye-paths* leading to the proposed new roads.

Resolution 8.-As the depths of the water along the foreshore may not be uniform the Marine Lots shall be divided into several convenient sections, so that the costs of the reclamation may be apportioned and the Marine Lot-owners may contribute more or less according to what section their lands are comprised in.

COPY of SCHEDULE of the above mentioned MARINE LOT-OWNERS with their Signatures and the

Registered Numbers of their Marine Lots.

Lee Sing,

Choy Chan,....

NAMES.

Yeong Sz Ching,

Mook Ying Kai,.

Wai Long Shan,.

Koo Wah,

Yu Lok,

Yu Hing and Yu Lok,

MARINE LOT NUMBERS.

Lots Nos. 2, 37, 63, 54, 68, 69,

79, 58, 213, 220 and 221.

Lots Nos. 22, 27, 38, 54 and 187.

""

""

51 and 59.

Lot No. 219.

Lots Nos. 49 and 50.

"

"

200, 225, and 227.

Lot No. 186.

Lots Nos. 204 and 205.

REMARKS.

Pang Sow and Pang Kit,

Pang Yuk Cheong & Pang Yuk Yan, Chu Poi,

Tang Sew Moi, ....

23

"?

90, 91, and 92. 90 and 92. Loti No. 233,...............

217,.........

Lee Yune Wah & Lee Yune Chak, Lots Nos. 56 and 79.

Lot No. 73.

By his Attorney Chu

Chune.

By his Attorney Wong

Shu Tong.

Lee Tin Shut,......

Cha Kit Mun,...

19

"}

Chun Ping,.

75. 225.

وو

Chun Sing,

Lots Nos. (Four Lots),

Chun Tai,

39, 41, and 227.

The Chinese M. S. S. N. Co.,

Lot No. 225,..

Chun Yik Chung,

185.

""

Lee Yuk,..

37.

""

""

Ling Fook Sing & Lee Chung Pak,

57.

39

">

Lee Yun Chak,

69.

*"

Lee Po Loong,

10.

وو

""

Lee Kong Chune,

55.

""

""

Lo Cheong,

222.

**

""

Fung Hok,

211.

وو

وو

Yeong Shü Lune,

Lots Nos. 233, 234, and 235.

Tang Chun Chi & Loi Sum Chune, Lot No. 207.

Lee Sing Ho,

Lots Nos. 45 and 198.

Lo Hung & Chan On,

Lot No. 37.

Lee Sang,

Ho Yeung,

Ho Sam Shan,

Yü Kum Sum, Leong Sow,.... Leong Wing Sing, Sin Tuk Fun, Ho Tsoy Mun,

Lots Nos. 90 and 91.

"1

32

90 and 91.

Lot No. 91N.

Lots Nos. 46 and 47.

* Cross Streets.

44.

79

218.

226.

""

81.

22

By his Attorney Chune

Yat Lau.

By their Agent Cheong

Lok Yü.

.

·

( 14 )

Enclosure B.

Honourable C. P. CHATER,

DEAR SIR,

HONGKONG, 15th September, 1887.

In accordance with the invitation conveyed in your letter of the 3rd instant, we beg to point out that the cutting off of the reclamation, and the termination of the proposed new praya road immediately opposite to Marine Lot No. 188 is calcu- lated, by interrupting the sweep of the tides, to cause a vast increase of the same deposit from the Shektongtsui Nullah at this point.

The owner of Marine Lot No. 188 is precluded from the extension of his area, whilst the owner of Marine Lot No. 183 will have his Lot inextricably encumbered with sand deposit.

This will in a short time become really formidable, spreading westward, and shallowing the water in point of Marine Lots Nos. 183 to 177 and Marine Lot No. 126, which have only just now, at great cost, been reclaimed.

Moreover the new Praya Roadway is made to terminate in a most awkward and unsightly manner, with a godown wall at right angles across its face, a defect which has not failed to attract the attention of every one on examining the plan.

By continuing the reclamation but seventy-five feet further and carrying out the nullah sewer into deep water all these difficulties will be removed. The owner of Marine Lot No. 188 can then share in the extension. Marine Lots Nos. 183 to 126 will be relieved from the danger which threatens their frontages, whilst the new Praya Road will be connected directly in line with a street of equal width, forming, for the meantime, a most appropriate termination of this work to the West.

We are, Dear Sir,

>

Yours faithfully,

SHARP & Co., Owners of Marine Lots

Nos. 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182.

I consider the foregoing quite correct, and that the value of my Marine Lot No. 183 would be very greatly depreciated by the termination of the Praya Road opposite Marine Lot No. 188. The danger of silting up my frontage by sand deposit would be removed were the extension carried only 75 feet further West, so as to admit of the nullah sewer being carried out into deep water, and thereby to reach the sweep of the tides.

IP CHING CHUNE) 葉晴川

Owner of Marine Lot No. 183.

A plan of the proposed alteration is annexed.

Enclosure C.

HONGKONG, 3rd September, 1887.

To the Honourable C. P. CHATER, M.L.C.,

SIB,

Adverting to your correspondence with the Colonial Government upon the new reclamation scheme and to your request that the marine lot-owners should furnish you with any objections to the scheme or suggestions as to its improvement, we beg to lay before you the following points which to our minds require modi- fication, and which we feel sure will otherwise cause opposition, not only from ourselves, but from many other marine lot-owners to what can otherwise only be regarded as a scheme tending to the great improvement of this Colony.

( 15 )

In every new house that may be erected of more than one story in height, the Government requires a back yard of at least 15 feet in width, this appears to us to be a waste of valuable ground entirely uncalled for; without losing sight of the fact that a back yard is absolutely necessary from a sanitary point of view, still a minimum of 15 feet would entail an unnecessary waste of ground and an enormous loss on the land-owner against which we must most forcibly protest.

Paragraph IX in the letter from the Government does not mention the actual breadth of ground required for the new streets, but we are informed that it is the intention to reserve 100 feet for the New Praya and for the purpose of widening the present Praya.

This, we are of opinion is excessive and would suggest that 80 feet-to be apportioned between the two streets as the Government may deem fit-will be amply sufficient.

We must also protest against the proposed new Crown rent of $200 per quarter acre, inasmuch as Crown rents have hitherto always varied according to the position of the plot of ground, and we would suggest that this principle be adhered to and the same rate charged per quarter acre, as is at present charged for the ground immediately in rear of the proposed reclamation, we can only regard any increase in the rate as a premium on the new ground, which the Government pointedly states it does not intend to levy.

We beg to remain,

Sir,

Yours faithfully,

DAVID SASSOON, SONS & Co.

per J. A. Mosely."

Enclosure D.

HONGKONG, 9th September, 1887.

Honourable C. P. CHATER,

SIR,

We are in receipt of your Circular of 3rd instant, with reference to the Recla- mation of the foreshore, accompanied by copy of your letter of 13th July to the Acting Colonial Secretary and copy of his reply of 11th August on the same subject.

We are willing to carry out the conditions of the scheme, but not before knowing how you propose to divide the two pieces of ground in front of marine Lot No. 7, which we have seen in the Plan of 6th August at the City Hall.

As regards the outer one we see no difficulty in dividing it in proportion to the area of the three present sections in the said marine lot No. 7, by running on it lines, from North to South, parallel with those already marked in the Plan to the eastward contiguous to the numbers 34, 34 and 33.

But as regards the inner and triangular portion we shall feel obliged by your opinion on the subject.

We are, Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

VIRGINIA A. R. DO ROZARIO,

J. M. E. MACHADO,

Executors of the Estate of M. C. do Rozario.

( 16 )

Enclosure E.

HONGKONG, 24th September, 1887.

Honourable C. P. CHATER,

DEAR SIR,

RECLAMATION PROJECT.

With reference to marine lot No. 7 which at present is divided between three houses, I assume that the Hongkong Hotel Company, Limited will receive their fair proportion of the new ground, both on first and second bits. I bring this to your notice as it appears to me, from the signed plan, as if the Hongkong Hotel Company. Limited, would not receive in proportion to their present water frontage.

I am, Dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

D. McCULLOCH,

Chairman, Hongkong Hotel Company, Limited.

DEAR SIR,

Enclosure F.

Hongkong and CHINA GAS COMPANY, LIMITED,

WORKS, WEST POINT,

HONGKONG, 9th September, 1887.

PROPOSED RECLAMATION SCHEME.

In response to your invitation to marine lot-owners, to offer any objections, suggestions, or point out any other matter connected with the scheme and requiring development, I herewith beg to offer a few remarks as Agent for this Company; but at the same time do not bind myself or this Company to the opinions expressed, having in view the discussion of the scheme at a public meeting, and the probable modification of the views herein expressed.

It is impossible in a letter of this sort to bring before you all the reasons for the objections or suggestions I may make, but I do to some extent.

Cost. As a first consideration we have to go into the cost.

In your letter of the 13th of July to the Colonial Secretary, you estimate the average cost of the reclaimed land as available for building purposes at $2 per square foot, and after reclamation the land will sell in no case for less than $4 per square foot, and in some cases from $12 to $15 per foot. Assuming that the average cost is $2 per square foot super. how is this to be paid, will each marine lot- owner have to pay $2 per square foot of the land he receives; if this is the intention, then I contend it is an injustice to those marine lot-owners extreme West of the Reclamation, for in the first place, the cost of reclamation in the Western District will be very much smaller than the cost in the Central District owing to the differ- ence in the depth of water, &c., in the second place, the land in the Central District being of such greater value than that in the West, it should pay a proportionately higher rate according to the sections marked on the Government Plan.

To apportion the cost relative to the depth of water, it would be necessary to have a complete and thorough survey and cost computed at so much per cubic foot, of the available land for building purposes.

To apportion the cost relative to the value of the reclaimed land it will be necessary to put an estimate value (derived from the latest transactions) on the land contained in the various sections, and the cost apportioned in proportion to the values so fixed.

( 17 )

I contend however that the land at West Point will not sell for such a price as $4 per square foot, with the amount of land that will then be thrown on the market, and it is quite unfair to saddle the owners of land at West Point with the cost of reclaiming the land in the Central District which undoubtedly will sell for from $12 to $15 per square foot.

It will be absolutely necessary before the Marine Lot-owners are asked to pledge themselves to this scheme that they shall know what it is going to cost them, and for this purpose I would suggest that the Government should make a survey and lay before the Marine Lot-owners the approximate cost, say within $100,000, it will then be for the Marine Lot-owners to apportion this cost between them, having regard to the consideration I have mentioned.

Crown Rent.-The Government in condition No. 7 of the Colonial Secretary's letter say "each marine lot-owner shall pay an annual Crown Rent of $200 per quarter acre; if the land Westward will only be worth $4 per foot and that Central, worth $12 to $15 per foot, is it fair and equitable that those Marine Lot- owners Westward should pay the same Crown Rent as those in the better favoured Central District. I would suggest that the Crown Rent on the reclaimed land, be placed at the same rate as the Crown Rent on the present Marine Lots, especially so as the annual Crown Rent for the present marine lots is not to suffer any rebatement.

25°/。 Security.-The Government in condition No. 4 of the Colonial Secretary's letter, say,

"each marine lot-owner shall deposit at the Bank 25 per cent of the total value of the contribution to the General Fund, by way of a guarantee of his bonâ fides, such 25 per cent to be forfeited to the Crown in the event of the marine lot-owners subsequently failing to take up his allotment of the reclamation;" the objections to this condition are many and various, and will in some cases no doubt exercise with considerable harshness, and as it is most likely to be discussed freely at the Public Meeting, I will not further comment on it, but would make the following suggestion for your consideration; that each marine lot-owner shall deposit at the Bank 5 per cent of the total value of his contribution to the General Fund by way of a guarantee of his bona fides, and at the same time execute a first mortgage on the proposed reclaimed site, on behalf of the Government and in the event of the marine lot-owner being, from any cause whatsoever, unable to take up his allotment, the 5 per cent deposit shall be returned to him, but the land shall lapse to the Government under the said mortgage.

Section-Holders.-I note that in the Plan approved by the Government the reclaimed land has only been apportioned to the original Leaseholds, no regard having been taken of those sections into which the original Leaseholds have been divided from time to time.

I presume that the reclaimed land will be apportioned to these various sections in accordance with the plan of division already adopted and would suggest that the apportionment of these sections be done by the Government.

Existing Wharves and Piers.-This is a matter affecting those interested that will bear discussion.

Sewering, &c.-Condition No. 2 of the Colonial Secretary's letter is to the effect that all sewering and channelling is to be carried out by the Public Works Depart- ment at the cost of the marine lot-owners, and in your letter of the 13th of July to the Colonial Secretary you mention, that you are, "sanguine the marine lot- owners will come forward, and by carrying out the work at their sole expense, achieve free of cost to the public, the greatest sanitary improvement of which the Colony has ever stood in need of." With reference to this I have no doubt each marine lot-owners would be willing to bear his proportionate cost of the sewerage works necessary on the completion of such a scheme as this, but to carry out a great and needful improvement of the Colony, and one that it is contended the Colony has long stood in need of, is asking the marine lot-owners (who are altogether but a small section of the leaseholders in the Colony) to pay a large sum of money, not at all for any benefit to themselves, but admittedly as a benefit to the rest of the community, and to save the Government paying the cost of a needful sewerage

scheme.

( 18 )

It will therefore be necessary to know what the sewerage scheme for this pro- posed reclamation is to be.

West Point. A great improvement could, I think, be made at this point by extending the new Praya so as to gradually coincide with the Praya opposite Messrs. Musso & Co.'s Godowns below the nullah.

Colonial Secretary's Letter, Condition III-With such apparent financial benefits to the Government both in the present and in the future, I do not think this condition should be strictly enforced, particularly having regard to the sanitary measures I have mentioned before.

Width of Praya.-I note that the road to be formed on the site of the present Praya is to be 75 feet wide, and the new Praya is also to be 75 feet wide, I would beg to suggest that for all practical purposes a road on the side of present Praya of 70 feet wide would be quite sufficient, and that the new Praya be 60 feet wide, thus making each new Lot 170 feet deep in the place of 150 feet.

In conclusion I would beg to suggest that the whole line of the Praya having been divided into sections on the Government Plan, the marine lot-owners at the Meeting to be held on Saturday, the 17th instant, do appoint a thoroughly repre- sentative Committee, the members of which shall be taken from those having in- terests in the various sections shewn on the Government Plan, and that this Com- mittee shall take into consideration the various points raised at the Meeting, and communicating with the Government, obtain a modification of the conditions speci- fied in the letter of the Colonial Secretary.

I beg to remain, Dear Sir,

Honourable C. P. CHATER.

No. 1781.

Yours faithfully,

F. W. CROSS,

Manager.

(6.)

(Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 18th November, 1887.

SIR,

Adverting to your letter of the 6th ultimo, on the subject of the proposed Praya Reclamation, I am directed by the Governor to request you to convey to the Chinese marine lot-owners His Excellency's regret at his inability to meet the whole of their views and wishes, as expressed in the Resolutions which you forwarded.

The Governor would, however, be prepared to make concessions on the following points:-

Resolution 2.-His Excellency will adopt your suggestion, and allow the Contractors' first calls for payment on account of work executed, to be met from the preliminary deposit fund, until the latter is exhausted, on the understanding in respect of subsequent payments that any lot-owner failing to meet the calls of the Government for the balance of the moneys due by him shall forfeit his rights to the reclamation.

Resolution 3.-The Governor consents to the proposed new Praya roadway being reduced to a width of 65 feet.

4

( 19 )

Resolution 4.-In consideration of the fact that the lots will be artificially reclaimed from the sea at great cost, His Excellency is disposed to relax the rules which would apply to lots situated on dry land, and will therefore consent to back-yards somewhat less than 15 feet in width. In this connexion the following scale is prescribed, and I am to add that no proposition to still further reduce the widths of back-yards will be entertained :-

Houses of a depth of 50 feet or less to have 10-foot yards.

Do.

do.

from 50 to

60 feet

do.

11-foot do.

Do.

do.

from 60 to

70 feet

do.

12-foot do.

Do.

do.

from 70 to

80 feet

do.

13-foot do.

Do.

do.

from 80 to

90 feet

do.

14-foot do.

Do.

do.

from 90 to 100 feet

do.

15-foot do.

Resolution 8.-Without at all assenting to the principle that marine lot- owners have an à priori right to the foreshore in front of their lots, such as would make it obviously fair that each should contribute to the whole reclamation only that part of the cost which had been incurred in respect of the portion allotted to him, the Governor is nevertheless disposed to think that there are considerations partly in connection with the cost to be incurred which appear to point to the justice of lower payment per area in some cases than others, and for that reason is willing to assent to the proposal contained in this Resolution; and if the lot- owners are willing to defray the cost, His Excellency will cause a detailed survey of the sea-bed to be prepared.

In conclusion, I am to state that it will not be possible to acquiesce in the demands contained in the rest of the Resolutions, and that the questions relating to the division of the lands and to the shape of the terminus at West Point, as well as the other points raised by your European correspondents in the Enclosures which you forward, may, with more advantage, be considered after the completion of the detailed surveys, when it will be possible to determine the position of the sea-wall with greater accuracy. But, whatever may be the position of the proposed new sea-wall, I am to mention that the extension of the cross Streets must be on the same centre line as the present cross Streets, of which they will be only a continuation, and that the sea-frontage between two cross Streets will, in every case, be equitably divided between lot-owners in proportion to their present frontage.

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER.

SIR,

(7.).

(Mr. Chater to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 22nd November, 1887.

With reference to the last paragraph of your letter to me of the 18th instant where you state that the extension of the cross streets in the proposed new Recla- mation must be on the same centre line as the present cross streets, I would be obliged by your informing me whether it is meant that the extensions of these cross streets shall be a continuation in the same straight line of the present streets or whether you adhere to the original plan and make these extensions at right angles to the line of the proposed sea-wall. The passage in your letter which I refer to may have either meaning and I therefore would be obliged by your eluci- dating this point for the information of the marine lot-owners.

I have the honour to be,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

C. P. CHATER.

Colonial Secretary.

No. 1799.

( 20 )

(8.)

(Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 22nd November, 1887.

SIR,

In reply to your letter of this date on the subject of the street extensions on the proposed Praya reclamation, I have the honour, by direction of the Governor, to express His Excellency's regret that the explanation given in my letter No. 1781 of the 18th instant was not more lucid.

With the view of clearing up the doubt which has not unnaturally arisen, I am to refer you to the plan signed by the Acting Governor, wherein the directions of the streets are precisely indicated.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER.

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

(9.)

(Mr. Chater to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 29th November, 1887.

SIR,

I have the honour to inform you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that at a Meeting of the marine lot-holders held at the City Hall on Saturday, the 26th instant, for the purposes of taking into consideration the modi- fications in the Praya Reclamation Scheme embodied in your letters of the 18th and 22nd instant it was unanimously resolved to adjourn the further consideration of the matter until the detailed survey of the sea-bed, referred to in your letter of the 18th instant, had been made and until a complete set of plans could be prepared and lail before the Meeting with estimates of the total cost of the work and of each section, and it was further unanimously resolved that the cost of those surveys and estimates should be defrayed by the marine lot-holders each contributing in pro- portion to his frontage, and that an amount not exceeding $5,000 should be raised.

I have the honour therefore on behalf of the marine lot-holders to request that His Excellency the Governor will be pleased to take the promptest possible measures to have such detailed surveys and estimates made out, and as the present staff of the Surveyor General's department is hardly adequate numerically for the work, to telegraph if he should think fit to do so, to England for duly qualified persons to be sent out, for the purposes.

I do not think I need enter into the reasons which influence me in asking His Excellency to speed on this matter. It is obvious that the more quickly the work of Praya extension is taken in hand and completed, the more speedily and the more effective will be the relief to the congestion of population from which the city is suffering.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

C. P. CHATER.

No. 1898.

SIR,

( 21 )

(10.)

(Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 8th December, 1887.

With reference to your letter of the 29th ultimo respecting the proposed Praya Reclamation Scheme, I am directed by the Governor to inform you that His Ex- cellency is pleased to acquiesce in the wishes of the marine lot-owners, and that the Surveyor General has been instructed to have the necessary surveys made forthwith.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER.

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

· ( 11. )

(Surveyor General to Colonial Secretary.)

SIR,

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,

1st June, 1888.

I have the honour to report the completion of the detailed surveys of the Praya foreshore in front of the Central and Western Districts of the city of Victoria, and to transmit you the accompanying plans in connexion with the Reclamation Project. Annexed will also be found marked Appendix A sheets of particulars and costs including the areas and dimensions of the extensions seawards of the present line of marine lots, and the share of the cost of reclamation which will fall to each marine lot-owner.

2. The Reclamation Project comprises the erection of a new ashlar masonry breast-wall 3,400 yards long running almost uniformly parallel with the present coast line at a distance out of 250 feet from the shore along 20 feet of water, and the conversion into dry land of the strip of sea left enclosed between the new masonry breasting and the present old Praya. The land thus formed will be par- celled out into building allotments 160 feet wide, divided into blocks by cross streets placed at intervals, and by two wide and continuous main thoroughfares running East and West longitudinally with the water frontage of the town. inner of these two thoroughfares, i.e., the present Praya will be widened out to 75 feet to admit of double lines of tramway, and the new embankment will be 65 feet wide. When finished, the new land will be allotted to the different marine fron- tagers along the present Praya who have expressed themselves willing to defray the cost of the sea-wall and reclamation opposite their lots.

The

3. The General Plan shows tinted red the reclamations which will be carried out at the cost and charges of the marine lot-owners, and tinted yellow those which the Colonial Government will pay for from public funds. The Government being the owner of several valuable frontages along the line, proposes to take its place as a marine lot-owner along with the rest of the marine proprietors.

( 22 )

4. As the cost of the sea-wall and the filling in will not be uniform per yard lineal of sea-frontage throughout, in consequence of the sea being deeper in some places than in others, the work has been divided into seven sections and the cost of each section has been ascertained separately. In this way the average price per square foot of reclamation has been equitably apportioned for each section, so that of the seven groups of marine lot-owners no two groups will pay the same price for their reclamations. The cost of that portion of the work which will be defrayed by the Government on account of the areas tinted yellow in the General Plan, will be reduced by the utilization, in the proposed new sea-wall, of the stone of the present Praya wall.

5. The cost of the Government reclamations opposite the Sailors' Home in Section No. 1 have been entirely excluded from the present estimates because already last year the Government had begun this work in connexion with the preparation of a site for the proposed new Western Market, and as the filling in at this point is making good progress there is every probability that the Market site will be completed next year.

6. I annex hereto (marked Returns Nos. 6-7) a schedule of the annual Crown Rents based on the appraisal of $200 per quarter acre, which the lot-owners will have to pay to the Colonial Treasury for their new reclamations. The total amounts to $20,932 per annum. Following the precedent in respect of all previous reclamations, I understand the Government does not propose to charge any premium for the new allotments in consideration of these being reclaimed entirely at the cost of the lot-owners.

7. In section 2 a portion of the reclamation is shown tinted purple (see the General Plan). This purple Section is also omitted from the present estimates, because the work having been already begun last year, will doubtless be completed before the general scheme has been initiated. The work is being carried out by the Public Works Department at the entire cost and charges of the Wharf and Godown Company who are the owners of the Marine Lots Nos. 98 to 105. This Company were granted an extension to their lots seawards, subject to their defray- ing the cost of the requisite sea-wall and filling-in, and subject to their paying the Government a Crown Rent of $764 per annum.

8. The timber jetties and landing-stages along the present line of wall, erected in the early days of the Colony mostly by private enterprise will have to be removed at the cost of their owners who are tenants at will of the Crown. Owing to the greatly increased depth of water along the proposed new sea-wall, new piers and landing-stages will not be required except in four or five cases.

These I presume will be erected at the cost of the owners.

9. The detailed surveys have not brought to light any new facts that would justify the Government in relaxing any of the conditions prescribed by His Ex- cellency the Governor in the correspondence with Mr. C. P. CHATER of November 1887, and I am of opinion that the marine lot-owners should be held to those conditions by written contract between the Government and each individual. There would be less ground for any concession that it is now found the profits accruing to the lot-owners are greater than was anticipated.

10. As it would be a serious hindrance and obstruction to the shipping and landing operations of the port to undertake the proposed new works all along the line at the same time, it is recommended that the reclamation be begun and finished section by section. There would however be no objection to two sections being pushed on with at the same time provided they were in different parts of the harbour-frontage. Probably it will be found most convenient to begin sections 1 and 7, and when these are finished to pass on to Sections 2 and 6, finishing up with sections 3 and 5 and then 4.

11. I deem it unnecessary to encumber this letter with technical matter des- criptive of proposed constructional details, I therefore attach a separate outline- specification with detail tracings showing what is proposed in respect of sea-wall and embankment.

12. By the light of the new detailed surveys just completed, it is seen that the reclamations, inclusive of roads, but exclusive of the Western Market site

( 23 )

opposite the Sailors' Home, and the Wharf and Godown Company's extension, will comprise 57 acres and 3 roods of which 26 acres will become the property of the marine lot-owners, and 5 acres the property of the Government, while 26 acres will be reserved for roads and streets. The present market value of the 26} acres of building sites to be assigned to the lot-owners appraised at current rates comes to $7,910,821. (See Returns Nos. 2-3) while their outlay in reclamation works will be only $2,146,228 showing a net profit to be obtained by them of $5,764,593.

13. The 5 acres of building sites which will fall to Government and which are shewn tinted yellow on the General Plan will, (exclusive of the Sailors' Home reclamation already appropriated to the proposed new Western Market) represent a minimum value of $1,441,587. (See Return No. 5.) Some of these Government building-sites can be sold and others utilized for the more urgently needed new public buildings, such as a new Supreme Court, a new Post Office, a new Harbour Master's Office, and a new Fish-Market as an adjunct to the Central Market. If accommodated on the embankment, all these new public buildings may be erected practically at little or no cost to the Government, for in each case the expense of erection will be covered or nearly covered by the proceeds of the sale of the present old sites of the Supreme Court, Post Office, and the Harbour Office.

14. You will notice some difference between the figures given in this letter in respect of areas and estimates, and those contained in my first Report of the 18th of July, 1887. The present figures are the correct ones, because they are based on the detailed information more recently obtained, and because the design has undergone some modifications since its first inception.

15. The shape of the reclamation at its western terminus has now been changed, and the proposed new sea-wall is shown as running into the present old wall, in such manner as will preclude further objection from the marine lot-owners at the West End.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

RETURN No. 1.

J. M. PRICE.

Surveyor General.

SCHEDULE OF AREAS AND ESTIMATED COSTS OF THE PORTIONS OF RECLAMATION TO BE

ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE LOT-OWNERS AND TO BE PAID FOR BY THEM.

1

No. of Section.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

1,......

2,

197,707 Square feet,..

114,080

Amount of Cost exclusive of Government Reclamation.

$ 374,232......

Rate per Square foot which the Reclamation will cost to carry out.

$1.89

310,854...

2.72

3,

..... 197,865

345,233...

1.73

4.

50,605

153,044.....

3.02

"

5,

..... 155,021

270,690......

1.74

""

6,

240,233

440,315..

1.83

7,

185,033

251,860.....

1.36

**

Totals.......1,140,544 Square feet.

$2,146,228

( 24 )

RETURN No. 2.

Section 1.

ASSESSED VALUES OF THE BUILDING SITES TO BE RECLAIMED FOR AND ON

BEHALF OF THE MARINE LOT-OWNERS.

Locality Opposite.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

Marine Lot 188,

6,682 Square feet,..

$ 4.

.$ 26,728

189,

11,553

4.

46,212

190,

11,126

4.

">

44,504

191,

11,173

4.

""

44,692

184,

14,827

4.

""

""

59,308

185,

17,813

4.

71,252

""

186,

20,800

4.

""

**

83,200

205,

18,760

""

"

75,040

29

204,

18,760

4.

"

75,040

198,

24,720

4.

98,880

29

199, 187,

26,400

4.....

""

105,600

15,093

4...

60,372

Totals,

197,707 Square feet.

$790,828

Section 2.

No. of Lot Extension.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

Marine Lot 81,

11,760 Square feet,...

$ 5.......

.$ 58,800

5...

106,

11,360

56,800

"

"

""

94,

17,040

5....

85,200

57

93,

21,120

5...........

105,600

19

92,

16,800

5.....

84,000

""

91,

16,800

5.....

84,000

""

90,

19,200

5.....

96,000

"

Totals,.....114,080 Square feet.

$570,400

Section 3.

No. of Lot Extension.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

Marine Lot 200,

20,620 Square feet,...

$ 7

$144,340

200,

673

7....

4,711

步步

99

22

71,

31,860

7

223,020

""

71,

16,120

7

112,840

""

57,

18,560

7

129,920

57,

24,270

7

169,890

""

58,

19,200

7

134,400

58,

69,

23,260

7

162,820

27

""

69,

15,680 10,318

7.

109,760

""

7.....

72,226

وو

"

68,

6,242

7.....

43,694

>>

68,

"

37,

1,540 9,522

7....

10,780

25

7...

66,654

>>

""

Totals,.........197,865 Square feet.

$1,385,055

( 25 )

Marine Lot 238,

No. of Lot Extension.

Section 4.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

1,410 Square feet,..

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

$7

.$ 9,870

237,

887

7

6,209

""

23

236,

3,567

7

24,969

"

235,

2,556

7

17,892

"

""

234,

2,910

20,370

,,

""

233,

3,206

7

22,442

""

**

232,

2,460

7

17,220

>"

35,

3,740

26,180

""

""

دو

227,

4,035

7

28,245

وو

225,

25,834

7

180,838

""

55

Totals,......... 50,605 Square feet.

$354,235

Section 5.

No. of Lot Extension.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

Marine Lot 224,

7,840 Square feet,.

.S

54,880

"

223,

5,920

41,440

29

59

222,

2,187

7

15,309

"

""

221,

2,187

15,309

""

220,

2,280

7

15,960

25

219,

2,187

7

15,309

97

218,

2,187

7

15,309

"

217,

2,187

7

15,309

21

216,

2,187

7.

15,309

""

215,

2,187

7

15,309

>>

214,

2,187

7.

15,309

""

213,

2,187

7

15,309

212,

2,187

7

15,309

""

211,

2,187

7

15,309

""

210,

2,187

7

15,309

>>

"

209,

2,253

7

15,771

"

208,

2,227

7.

15,589

"

""

207,

2,227

7

15.589

""

"

-

206,

2,227

15,589

وو

80,

2,227

7

15,589

"

79,

2,227

7.

15,589

""

""

78,

2,227

7

15,589

""

77.

2,227

7.

15,589

"

,,

76,

2,227

7.

15,589

""

""

75,

2,227

7.

15,589

""

74,

2,227

7.

15,589

55

73.

2,227

7.

15,589

61,

2,227

7.

15,589

""

60,

2,227

7.

15,589

23

59,

2.227

7.

15,589

>"

51,

2,227

7.

15,589

95

50,

2,133

7

14,931

"

""

49,

2,133

14,931

""

"

48,

2,133

7.

14,931

"1

47,

2,133

14,931

""

99

46,

2,133

7

14,931

>>

A

45,

2,133

7

14,931

وو

44,

2,133

7

14,931

"

""

41,

"

2,133

7

14,931

"J

39,

2,133

14,931

>>

99

""

38,

4,720

7

33,040

38,

90

630

"

+

وو

59

21,

2,293

7

16,051

""

21,

100

700

"

22,

32,827

7

229,789

2

22,

63,

5,852 12,000

7.

40,964

""

10.

120,000

Totals,155,021 Square feet.

$1,121.147

·

Marine Lot 63A,.

56,

12,880

**

55,

13,240

No. of Lot Extension.

( 26 )

Section 6.

Area of proposed

Reclamation.

15,160 Square feet,........

Estimated Price per

Square foot.

$10......

10.. 10.....

Falue.

$ 151,600

128,800

132,400

"

54,

25,360

10....

253,600

53A,

7,407

10..

74,070

>>

>>

53,

7,407

10....

74,070

18,

30,380

10...

303,800

55

15,

16,160

10..

161,600

"

14,

15,520

10...

155,200

13,

14,613

8.

116,904

15

A

12,

14,586

8.

116,688

""

10,

5,547

8.

14,376

39

وو

"

66,

5

99,

""

100,

33

""

10B,****

10A,.

62,

6,213

8.

49,704

""

14,880

8.

119,040

.....

"

7,280

S....

58,240

""

6,960

8.......

55,680

>>

11,200

8..

89,600

15,440

8..

123,520

Totals,.......................240,233 Square feet.

$2,208,892

Section 7.

No. of Lot Extension.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Estimated Price per Square foot.

Value.

Marine Lot

32,200 Square feet,.............

. 8..

257,600

10,148

8..

81,184

20,.....

5,800

8........

46,400

2c,.

4,982

8........

39,856

25

"

2B,......

5,800

8.

46,400

55

་་

2B,...

5,973

8..

47.784

2A,.....

5,600

S

14,800

19

""

2A,.....

6,728

8.

53,824

102,

14,533

8.

116,264

,,

102,

20,892

8.

167.136

103,

14,840

8.

118,720

103,

21,332

8...

170.656

O

་་

104, 104,

14,658

8..

117,264

"

21,547

S.....

172,376

Totals,185,033 Square feet.

$1,480,264

RETURN No. 3.

BEING A SUMMARY OF RETURN

Section 1.

2..

@ $4.

>>

3.....

a

5,.

@ $7

6.

@ $8.

7.....

@ $8.

No. 2.

790.828

.8 570.400

......$1,385,055

$ 354,235 ...$1.121.147

..$2,208,892

.....$1,480.264

Total Values,.............................$7,910,821

( 27 )

RETURN No. 4.

ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF SEA-WALL AND RECLAMATIONS IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNMENT

PROPERTIES SHEWN TINTED YELLOW IN THE GENERAL PLAN, EXCLUSIVE OF THE

SAILORS' HOME RECLAMATION. THIS OUTLAY TO BE DEFRAYED BY

THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.

Reclamation opposite the present Harbour Master's Office,-

15,520 Square feet @ $3.38,

Reclamation opposite Marine Lot No. 63,-

40,685 Square feet @ $1.91,

Reclamation opposite the present Central Market,—

23,040 Square feet @ $2.01,

Reclamation opposite the City Hall,-

83,622 Square feet @ $1.46,

Reclamation opposite the Cricket Ground,-

77,818 Square feet @ $1.46,

Gross Cost of Government Works,.....

Deduct for old Materials from the present Sea-wall,...........

Net Cost of Government Reclamation Works,

"

$ 52,493.00

=$ 77,806.00

=$ 46,368.00

$122,088.00

=$113,614.00

$412,369.00

50,000.00

$362,369.00

RETURN No. 5.

ASSESSED VALUES OF THE SEA RECLAMATIONS OPPOSITE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES

SHEWN TINTED YELLOW ON GENERAL PLAN.

Proposed Reclamation opposite the Harbour Master's Office,-

15,520 Square feet @ $7,

Proposed Reclamation opposite Marine Lot No. 63,—

40,685 Square feet @ $10,

Proposed Reclamation opposite the Central Market,-

23,040 Square feet @ $10,

Proposed Reclamation opposite the City Hall,~

83,622 Square feet @ $8,

Proposed Reclamation opposite the Cricket Ground,-

77,818 Square feet @ $5.

=$108,640.00

=$406,850.00

$230,400.00

=$668,976.00

=$389,090.00

Total Value,.............

$1,803,956.00

SUMMARY.

Value of new lands to be reclaimed opposite Government Properties,

$1,803,956.00

Deduct Cost of Works,

362,369.00

Net Profit to the Government,

$1,441,587.00

( 28 )

RETURN No. 6.

Section 1.

RETURN OF THE ANNUAL QUIT-RENTS TO BE PAID BY THE MARINE LOT-OWNERS FOR THEIR

PROPOSED RECLAMATIONS.

No. of Lot Extension.

Marine Lot 188,

Area of proposed Reclamation.

6,682 Square feet,

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

$ 122

""

189,

11,553

212

"

""

190,

11,126

204

وو

191,

11,173

206

99

184,

14,827

272

185,

17,813

328

39

"

">

186,

20,800

382

25

205,

18,760

344

""

"

204,

18,760

344

198,

"

24,720

454

199,

26,400

484

**

187,

15,093

278

Totals,

197,707 Square feet.

$3,630

Marine Lot 81,

No. of Lot Extension.

Section 2.

Area of proposed

Reclamation.

11,760 Square feet,

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

$216

""

106,

11,360

208

99

94, .......

17,040

312

""

""

93,

21,120

388

92,

16,800

308

25

""

91,

16,800

308

*

90,

19,200

352

دو

Totals,

114,080 Square feet.

$2,092

Marine Lot 200,

200,

71,

No. of Lot Extension.

39

Section 3.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

20,620 Square feet,

673 31,860

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

$ 378

12

586

53

71,

16,120

296

25

57,

18,560

340

""

57,

24,270

446

""

58,

19,200

352

"

*2

"

*

58,

23,260

428

""

69,

دو

69.

15,680 10,318

288

190

""

"

68,

6,242

114

93

影响

68,

37,

1,540

9,522

28

"

174

"

27

Totals,

197,865 Square feet.

$3,632

( 29 )

No. of Lot Extension.

Marine Lot 238,

Section 4.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

1,410 Square feet,

Annual Quit-Rent

calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

26

237,

887

16

""

""

236,

3,567

66

""

25

235,

2,556

46

25

234,

""

2,910

54

,,

233,

3,206

58

"

232,

2,460

46

""

""

35,

3,740

68

227,

22

4,035

74

""

A

""

225,

25,834

174

""

Totals,

50,605 Square feet.

$ 928

No. of Lot Extension.

Section 5.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

Marine Lot 224,

""

223,

7,840 Square feet, 5,920

$ 144

:

108

222,

2,187

40

"

""

221,

2,187

40

""

220,

2,280

42

"

"2

219,

2,187

40

218,

2,187

40

"}

""

"2

217,

2,187

40

وو

216,

2,187

40

""

"1

215,

2.187

40

.

2)

""

214,

2,187

40

12

19

213,

2,187

40

""

23

212,

2,187

40

""

211,

2,187

40

32

*

210,

2,187

40

209,

2,253

42

وو

208,

2,227

40

207,

2,227

40

""

206,

2,227

40

دو

80,

2,227

40

"

99

79,

2,227

40

""

78,

2,227

40

""

77.

2,227

40

""

""

""

76,

2,227

40

""

75.

2,227

40

""

""

""

74,

2,227

40

""

73.

2,227

40

""

19

61,

2,227

40

19

""

60,

2,227

40

""

59,

2,227

40

""

51,

2,227

40

50,

2,133

40

"

"

29

49,

"

48,

2,133 2,133

40

""

40

19

47,

2,133

40

46,

2,133

40

""

45.

2,133

40

99

44,

2,133

40

""

">

41,

2,133

40

""

39

39,

38,

2,133 4,720

40

86

""

*

38,

21,

90 2,293

2

42

"

21,

29

22,

100 32,827

2

29

602

"

22,

5,852

108

"

""

""

63,

12,000

220

Totals,

.155,021 Square feet.

$2,838

4

?

[

+

No. of Lot Extension.

( 30 )

Section 6.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

15,160 Square feet, 12,880

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

Marine Lot 63A,

.$ 278

56,

236

J

99

55,

13,240

244

54,

25,360

466

步步

53A,

7,407

136

""

12

53,

7,407

136

59

""

""

18,

30,380

558

15,

16,160

296

5

"

14,

15,520

286

150

13,

14,613

268

5)

22

13

12,

14,586

268

>>

""

A

10,

5,547

102

>>

10B,

6,213.

114

25

10A,

14,880

F

62,

7,280

274

134

66,

6,960

128

>>

"

99,

11,200

206

100,

15,440

284

97

Totals,

..240,233 Square feet.

$4,414

No. of Lot Extension.

Marine Lot

7,

Section 77.

Area of proposed Reclamation.

32,200 Square feet,

Annual Quit-Rent calculated at $200 per quarter Acre.

.$ 592

7,

10,148

186

>>

""

20,.......

5,800

106

>>

20,.......

4,982

92

99

وو

2B,.....

5,800

S

106

15

2B,....

5,973

110

2A,..

5,600

102

"

2A,

6,728

124

">

وو

102,

14,533

266

""

23

92

102,

20,892

384

103,

>>

14,840

272

""

103,

21,332

392

"

39

104,

14,658

270

3

104,

21,547

396

Totals,

.185,033 Square feet.

$3,398

Section 1,

""

"

སྭ་

2,

3.

4,

5,

"

6,

RETURN No. 7.

BEING A SUMMARY OF RETURN No. 6.

Per Annum.

$3,630

2,092

3,632

928

2,838

4,414

3,398

Total Annual Quit-Rents,.....

$20,932

A

( 31 )

RETURN No. 8.

ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF YEARLY REVENUE TO BE DERIVED BY THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

FROM RATES AND TAXES ON THE TENEMENTS TO BE BUILT ON THE PROPOSED

NEW RECLAMATIONS IRRESPECTIVE OF LAND RENTS.

Area of Building Ground,

Number of Tenements to the Acre,

Total number of tenements,

Minimum Annual Rent of a Tenement on the Reclamation, Total Annual Rents of 1,300 Tenements @ $360 each, Rates and Taxes on $468,000 at 13 per cent,....

26 Acres.

50

....1,300

$ 360.00

.$ 468,000.00

..$60,000.00

SUMMARY.

Annual Revenue derivable from Quit-Rents,.

$20,932.00

""

"

from Rates and Taxes,

60,000.00

Total Revenue,.............

$80,932.00

No. 836.

SIR,

(12.)

(Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 23rd June, 1888.

Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of the proposed Praya Reclamation, I have the honour, by direction of the Governor to apprise you, for the information of the marine lot-owners concerned, that the preliminary surveys of the foreshore and sea-bed, undertaken by their desire have now been com- pleted. The plans and estimates connected with this work are sent herewith.

The prolonged rainy weather during the beginning of the year, and the necessarily laborious nature of the investigations rendered it impracticable to com- plete these surveys at an earlier date.

In accordance with the desire of many of the lot-owners, the survey has been divided into seven sections, which owing to differences in the depth of water and in the configuration of the present frontage shew corresponding differences in the expense of the reclamations relatively to the areas of land reclaimed. This dis- crepancy is however to a certain extent neutralised by the fact that, speaking generally, the reclamation will be most costly where the reclaimed land is likely to be most valuable.

The estimates of the cost of reclaiming the several sections, exclusive in each case of the Government reclamation, are as follows:-

Section 1 2

>>

""

""

33

""

3

4

5

6

7

.$374,232

310,854

345,233

153,044

270,690

....

440,315

251,860

--

!!

( 32 )

I am however to point out that these estimates of cost are to be taken as only approximate. They will be subject to revision when the competitive tenders are received for the contracts, and they may also require to be modified in accordance with whatever directions Her Majesty's Government may give in respect of the contemplated works in the event of their approval of the scheme as a whole.

As the shipping and landing facilities of the Port would be too seriously obstructed by the carrying out of the reclamation works along the entire line of foreshore, I am to request you to be good enough to inform the lot-owners that only two, or at the most three of the sections can be undertaken at the same time, and that commencement will probably be made with those sections at the extreme ends.

With a view to carry out that part of the general scheme which consists of the widening of the present Praya roadway, His Excellency finds that it will be necessary to repurchase from the Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited, a portion of the reclamation conceded to them in 1886 before the question of a continuous reclamation was mooted; and as this necessity has arisen only in con- nection with the present scheme, His Excellency is of opinion that the cost, in- volving a sum of $104,000 should be added to the general cost of the work, and borne proportionately by the different owners of frontage, the Government included. The amount of this cost has therefore been added to the estimates of total cost above given.

His Excellency notices that, making a liberal allowance for the cost of the work to be done, the private lot-owners will be charged an estimated sum of $2,146,228, in return for which they will receive for their private use and ownership twenty-six and one-fifth acres of building sites (charged only with an annual Crown Rent of $800 per acre) which according to the present market price of land means an estimated total value of $7,910,821, in other words that they will reap an estimated profit of $5,764,593. This estimate however is based on the present value of frontage land, and would probably require to be increased if the fact were taken into account that there would be deep water along the whole of the new frontage thus rendering the land upon it free of the unwholesome exhalations which proceed from the present foreshore, and also saving great expense in lighterage and in the cost of wharves by affording free access to vessels and boats.

But however this may be, as the profit is likely in any case to be far larger than would be the compensation awarded by arbitrators to the existing owners of frontage for the loss of that frontage and the conversion of their marine lots into inland lots, His Excellency deems it possible that Her Majesty's Government may be of opinion that the whole of the work should be done at the public expense for the public profit, and this view, His Excellency thinks, will be rendered the more probable in proportion to the difficulty of coming to terms with those to whom so great a concession is offered. Indeed, speaking for himself and without reference to the opinion which may be formed by Her Majesty's Government, with whom rests the ultimate decision, His Excellency does not regard universal concurrence in the scheme on the part of the lot-owners of such importance as to outweigh the advantage to be gained by the public in carrying out at its own cost the reclamation in front of the lands of the dissentients.

In this connection with a view to obviate wrong inferences in the future, His Excellency desires it to be understood that if this scheme is sanctioned on the terms proposed, the marine lot-holders will obtain the reclamations in front of their lots, not as a matter of right, but simply as a privilege the concession of which happens to be convenient. The foreshore belongs to the Crown; and to the Crown alone belongs the right of reclamation and of ownership in the land reclaimed, the only obligation attaching to the latter being that of compensating the frontage-owner for the difference, if any, between the value of his marine lot and the value of the same land converted into an inland lot by the reclamation in front of it.

As the Governor is anxious to lose no time in transmitting the plans, estimates and other papers connected with this project to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, His Excellency desires me to request you to be good enough to favour me with the final reply of the lot-owners interested at your early convenience.

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER.

?

SIR,

( 33 )

(13.)

(Mr. Chater to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 4th July, 1888.

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter, No. 836, of the 23rd June last in which referring to previous correspondence on the same subject, you informed me, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, that the preliminary surveys of the fore-shore and sea-bed undertaken by desire of the Marine Lot- holders and paid for by them in connection with the Praya Reclamation Scheme were completed, that plans and estimates for the work were forwarded therewith and in which further you requested me to ascertain as speedily as possible the final reply of the Marine Lot-holders interested to the Government proposals.

I have now the honour to inform you, for the information of His Excellency, that, at a meeting of the marine lot-holders held at the City Hall on Tuesday, the 3rd instant, the plans and estimates were laid before them and it was un- animously resolved to accept the proposals of the Government embodied in your letters of the 11th August and 18th November, 1887, and in that of the 23rd June, 1888, now under reply, and to authorize the Government to proceed at once with the work the lot-holders undertaking to find the necessary funds under the terms of the Agreement.

I hand you for the information of His Excellency a full report of the meeting and of the Resolutions passed thereat.

This happy termination of the negotiations so long pending relieves me from all necessity of replying in more detail to the 9th and 10th paragraphs of your letter in which His Excellency gives expression to views as to the position of the Government and as to the rights of marine lot-holders and I have only, in con- clusion, to offer my congratulations to His Excellency and to the Government of the Colony on the completion of this Agreement which will as I firmly believe benefit the Government and the public as much as it benefits the marine lot- holders. It will add largely to the available building area in the city thus relieving the threatened congestion of the population and improving the sanitary condition. It will afford immensely increased facilities to the trade and commerce of the Colony, by increasing the depth of water along so large an extent of the marine frontage, by the greater width of the new streets and Praya and by the construction, now for the first time rendered possible, of the low level tramways.

It will considerably augment the revenue derived from Crown Rents and from the taxation on 1,300 new houses. It will give to the Crown for sale, or for public purposes 5 acres of land worth after all expenses of reclamation are paid, over two millions of dollars. All this will be done at the expense of the marine lot-holders, without responsibility or expense on the part of the Government as a Government, and without raising any of the many troublesome questions about vested rights or still more troublesome claims to compensation that under other circumstances, must surely arise.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

C. P. CHATER.

No. 922.

( 34 )

(14.)

(Colonial Secretary to Mr. Chater.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 7th July, 1888.

SIR,

I am directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated 4th July, conveying information of the result of the recent meeting of marine lot- holders.

While the unanimity of the lot-holders is so far satisfactory that it would render comparatively easy the carrying out of the proposed scheme of Reclamation by means of private funds, His Excellency desires me to point out that this unani- mity must not be regarded as settling the question either as to the permission of the contemplated Reclamation or, if it be permitted, as to the mode of carrying it out. As mentioned in my letter of 23rd ultimo, the final decision on these two points rests with Her Majesty's Government. The view taken on the first will probably depend on the advice of the marine engineers who may be consulted on the subject; and the judgment on the second will no doubt be largely influenced by legal opinions obtained with respect to the rights of the marine lot-holders.

His Excellency deems it right to repeat thus emphatically his reference to the necessity of sanction by Her Majesty's Government, not merely because some passages in your letter seem to imply inadequate appreciation of this requisite con- dition, but in order to preclude losses from speculative land purchases made in the belief that that is certain which is by no means certain.

I am to add that whatever may be the ultimate decision, the part which you have taken in initiating the scheme, and the fact of the preliminary surveys having been at the expense of the lot-owners will not of course be omitted from consider- ation.

The Honourable C. P. CHATER.

(15.)

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

Minute by the Governor for the Surveyor General respecting the

Praya Reclamation Scheme.

1. In

my minute for the letter of the Colonial Secretary to Mr. CHATER, dated 23rd June, 1888, I expressed a doubt whether Her Majesty's Government may not be of opinion that this work should be done by the Government for its own benefit, and the more I think of the subject the more doubtful I become on this point, and the less certain I am that they would be justified in sanctioning the scheme on the terms proposed, at least without the requirement of a large premium per acre from the frontage lot-owners. As I believe the Surveyor General entertains strong views in favour of the proposed scheme as a whole, including the remission of premium. I should be glad to receive a clear statement of his view, with the object of re- moving my doubts, before the meeting of lot-owners takes place.

2. The only reason that appears to me against the undertaking of the work by the Government, is the speculative nature of the project, and the elements of uncertainty which render it speculative appear to be three:-(1.)-The cost of the execution of the work, (2.)-the value of the land to be reclaimed, and (3.)-the amount of compensation which would have to be paid to the owners of the existing frontage.

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3. (1.) Can, I presume, be ascertained with certainty before the work is com- menced, by means of the tenders sent in, and as the responsibility of both design and supervision will in any case fall upon the Government as well as the acceptance of the tenders, I am not sure whether the liability for any failure on the part of the contractors would not rest with the Government in any case. If this were so, it would seem that the element of speculation on this score would be as great when the work is not done for the direct benefit of Government, as if were great done for its direct benefit.

4. As regards (2), I should be glad to know more exactly the data for the estimate of $7,910,821 which deducting estimated cost would give to the existing lot-owners an estimated profit of over five and a half millions of Dollars. If the work were done by the Government for its own benefit this profit would of course be lessened by the amount of (3). But it seems to me that the element of speculation on this score would be almost altogether removed by the manner in which it is now proposed that the work should be done. By doing the work in sections, one or at most two at a time, it would be possible to ascertain with a near approach to certainty, what the profit or loss would be, and the decision of the question would be left open to discretion whether the work were proceeded with or It seems scarcely conceivable however that so large an amount as $5,764,593 is not a sufficient margin to cover all contingencies and leave a large profit in addition.

not.

5. These considerations are certain to occur to the Secretary of State, and it is well to anticipate them by a completely satisfactory answer which, I confess, at the present moment I do not see my way to give.

Though I shall require a written reply from Mr. PRICE, I fear that at the present moment he may be more than usually overwhelmed with work, in conse- quence of the late destructive storm; and it might be well therefore that he should now give me his views orally, in order that I may be quite satisfied whether I should not make some further communication of my doubts to the lot-owners before their Meeting on Tuesday next.

27th June, 1888.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

(16.)

(Surveyor General's Report on Governor's Minute of the 27th of June, 1888.)

1. In reply to His Excellency the Governor's Minute of the 27th of June, 1888, I deal first with the questions raised in paragraph 3:-

(a.) The cost of the work has been ascertained by means of the Public Works Department schedule of prices, and would be confirmed by the tenders when these come in.

(b.) The responsibility of design and supervision will fall upon the Government as well as the acceptance of tenders, but liability for failure on the part of the Contractors would be provided against in the usual way i.e. : by requiring from such Contractors a preliminary money-deposit by way of security for the proper completion of their contracts. Moreover, from every payment for work done a draw- back of 15 or 20 per cent. can be retained in the hands of the Government.

(c.) Contracts must contain the provision that all damage from typhoons during the progress of the works and for twelve months after their completion, shall be made good by the Contractors at their sole expense.

( 36 )

(d.) The preliminary money deposit coupled with the foregoing guarantees will protect the Government against any liability; the arrangement may of course tend to raise the price of the work, for timid con- tractors especially will charge for these risks, but the increase in the expense will fall on the lot-owners. This cannot be helped. At whatever cost to others the Government must protect itself against liability in any shape or form, except of course in respect of its own reclamations opposite Government lots, and there the Government must accept risks like any other lot-owner.

The foregoing safeguards will do away-as regards the Government—with any speculative element that may appear to exist if the work is done for the lot- owners, but if the Government does the work for itself it must take on itself what- ever risks and uncertainties there may be in the venture, and itself become the speculator.

A printed contract will have to be entered into between the Government and each individual lot-owner by which as already stated the Government must be pro- tected absolutely against any liability.

2. The assessment of values ($7,910,821) of the new lands to be reclaimed from the sea is based on the prices at present ruling in the leasehold-estate market in this Colony, and may be accepted as correct. Each allotment of reclamation has been appraised at the market value of the piece of land immediately behind it. The figures are given in great detail in a voluminous Appendix to my letter to the Colonial Secretary of the 1st of June, 1888. I requested Mr. CHATER to give me his ideas as to the price of land along the Praya, independently of my own appraisals, and I found the discrepancies between us were trifling and limited only to two of

the Sections.

3. If the Government were to carry out the reclamation on its own account, the profit would of course be lessened by the amount of compensation to be paid to the present marine lot-owners; that is to say the $5,764,593 would be materially reduced, though it is certain it would not disappear entirely since it is impossible to conceive that the claims for compensation could amount to anything like this sum. But whatever profits may be left, large or small, after paying off all indemni- ties, the Governor considers such profits might more fitly go into the Colonial Treasury than into the pockets of the marine lot-owners, and on this account His Excellency thinks the work might be done by the Government on its own account and for its own benefit, more especially in view of the fact that the doing of the sections by piecemeal reduces risk and limits the consideration of possible claims to small groups at a time, and thus gives an opportunity to advance or recede as the Government may elect hereafter. As regards risks of injury to the work by typhoons I consider such risks would be the same in either case, for the sections would be quite as liable to be injured or destroyed if carried out one after the other in detail as they would be if done as a whole at the same time.

.

4. The main advantage would therefore be in the having to deal only with a small number of marine lot-owners' claims at one time, and with regard to marine lot-owners' claims, I do not find in the whole of these papers or in the many oral discussions that have taken place in connexion with this proposed scheme of Recla- mation that the Governor has ever had a legal opinion as to the rights of the Crown in respect of foreshores opposite lands leased to individuals.

5. Briefly recapitulated the Government contention has always been that the foreshore is the property of the Crown absolutely, that the Crown has the right to reclaim the sea, at the public expense, in front of the premises of any marine lot- owner and to interpose fresh building sites between those premises and the sea, subject to the payment of such compensation to the lot-owner as may be due him for losses or injury accruing by the interposition of such new lands and of buildings erected thereon.

6. As set forth by Mr. FRANCIS, Q.C. the contention of the marine lot- owner (doubtless put into his head by Mr. FRANCIS himself) is: that in granting him a marine lot-lease for 999 years the Crown has invested him for that term with an indefeasible right (by way of easement), of direct access to High Water Mark, from which access the Crown has no legal power to cut him off. He

( 37 )

contends that the shore may silt up from natural causes, or it may-with the con- currence of himself-be reclaimed by the Government, and that the land thus silted up or artificially formed may be absolutely the property of the Government, but that the Government, cannot without trespass on the legal rights acquired by him under his marine lease, utilize such land for building or put it to any other uses.

7. If there be anything in the contention of Mr. FRANCIS it is clear that the Governor would not have the power to carry out the Reclamation at the public expense for the public benefit, and His Excellency would have no option but to adhere to the present plan and give the lot-owners whatever benefit may accrue to them under the scheme after reserving one half their reclamation for public roads. Would it not be desirable in these circumstances to obtain the Attorney General's opinion on the opinion of Mr. FRANCIS?

It seems to me that before the Governor can be in a position to make any specific recommendation to the Secretary of State in the matter of these Recla- mations His Excellency must have this point as to the alleged rights of marine lot-owners thoroughly cleared up.

8. I entertain a strong view in favour of the proposed scheme as a whole for the reasons set forth at such great length in my Report to the Acting Governor (General CAMERON) dated the 18th of July, 1887, (C.S.O. 1887) and in view of the dearth of building sites in the town and of the appalling yearly inundation of Chinese from the mainland which is likely to culminate in an epidemic that will engulph the Colony unless steps are taken to build more houses, I consider that the Colonial Government should not stop short at a mere acquiescence in the scheme but that it should-in its wisdom-go much farther and hold out such inducements to the marine lot-owners as will secure the earliest possible realization of the scheme by private enterprise in the manner proposed.

9. For reclamations from the sea made hitherto at the expense of the marine lot-owners the Government of Hongkong has never charged premium in money. It has contented itself with premium in land. In the proposed Reclamation, the total area proposed to be recovered from the sea will be nearly 58 acres, of which five will be Government property and the remaining 53 will be private property. Of these 53 acres of private reclamation the Government proposes to take for public roads 26 acres and will leave the marine lot-owners nearly 27 for their own use. For the filling in of the 26 acres to be taken away from them, these people will have to expend no less a sum than $1,000,000. Of course it may be said that in devoting this million of dollars to the construction of roads and streets the lot-owners are benefiting themselves equally with the public, inasmuch as wide and hand- some streets will be sure to enhance the value of their reclamations. On the other hand does not the Public benefit very largely by the creation of these proposed roads reclaimed for them from the sea at enormous cost but towards which they contribute nothing?

10. It may be that in order to secure the early realization of this scheme at the expense of the marine lot-owners and not of the Colonial Treasury I may have counselled over liberal terms. If I have done so it has been because of the great urgency of new building sites for the relief of a population congested to a degree that cannot but cause anxiety to thinking minds, and because of the risk of the scheme being deferred to an indefinite date in the future if claims and litigation come to interpose between the intention of the Government to do the work on its own account and the actual realization of that intention.

11. As however it seems to me that the question as to who shall carry out the work and reap the full benefits from it, wholly pivots on the correctness or otherwise of the contention of the marine lot-owners as explained by Mr. FRANCIS, His Excellency will no doubt wish to have this point cleared up before going further in the matter and I would therefore advise that the papers be referred to the Attorney General for his consideration and opinion on this particular point.

J. M. PRICE.

28th June, 1888.

( 38 )

(17.)

(Opinion by the Attorney General.)

I have considered the questions raised by Mr. PRICE in his minute of June 28th 1888, and more particularly paragraphs 5 and 6 of that minute. Those paragraphs are as follows:-

5. Briefly recapitulated the Government contention has always been that the foreshore is the property of the Crown absolutely, that the Crown has the right to reclaim the sea, at the public expense, in front of the premises of any marine lot-owner and to interpose fresh building sites between those premises and the sea, subject to the payment of such compensation to the lot-owner as may be due him for losses or injury accruing by the interposition of such new lands and of buildings erected thereon.

6. As set forth by Mr. FRANCIS, Q.C. the contention of the marine lot-owner (doubtless put into his head by Mr. FRANCIS himself) is that in granting him a marine lot-lease for 999 years the Crown has invested him for that term with an indefeasible right (by way of easement), of direct access to High Water Mark, from which access the Crown has no legal power to cut him off. He contends that the shore may silt up from natural causes, or it may-with the concurrence of himself-be reclaimed by the Government, and that the land thus silted up or artificially formed may be absolutely the property of the Government, but that the Government, cannot without trespass on the legal rights acquired by him under his marine lease, utilize such land for building or put it to any other uses.

I am of opinion that the contention of the Government as described in para- graph 5 of this minute is, with the exception of the bare statement that the foreshore is the property of the Crown, erroneous in point of law, and that the opinion of Mr. FRANCIS as stated in paragraph 6 though it would be correct if taken to apply only to such of the so-called marine lots as have an actual frontage along the sea- shore is not correct when applied to the great majority of so-called marine lots, which have, as I am told, frontages abutting not on the sea-shore but on the existing Praya road. That road is Crown land, and completely cuts off the lots from the shore: it makes them in fact road-side lots and not sea-side lots. They are not riparian property, that is to say property with a water frontage, and it appears to me that their owners have not as such any of the strict legal rights of riparian owners.

But although the owners of these lots have not as such the strict legal rights of riparian owners I think that the Government would still be bound to consider their position with a view to fair compensation for the injury that their property would suffer by the carrying out of the proposed works. These lots being very near the sea and separated from it only by a road-way have obviously a special value, and pay higher Crown rent in consequence and to remove them from the neighbourhood of the sea by carrying the reclamation out in front of them and building thereupon would greatly lower that value.

The difference between the two cases is that whereas in the former the Gov- ernment in carrying out a reclamation would be committing an actionable wrong and subjecting itself to a claim for unliquidated damages, in the latter it would not be interfering actionably with any legal rights and would be free to pay compen- sation rather as a matter of grace and equity and upon such terms as it might consider fair having regard to the interests of the public and of the lot-holders respectively.

2nd July, 1888.

EDWARD L. O'MALLEY.

89)

(Pier Owners to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG, 5th July, 1888.

SIR.

We have the honour to request that you will bring the following circumstances to the notice of His Excellency the Governor.

1. On perusing the recent despatch addressed to the Honourable C. P. CHATER on the subject of the proposed. Praya Reclamation Scheme, we fail to notice any reference to the privately owned wharves which now occupy positions along the foreshore, and which, in the progress of events must necessarily be destroyed, should the Scheme be carried out.

2. From the very inception of the idea up to the present time, it has been understood that compensation in full would be given to the owners of such wharves before demolition, and the expense included in the general cost of the works : moreover, it was believed that wharf-owners would be granted permission to erect piers attached to the new sea-wall, (in positions corresponding to those they now occupy) adapted for the carrying on of their business, provided that such structures should be deemed suitable to the new state of things by the Surveyor General. We venture to think that the justice of such a course will, after due consideration, be admitted by the Government.

3. It is true that whenever permission to erect a wharf has been granted, the applicant for such permission has been required to sign a guarantee that he will remove the said wharf at his own expense, if called upon to do so by the Govern- ment and we fully admit the general propriety of this practice, which places wharves in their correct position as encroachments on Crown property; at the same time we would respectfully submit that the spirit which dictated such restrictions never presupposed a condition of affairs such as the present. We can well imagine the Government informing a wharf-owner that the public convenience demanded the erection of a public wharf on his site, or that his frontage must be filled in, and the land used for the erection of public works or buildings, and in such a case exception could not well be taken, even though the individual loss might be heavy.

4. The present circumstances however are widely different from the above, inasmuch as the Reclamation Scheme stands upon a basis of "profit;" it is reason- able to suppose that if the value of land reclaimed did not greatly exceed the cost of reclamation, the undertaking would never have received serious consideration.

5. The profit estimated to accrue on the whole, amounts we observe, to the gigantic sum of $5,764,593.00, and without further argument, we would venture to suggest that it is an injustice, and an act akin to confiscation, to utterly destroy the existing property of one section of the community for the sole purpose of increasing the, in any case, enormous gains of another.

6. The proposed system of conducting the reclamation, appears to us to put the Scheme on an entirely different footing to what would obtain if the Govern- ment accomplished the work themselves. For the work, as proposed, becomes more of a private than a public character, seeing that individuals reap the major pecuniary benefit, and not the Government. On these grounds it may, with force, be urged that the destruction of our wharves is not a public necessity and therefore hardly comes within the pale of the guarantees given on their erection.

7. We are aware that, in strict accordance with the law, the Government have the power to insist on the fulfilment to the letter of the guarantees, but, under the circumstances, the equity of the case should surely be considered, and we venture to hope that the matter when represented to His Excellency the Governor, will induce him to carefully weigh the point we have raised which being compara- tively of inferior importance, may have only received passing notice.

*

J

( 40 )

8. We would add that we believe a sense of justice would induce the majority of Marine Lot-holders to approve of compensation to Wharf-owners being charged to the general cost of Reclamation, and under present arrangements it seems that Marine Lot-holders are the parties chiefly interested.

9. There is another point we would bring to His Excellency's notice.

We are given to understand that almost all the moorings now laid in the Harbour will have to be moved some 250 feet from South to North. The expense of this to indi- viduals will not be heavy, but the aggregate will amount to an appreciable sun, as the cost of shifting each mooring will average $200 to $250. Should not the ex- pense of this also be included in the general estimate of cost of the Reclamation?

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

THOS. ARNOLD,

Secretary,

Hongkong, Canton & Macao Steam-boat Company. Limited.

p.p. DOUGLAS LAPRAIK & Co..

T. E. DAVIES,

General Managers, Douglas S.S. Coy.. Ld.

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE,

Agents, China Navigation Coy., Ld.

The Honourable F. STEWART, M.A., LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.

No. 956.

(Colonial Secretary to Pier Owners.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 13th July, 1888.

GENTLEMEN,

With reference to your letter of the 5th instant, on the question of private wharves in connection with the proposed Praya Reclamation, I am directed by the Governor to inform you that your letter deserves, and will receive, His Excellency's careful consideration.

I am to add that in order to know what is involved in this question His Excellency would like to know the original cost and to have an estimate of the present value of your respective wharves, and also an estimate of the cost of building new ones.

I have, &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

THOS. ARNOLD, Esq.,

Secretary,

Hongkong, Canton & Macao Steam-boat Coy., Ld.

Messrs. DOUGLAS LAPRAIK & Co.,

General Managers,

Douglas Steam-ship Coy., Ld.

Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE,

Agents,

China Navigation Coy., Ld.

( 41 )

(Pier Owners to Colonial Secretary.)

i

SIR,

HONGKONG, 17th July, 1888.

We have the honour to own receipt of your letter, No. 956, of the 14th instant, in which you inform us that His Excellency the Governor has promised to give that consideration to the question of our respective Wharves, now fronting the Praya-should their removal become necessary owing to the adoption of the con- templated reclamation scheme-which the importance of the case demands.

You desire to be informed as to the cost of our respective Wharves, which we have much pleasure in giving below. In connection therewith, we venture to remind His Excellency that the cost of our Wharves does not represent the loss we should sustain if it be decided to remove, and not reinstate them on completion of the Praya extension. The absence of these special Wharfage facilities would mean almost annihilation of our respective trades.

As to the cost of re-building these Wharves on completion of the new Sea Wall, it is not easy to furnish an estimate unless we are provided with details shewing the soundings, and nature of the bottom; but we think a fair estimate would be that they would cost double the amount of the present erections.

First cost of the following Wharves :-

Hongkong, Canton & Macao Steam-boat Company, Limited,...$20,000.00

Douglas Steam-ship Company, Limited,

China Navigation Company, Limited,

20,000.00

26,824.94

1

The present value of the respective Wharves, we consider, is not less than their first cost, for the stuctures have been, and are, thoroughly kept up, at a con- siderable annual outlay.

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servants,

THOS. ARNOLD,

Secretary,

Hongkong, Canton & Macao Steam-boat

Company, Limited.

p.p. DOUGLAS LAPRAIK & Co.,

The Honourable F. STEWART, M.A., LL.D.,

T. E. DAVIES,

General Managers,

Douglas Steam-ship Company, Limited.

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE,

Agents,

China Navigation Company, Limited.

Colonial Secretary.

2

( 42 )

Draft Reclamation Ordinance.

WHEREAS the foreshore of the Harbour of Victoria

is in process of silting up to the detriment of the health and commerce of the Colony, and it is expedient to put a stop to such process and to provide a deep water frontage; and whereas the area of level land for building and for roads and quays and open spaces along the sea front of the City of Victoria is insufficient to meet the growing wants of the Colony, and it is expedient to enlarge the same: Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-

1. The works authorized by this Ordinance and all works for the effectual and convenient carrying out of the same are declared to be works for a "public purpose" within the meaning of that term as contained in the Crown leases of lands in the Colony.

2. Subject to the provisions and for the purposes of this Ordinance, it shall be lawful for the Governor to carry out the works authorized by this Ordinance according to the plans and drawings signed by the Surveyor General, counter- signed by the Governor and now deposited in the Land Office, and such plans and drawings shall remain in the said Office and shall be open to public inspection at convenient hours.

In carrying out the works it shall be lawful for the Governor to deviate in respect of details to any extent that shall not materially alter or affect the general design set forth in such plans and drawings.

3. The works authorized by this Ordinance comprise the following, that is to say:

(a.) The making of an embankment along the harbour front of the City of Victoria with all necessary and convenient walls, drains, wharves, piers, landing places, approaches and other conveniences and works; such embankment to commence Westward at a point upon the sea-shore opposite the Gas Works, and to terminate Eastward at a point oppo- site to Murray Pier; the said embankment to be constructed in whole or in greater part upon the bed or foreshore of the harbour.

(b.) The making upon the said embankment of a public marine road-way not less than seventy-five feet, and the widening out of the present Praya road-way to a width of not less than sixty-five feet, with all necessary and convenient approaches to the same.

(c.) The reclaiming and enclosing and filling up so much of the foreshore and bed of the Harbour as lies between the present Praya Wall and the intended embankment, to such heights and levels as may be determined by the Governor.

4. For the purpose of effecting the works authorized by this Ordinance it shall be lawful for the Governor to remove, destroy, alter, divert, stop up, or enclose such streets, drains, void ground, wharves, piers, landing places, and other things as shall in the judgment of the Governor be necessary to be done for the purposes of this Ordinance.

5. All the land and foreshore and bed of the sea to be reclaimed under this Ordinance, and all the land occupied by the present Praya along the line of the intended recla- mation, shall be deemed to be absolutely the property of the Crown, free from any restriction whatever, and the Gov- ernor shall have power, subject to the special provisions of this Ordinance, to deal with the same and to dispose of the same for building or any other purpose in the same way and to as full an extent as in the case of other Crown lands; and all property, estate, rights or supposed rights and ease- ments or supposed easements of any persons or class of persons, whether Crown leaseholders or licensees or other- wise, to the user or possession or occupation of, in, over or in any way in relation to such land, foreshore, bed of the sea embankment, reclamation or praya, or in relation to any wharf, landing place, pier or other place, situate thereupon, are hereby declared to be absolutely extinguished and determined.

:

( 43 )

6. Whereas the persons whose names are contained in Schedule A to this Ordinance being respectively the regis- tered Crown leaseholders of the lots specified in the said Schedule, have declared their readiness to contribute for the purposes of the works authorized by this Ordinance, the sums of money set out in the said Schedule, provided that the Governor will grant to them respectively Crown leases of such portions of the proposed reclamation as are delineated and marked with their respective names and coloured red upon the plans now deposited in the Land Office, and have respectively declared themselves willing to enter into agreements with the Government to carry out such arrangements, which agreements are in the form and terms set out in Schedule B to this Ordinance, it is hereby provided that it shall be lawful for the Governor to enter into and carry out such agreements and to dispose of the reclaimed land in accordance therewith.

All Crown leaseholders of lots fronting upon the present praya between the eastern and western limits mentioned in this Ordinance who have not already declared their willingness to enter into agreements, as in Schedules A and B set forth, to contribute for the purposes of the works shall have the option of entering into such agreements at any time within 3 months of the passing of this Ordinance, and such of the said Crown leaseholders as do enter into such agreements shall be entitled to receive in respect of their contributions as specified in Schedule C to this Or- dinance Crown leases of such portions of the proposed re- clamation as are delineated and marked with the numbers of their respective lots and painted yellow upon the plans now deposited in the Land Office; and it shall be lawful for the Governor to enter into and carry out such agreements, and to dispose of the reclaimed land in accordance there- with.

So much of the cost of the works authorized by this Ordinance as is not covered by the amounts contributed under the agreements referred to in this Section shall be provided out of the public revenues.

7. Except as in this Ordinance provided, no marine lot- holder or other person shall be entitled to any damages or compensation for the depreciation or injurious affecting of his property or business caused by, or resulting either directly or remotely, from any of the works authorized by this Or- dinance.

8. From and after the completion of the embankment authorized by this Ordinance, the Governor shall keep and maintain the same out of monies to be provided from the public revenues.

Name of Registered Crown Leaseholder.

SCHEDULES.

(A.)

Registered Number of Marine Lot.

Amount of Contribution.

•* (44)

(B.)

AGREEMENT.

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT made this

1888 Between

day of

Acting for and on behalf of the Government of Hongkong (herein. after called the Government) of the one part and

Lot No.

Crown Lessee of Marine

·(hereinafter called the Crown Lessee) of the other

part. WHEREAS the said is a Crown Lessee of Marine Lot No.

and has declared his readiness to contribute for the works authorized by Ordinance No. of 188 the sum of $

and to enter into the Agreement hereinafter contained provided that the Government will grant to him a Crown Lease of that portion of the Reclamation provided for by the said Ordinance hereinafter more particularly described as

hereinafter mentioned.

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED by and between the parties hereto as follows:--

shall

1. The said

contribute towards the works authorized by the said Ordinance the sum of $

of which $

(25%) have been this day paid by the said

to the said Government as a guarantee for the due performance by the said

of this Agreement. being the balance of the said contri-

2. The sum of $

bution shall be paid by the said

to the said Government in such instalments and at such times as shall be required by the said Government provided that 10 days' previous notice in writing of each such payment being required shall be given by the said Government to the said

or to his Agent in Hongkong or left at his or their last known place of abode in Hongkong.

3. If the said

shall make default in payment of any instalment as hereinbefore provided the said guarantee and all instalments previously paid by him and all his rights under this Agreement shall be forfeited And if the said

shall make default in

taking up a Crown Lease, in the manner hereinafter provided, of that portion of the Reclamation hereinafter more particularly mentioned his right thereto and all other rights under this Agreement and all moneys paid by him thereunder shall also be forfeited,

4. Upon completion of the works authorized by the said Ordinance and upon payment by the said

of the whole of the said balance of $ will grant to the said

the Government

a Crown Lease of all that portion of the Reclamation provided for by the said Ordinance as is delineated on the plan hereunto annexed and thereon colored Red.

5. The Crown rent to be reserved by the said Crown Lease for the said portion of the Reclamation shall be at the rate of $200 per quarter acre.

6. The said Crown Lease so to be granted as aforesaid shall provide that

(a.) Any buildings to be erected by the said

on the said portion of Land to be leased to him as afore- said shall be erected subject to the following structural provisions as to light space and ventilation :--

Houses of a depth of 50 feet or less shall have 10 foot yards.

Do.

Do.

do. from 50 to 60 feet do. from 60 to

do. 11 do.

70 feet

do.

12

do.

Do.

do. from 70 to

80 feet

do.

13

do.

Do.

do. from 80 to

90 feet

do.

14 do.

Do.

do. from 90 to 100 feet do.

15 do.

and no private lane on which any such buildings shall front shall be of a less width than 15 feet.

(b.) Every habitable room in every building to be erected as aforesaid shall have at least one window opening out into the external air and such window or if more than one such windows shall be of a size not less than one tenth of the floor area of such room.

(c.) Every building to be erected as aforesaid which shall be used as a dwelling shall be furnished with a suitable privy to be placed in the back yard.

IN WITNESS whereof the said parties to these presents have here- unto set their hands the day and year first above written.

(C.)

Name of Registered Crown Leaseholder.

Registered Number of Marine Lot.

Amount of Contribution.

( 45 )

Memorandum by the Attorney General.

The Draft Ordinance makes provision for the Praya Re- clamation Scheme upon the first of the two alternative plans proposed, and follows very much the lines sketched out in my memorandum of July 21st, 1888.

Clauses 2 and 3 are formed on the assumption that the plans of the proposed works will be completed and deposited in the Land Office before the Ordinance is passed.

Clause 5 is intended to make it clear that owners of lots on the proposed new Praya will have no easement in res- pect of the sea in front.

The arrangements with the marine lot-holders are pro- vided for in clause 6. I understand from the Surveyor Ge- neral that there would be no lot-holders who woudl refuse to enter into the proposed agreements, and there seems there- fore no necessity to provide any special plan for assessing and meeting the claims of such persons.

If there should turn out to be any such persons their position under the Ordinance will be simply that they will get nothing.

But if it were thought desirable to make provision under which something might be allowed them a clause of two or three lines might be added as a third paragraph to Section 6 in the following terms:-

"In case any such Crown lease-holder declines to enter "into any agreement in manner above provided he shall have "no claim to any compensation in respect of any depreciation "of his lot by reason of the works to be carried out under "this Ordinance but the Governor may if he thinks fit award "to him such a sum of money or such a Crown lease of new "land as he may in his absolute discretion think sufficient as and by way of compensation for any injury that such "lot-holder may have sustained by the works."

66

I understand also that the owners of the Wharf and Godown Company's wharves claim nothing except what would be covered by the grant of new land that they will receive under the ordinary agreement in respect of their marine lots and that all other wharf-owners are mere licensees who can also be provided for without compen- sation except such as they get under the schedule agree- ment in respect of their lots.

The Schedule Agreements and Plan will determine the details of the compensation that may be agreed upon and will settle the area of land to be given as additions to existing lots and the amount of premium if any and rent to be paid.

August 1st, 1888.

EDWARD L. O'MALLEY.

HONGKONG.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMISSIONERS

APPOINTED BY

HIS EXCELLENCY SIR G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX, K,C.M.G..

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong

and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same,

TO ENQUIRE INTO THE CAUSE

OF THE

FEVER PREVAILING IN THE

WESTERN DISTRICT.

TOGETHER WITH THE

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMISSION,

&C..

&C..

&c.

DRO

HONGKONG:

PRINTED BY NORONHA & Co..

Government Printers.

1888.

[:

!

:

HONGKONG.

REPORT

"

OF THE

COMMISSIONERS

APPOINTED BY

HIS EXCELLENCY SIR G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, K.C.M.G.,

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong

and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same,

TO ENQUIRE INTO THE CAUSE

OF THE

FEVER PREVAILING IN THE

WESTERN DISTRICT,

TOGETHER WITH THE

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMISSION,

&C.,

&C.,

&c.

:

EU

DRO

HONGKONG:

PRINTED BY NORONHA & Co.,

Government Printers.

1888.

:

INDEX.

Page.

Commission by His Excellency the Governor,....

Report by the Commissioners,

Petition of residents at Western end of the City, Appendix A.,.................

Form of questions circulated amongst such residents, Appendix B., ......................

Form of questions put to witnesses, Appendix C., ...................................

VII

[ 1 ]

[4]

[ 4 ]

EVIDENCE :-

Deputy Surgeon-General Lewer, P.M.O., A.M.S.,

Major Brooke, R.E.,

E. Mackintosh,

J. B. Coughtrie,

J. Y. V. Vernon,...

D. Gillies,......

W. Danby,

J. D. Humphreys,

F. A. Hazeland,

C. J. Bateman,

J. G. Smith,..

A. G. Aitken,

Hon. J. M. Price,

F. A. Cooper,

R. K. Leigh,

E. Bowdler,

(1)

(9)

(12)

( 18 )

(22)

(25)

(29)

(35)

( 42 )

( 45 )

( 49 )

(55 )

(61)

(67)

(70)

(79)

HONGKONG, 13th August, 1888.

SIR,

I have the honour to forward the Report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire

into the cause of the fever prevailing in the Western District. I am sorry to state that

Dr. YOUNG who took an active part in the house to house visitation died on July 21st,

1888. Dr. YARR another of the Commissioners is absent on leave. Their signatures

therefore are missing.

To The Honourable

COLONIAL SECRETARY,

&c.,

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

&c.,

&c.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Secretary.

(v)

COMMISSION BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

[L.S.] G. WILLIAM DES VOEUX.

Whereas it is expedient that a Commission should be appointed to enquire into the statements made in a Petition from certain of the residents in the Western District of the City of Victoria; to enquire into the causes of fever referred to therein; and to recommend such remedial measures as may be deemed requisite: Now therefore I, G. WILLIAM DES VEUX, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies and Vice-Admiral of the same, in Executive Council assembled, do hereby under the powers vested in me by Ordinance 27 of 1886 entitled The Commissioners Powers Ordinance, 1886, appoint you PHILIP BERNARD CHENERY AYRES, Esquire, Colonial Surgeon; EDWARD TOWNSEND MORTIMER, Esquire, Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Naval Hospital; MICHAEL THOMAS YARR, Esquire, Surgeon of the Army Medical Staff; PATRICK MANSON, Esquire, Doctor of Medicine and Master in Surgery; JAMES CANTLIE, Esquire, Bachelor of Medicine and Master in Surgery; WILLIAM YOUNG, Esquire, Doctor of Medicine and Master in Surgery; GREGORY PAUL JORDAN, Esquire, Bachelor of Medicine and Master in Surgery; and JOHN MITFORD ATKINSON, Esquire, Bachelor of Medicine and Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, England, to be a Commission for the purpose of instituting, making, and conducting such enquiry, with power to appoint your Chairman by ballot or other- wise: And I do hereby order and direct that the said Commission shall, for the purpose of making the said enquiry, have all such powers as are now vested in the Supreme Court of this Colony or in any Judge thereof on the occasion of any suit or action in respect of

The enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on Oath, affirma- tion, or otherwise;

The compelling the production of documents;

The punishing persons guilty of contempt;

The ordering the inspection of any property;

With power also, for the purpose of this Commission, to enter and view any pre- mises;

And I do hereby further direct that every examination of witnesses shall be held in public: And I do further require of you to report to me the evidence and your opinion thereon: And I hereby charge all persons in the Public Service to assist you

herein :

Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the Colony, in Executive Council, this 17th day of December, 1887.

By Command,

ARATHOON SETH,

Clerk of Councils.

REPORT.

1

:

The Commissioners, having held their first meeting on December 28th, 1887, and Mr. A. G. WISE having been appointed Secretary, have now concluded the work as- signed to them and beg to report as follows:

THE MEANS TAKEN TO OBTAIN INFORMATION.

The information, which has determined the conclusions arrived at, has been gathered by the following means:

1. By printed circulars, wherein a series of questions (see appendix B, page 4) were set forth bearing upon the matter in hand. The circulars were sent to all persons who signed the petition (see appendix A, page 1) and others from whom useful information could be believed to be gathered.

2. By the attendance before the commission of such witnesses as, in the opinion of the members of the Commission could give valuable evidence.

3. By subjecting such witnesses to cross-examination upon the past and present condition of the health of themselves and their families, and the sanitary condition of their immediate surroundings. For nature of questions, (see Appendix C, page 4) 4. By personal inspection of the neighbourhood in question and by a house to house visitation.

THE NATURE OF THE DISEASE.

The conclusions arrived at concerning the diseases found prevalent in the Western District are as follows :-

1st. That the diseases complained of were chiefly malarial, and that the

fever, epidemic at the time, was distinctly so.

2nd.--That fever appears to be endemic in the Western District, but that it has possibly been more prevalent during the periods complained of in the petition.

3rd.-That a small percentage of the cases which came before the Commis- sioners in evidence, exhibited symptoms of what may have been sewer-gas poisoning.

THE CAUSES OF ILLNESS.

The conclusions arrived at concerning the Causes of Fever in the Western District generally are:-

1st.--Absence of sub-soil drainage.—The Commissioners during their investiga- tions have elicited various differences and peculiarities appertaining to different districts of Hongkong, as regards the subject of drainage. The conformation of the original drains in the Colony provided for surface drainage. In fact the drains as ori- ginally made were surface drains pure and simple; and they did not, and were not intended to serve any other purposes. Gradually however these drains were used as drain sewers and not being constructed for such a purpose, failed to fulfil their functions as sewers, but acted through their faulty construction as sub-soil drains. In the newer parts of the town, and in the Western District in particular, sewers proper were laid down in the first instance; which, while they more efficiently performed their function as sewers, contributed but little to the sub-soil drainage of the neighbourhood through which they ran. It therefore appears that in the newer districts, houses are built more perfectly sewered, perhaps, but by that very fact stand in soils damp with sub-soil water and with no artificial provision for its exit.

viii)

2nd.--Earth Cuttings.-According to W. C. MACLEAN, C.B., M.D., Professor of military medicine, in the Army Medical School, Netley, who was encamped on Hongkong before it was ceded to the British Government, the soil was but little dis- turbed and the troops did not suffer; but, when excavations were made at a subsequent time, for the construction of the City of Victoria, a fatal form of remittent fever appeared, which caused great mortality. From this and many subsequent experiences, earth- cuttings, both in Hongkong and other countries have been considered as an important factor in the production of conditions tending to the outbreak of fever. At the same time it is observed in some districts of Hongkong and more especially, at the present excavations going on at Kowloon, an immunity from fever seems to exist in some places. In the Western District, however, earth cuttings of a recent date and of an extensive character have been in progress for some time, and the Commissioners cannot neglect the fact in the face of previous experience.

3rd.--Absence of Cultivation.—The cultivation of plants, herbs and trees is a thing of recent date in Hongkong, and it is possible that the afforestation has not even, where best developed, advanced sufficiently to produce the maximum of good. In the Western District moreover the afforestation is developed to but small extent, to so small an extent in fact that the benefits accruing therefrom are as yet practically nil.

Evidence as to the existence of good bestowed upon malarial districts by plants i obtained in a negative way thus:-It is well known that, in many districts with plentifu vegetation, when large clearances have been made, malarial fever previously in abeyance has broken out subsequent to such clearance, and in such a manner that they are looked upon as cause and effect.

4th. The situation of the houses.-The situation of the houses in the Western District is such that malarial fever might be expected to develope around them. The houses stand at the base of a high hill receiving a tropical rain-fall. Around the houses numerous springs exist, and at no great distance from the surface, sub-soil water is found standing; in addition, in many places the water finds its way to the surface causing pools in some instances and in others a damp soil.

Whilst drawing attention to these conditions in the Western District, the Commis- sioners are aware that in the other districts of Hongkong the houses, in fact the town, stand on ground of almost similar nature; but the other parts of the town are closely packed with houses, the roads are older and, in many instances, better paved. In the Western District the houses are more sparse, and the roads and cuttings much newer and indifferently paved or macadamized.

The Commissioners have come to the conclusion therefore, that all the elements necessary to produce malarial infection are present in the Western District.

5th.--General non-hygienic conditions met with in the District.-The Commissioners wish it distinctly to be understood that the causes detailed under this heading cannot have any specific effect in bringing about malarial fever, but they are of opinion that any insanitary condition may increase the severity of the attacks of such fever and by affecting the general health of the community increase the probability of its develop-

ment.

The complaints made in the petition under the separate headings A, B, C, D, and E are conditions which, individually and collectively, no doubt produce in some cases a local and in others a more general disturbance of healthy conditions. The Commissioners find that the chief cause of the petition being sent in is however the smells experienced in the Western District. Not only in the petition, but in the cross- examination of witnesses and in the house to house visits, the essence of the complaint is smells, caused by exhalations, in one instance, (heading A of petition) from a squatters village, Inland Lot No. 795, and noxious trades; in a second (heading B of petition) from the drying of sugar bags on the hill sides; in a third (heading C of petition) from the manuring flower gardens with offensive liquid manure; in a fourth

:

(heading

(ix)

in petition) from the storage of garbage and refuse material in the native town just below Bonham Road, and from the burning of refuse matter in an imperfect manner at Láp-sáp-wán; in a fifth (heading E in petition) from the noxious and fœtid gases concentrating in the upper levels from the absence of proper ventilation in the public sewer. It will be observed that these constitute the main cause of the petition being sent in, and during the cross-examination of witnesses they again constituted the main grievance.

In disposing of these grievances it is evident that the first four, (A, B, C and D of the petition), can be pronounced nuisances, but the fifth (heading E of petition), the absence of ventilators in the public sewers, is a technicality of sanitary engineering.

The Commissioners feel reluctance in going into the question of criticising the sewers of the Colony, whether as regards their shape, construction, intent as to what they are meant to convey or ventilation, because they are aware that by the recent Public Health Ordinance, radical changes will be made in the formation and flushing of the present sewers which, it is hoped, will improve, if not eradicate, many shortcomings which are at present only too evident. The changes recommended by the Government of the Colony have been agreed upon after deliberate consultation, and it is not the wish or duty of the Commissioners to criticise them.

The conditions of drainage met with in the Western District which struck the Com- missioners as calling for comment are :-

1st. The absence of ventilators.--As brought out in evidence there are no regular ventilators, that is, no openings constructed for the purposes of allowing the entrance of fresh and the exit of foul air, in the course of the public sewers. What openings there are, exist for the purposes of carrying off the surface water, with, in addition, a ventila- tion shaft at the top of the main sewers. The openings for carrying off surface water are in some instances trapped, in others provided with a metal valve and in a third set guarded simply by gratings. Of these it is plain that the first-the trapped openings- are not intended for the entrance or exit of air; that the second-the valved openings act imperfectly as ventilators, their very purpose being the complete closure to sewer gas, of the aperture they guard. It is only the third class therefore the openings pro- vided with gratings-which can serve the purpose of allowing free communication with the air, and it does not seem that they are adequate by themselves to provide for the 'oxidation of the sewer gases.

In addition to these openings many of the main sewers are provided with venti- lating shafts placed at different levels along the face of the hill. Some of these shafts are situated below, on a level with, or above the present house-building levels.

The shafts in question are intended to act as exits of foul air and the Commissioners found they fulfilled their functions to some, or it might be even to a considerable extent. That they serve to completely fulfil the purpose of ventilation of the sewers may be called in question; and the more so, as they are found only at the head of main sewers, whilst the branch sewers communicating therewith are left unprovided with such exits. In some instances charcoal trays have been placed in the ventilating shafts with the autho- rity of the sanitary board. They were placed there on the representation of residents that the exhalations from these shafts rendered their houses undesirable to live in. The Commissioners are of opinion that such charcoal trays, even when the charcoal is kept dry, greatly impede the exit of gas; but when the impossibility of keeping the charcoal dry in a moist climate such as that of Hongkong, even when the trays are roofed over, is taken into consideration, it is evident that they render practically useless such shafts. Further, that these ventilation shafts do not completely fulfil these functions, is believed from the fact that, from the surface water gratings, gases of a highly objectionable nature emanate; proving that the suction power of the ventilating shafts, is not of sufficient draft power, to not only check such emanations but does not cause the entrance of fresh air instead of the exit of foul.

(x)

At the place of exit of main sewers at the Praya, it is found that the openings are in some instances guarded by metal valve flaps, and in others they are not so guarded.

The outfalls of the sewers in the Western District are not guarded by such valves and the mouths of the sewers are open to the North-East monsoon during the whole of the winter months. Seeing that the main sewer in Centre Street is sealed at the top (at the junction of Robinson and Bonham Roads) by a water trap; it follows there is created in the sewer in Centre Street a pressure of sewer gas when the tide is low and the wind high, the outlets for which are house-drains and surface water inlets. An insanitary state must thereby be produced, capable of seriously affecting the health of the residents in the neighbourhood of such a drain at the higher levels.

In the Western District it is found that at the top of the main sewer which runs down Centre Street no ventilation shaft has up to the present moment been provided ; but that instead a water trap situated above Cowper's tank, at the junction of the Robinson and Bonham Roads, prevents the exit of sewer gas at that level. With imperfect ventilation below, this no doubt constitutes a serious danger, the more so that the trap from insufficient water to cover the dip is frequently inefficient and at such times allows of the exit of insufficiently oxidised sewer gas. That this is being dealt with is evident, for already a ventilating shaft is being constructed whereby the gases may ascend to a safe distance (according to the present level of house building) up the hill- side; but up to the present moment the conditions noted in the previous paragraph are in existence.

Here it may be advantageous to point out the difficulty, not only of flushing the sewers, but of even obtaining sufficient water to fill the traps after cleansing. The custom followed in dealing with the cleansing of traps is, that twice a week, the foul water is taken out and clean water substituted. The amount of labour this involves is enormous. As many as 80 buckets of water are required to fill up some of the larger traps, and the average number required for the Western District alone, where 114 traps of different size are in action, amounts to 36 buckets per trap. The difficulty of obtaining water from the streams in the neighbourhood is, at certain seasons so great, that water has to be carried from the sea, up a steep hill, as far in many instances as half a mile. The hours available for such work are from 12 at night to 5 in the morning, at which hour the workmen are required for other necessary duties. If by five o'clock sufficient water cannot be collected, and it is at times impossible to get such done from the allowance daily diminishing in the streams, it is plain that the supply being irregular, the traps are liable, to be imperfectly filled and hence their occasional inefficiency. In some instances coolies have been found to deliberately open the moveable grating over such traps, and to draw water for household purposes from these traps. This, in addition to the evil arising to household sanitation, renders the traps inefficient.

2nd.-The condition of the houses as obtained by a house to house visitation.--The older houses in the neighbourhood may be said generally to be in an unsatisfactory condition. In some instances as is the case at the Berlin Mission, the drains are for the most part open, but the bricks are blue and consequently unsuitable owing to their porosity, the bricks moreover are badly laid and frequently displaced by the roots of banyan trees. The ground in the neighbourhood of such drains is sodden for a con- siderable depth and a mass of black filthy soil obtains.

In some instances again the houses are in direct communication with the main sewer, there being no attempt, or but an imperfect one at trapping or disconnection. In a few and these the most unhealthy houses the basements are occupied.

In all instances the coolie quarters are defective as regards both their dwelling ac- commodation and latrine arrangements. The dwelling quarters are in many instances built against the hill side, not raised from the ground and directly ventilating into the main sewer and in some instances were found to exist over the latrines. The latrines

*

(xi)

are highly objectionable even in the best quarters, the odour being so great as to be unbearable. The vessels made to receive the fluid part of the soil were either over- flowing or broken, and the fluid soil was allowed to percolate either into the floor of the latrine or into the nearest house drain surface gully.

In one instance the fluid soil, kitchen and bath waste were allowed to flow on to the ground directly below the windows of the dwelling house.

Disused bath room traps were found useless owing to the evaporation of the water in the trap, and rain water traps were for the same reason inefficient; these traps more- over lead directly to the main sewers and from their inefficiency the gases from the sewers found their way into the houses or the court yards adjacent.

In one instance a house drain opened on to the rain water pipes of the roof of the house immediately below. The surface traps laid down around the houses in the Western District generally were very defective. The dip of the trap in no instance was more than 3 of an inch below the level of the trap water, and in most instances, of an inch was all the covering which the construction of the trap rendered possible. In not a few instances the water of the trap was insufficient either from evaporation or from suction.

Seeing that these traps, in many instances, constituted the only guard whereby the gases of the main sewer were prevented from ascending in the neighbourhood of dwellings, the Commissioners regard them as totally inadequate, even when such traps have the maximum dip represented above, to prevent sewer gas more especially at the higher levels finding its way through the trap.

These facts taken in conjunction with the inadequacy of the main sewer ventilation are regarded with much concern. The Commissioners believe that by the detailed account just given of the irregularities and errors in the sanitation of the district the remedies about to be recommended may be more intelligible.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

I.—That sub-soil drainage be proceeded with at once.-From information gathered from reliable sources, it is possible to proceed with such drainage without waiting for more radical changes, in either the principles of ventilation, or in the improvements providing for the amelioration of the present condition contained in the Public Health Ordinance.

The expense such a work would involve would be small, and from the arguments already given, need only extend to the Western District.

The drainage should be of the nature of sub-soil drainage.

As to the present disposal of the sub-soil water the Commissioners believe that it will be useful to carry it into the already existing drain-sewers or sewers; the fall being so great that no harm can arise therefrom.

As to the future disposal of sub-soil water and storm water in newly constructed drainage works, the Commissioners are of opinion that the subject should be carefully considered as to whether Drain-Sewers, or Sewers with a separate drainage for sub-soil water and storm water, which may or may not join the sewers, be the better.

II.—That the period of Earth Cuttings be regulated.-In Hongkong and in many other places, it is noted that newly cut virgin soil, more especially in ill drained or swampy districts, is followed by an outbreak of fever. The Commissioners would advise that the period of earth cuttings (below the level of the Pokfulam Aqueduct) be limited to the months of December, January, February, March, April and May, and that it be prohi- bited during the months of June, July, August, September, October and November.

That such a recommendation may meet with strong opposition the members of the Commission are quite aware; but they are of opinion that the health of the community should not be damaged for mere personal gain or in other words that the lives of the inhabitants should not be sacrificed to further private ends.

N

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Only in non-malarial districts, if such there are known to be, or for the purpose of the military defence of the island, should such cuttings be allowed during other months than those mentioned.

III.That newly cut soil be covered over with turf mould and ashes of a thickness of at least three inches, or by concrete or by chunam.-All newly cut surfaces must be so covered by the 1st of June.

IV. That the cultivation of plants, herbs, or trees be proceeded with.--Encourage- ment should be given to private individuals to cultivate, but it is the duty of the Gov- ernment to see to such cultivation as speedily as possible.

In the absence of direct evidence upon the subject, it is considered expedient that the Blue Gum, the Eucalyptus Globulus of Australia should be largely planted. The tree is being largely planted in many malarial districts, markedly Italy, and the enormous rate of growth of the tree, combined with its drying influence on the sub-soil, point to. its being likely to benefit the climate of Hongkong.

V.-That the Water Supply be increased. The present intermittent supply of water is a serious evil to the Colony. It is however in the process of being remedied, and that too by means which in all probability will be adequate. It is therefore the recom- mendation of the Commission that the Tytam water supply be pushed forwards with the utmost speed. For many years the works have been in the process of construction, and it is believed it will be about 15 or 18 months still before they are finished. In the mean time the health of the community is being impaired and the lives of not a few sacri- ficed by the delay in the completion. It is desirable therefore that the works should be pushed on so as to be open before the 1st November, 1888, that is, before the dry season If it is a question of expense the Commissioners are satisfied that the residents in the Colony are willing to put their hands in their pockets for such a purpose.

sets in.

Although the improvement in the quantity of water will, by the opening of the Tytam works, be a great boon, the Commissioners view the source of the water entering the Pokfulam Reservoir with apprehension. It is stored in an eminently malarial

district and the gathering ground at the Peak is gradually being dotted over with houses unprovided with drains. Moreover the building going on in the neighbourhood of the gathering ground is provocative of much disturbance of the soil owing to the labourers unearthing stones in large quantity. The earth is thereby disturbed and the colour if not other qualities, of the water is interfered with.

Without going more into detail the Commissioners believe that, by and bye the Pokfulam water supply will become an undesirable one.

VI.-That the sewerage be improved.-The discussion of the drainage and sewerage more especially of the Western District has paved the way for a clearer understanding of the remedies. Here it may be necessary to say that the recent Public Health Ordinance provides for the remedy of most of the grievances complained of. This in conjunction with the opening of the new Water-works should do much to remedy, if not all, at least some of the more evident present dangers to health.

The Commissioners would therefore advise that the recommendations of the Public Health Ordinance be brought into action with the least delay possible.

Without criticising the provisions of that Ordinance the Commissioners would like to draw attention to do some points of paramount importance:—

1st.-As to the ventilation of the Public Sewers.-The method of ventilation by air shafts, extending far up the hill sides, has been tried in Gibraltar, and after being laid down at much expense, are now wholly unused. It was found that Rock fever and Typhoid followed their being carried up the hill, and for the sake of the public health they were shut up, and ventilation effected in the lower levels.

The Commissioners recommend therefore, that careful enquiry be made before the Government commits itself to a system of ventilation of sewers which under similar circumstances has been found a great evil :-

(xiii)

2nd.-As to the trapping of the house drains.-The report upon the water traps in use in the Colony will draw attention to the liability of the same to become useless owing to the insufficiency of the dip into the water allowing of rapid evaporation, and the forcing of the trap from the pressure of sewer gas more especially at the higher levels. Indeed with a strong wind blowing against the mouths of the drains on the Praya wall, especially when unvalved, the insufficiency of the traps is but too apparent.

3rd. As to the opening of drains at the Praya.-The present position of the mouths of sewers far above low water level on the foreshore, is prejudicial to the health of the Colony, whether as regards the insanitary state of the foreshore itself, or as regards the effect on the dwellings in the town and hill side suburbs.

The Commissioners are aware that extensive alterations are in contemplation and can well understand the difficulty experienced in dealing with the question of the fore- shore sanitation until it is definitely settled as to the Praya extension scheme.

From a sanitary point of view the Commissioners would urge the settlement of this question, i.e., the Praya extension scheme one way or another as speedily as possible; and when the question is settled they would urge the Sanitary Board to exercise great care before committing the community of Hongkong to the great expense, and to a serious sanitary problem, as to the sewage outfall which the contemplated alteration in the conditions involves.

4th.-As to the coolie quarters.-The general insanitary state of the coolie houses found on inspection, lead the Commissioners to make the following recommendations for coolie quarters attached to European houses in the suburbs:-

*

a. No coolie to be allowed to sleep on the ground floor unless it be ventilated

below.

b. No coolie house to be built unless provision is made that there be at least

two storeys. †

c. No coolie apartment to be under 9 feet high.

d. No coolie to have less than 300 cubic feet allowed for sleeping room. e. That perforated air bricks be let into each coolie apartment; the air bricks to each department to be two in number and situated on each outside wall, but not opposite each other; the size of each brick to be 10 × 6 inches with an open area of 24 square inches.

f. That greater care be taken with the coolie latrines: by the provision of a proper vessel to receive the soil; by the daily removal of the same; and by the prevention on the part of occupants of houses of their coolies using the soil, whether fluid or solid for manuring the gardens around their own houses.

The system of coolie latrines is one upon which the Commissioners feel strongly. They would advise that a reward be offered by Government for the best practical method of dealing temporarily, i.e., whilst in the premises, with the question of coolie soil. It is hoped that thereby the attention of practical engineers and sanitarians be drawn to the subject and a much needed improvement brought about. The plan of dealing with the night soil in the Colony is understood to be that of the pail system. That this is not the case in all instances is viewed with concern. Moreover the irregularities well known to exist by the carelessness of coolies and others render the pail system a mere name. In the first place much of the fluid night soil is used for manuring private gardens, unknown it may be to the lessees of the houses. Again the overflow from coolie latrines, and in many instances the permanent flow, finds its way directly into the house drains.

* What constitutes a suburb or suburban residence to be from time to time determined by the Sanitary Board.

The ground floor is counted as a storey, but a basement is not.

·

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Water closets are not unknown; they exist in the hotels, some of the Clubs, the Gaol, the Civil Hospital, Government House, and the Government Offices. The last four mentioned are directly under the control of Government, and from their presence there and from the fact of the recent reconstruction of the last mentioned, it is an anxious question whether or not it is the intention of the Government to continue the construc- tion of such, or to condemn the erection of water closets in the Colony generally. The Commissioners would recommend that either one or other system be adopted, and they would strongly urge the practice of removing night soil by the pail system. At the same time they would draw attention to the fact that the withholding night soil from the sewers does not do away with the necessity for pipe sewers.

They would recommend the general adoption of pipe-sewers in addition to sub-soil and surface drainage.

The petitioners have specified various grievances under paragraphs A, B, C, D, which come under the class of nuisances. The members of the Commission consider that these are fairly stated and require to be attended to.

Under paragraph A are two distinct grievances:-1. As to the squatters village. To demand the immediate removal of many families from house and home, without providing ample accommodation, is but to spread the evil to other localities; so that while urging upon the Government to deal with the question, and recommending attention to this question from a sanitary point of view, the members of the Commis- sion advise that either their present state be improved or that some more fitting place be provided for them.

The manufactory of Soy in close proximity to and in the midst of a densely populated district demands instant legislation.

As regards paragraph B the Commission are of opinion that the existing legisla- tion is sufficient, and advise that the Sanitary Board exercise more strict control over the same.

The same applies to paragraphs C and D. In regard to the burning of rubbish the Commissioners are given to understand that the burning complained of has ceased.

THE DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD.

So involved is this question with custom and religion that the Commissioners can only suggest what is sanitary in contradistinction to what may at the same time be expedient. The present places of burial, for Europeans, Chinese and other residents, are gradually being encroached upon (some of the older grave yards are in fact already within the confines of the suburbs), and with the rapid spread of the city it seems likely that a serious sanitary question will in time arise.

The effluvia complained of by some of the petitioners as arising from the Chinese cemetery on the Pokfulam road is ascribed to the method adopted by the Chinese of laying the coffin in the ground. When the grave is dug according to present regula- tions, the end of the coffin, that towards the hill, is deep enough to be sanitary, but the end nearer the surface is so sparsely covered, that the earth gets washed off by heavy rains, and the coffin in a good many instances is exposed. Hence no doubt arises the effluvia complained of and the remedy at once suggests itself, viz., that, when a hill side is chosen as a burial ground. not only the end of the grave next the hill be made suffi- ciently deep, but that the end of the coffin next the surface be amply covered.

In the Public Health Ordinance the Commissioners observe with satisfaction that provision is made for 300 cubic feet of air to each dweller in Chinese houses. They consider this the minimum and that any attempt at thwarting the Authorities in the application of this measure be severely dealt with. At the same time they would re- commend that perforated bricks be introduced in the walls of all apartments.

The steady increase of the city of Victoria in regard to numbers, is no doubt a com- mercial gain and a subject for gratification, but from a sanitary point of view the in-

¿

(xv)

crease in numbers, without a compensatory expansion of the area of the city, is most alarming. European houses are gradually being pulled down, and in their stead closely packed Chinese houses are being built. The danger arising therefrom is one of surface crowding, and while the regulation of 300 cubic feet to each inhabitant for sleeping accommodation may prevent the evils arising from over-crowding the equally serious question of surface crowding is likely to, and in the immediate future will, require to be dealt with. In the mean time it is calculated that in the town itself there are about 1,800 people to the acre, and at the present rate of building (within the limits of the town as it at present stands) over 2,000 people will, before 12 months, be dwelling upon every

acre.

In cities in Europe 1,000 people to an acre is all that is allowed, and the departure from that rule has been proved again and again to foster disease. Allowing for differ- ences in habits and the possibility of having dwelling houses practically open to the air during seven months in the year, the Commissioners cannot help believing that the surface crowding as it at present exists will seriously impair the health of all dwellers, but more especially the European dwellers, in the City of Victoria, Hongkong.

In conclusion the Commissioners beg to acknowledge the assistance rendered them during the course of the inquiry from members of the Government Service and other Gentlemen.

HONGKONG, 13th August, 1888.

E. T. MORTIMER,

Deputy Inspector General, R.N.

PH. B. C. AYRES.

M. T. YARR, A.M.D.

P. MANSON, M.D.

J. CANTLIE.

G. P. JORDAN.

J. M. ATKINSON.

ALFRED G. WISE,

Secretary.

SIR.

[1]

Appendix A.

Petition of Residents at Western end of the City.

HONGKONG, 23rd November, 1887.

We the Undersigned, Residents at the Western End of the City, and others, beg most respectfully to direct the urgent attention of His Excellency the Governor, and the Sanitary Board, to the serious insanitary condition of the above District.

During the past summer months, fever has never been absent from the majority of, if not all, the foreign residences in the neighbourhood, Native and Foreign inmates having been attacked indiscriminately; some households have had as many as forty changes of servants within a few weeks, and the mortality amongst the Chinese has been very great.

That some special causes exist, which produce this insalubrious condition, must, we think, be admitted; it is not in our power to indicate the actual factors at work. We desire, however, to draw the attention of His Excellency to some of the insanitary aspects of the district, which in our opinion may have reduced this neighbourhood to a perfect Hospital.

A.—On Inland Lot No. 795, near the junction of the Pokfoolum and Hill Roads, and on the Hill-side to the South of the Gas Works, a native village of Squatters has been permitted to spring up, with its usual utter absence of sanitation of any kind. whatever, the numerous hovels comprising the Village are huddled together in a most irregular and close manner, they are densely crowded every night with men, women and children of the lowest class, cows and pigs are also, we understand, housed in the Village, the ground owing to the absence of drains, &c. is completely saturated with sewage and impregnated with focal matter, so that the place is simply a hot-bed of disease. Noxious trades, such as "Soy making" are carried on there and the smells emanating from this "colony" are, at times painfully apparent and spread to a consider- able distance to the Eastward, especially during the South-West Monsoon.

That such a concourse of Natives should be allowed to collect in such close propin- quity to European Residences, we consider a crying evil which demands instant removal.

B.-On the Hill-side above Bonham Road, there is, at times, an exhalation of foul odours that should be abated, caused by coolies drying Sugar bags. The effect of heavy rains on these Sugar bags is to cause the soil to become saturated with refuse from the Bags to such an extent as to become not only a nuisance but doubtless a standing source of danger.

C.-The Tenants of several of the Native Flower Gardens in this neighbourhood, persist in manuring their plants and vegetables with offensive liquid manure; several of them have been summoned, but the result did not encourage the Residents to take further steps in the matter.

D.--In the Native Town just under this part of Bonham Road, there exists a depôt for the storage of garbage and refuse material, which lies rotting and exposed to all weathers. Further West, in the same neighbourhood (Lap-sap-wan) the destruction by burning of refuse matter, street sweepings, garbage, &c. is carried on in a very primitive fashion, the burning being, at times, only partly accomplished; the noisome effluvia caused by the operation permeates the whole Western area.

E.—The mode in which the Native Town below the above District is drained and the absolute absence of ventilators in the Public Sewers, has caused the whole of the levels above and along the entire lengths of Caine and Bonham Roads and the Residences near the upper or "dead ends" of the Public Sewers, to be poisoned with the concen- trated effluvia from these Sewers, the noxious and the fætid gases being disseminated in all directions.

It has been carefully observed by some of us, and is therefore a "matter of fact," that as the watercourses in this neighbourhood were enclosed and converted into Public Sewers, the fever extended up the hill in a corresponding manner and moved, pari passu, with the extension of the Sewer. While not attributing the fever in the neighbourhood altogether to these Sewers, we cannot help drawing the conclusion they have been and are an important element in the cause. Although in most cases the fever is said to have been of a malarial and not typhoid character, we venture to think this Sewer aspect of

[2]

the question demands the strictest investigation. In reference to this subject, we beg to call His Excellency's attention to the evidence given, by Dr. BELL, of Richmond, in an action connected with the uninhabitable condition of certain houses at Twickenham. The Doctor was examined as to the outbreak of a fever epidemic at Richmond, and he stated that he traced the cause in 300 houses directly to the drainage, and he found that as soon as the houses were disconnected or the drains laid down in a proper manner. the patients immediately began to recover, and that the type of the disease was not necessarily of a Typhoid character but took various forms, to the simple wasting away of the body without any apparent sign of disease.

F.-We have drawn attention to some of the salient causes which appear to us worthy the investigation of His Excellency The Governor and the Sanitary Board; we do not pretend to have exhausted them; we do however venture to hope that His. Excellency will be pleased to take into his most favourable consideration and at his earliest possible convenience the various questions brought before him, so that no time may be lost in endeavouring to mitigate the cause of the severe suffering that has been, and is, visiting this locality, and which the advent of the cool weather has not checked.

We

e now respectfully urge that pending a thorough investigation into the cause of the above outbreak of sickness. His Excellency would be pleased to order

1. The removal of all the Hovels and Squatters on Inland Lot No. 795 for which we are advised the Government has power under existing Ordinances.

2. The stoppage of drying Sugar Bags on the Hill-side above the City. The

land to be drained and thickly planted with trees.

3. The infliction of heavy penalties on Native Gardeners convicted of using

offensive liquid manure within the limits of the City.

4. That all Garbage and Street Sweepings shall be removed to a distant locality and burned in a properly constructed scientific "Destructor." (We under- stand one was ordered by Government several years ago.)

5. That all Public Sewers, especially those in steep Streets shall be properly ventilated by having ventilators constructed about one hundred yards apart, according to the Local Government Board's recommendation, so as to relieve the pressure of the Sewer Gas at the upper levels.

6. That all marshy, soft, or boggy places near the respective watercourses on

the hill-sides be drained by surface drainage or otherwise.

We intend sending a copy of this letter to the several newspapers in the Colony.

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most humble and obedient Servants,

E. MACKINTOSH.

E. R. BELILIOS.

WILLIAM WOTTON.

WILLIAM DANBY, M. Inst., C.E.

JNO. D. HUMPHREYS.

D. GILLIES.

H. N. MODY.

A. E. VAUCHER.

J. Y. V. VERNON. ALFRED G. WISE. HY. LIGHTWOOD. F. DODWELL. JOHN ANDREW.

F. H. O. WILSON.

GODFREY C. C. MASTER,

JNO. J. FRANCIS.

A. TURNER.

GILMAN & Co., Agents for Greenmount.

CHAS. C. COHEN,

JAS. B. COUGHTRIE,

A. O'D. GOURDIN.

A. E. SHELLIM.

T. H. WHITEHEAD.

RL. LEWER, Dy. Surgeon General,

P.M.O. China & S.S.

[ 3 ]

The type of fever, which I am sorry to say, has caused much sickness among my servants and which has lately attacked Mrs. LEWER, is not of a purely Malarial type, but a bastard fever due, I think, to some local cause which ought to be investigated. The smells are abominable from the sewers on the higher levels.

F. W. CROSS.

O. BACHRACH.

F. VARDA. ·

R. K. LEIGH.

R. L.

W. H. LOBB.

The house Sunnyside has had some of its inmates attacked by fever since my entering into residence there in April last. Not a week has passed without some mem- ber of my family or some of my pupils being laid by. A month since my wife and daughter were attacked by what Dr. CANTLIE called " drain poisoning," and ten days since my wife was at the point of death from Bilious Remittent Fever caused I have no doubt from the filthy condition of the Chinese Squatters' Plot mentioned in Par. A. During the South-West monsoon the windows facing this plot could not be kept open on account of the stench. As no drains from this house are connected with outside drains the poison cannot come from such a source.

S. RUSTOMJEE.

R. M. JAMESON.

C. BATEMAN.

E. DE JERSEY, for Miss JOHNSTONE.

A. T. STOER.

GEO. R. STEVENS.

A. DE V. BROOKE, Major, R.E.

H. DOVE, Capt., R.E.

E. BURNIE.

ALFRED HANCOCK.

E. L. REUTER.

CHAS. D. HARMAN.

ALEXANDER LEVY.

A. S. GARFIT.

1.-What is

[4]

Appendix B.

Form of questions circulated amongst each Residents.

your name?

2. What is your present address?

3.- How long have you resided there?

4.-Give your address or addresses for the last ten years.

5.-Give your medical history as regards fever for the last four years.

6. State the number of Europeans in your household.

7.-Answer the first five questions for each member of your family.

8.-State what deaths have occurred in your family in Hongkong, and, if any, from

what cause.

9.-Has any one of your family left Hongkong during the last five years on account

of sickness, and if so from what sickness?

10.-Do you consider your present or past abode and neighbourhood unhealthy, and if

so from what cause?

11.-How many Chinese servants do you employ or did you employ when resident'

at

?

12. Have any of your Chinese servants had fever during the last four years, and if so how many and during what months and have any left on that account, and not returned?

13.--Do

you know if any of your Chinese servants have died of fever contracted while

in your employ, and if so how many?

14.-Have you any difficulty in procuring Chinese servants at particular periods of the

year, and if so for what reason?

FOR LANDLORDS.

15.-How long have you owned a house or houses in Hongkong?

16.-Are any of the houses unoccupied? and if so, have they been lately unoccupied,

and for what period?

17.--What cause was assigned by the last tenant for giving it up?

18.-Who were your tenants during the last four years?

19. Have you received any complaints from your tenants, and if so, of what nature

were they?

20.-Make any remarks that may occur to you bearing on the prevalence of fever in the

Western District.

1.-Name.

Appendix C.

Form of questions put to Witnesses.

2.--Had you fever during 1887?

3. How often and at what dates?

4.-Were the attacks all of the same character?

5.-Describe an attack, specifying the presence or absence of Rigor, Pyrexia, Diapho-

resis, Periodicity and Duration.

6.-Had you diarrhoea during the fever?

7.--Had you an eruption during the fever, and of what nature?

8. Had you fever prior to 1887, and if so of what nature and when?

9.--Where were you residing then?

10. Since your first attack in 1887, have you resided elsewhere than in the house in which you first acquired the fever, and if so where and had you an attack or attacks of fever there?

Repeat the questions applying them to individuals of the household.

!

APPENDIX D.

EVIDENCE.

EVIDENCE

taken by the Commission appointed to inquire into the causes of Fever in the Western District.

1st February, 1888.

EVIDENCE OF DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL LEWER, P.M.O., A.M.S.

By the Chairman.

1.-Had you fever yourself in 1887 ?

A.-No.

2.-Had you fever in your house?

A.-A great deal.

3.-Do you consider it malarial or enteric?

A.-I hope you will allow me to qualify my answer to that question inasmuch as from May to the middle of October the fever was decidedly of a malarial character among my servants.

After that time the fever was of a different type, an anomalous type. As I expressed it in the appendix I signed to His Excellency the Governor.-" About the middle of October the cases of fever among my servants and in my household were of an anomalous type and could not be classed by me under the headings of the fever nomenclature in use by the profession. It was characterised by gastro-intestinal dis- turbance, great prostration of strength, faintness almost amounting to collapse, utter loss of appetite, a strawberry tongue, thirst, vertigo which necessitated the seizing hold of something to prevent falling, pain over the abdomen, skin at times cold and clammy, sometimes actual vomiting of any food taken, and sometimes of glairy mucus only. The loss of strength and prostration were most marked for most of the attack and the result- ing anæmia from blood spoliation, and arrest of assimilative power profound." That is the type of disease, sir, so far as I have been able to observe it.

By Dr. Yarr.

4.-There was no periodicity in it?

A.-None whatever. It was characterised by cold clammy sweats. There was no marked heat of skin, but more of collapse.

5. How long did it last?

almost

A.-I hardly know when it ended in my servants' cases. As regards my wife, I

I may am sorry to say she has been suffering from it from October until now, say. She was better in December, but the anomia has been so marked that she has not been able to gain strength or take food.

6.-It did not end in any crisis?

A.-No crisis. I was on the look out for that.

By the Chairman.

7.-Had Mrs. LEWER fever prior to 1887, and if so of what nature and when?

A.-No; Mrs. LEWER has not had fever before.

(2)

By Dr. Manson.

8.-There is question No. 5. "Describe an attack, specifying the presence or absence of rigor, pyrexia, diaphoresis, periodicity, and duration." Perhaps Surgeon- General LEWER could tell us if these were present.

A.-They were all absent. There was no rigor, pyrexia, diaphoresis, or periodicity. The duration I am unable to give you, except that it commenced about the middle of October, and I regret to say Mrs. LEWER has not yet recovered.

By the Chairman.

9.-You said there was some pyrexia?

A.-No, it was more simple collapse.

10. Was there any pronounced elevation of temperature?

A-I did not remark it.

By Dr. Manson.

11.-Mrs. LEWER had not a distinct type of malarial fever early in the year?

A.-No.

12. This was her first attack?

A. Yes.

13. And you did not observe fever at all?

M

A.-No.

14.-Diarrhoea was it present or absent?

A. Is that a question I am to answer? If you will allow me I will not answer it. It is one I would rather not answer with regard to a lady or a patient of mine in an open Court and reporters present.

The Chairman said the question need not be answered.

By Dr. Yarr.

15. Mrs. LEWER was not ill before October?

A.-No; she was in excellent health.

16. Then your remarks as to the period from May to October apply more to the servants?

A. Yes, to my servants, who suffered very much indeed.

By the Chairman.

17.—Will you describe one case as occurring in one of your coolies?

A. I have it down here. "The malarial fever has been of an ill-defined remittent type, not observing the characteristics of the disease as usually seen. The type seems peculiar to Hongkong, as I have not observed it in India or elsewhere in any other tropical country." I think this remittent type of fever is peculiar to Hongkong, as far as I am able to judge.

(3)

By Dr. Yarr.

duration?

18. What was the average

A.-I can hardly say, because they went away. I have had 4 cooks and 4 boys, 3 assistant cooks died. I have had I don't know how many coolies. They have had to be carried away in chairs and embarked for Canton.

By the Chairman.

19. You cannot tell the duration?

A.-I cannot, because they stayed as long as they could do their work, and then they were removed.

By Dr. Cantlie.

20.-Can you attribute this fever to anything in the neighbourhood?

A.-I think I can. There have been terrible smells about. There has been a smell from the North-West of my house and from the direction of the Tung Wah

·Hospital and the China town below, so much so that I have been obliged to shut my front windows. There is another smell we perceive from the west of the house, but this is not sewer air, being more like that of rotten vegetation. Smells of sewer air have been very perceptible in the various highways. They have been present in varying degrees of intensity on the upper levels generally, but I think they are to be met with in their greatest perfection at the back of the tanks on the Caine Road, just before you reach the London Mission House, and in Castle Road, which runs up from Caine Road to Robinson Road. At these places, especially the former, they have been so bad, and are still, that one is obliged to stop one's air passages as he goes along. I have noticed that when the wind becomes more northerly the stinks increase in number and attain their maximum potency. I will also, if you will allow me, as China town is in the west and comes within the scope of your inquiry, say a few words as to its condition. I think that the effluvia arising from the mass of human beings terribly overcrowded in houses packed so densely in China town, without perflation by means of open spaces, and the utter disregard shown of ventilation and cubic or superficial space, and the insanitary habits of the native population have been factors in bringing about the sick- ness in the western district, in addition to the prevalence of sewer air.

By the Chairman.

21.-From your observation in your neighbourhood do you consider the drainage

defective?

A.-My house is not connected with the so-called sewerage. The drainage from my house runs on to the hill to the north of my house and spreads itself over the ground, and is observed giving rise to some very rank vegetation and no doubt pol- luting the soil. There is a pipe which conveys it down the wall, and it runs on to the open ground and gives rise to rank vegetation, and if you were to dig down no doubt you would find the soil polluted for several feet. Another thing I would like to speak about is the water supply. There is none laid on to my house. It has all to be carried by hand and stored in barrels in a back-yard in proximity to a Chinese latrine, and therefore exposed to the absorption of impurity.

22.-Where does it come from?

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A. From a tank. It is carried by my coolies in buckets and put into vats and taken out as required, exposing it to the risk of pollution by so much handling and dipping.

23. Do you know whether the top of the tank is covered in or not?

A.-Yes; it is a big tank covered with granite. I allude to the one near Mr. WOTTON's house on the upper road.

By Dr. Yarr.

24. Is there any possibility of the coolies to save trouble carrying water from that place at the bottom of the hill?

A.-I think there is every chance, for the water stank on one occasion and we had to throw it out.

By Dr. Cantlie.

25. Are you satisfied with the arrangement of your coolie house?

A. Certainly not.

26.-I think the overflow from the latrine runs down from your house?

A.-Certainly there is every chance of the urine running down there, and no doubt it is swept down by the scavenger.

27.-The day we were there it was passing down and getting into the soil within 3 yards of your bed-room window, and has been doing so, I suppose, since the house was built. Do you know how long?

A. I think the house was built in 1882.

28.-Do you think your house would be improved by being connected with the main sewerage?

A.-In its present condition I would rather not have it connected. I am afraid we should be worse off than at present.

29.-Could you suggest anything to improve the sewerage connected with your own house ?

A. I hardly know.

30.-Do you think it would be improved if the coolies' latrine were removed?

A.-I think it would be very much improved if it were, and I would like to see the dead wall at the back removed and another storey added. At present they are shut in and get no air.

31.-Would that quite satisfy you?

A.--No. I would like to have something done with reference to the drainage. I don't think it a good thing that all the matter should lie out there festering in the sun.

32.-The excreta?

A.--Oh, that is carried away. But that is the only place we have for 12 servants to resort to, and I say it is utterly insanitary and utterly wrong to have a latrine like that under one's windows. In India we have a very good system of having public latrines for servants--not having so many foci of disease under one's nose in his house. I don't know whether such a system could be arranged here, each householder paying

(5)

so much to a common fund and having a scavenger in constant attendance with air tight receptacles, so that as soon as a pail has been used it can be emptied into this receptacle which is screwed down and carried away morning and evening.

33.-Do you think that would be sufficient as far as the house itself is concerned, independently of its surroundings?

A. Yes, I think that is all.

33a. And your bath-room water, do you think it would contaminate the ground if it were escaping?

A.-I think not.

34.-So

you think if the coolies' latrine were removed?

A.—I think the sanitation would be greatly improved. The water from my bath- room is not so greatly polluted I hope as all that. If it flowed over the hill it would encourage vegetation and be absorbed.

35. And there is the kitchen refuse?

A.—Well, that is supposed to be put in a basket and taken away every morning at five o'clock.

36.-But there is the water from the kitchen?

A.—Well, particles of food do escape and get down that pipe on to the hill. 37.-You think, sir, that Breezy Point might be reported in a sanitary condition provided the coolies latrine were removed?

A.-I think something should be done to the coolie house. It is shut in by my house and by a dead wall at the back and side, and the servants have complained to me that in the summer it has been so hot they could not stay in it.

38.-But the escape of water from the bath-room and the kitchen could not do harm ?

any

A.-I think it should not do. If it is merely water in which vegetables have been washed I think it would not hurt.

39.-Do you think it would improve that hill if it were planted?

A.—I would recommend planting certainly. I think it essentially necessary. It

is one of the sanitary measures I would strongly recommend.

40.-Is your house raised, that is has it a basement?

A.-Yes.

41.-It is not occupied?

A.-No.

42.-Is it ventilated?

A. Yes.

43.--Is it damp?

A.-No.

44.-Is there a concrete floor?

(6)

By Dr. Yarr.

A.-I do not know whether to call it concrete or not. It is a mixture of decom-

posed granite. I suppose it is a sort of concrete. As you have asked me the question I would certainly strongly recommend that there should be a large amount of planting of trees of a suitable kind, blue gum trees for instance. I think the ground requires subsoil drainage, and those holes you see full of water should be covered up and also the recently disturbed soil. There has been a good deal of digging in the neighbour- hood.

By Dr. Cantlie.

45.-Do you think the removal of the soil has anything to do with the fever in your house?

A.-I think so certainly in my house, with the malarial fever.

46.-Do you think that the turning of the soil is likely to give rise to the fever saw in your own household?

A. Yes the fever prior to October, after that it was not malarial.

you

47.-Do you think the change in the monsoon had anything to do with the change in the type of fever?

A.-I did not observe that.

48.-You say the smell came with the wind from the North-West?

A. Yes, that would be with the change in the monsoon.

By Dr. Manson.

49.-Your servants were suffering from two fevers then?

A. Yes, they suffered in the first instance from malarial fever, later it was anoma- lous.

50.-Then suppose we asked for a diagnosis of the fever in the second instance, how would you classify it?

A.-It was not typhoid fever, but it was fever of a typhoid type.

51. It was a non-malarial fever?

A. Yes.

51a. But not typhoid?

A.--It was more or less on the border line of it but not quite.

52.-Then you think it was essentially a new type of fever?

A.-No, I think it is a fever we meet with sometimes.

53. Under what circumstances?

A.-Circumstances of sewer air poisoning for instance. I don't think it a new type as far as my experience goes.

54. It is not described by medical writers?

A.—No, I think I have already said in my evidence that it cannot be classed under the fever nomenclature in use by the profession, but I think it is referred to in standard works on medicine especially hygiene.

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55.-Dr. CANTLIE. I think the description Dr. LEWER gave us of the latter part of the illness, if not from sewer gas poisoning there is no technical description will What he has described is what is described in text books as what would arise from sewer gas poisoning.

A.-I think the fainting, the utter prostration, the fainting fits almost amounting to collapse.

56. That was in the case of

your

wife?

'A. Yes.

57.-But not your coolies?

A.-Well, they were very bad indeed.

58.-Something of the same type?

A. Yes, in October.

By Dr. Manson.

59.-Had they fever too?

A.-They had fever.

By Dr. Jordan.

60. From the fact of the fever being more prevalent among the coolies do you think the position of the coolies' house would be sufficient to account for the fever with- out any sewer gas-poisoning?

A. Undoubtedly they were very badly placed from a sanitary point of view, down in that hole without any air.

61. Suppose there was no sewer gas-poisoning and the air was perfect, would the position of the coolies' quarters be sufficient to account for the fever they have had ?

A.-I could not say. I would rather not hazard an opinion upon that.

By Dr. Cantlie.

62.-Do you think the coolies' quarters being upon the ground floor has anything to do with the fever?

A.-I have just recommended that it should be raised a storey, that the under part should be used as a kitchen and they should sleep upstairs.

64.-Why?

A.-I think their present quarters are not in a good sanitary condition. They are living on the ground floor and shut out from the air.

65.-Do you think it possible malarial fever might arise from their living on the ground floor?

A.—I think it very risky to live on the ground floor.

66.- That is from your experience elsewhere?

A. Yes.

67.--Have you observed the same here?

A.-In the army we put our soldiers on the top floor and the basements we turn into stores or have them open.

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68.-That was done I suppose with a view of getting rid of the malaria which rises some distance above the ground but not to the height of a storey?

A.-Certainly.

69.-Do you think if the coolies' quarters were raised a storey they would be more likely to be free of fever?

A.-I think they would.

By Dr. Yarr.

70.-Do you think the expression "typho-malarial" would describe this?

A.-I think if we must find a name for it, that is the best term. Dr. MANSON seems to think it a new type. I think we might call it "typho-malarial.”

By Dr. Manson.

71.-You say it is a malarial fever of a typhoid type?

A. Yes.

72. Not enteric fever?

A.-No, not a specific fever.

73. That is the later type?

A. Yes.

By the Chairman.

By Dr. Cantlie.

74.-But would you attach the word "malarial" to both? It was certainly

malarial before October, would you use the word with reference to the illness since October?

A.-I don't know.

By Dr. Yarr.

75.-In

your wife's case?

A.-My wife never had malarial fever. I cannot call her case malarial.

76.-But in the case of the coolies it was malarial?

A.-Well I think they all have malarial fever. They all suffer from malarial fever long before they come into one's service.

By Dr. Manson.

77.-I should like a distinct expression from Surgeon-General LEWER as to the type, whether he considers both malarial, or if one malarial, and the other not which is and which is not, and if the latter is not what is it?

A.-You refer to the fever that occurred in October? (Dr. MANSON-Yes). Well I can only say-I have not been able to trace it home, you know, but I put it down to the sewer air, that is, the fever my wife suffered from.

78.--And the coolies?

1

A.-Well, at that time I cannot say. I would not be so certain as to my coolies. As

you know they get ill and in a few days they go away, and one has not sufficient opportunity of watching them through an attack.

(9)

EVIDENCE OF MAJOR BROOKE, R.E.

you fever in 1887 ?

79.- Had

A. No, sir.

By the Chairman.

80.-Where were you residing in 1887?

A.-At Hazeldean, in Robinson Road.

81.—With regard to the individuals of your household, had they any fever in

1887?

A. My child had fever which I believe was of a typhoid character; it was not supposed to be malarial, but on that point perhaps the doctor who attended will answer.

82.-Well they had fever?

A. Yes, my wife and child.

M

83.--How often and at what dates?

A.-My child was taken ill with fever in June and my wife was taken ill with fever in October.

84.-Were the attacks of the same character?

A.-No. I believe they were quite different in character.

By Dr. Manson.

85.-You mean your daughter's was different from your wife's?

A.-Yes.

86.-Your daughter had one attack different from your wife's attack?

A. Yes.

By the Chairman.

87.-Would you mind describing an attack?

A.-I don't know about the child. Dr. MANSON will tell you about the child.

Dr. MANSON.-It was simple continued fever.

The Chairman.-Then there was no periodicity?

Dr. MANSON.-No.

By the Chairman.

88.—With regard to Mrs. BROOKE?

A.-It was an intermittent fever. It began on the 3rd October and lasted to the 17th December; it came on every Thursday roughly speaking.

89.-Then there was periodicity?

A.--Yes.

90.-Had she diarrhoea?

A. Yes, she had diarrhoea during the first period of it, but not afterwards. 91.-Was there an eruption.

The witness referred to Dr. CANTLIE, who said there was no eruption.

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92.-Had they fever prior to 1887, and if so of what nature and when?

A.-In 1886 all my family had what was called in those days Hongkong fever. It did not last more than two or three days. I don't think we ever called in a doctor. We took quinine and got all right.

-

93. And you were then residing in Hongkong?

A. Yes, in the same house.

94.-Have you resided in the same house since these attacks in 1887?

A. Yes, we have been in the same house all along.

By Dr. Cantlie.

95. Have you seen fever elsewhere?

A.-No. I have never observed fever elsewhere.

96.-Hongkong fever is the first type you have observed?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Manson.

97.-How many relapses of fever did Mrs. BROOKE have?

A.-The first period was from the 3rd October to 9th October; the second period I have no record of; then from the 6th November to the 10th; from the 17th November to the 23rd; from the 30th November to the 4th December; and from the 8th December to the 17th December; so there is an interval of the time between those

dates and the time she was free from it.

By Dr. Cantlie.

98.-Can you ascribe the fever to any local condition?

A.—Well, I was told the fever was of a malarial type, but I don't know—I am not a medical man.

99.-In the case of your wife or child?

A.-In the case of my wife.

100.-Is there any insanitary condition in your house?

A.-I think so. I would not at first sight think it was a malarial spot, but when you come to look at it I think you will certainly find reasons for malaria there.

101.-You heard Dr. LEWER's evidence about the wind, have you experienced that smell from the north?

A.-No, I don't recollect ever having observed it.

102.-Are you satisfied with the coolies' house?

A. Yes.

103.-Is it well ventilated?

A.-Not so well as it might be but the door is open when it is not used. 104. Is it damp?

A.-No.

105. Is the latrine in good condition?

สี

( 11 )

A. Yes, there is no latrine, it is only a receptacle taken away every day.

106.-Is there any drain?

By the Chairman.

A.-There is drainage for the bath water. It goes into a drain which is discon-

nected.

107.-You mean there is an open space between?

A.-No it goes into what is called a catch-pit or gully.

108.-But it is quite open ?

A. Yes, it is open to the air.

By Dr. Cantlie.

109.-Have you observed any smell from that shaft?

A.-I have once or twice and I have called attention to it.

110.-Would you say it is trapped?

A. Yes, it is trapped below.

111. It has no charcoal top?

A.-No. It has been choked once. I wrote about it and they put it right. All the water overflowed into the road below.

112.-Which was choked?

A. The pipe down below.

113.-Is the wall behind your house concrete?

A.-No, it is decomposed granite.

114.-Is it often saturated with moisture.

A. Yes, during the raining season.

115. And everything is dripping with damp?

A.-It is always damp in wet weather.

By Dr. Manson.

116.--You heard Dr. LEWER describe the attacks as being characterised by fainting and vomiting, had Mrs. BROOKE any of these attacks of fainting?

A.-She had fainting, but that is constitutional with her.

117.-Was the prostration extreme?

A. Yes, ultimately.

118.-And vomiting?

A.--Yes, she had vomiting, in fact, that was what was the worst part of it, because she could not keep down either sustenance or medicine.

By Dr. Cantlie.

119. You would not express an opinion then on your wife's illness?

( 12 )

A.-No. If you say it is of a malarial type, I think there are conditions that would explain the presence of malaria very well. As regards the child, I think she had an illness of typhoid type although it was partly continued fever, and if so I think the proximity to the Chinese quarter might answer for it.

By the Chairman. ·

120.-Is there much turning up of ground near you for the foundation of houses?

A. Yes, they have been doing so ever since we went there.

By Dr. Cantlie.

121.- Not within five hundred yards of you?

A.—No, but when we went into a new house. Mr. COUGHTRIE'S is a new house and so is another gentleman's further on, and the road is new. They have always been doing something there.

122.--Have any of your coolies died?

By Dr. Young.

very ill.

A.-No, but a great many have been

123.-Have any of them left your service?

A. Yes, some have come back. Two who came back were in a very weak state

indeed.

By Dr. Cantlie.

124.-Could you make any suggestion with regard so sewerage or subsoil drainage?

A.—I think the district will never be free from fever until a very large system, of subsoil drainage is entered on.

By Dr. Jordan.

125.-Have you noticed any accumulation of water near your house?

A.—Not immediately near my house, but in the district there are a great many spots where water lies, and from the conformation of the ground you can see that must be so.

By Dr Cantlie.

126. The recommendation you would make then is that subsoil drainage be carried out?

A. Yes, and also cover up with turf or otherwise exposed soil. You will always find malaria anywhere where you have the conditions you have there, humid state of ground, high temperature and direct action of the air on exposed soil. In fact, if you were to put a town on it, it would probably cure the malaria altogether.

EVIDENCE OF MR. E. MACKINTOSH.

127.--Had you fevers in 1887?

A.-Not personally.

By the Chairman.

( 13 )

128.-Were you residing in 1887 in the same house as you are in now?

A. Only the latter part of the year.

129. With regard to the individuals of your household, had any of them fever?

A. One of my children was sick in November.

130.-How often and at what dates?

A. In November.

I think she must have had three or four attacks.

131.-Were all the attacks of the same character?

A.-I think they were, so far as I know.

132.-Could you describe an attack?

lowed.

A.-It commenced with the setting in of great chills, then high temperature fol-

133.-Was there sweating?

A. Yes, I think so.

134.-Did the attacks occur at regular intervals?

A. Yes, they seemed to occur at regular intervals.

135.-And how long did they last?

A.-About two days.

By Dr. Manson.

136.-Was there an interval between each attack?

A. Yes, generally about one day.

137.--Did they suffer from diarrhea?

A.-I cannot tell.

138.-Do you know if there was any eruption?

A.-I think in the first instance there was an eruption.

(Dr. CANTLIE.—That was only prickly heat.)

By the Chairman.

139.-Did these children suffer from fever prior to 1887?

A.-No.

140. Since 1887 you have resided elsewhere?

A. I have.

141.-Have you suffered from fever since?

A.-No.

By Dr. Manson.

142.-Where were you residing when the fever occurred?

A.-At West Point, "Craigellachie," my residence.

143.-And prior to that?

A.-At the Peak.

"4

144. When did you come down?

A. On the 20th October.

( 14 )

145.-And when did the attack occur?

A.-Early in November.

By the Chairman.

146. And during the time they have been up at the Peak they have had no re-

currence?

A.-No, none since their recovery from that attack.

147.--Do you consider the drainage of your house good?

A.-I have resided there for a good number of years and there have never been any changes. I think it perfect.

By Dr. Manson.

148.-Have you had any other cases of fever besides the child in November?

A. Yes, one of my wife's maids was sick.

149.-Where were you residing then?

A.-That was at the Peak.

150.-Had she visited "Craigellachie"?

A. Yes, a few days previously.

151. And on her return she got it?

A. Yes.

152. And it came every day or second day?

A. Yes, it was intermittent.

153.—It was cured by quinine?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Cantlie.

154.-And your coolies?

A.-I have only a small staff during the summer and they were all sick on and off,

except one man.

155.-You think then as a general statement it was malarial fever?

A.-I dosed them myself with quinine and they recovered.

156.-You think the disease was one of a malarial type.

A. That is the impression left on my mind.

157.-Are you satisfied with the condition of your coolie house and the way your coolies carry on the latrine work?

A. Yes, I have never had any complaints until last character.

year, nothing of

any

marked

158. And the drainage of your house, how does it act?

( 15 )

A.-The house itself has no drainage at all.

The only drainage is from the cook house at the back and that runs under ground. The house itself has no drainage. There used to be a regular water closet, which I had removed ten years ago and filled up.

159.--And the bath-room water?

A.-The bath-room water all flows over ground.

160.-I think you said something about the trees?

A.—Yes, I think I said that on the south west side we were fairly well shut in with trees and that during the south-west monsoon this probably prevents any contaminated air reaching the house.

161.-Have you observed that in any other person's house. It is put down as a statement in books of course, but I mean have you observed it in Hongkong. You have a long acquaintance with the Colony.

A.--I really cannot say. I have not noticed it.

162. You say the trees break the south-west monsoon?

A. Yes.

163.—But it is during the north-east monsoon that you have suffered most?

A. Yes, but we were not living in the house during the summer.

164.-The fever generally occurs in the summer does it not?

A. Yes.

165. And you say this was a peculiar time?

A. Yes, so late.

166. You have never observed it so late before?

A.-Never.

167.-Has it been extra dry?

A.-I don't think so. The record shows we have had sixty-six inches of rain which is more than in 1886.

By Dr. Yarr.

168. Have you any complaint to make as regards stink?

-

A.-During the short time I resided below, only about three weeks, whenever I took my walks abroad I was saluted by most unpleasant odours and more especially past "Sunnyside." There is a native village there from which the odour is something fearful. Along Caine Road I could detect smells commencing at the Artillery Mess, College Gardens and trace them all along, in fact, you could shut your eyes and tell exactly where you were from one end to the other.

169.-You have not noticed any in the neighbourhood of your own house?

A.-My friends tell me there is a sewer at the bottom of my gateway, a good way from the house, which is a very pestilent place. It appears to me all these drains are nothing but conduits for leading stinks from China town. In fact we get them con- centrated and when the wind sets in from the North, it drives them up.

170.-You think your level ventilates the lower levels?

»

( 16 )

A. Yes, in fact this morning as I was coming down from the Peak, I could see the vapour being driven up one of the gratings.

171. Is this new then?

By Dr. Cantlie.

A. Well there has been a good deal of drainage in that district during the past few years and I think many of the water courses formerly open have been covered up.

172. Do you think that there is any connection then between the so-called tam- pering of the drains and the fever?

A.-I would not have a drain near my house if I could help it. If we have any- thing let us see it. If there is filth remove it and take it away. This island was made by nature for surface drainage not underground.

173.-Was there surface drainage before?

A. To a certain extent, it was not covered up so much as now.

174.-Then you think the covering up of the drainage has something to do with the fever?

A. Well the only thing I can see is the coincidence I have no practical know- ledge.

175.-How long is it since it was covered up?

A.-It has been going on for years.

176.-Was this neighbourhood healthy before 1886?

A.-My house was perfectly healthy.

177.-Have your coolies suffered before?

A.-Not to that extent.

178.-But they have suffered?

A.-Well, I think they always suffer from malaria according to their description. They come and tell you they are hot inside. You send them away or give them a day or two's rest.

179. Do they suffer more now than before?

A.-In 1870 they suffered; my own boy died.

180.-Was it as bad then as it is now?

A.-Well, the foreigners did not suffer at all in this way.

181. And there were no drains at all?

A.-Well they would not be so perfect as now, or so imperfect.

By Dr. Manson.

182. Are there any sewers or drains at Quarry Bay?

A.-No.

183. People die there from fever don't they?

A.-They do.

(17)

184.--And some seasons of the year are more unhealthy than others?

A.-They are.

By Dr. Cantlie.

185.-Is it the same type of fever as here?

A.-Well I would leave that to the medical men.

By Dr. Jordan.

186.-You say there is more fever now than before, has there been a good deal more cutting and building than before?

A. Yes.

187. In the immediate neighbourhood?

M

A. Yes, the forts have been built, and the houses on the upper level, where Major BROOKE resides. Mr. WOTTON's house is a recent addition.

188.-Did you notice much of the smells before this fever began, last year and the year before?

A.-In 1886 I was at home. In 1885 I noticed they were beginning, and in 1887 they were much more pronounced than before.

189.-Do you think the smells are the cause of the fever that has been prevailing? A.—That is a question I could hardly answer. I don't think a bad smell is a healthy thing to have.

190.-In 1870 when you had this fever were you cured by quinine ?

A. Yes.

191. Was that of the same type as your family has had recently?

A.--Yes, I think it would be the same type.

By Dr. Cantlie.

192.-When houses were being built out there before 1870 used people to have fever badly?

A. It was not a matter of notoriety. In those days everybody had fevers more or less.

193.-Was it as bad as Kowloon when it was opened up?

A.-Kowloon was worse probably.

194.-Then it has always been looked upon that a person going out westward must have fever?

A.-I don't say that, necessarily.

By Dr. Manson.

195.-But it often happened?

A.-It often happened, at that time it was looked upon that people who came to reside in the East would get fever sometimes.

I

( 18 )

Deputy Surgeon-General LEWER asked to be allowed to state that there was one point he had omitted to mention. Quinine had no effect whatever on his wife's fever.

The Chairman having to leave at this stage, the chair was taken by the Colonial Surgeon, Dr. AYRES.

EVIDENCE OF MR. J. B. COUGHTRIE.

196.-Had you fever in 1887 ?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Ayres.

197.-How often and at what dates?

dates.

A.-Tolerably frequently towards the end of the year, but I kept no record of the

198.-Were the attacks all of the same character?

A. Yes.

199.-Can you describe an attack?

A.-Severe chills during which nothing would make you warm, lasting sometimes for hours and then relief would come in the form of heat, but during the chills there was very violent sickness and vomiting.

200.-Did they occur day by day?

A.-No, there was an interval of a day. They occurred about every other day as

long as they lasted.

201.-Had you any diarrhoea?

A.-No diarrhoea.

202.-Had you any fever prior to 1887?

A. Yes in 1878, I think.

203.-Were you residing in the same house then?

A.-No, I lived at "Belmont " in 1878.

204.-Since your first attack in 1887 have you resided anywhere else than in the house in which you acquired the fever?

A.-Yes, at the Peak,

205.-Had you many attacks in your previous residence?

A.—No, not many attacks in Belmont.

206.-How many years did you

A.-About eleven years.

reside there?

207.-You had some attacks but have kept no record of them?

A.-In Belmont in 1876? [Yes]. Several. I think it was in consequence of going to a house which had been partially pulled down and rebuilt, sleeping in a room

( 19 )

with new bricks and mortar perhaps, but that passed away and I had no fever from that series of attacks, which might have lasted a month or two. Certainly after Christmas 1878 I had no attack until 1887, on going into my present house.

208.-Since

By Dr. Manson.

your first attack in 1887 have you resided elsewhere than in the house in which you first acquired the fever, and if so, where, and had you an attack or attacks of fever there?

A.—I have never resided anywhere else until I went to the Peak in November.

209.-Had you attacks of fever after going to the Peak?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Ayres.

210.—The fever continued after you went to the Peak?

A. Yes.

211.-A continuation of the same fever?

A-The symptoms were the same but I think the attacks were brought on perhaps by neglecting to take quinine for a day or two, and I think I can trace the last attack to over fatigue, but the symptoms were the same as before.

212.-Has your family suffered from fever?

A. Yes.

213.-In 1887?

A. Yes.

214.—In the same house?

A. Yes, my wife and all the children.

215.-Were all of them of the same type as yours?

A.-All the same type. Perhaps the vomiting was absent in the case of some of the children. I think so generally, but in some cases I know it has not been absent.

216.-But they all had distinct periods. The fever lasted for a day or two and then abated?

A. Yes, I think there was no variation, the type was almost identically the same.

217.-Were they all treated with quinine?

A.-Yes.

218.--All treated as malarial fever?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Manson.

219. Did no member of the household escape?

A.-No.

220.-Was there any diarrhoea?

A.-No.

221. Any spots on the skin?

-LA

A.-No.

222.-When was the first attack?

member of your household?

A. Yes, the middle of July.

( 20 )

Do you recollect the date in the case of any

You have not asked me but I think it important

you should know that my wife has always been subject to fever.

By Dr. Cantlie.

223.-Was Mrs. COUGHTRIE subject to fever when you were living in "Belmont "?

A. Yes.

224.--But none of the children had it there?

A.-Yes, I think one of my little boys had an attack of fever there.

225.-Yours was quite a new house when you went in?

A. Yes.

226.-How long had it been built?

A. We went in almost as soon as it was finished.

By Dr. Manson.

227.-The child born in the new house had fever?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Young.

228. And the servants?

A.-They were not so bad as Dr. LEWER describes his as being but they were nearly all attacked. We have had an entire change, except one old woman who has been with us for years. . And she seems to have escaped entirely.

229.-Do you mean the nurse?

By Dr. Manson.

A. Yes. [Dr. MANSON.-She had fever].

By Dr. Cantlie.

230.-Was your house damp when you went into it?

A.-No, it was as dry as a chip.

231.-Is it a damp house?

A.-No.

232. It is raised on arches?

A. Yes, there is a good crypt. You can stand up in it. There is nothing damp in the house. The pictures on the walls are all right, and some perishable painting materials have been put in the crypt from the old house and they are as good to-day, perhaps better, than they would have been in "Belmont."

233.-And your coolies' house?

:

( 21 )

A.-When I was at the Peak I took Mr. BIRD to see it, and we found the venti- lation under the floors was not thorough. The openings existed only on two sides and they were not opposite each other.

234. Is it a wooden floor?

A.-It is a wooden floor raised a foot above concrete.

235.-And thoroughly ventilated?

A.-Now it is, but at the time we went the ventilation was not thorough.

By Dr. Manson.

236. Have the coolies quarters been flooded?

A. Yes, once. I found the contractor had evaded making a catch water drain he was supposed to have finished.

237.-Are there pools of standing water near your house?

A.-There is a stream which falls into pools one hundred feet from my house.

238.--Do you never see water escape from a bank near your house?

A.--I have from the conduit. There is an escape of water, I don't know actually whether it comes from the conduit, but in the very rainy weather the bank is very sod- den and there are pools and accumulations of water.

239.--Have you never seen water lying in your garden?

A. Yes, the overflow from the stream I spoke of.

By Dr. Cantlie.

240.-Have you resided in Hongkong a long time?

A.-Twenty-two years.

241.----During that time has West Point always had the reputation it has now?

A.-Never.

242.-Can you assign any reason for the present state of things?

A.-In my own case I consider going into a new house was a contributing cause, but the main cause was the earth-cutting, cutting that passage through the hill a little way from us and bringing the earth and laying it on the road.

243.-You are not bothered at your house with the smells?

A.-Not, at all, we are delighted with the climate.

244.—There are no drains at your house?

A.-No.

By Dr. Manson.

245. And no one in your house has escaped fever ?

Some

A.-Not one. The whole of the servants have been changed except one. have come back again looking very emaciated, but I think we have lost trace of one, certainly of one and very likely two. They have gone away and are reported to be very ill.

( 22 )

By Dr. Jordan.

246.--Was the fever of your servants of the same type as that of your family?

A.-I think so, but I cannot state positively. I used to send them doses of quinine which I understood were administered, but they preferred to pack up and go

away.

247.---Did you see any of them in a chill?

A.--I don't remember, I have seen them but I don't remember having seen them in a chill.

248.-When you had fever in 1878, was that of the same kind as you have suffered from now?

A.-Just the same. The most prominent feature was the vomiting which was very painful in my case.

249.-—I think you said in your paper it was not malarial, why did you say that?

A.-I think I must have mistaken the meaning of the word "malarial" in my paper. From what I have heard to-night, if my evidence is consistent with what you would think malarial fever, I was mistaken in the interpretation of the word.

By Dr. Yarr.

250.-You think the fever was produced by earth cutting?

A.-I think that was the predominating cause. I make reference also to having to get water from any source available. You cannot insist on your coolies bringing clean water. I have seen Major BROOKE'S coolies taking water from certainly very filthy sources.

251.-Even for drinking water?

A.-No, it might have been for bath water, but it is impossible to go after the the coolies when they fetch it. They are supposed to fetch it from a certain source.

February 8th.

EVIDENCE OF MR. J. Y. V. VERNON.

By the Chairman.

252.-Had you fever in 1887?

A.-No.

253.---Where were you residing in 1887?

A.-In my house in Robinson Road just behind Seymour Terrace. Part of the year I was up at the Peak.

254.-Had any of your household fever in 1887?

A.--One or two of our Chinese Servants had it.

255.-How often and at what dates?

A. One of them had it on and off from about June till November.

:

( 23 )

256.-Were these attacks of fever all apparently of the same kind so, far as you

know?

A. I believe so but I did not take very much notice of them.

257.---Could you describe an attack?

A.-No, I could not.

258.-Do you know whether

any

of these men had fever prior to 1887?

A.-No, I cannot say.

By Dr. Young.

259.-None of them died?

A.-Not in 1887? No.

260.-Have any of them left you and not come back again?

A.--One is still absent but I believe he intends to return by-and-by. He is absent on account of fever.

261.-What were your reasons for signing petition?

A.-My reasons were that I lived for several years at Rose Villas, and there was

a great deal of sickness among my Chinese servants there.

262. That was previous to 1887?

A. Yes.

263.-But you had not fever yourself nor any member of

A. No, only the servants.

264.-Were there any smells there?

A.-There were some very unhealthy smells there.

265. Were the drains in good order?

your household?

A.-The house drains? [Dr. YOUNG-Yes]. I cannot say I ever had them up.

266.--You never complained of them?

A.-No, only of the outside drains. There was a trap placed, or an opening rather, just outside, which I complained of once or twice. I believe I wrote to Mr. MCCALLUM, the Sanitary Officer.

267.-Was it attended to?

A. They filled up a trap opposite the Civil Hospital and that stopped it for the time being but not entirely.

By Dr. Manson.

268. What years were you living in Rose Villas?

A. From 1881 to 1884.

269.-How many servants did

lose? How you

many

deaths were there?

A. To my own knowledge? [Dr. MANSON-Yes]. Not any. I did not see

any corpses.

270.-How many servants did you change there?

( 24 )

A.-I do not know. We were always changing.

271.-Then there was a great deal of sickness?

A. Yes, we were always changing. I had a great deal of trouble to keep

servants.

272. The smells were bad sometimes?

A.-Very bad.

273.-Are they bad at your present house?

A. Sometimes, but very rarely.

274.-There is no fever now?

A.-No.

By Dr. Cantlie.

275.-Did you complain of that shaft that has been put up near your house?

A.-I have complained several times.

276.- Could you assign any illness to that?

A.-I could not trace it.

277.-Had you to shut your windows on account of that smell.

A.--Yes, once or twice, but not lately.

278.-You did not live there in summer?

A.-No.

279.-Did you complain of it lately?

A.-I wrote officially two or three times and unofficially I complained very often.

By Dr. Manson.

280.-There is a statement in the petition, that as a matter of fact, the fever had increased pari passu with the extension of the sewer system. Is that your observation?

A.-No, I have not noticed it.

By Dr. Cantlie.

281.-But the sewers had not been extended to Rose Villas when you lived there?

A.--No, I don't think so.

By Dr. Manson.

282.-Yet from 1881 to 1884 you changed a great many servants on account of

fever?

A. Yes, it was chiefly among people who were out at night that the sickness was, the watchmen.

By Dr. Cantlie.

283.-You mean the watchmen about the house?

A.-Yes, our private watchmen.

C

( 25 )

By Dr. Manson.

284.-What was the nature of this fever? Was it an intermittent fever so far as you know?

A.-They used to call it fever, and the next step was that they had to leave. I' don't know whether it went on. They had to leave, I believe, within a week, and I believe their extremities used to swell up a little. Several of them complained of that, and in fact I saw one of them myself.

285. Was it Rose Villas West?

By Dr. Cantlie.

A.-Rose Villas East, at present occupied by Mr. GILLIES.

EVIDENCE OF MR. D. GILlies.

289.-Had you fever in 1887?

By the Chairman.

A. Yes.

290.-How often and at what dates?

A.-I had the fever, so far as I recollect, during the months of August, September and October.

291.-Were these attacks all of the same character?

A. All of the same character.

292.-Could you describe one of the attacks and specify the presence or absence of rigor, pyrenia, diaphoresis, periodicity and duration?

A. The first symptom was a nausea, an inclination to vomit; several times I did vomit. The points of my fingers began to get cold.

293.-Had you shivering?

A.—A little, very little. I had a severe headache and I got very hot.

294.-Was it accompanied by sweating?

A. Yes. The sweating come on though after I went to bed and had had my feet put in hot water and had taken quinine.

295.—Did the attacks come on at regular periods? After the fever had stopped did you get another attack at a regular period?

A.-No.

296.-How long did an attack last as a rule?

A.-Only one attack confined me to the house for two days. The other attacks commenced about two o'clock in the afternoon, and I was able to go to office the fol- lowing morning.

297.-Then did they recur?

A.-No, not until after a certain period, perhaps a month.

298.-Had you any

idea during the fever?

( 26 )

A.-None.

299. Had you any eruption on your skin?

A.-No, I noticed none.

300. Had you fever prior to 1887 and if so when?

A. In 1886.

301.-Was it of the same nature?

A.-The same nature only not accompanied by nausea.

302. Had you any fever before 1886?

A. Yes, I had it in 1880.

303.-I believe you have lived here a number of years?

A.--Twenty-three years.

304. From 1880 to 1886 you were free?

A. Yes.

305.-Were you in the Colony all the time?

A.-I was at home for eighteen months.

306.-Since your first attack have you been residing in the same house?

A.I went to the house when Mr. VERNON left it in 1884.

lived in the Hotel for some years.

Previous to that I

307.-Had any of the members of your household fever, in 1887?

A.-All my servants had it.

308.-You are now speaking of Chinese servants?

A. Yes, there were no Europeans but myself in the house.

309.-In 1887 had your Chinese servants fever often and at what dates ?

A. They had fever throughout the whole year. It was worse in the cold months, the winter time.

310. And were the attacks all of the same kind?

A. They were all of the same kind so far as I know.

311.-Then this fever was of the same kind as you have described so far as you

know?

A.-I cannot say it was the same kind as I had myself. They seemed to get

very yellow about their eyes, became emaciated and complained greatly of heat.

312.--Did they complain of shivering, too?

A.-No, I cannot say they complained of shivering, they may have done so.

313. They were in the same house?

A.- -They were in the coolie quarters at the back of the house.

By Dr. Manson.

314.-Had your servants fever in 1884, 1885 and 1886 as well? A.-They had it from the time I went into that house in 1884.

( 27 )

315. You have always had fever in that house?

A.-Yes.

316.-Is it worse this year than before?

A. It was very bad until I had the new drain made.,

317.-But was it worse in 1887 than formerly?

A.-I think it was rather worse.

318.-But not much?

A.-I would not say it was much worse. I could not keep servants more than a couple of months; they always got sick and went away.

By Dr. Yarr.

319.-You say they got sick until you got a drain made?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Cantlie.

320.-Why did you have that drain made?

A. On account of the bad smells about the house.

321. Did you notice any smells after the drain was made?

A.--There is a little smell yet but I attribute that to an open sewer, that is about three hundred feet from my window. There is a stone taken up from the main sewer, I do not know for what purpose.

322.-The sewer runs up the hill side there?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Yarr.

323.-Do you mean to Richmond Terrace?

A.-No, not that one, it runs between Mr. WoTTON's house and Mr. COUGHTRIE'S.

By Dr. Cantlie.

324.-Why was that stone taken up.

A.-I cannot tell.

Sometimes the smell from it is very bad, at other times you

don't perceive it.

325.-When was it taken up?

By Dr. Manson.

A.-I only noticed it two or three months ago, but I think it must have been opened before. You don't observe it unless you go close to that side of the house?

326.—But it was not up in 1884, 1885 and 1886?

A. The drain was not made then?

327.-Yet you had fever then?

A.-The drain was carried along Caine Road and runs up to the right. It was only completed about two years ago.

( 28 )

By Dr. Yarr.

328. When did you change the drain?

A.-I think the new drain was finished about three months ago.

329.-So you were disconnected with that drain about three months ago?

A. Yes.

330.-You have had a large experience of Hongkong, have you noticed that the fever has been more prevalent in the winter than before, that is during November and December?

worse.

A.-I think during the months of September, October and November, it has been

331. Did you notice anything peculiar about the fever being prolonged into winter this time?

A.-It did not seem to be any worse or better with myself, but I heard my neigh- bours complain.

332.-One of the great complaints is, that the fever seems this year and last year to have been prolonged into the winter months, for some reason. We normally have fever in summer, but not in November and December.

A.-I cannot say it has been worse.

333.--This stone being out of the main sewer is the only complaint you have to make then as regards smells and sanitation?

A.-That is the only complaint I have to make now. Before the drain about the house was in a very bad condition. When I opened it up I found it had been built of common China blue bricks, and these had become so sodden with sewage that you could put a piece of stick through them just like you could through butter, and the ground to a depth of 2 feet under them was perfectly black with sewage. Since the new drain was put in I have not had one servant ask to go away on account of fever.

By the Chairman.

334. Did you have this alteration made under professional advice?

A.--No, it was done under the supervision of Messrs. DANBY and LEIGH, but I did it on my own responsibility. I asked the landlord first, but he declined to do it. I thought I would have a look at it, and after I had seen it I decided to have a new drain.

By Dr. Manson.

335.-Have you had any case of typhoid fever in your house?

A.-No.

336.-Or any case of dysentery?

A.-Not that I know of, the coolies may have had it, but they never reported it.

337. Or sore throat or boils?

A.-No.

( 29 )

By Dr. Young.

338.-Have you had a bad taste in your mouth of a morning?

A.--Sometimes.

339.—And have felt unrefreshed by your sleep?

A.--Yes.

By the Chairman.

340.--Have you had to close

your

doors and windows on account of the bad smell?

A.--During the summer months I have often noticed the smell so powerful and unpleasant that I have had to had the doors all closed at the back to keep it out. Not every night but occasionally when I have been reading.

By Dr. Cantlie.

341.--Was that after or before you had the drain changed?

A.--That was in the summer.

The drain is only recent.

342.-Are you aware of a shaft that has been put up above?

A. That is the drain I was connected with before.

343-Do you notice any smell now?

A. Yes, occasionally there is, but I attribute that to the open sewer.

EVIDENCE OF MR. W. DANBY, CIVIL ENGINEER.

The witness had prepared notes in answer to the preliminary questions arranged to be put to the witnesses, and he was requested to hand in his notes to the Secretary.

By Dr. Cantlie.

344.-You have had a great deal of experience in drainage?

A.-I have.

345.-Where?

A.-In England.

346. Where?

A.—I served my articles under the Borough Surveyor of a Town of over 350,000 inhabitants, and was afterwards Deputy Borough Surveyor of the same town for several

years.

347.-Was that under the Local Government Board?

A.-No, we had our own Municipal Act.

348.-Do you think the principles of the Local Government Board insisted upon in England would be an advantage to this Colony as regards drainage?

A.-I do most certainly.

349.-What is the principal difference between the drainage in this Colony and the system recommended by the Local Government Board?

( 30 )

A.-The drains in this Colony are not ventilated.

350. That is the chief trouble?

A.--I call that the great trouble, the primary cause of the smells.

351.-Do you think a covered drain, well ventilated would be better than an open

sewer?

A.-A covered drain properly ventilated would not be offensive.

352.--What you call a properly ventilated drain--every hundred yards or less?

A.-In steep streets like these you ought to have ventilators every fifty yards. 353.-Are you aware of any drains in the tropics being ventilated on the same system as the Local Government Boards?

A.-I have not had any experience in the tropics except in Hongkong.

354.-Do you think it likely the same rules would hold good in the tropics?

A. Yes.

355.—But you think the ventilators ought to be every fifty yards?

A.—Yes, the more thickly populated the streets the closer the ventilators ought to be, supposing the gullies are well trapped, if not each gully becomes a ventilator in

a manner.

356. You know that shaft, do you think when the tide is up there is any ventila- tion to that shaft or will the air be sucked up into the houses?

the

A.-My opinion is that the rise and fall of the tide causes very little difference to pressure of gas in the sewers, because it (¿.e. the rise and fall of the tides) is gradual and if it rises gradually the gas is gradually forced out. You notice the smells on the upper levels are always stronger and more perceptible when the wind is from the North- East to North-West; the wind blows up the open ends of the sewers and forces the gas through the defective traps into the houses.

357.-Do you think these shafts will suck the air out of the houses through the main sewer and up the hill, or will the houses ventilate the main sewer themselves?

A.-Owing to sewer gas being much lighter than the ordinary atmosphere the pressure at the upper levels is much stronger, that is why the smell is stronger on the upper levels.

358.-In very few houses is there any trap? The question is would this sewer gas ascend to such houses or go up the hill?

A. Of course it will find its way into the houses. There are very few houses properly trapped, even the iron grates or traps you see, most of them I find lately-I may say I have not examined this as I ought to have done until lately and I find most of these traps are nothing more than a delusion and a snare. The midfeather that is supposed to drop into the water to form the trap in the cases I have come across just touches the water only, it is no trap at all. I have examined some traps full of water and by blowing with your mouth through the outlet at the back the air came out through the water in the trap.

359. And that is the ordinary trap used in Hongkong?

A. Yes, but I don't say all are in the same condition.

( 31 )

By Dr. Jordan.

360.-What is the depth of the Government traps?

A.-I don't know the Government traps. I don't suppose the attention of the Government has ever been drawn to this any more than my own was.

361.-You experimented with some of the Government traps did you not?

A. Yes.

362.-What was the depth of the midfeather?

A.--It is level with the outlet.

By the Chairman.

363.--Do you consider the present system defective?

A.—No, provided there is proper ventilation. Sir ROBERT RAWLINSON lays it down that no gully should be trapped until provision is made for ventilating that same gully.

By Dr. Cantlie.

364.-Do you think subsoil drainage would be an advantage at West Point?

A.-I feel certain it would in my own mind, I am not speaking as a medical man, but from what I know great number of cases of fever can be put down to malaria owing to the boggy and marshy neighbourhood.

365.-Subsoil drainage would cure that?

A. Of course.

366.-Would you require three sewers then, one for subsoil drainage, one for sewage,

and one for storm water?

A.-No.

367.-Two?

A.—No, I would only have one.

368.-You would have the subsoil drainage, the sewage and the storm water all in

one?

A.-The subsoil drainage would not be much and the subsoil and storm waters would have a tendency to scour out and clean the sewers.

That is the one great

benefit we derive in Hongkong from such heavy rainstorms as we get here.

369. Do you think a very big sewer that can accommodate the storm water is a good sewer.

A.-It is if the section is properly designed.

370.-What is the best section, egg-shape?

A.-Egg-shape is the best.

371.-Do you think the present section is a good one?

A.—It is not so good as the egg-shape, but it is very expensive to make egg-shaped sewers in granite.

372.-Is granite a good substance to use?

( 32 )

A.-No, because you have so many joints and the surface is rough. Sewage matter sometimes sticks to the comparatively rough sides of the sewers, it gets dry, then wet and afterwards putrifies and becomes offensive.

373.-Is brick better?

A.-Brick rendered in cement is much better.

374.-And what about glazed earthenware?

A.-—That is better still, but they cannot make the pipes in this material much larger than 24′′ × 36".

By Dr. Manson.

375.-If the gullies are properly trapped and the house drains properly trapped, do you think the.system of ventilation by shafts would be sufficient?

A.-I don't think it would be the least use.

376.-Why?

A.--Because the shaft ventilator is too far from the sewers. I may mention the new ventilator above Mr. GOURDIN's; you can perhaps imagine the great pressure of gas at Greenmount being at the "Dead end" of a big sewer draining a part of China town below. That pressure ought to be relieved.

377.-The pressure will not be more than one atmosphere?

A.-Nothing like that pressure, but as the sewers are constructed the pressure is

considerable.

378.-If there were a pressure it would constantly ascend to the shaft?

A. Yes, but if a sudden rainstorm comes and the water rushes down the sewer, where is all the gas to go to? It does not ascend gradually to the ventilator. It is driven up these defective traps into your houses. If there were a number of ventilators in the streets, the gas would have an opportunity of escaping.

379.-Would not that be very unpleasant?

A.-Not if it were filtered through charcoal. It passes over a number of layers and it is impossible that any smell can escape.

By Dr. Cantlie.

380.-Which is the better vegetable or animal charcoal?

A.-Either will do but animal is the best. The gas cannot get out without having to pass through several layers of this charcoal.

381.-The section of the sewer would be wider than the shaft that goes up the hill,

A. Yes, in the lower part of the town, because as a rule they take in the water from the respective water courses and side channels.

382.-Sewer gas will not go down and then up again?

A.-Not without some artificial means of forcing it down.

( 33 )

By Dr. Manson.

383.-You give it us your definite opinion that the present system of ventilation, supposing it is perfect in every respect, that the traps of the houses and the gullies are perfect, these shafts are quite inefficient?

A.—No, I will not go so far as that. I say suppose all the house drains and the street gullies are trapped efficiently, these ventilators would relieve the

pressure of gas in the sewers, but I would not call that sufficient ventilation. In a steep city, I should say you want ventilators on the line of the sewers themselves.

384.-In what way would it show its inefficiency?

A.-By having a sudden rush of foul gas from the ventilator.

385.-But that is intended?

water?

A.—But where is the gas to go in case of a severe rainstorm and a sudden rush of

386.-Where would it go in your opinion?

A.-Supposing the sewer were perfectly tight, there would be an accumulation and a great pressure of sewer gas somewhere.

387.-Yes, but you assume the sewers are quite full?

A. They are nearly full. The volume of water in the sewers is considerably increased at such a rapid rate during a heavy rainstorm that the gas cannot get out quick enough.

388.-I can understand that, if you assume the sewers are quite full and in that case the

pressure of water would be so great, that the sewers would burst without the gas?

A.-Yes, but gas ascends and water descends.

By Dr. Jordan.

389.—In time of heavy rainstorms have you known the sewers quite full?

A. Yes, I have seen the water coming out. They have burst several times.

390.-On the lower levels?

A.-Yes.

By Dr. Cantlie.

391. It is a common thing for sewers to burst in storms?

A.—I don't say they burst from gas. Gas is far more elastic than water.

392.-They do burst?

A. Yes, they have done so generally on the lower levels.

By the Chairman.

393.-But from the pressure of water?

A. Yes, they have burst so many times that the Public Works Department has,

I think, now found out all the weak points.

( 34 )

of

By Dr. Jordan.

394.-You say it would burst from over-pressure of water not from over-pressure gas ?

A. Yes. You may say we have not experienced a "perfect" sewer here yet. Hitherto all the gullies and house drains have been so defective that there have been hundreds of outlets for the gas to escape by and relieve the pressure.

By the Chairman.

395.-Have you found that during one of the heavy rainstorms, there is such an amount of sand and mud carried down as to burst the drain by choking it?

A.-There is a great deal carried down which would reduce the sectional area.

396.-But not to such an extent as to choke the sewer?

A.-Not that I know of.

By Dr. Yarr.

397. You consider ventilators at every fifty yards necessary?

A.-I think so, every fifty or hundred yards.

By Dr. Manson.

398. Would not the smell be intolerable then?

A. You notice them in London, Croydon and other towns every hundred yards or so, and there is no smell from them.

399. Are you aware of any

By the Chairman.

defective drains in the Western district?

A.-No, I don't know of any. I consider the drains, such as they are, made of granite, very good drains. They are on an antiquated section, the same as was adopted when the Colony was first laid out.

400.-But to your knowledge they carry out their work very well?

A. Yes.

401.-Even though made of granite?

A. Yes, for granite sewers.

By Dr. Yarr.

402.-You mean the principal is wrong?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Manson.

403.-Who is responsible for this plan of ventilation that is being adopted now?

A.-I don't know.

404.-Is it Mr. CHADWICK?

A.-I don't know. Sir ROBERT RAWLINSON's plans for laying out sewerage drains and water supply as issued by the Local Government Board are looked upon

( 35 )

and considered by all authorities at home as what should be adopted. They are looked upon as

"authoritative," and are based on an experience "second to none." 405.-Mr. CHADWICK is a high authority on sanitary engineering is he not?

A.-Mr. CHADWICK is supposed to be an authority but he is not to be compared with Sir ROBERT RAWLINSON or any of the Local Government Inspectors because he has not had their extensive and varied experience.

By Dr Cantlie.

406. Which do you refer to Mr. CHADWICK Senior or Mr. CHADWICK Junior?

A.-The one who was out here, the Junior.

By Dr. Yarr.

407.-Would coating the granite with cement be an improvement?

A. Yes, undoubtedly. It would remove the objection I have pointed out. It would remove the roughness of the granite.

408. But the objection to the shape would remain?

A.-Well, I should say the shape is the best you could adopt.

By Dr. Cantlie.

409.-It comes nearest the egg-shape?

A. Yes.

410.—Is there a joint in the centre?

A.—Yes, but Mr. PRICE adopted some years ago a system of having the invert in one stone so as to do away with this joint in the centre.

411. And what about concrete?

By Dr. Yarr.

A. The concrete is only put in to form a good foundation.

412.-Dr. CANTLIE drew a diagram and asked the witness, having regard to the lines there laid down, to give his opinion as to proper position of the ventilator.

A.-The witness explained his opinion by means of the diagram and said-You ought to have intermediate ventilators. As you go down a street you may see on one side a gully trapped and on the opposite side one with a flap; the trapped gully only increases the smell emanating from the nearest one with a flap.

413.-And you could not make it airtight?

A.—No, it is only a piece of loose iron and in some cases the hinge is quite rusty, and the flap becomes fixed.

EVIDENCE OF MR. J. D. HUMPHREYS.

414.-Had you fever in 1887?

By the Chairman.

A.-I cannot say I ever had fever. I felt a little seedy. My temperature has been a little higher than usual. I have only tested it two or three times or perhaps

བའ

( 36 )

Before that I may have had the same feeling, but I I don't think I ever took quinine till 1887 when two or

half a dozen times until 1887. never took any quinine for it. three doses of quinine put me right.

415. And with reference to the individuals of your household, had they any attack

in 1887 ?

A.-Only what I have mentioned in my written replies. My wife had slight fever in the autumn.

416.-In what month?

A.—I would not be quite sure, probably September or October.

417.-Had she more than one attack?

A.-I think not up to this time; she had a slight attack yesterday.

418.-Can you describe an attack?

A.-It begins with a shivering cold feeling, a sort of chilled feeling and continued fever while it lasts and then it goes away altogether.

419.-How long did it last?

A.-Not more than a day.

420.-Was she subject to fever prior to 1887?

A. Yes, she had a very bad attack of fever in Queen's Road once.

421. Of the same nature?

A.-More severe.

422.-How long did that last?

A.-I would call that a bad form of remittent fever. It lasted about three weeks.

423.-What year was that in?

A.-Perhaps fourteen years ago.

424. With reference to your Chinese servants, have they suffered from fever?

A.-No, not much.

425.-You have been living at Richmond Terrace for how long?

A.-Four years.

426.--Have your Chinese servants suffered much from fever there?

A.-No, they have had slight attacks of fever, but never sufficient to prevent them from doing their work. I have had the same servants with the exception of a chair coolie or two all the time. My cook has been with me for the greater part of twenty

years.

By Dr. Young.

427.-Do

notice you

smells about any

your

house?

A. We have no smells about Richmond Terrace at all.

428.-How is it drained?

A.-There is a drain running past No. 1, down the hill, by the side of that pri- vate road, to the junction of the roads below. I don't know whether it has been con-

4

( 37 )

nected with the sewers since, but it was not connected originally and even if it has been it makes very little difference, because it is a semi-circular drain and the stone covering is in separate pieces, unjointed, with perhaps an inch space between each stone, so it is ventilated all the way up. Practically we have no connection with the sewers. It is ventilated over a distance of one hundred yards.

By Dr. Cantlie.

429.-The earth is covered over that?

A.-In places, in parts it is not covered.

430.-Did you see the drain laid down?

A.---I have seen it since. I did not see it laid, but that was the idea. I knew it was going to be laid in that way.

431.-And the stones on the top are laid some distance from each other?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Jordan.

432. For what distance are the stones laid in that way?

A.-The whole way up.

By Dr. Young.

433.-Is it not covered with concrete?

A.-No, that would practically hermetically seal it and we should have the smells.

434. We asked Mr. PRICE where the drain was and he said we were walking on top of it?

A.-On part of it perhaps.

435.-We were walking on concrete at the time?

A.-Well that may be the connection that has been made. I heard there was a connection made at the lower end, that I don't know, but whether we are connected or not makes no difference to us because it is ventilated all the way up.

By Dr. Manson.

436.-How many houses are there in Richmond Terrace?

A.-Six.

437.-Who lives in No. 2 ?

A.-Captain JOHNSON.

438. Has he lived there all this year?

A. Yes, and last year.

439. Has he had fever this year?

;

A. He had one attack last year, which he told me he attributed to a chill caught at the Army Hospital Stores. Mrs. JOHNSON had one or two slight attacks last year.

440.--None this year?

A.-None this year, or only a slight attack for one day, but I don't think she attributed it to the house at all. I think she attributed it to a chill she caught.

( 38 )

441. Prior to 1886 who were your tenants in No. 2?

A.-Mr. and Mrs. BAILY from 1883 to 1886.

442.-Had they fever?

A.-I don't think so.

443.-Mrs. BAILY had fever had she not ?

A.-I don't know. Mr. and Mrs. BAILY were very well satisfied with the house. They kept it on for nearly a year after they left so that if they had to return to the Colony, they would be sure to get it again.

444. And No. 3?

A. This year, Mrs. BLACKBURN has lived in it for a short time. Mr. WEBBER

P

lived in it for a short time.

445.-Have either of these had fever?

A.-I think not.

By Dr. Jordan.

446.-I think Mr. WEBBER had fever in Richmond Terrace?

A. I did not hear of it.

He did not remain very long.

By Dr. Manson.

447.-Before 1887, who were your tenants in No. 3?

A.-Mr. and Mrs. WISE from 1883 to 1886.

448.--Had they fever at all?

A.—I think I remember Mr. Wise telling me he had fever once, which he attri- buted to having been out shooting in the sun (Mr. WISE assented.)

449.-Has Mrs. WISE had fever?

A.-I don't know. Mrs. WISE's child was in perfect health all the time it was up there I think. Mr. and Mrs. WILLMOTT were in No. 3 in 1886 and they had fever, but they had fever before they went there, very badly at Kowloon, and Mrs. WILLMOTT has had fever very badly in England, ever since she has been there recruiting. There was an outbreak of fever in 1887, at least Mr. and Mrs. WILLMOTT both had fever, but the chunam gutters round the house which protected the foundations from damp had been cut in several places. Holes a foot big had been cut right through them and creeping plants planted in them. Of course all the water that ran in that gutter would run into the holes and soak into the foundation of the house. That would be quite enough to account for fever without any other cause.

450.And No. 4?

A. Dr. WHARRY lived there from 1883 to 1885.

451. And since then?

A.-Mrs. BLACKBURN in 1886 and Major ELLIS in 1887 and 1888.

452.-Had they any

fever?

A.-I think Mrs. BLACKBURN had fever in 1886. I heard that she had but I don't

know as a fact.

I

35ཅུ

( 39 )

By Dr. Cantlie..

453. Mrs. ELLIS lived there?

A.-Yes.

454. Did Mrs. ELLIS ever complain about the smells.

A.-No.

455.--I heard Mrs. ELLIS say she had to shut the windows there on various occa- sions owing to the smell.

A.-That you may have to do in any house if the servants pour filth down the

drains.

By Dr. Manson.

456.-Who were the tenants in No. 5?

A.-Captain and Mrs. FINCHAM from 1883 to 1885.

457. Had they any fever?

A.-Not that I know of. They lived there till they left the Colony.

458. Who lived there in 1886?

A.-Captain and Mrs. Dove.

459.-Had they any fever?

A. I heard Mrs. Dove had fever in 1886.

460.-And Captain Dove?

A.-I never heard. Captain Dove was under the impression the floor ventilators had connection with the drains, and I believe he flushed them daily with water. There you have sufficient cause for fever. You may imagine that water has no chance of getting out except by soaking through the soil below the floors of the house.

By Dr. Cantlie.

461.-Then they are not connected with the drains?

A.—No, no one would think of connecting them.

462. You mean the ventilators in the corner of the room?

A.-No. Here is the door and just in front is an iron grating in each verandah.

By Dr. Manson.

463.-They lived there in 1887 did they?

A. In 1887 and they lived there all the time they were in the Colony.

464.-Did Captain Dove complain more of fever that year than the previous year?

A.-I never heard him complain of fever.

465.-Or of his family having fever?

A. He never complained to me of it.

466.-Who lived at No. 6?

A.-Mr. and Mrs. EWENS in 1883 and 1884. Mr. WRIGHT in 1885 and 1886.

Mrs. BLACKRURN in 1887.

( 40 )

467.-Were Mrs. WRIGHT and family subject to fever?

A.--I think Mr. WRIGHT was.

468. And the children?

A.-I never saw them but they looked perfectly healthy. I never heard of them having fever. They had measles or something of that sort.

469. And Mrs. BLACKBURN's children?

A.-Mrs. BLACKBURN's children had fever in 1887 or one of them or two. One of them had no fever there. That little child that was so sick in the Queen's Road and at the Peak was in perfect health all the time it lived there.

470.-Had it not an enlarged spleen and intermittent fever?

A.--Not in Richmond Terrace Mrs. BLACKBURN told me. It had fever before it went there.

471.-Have you had any complaints about servants not wishing to live in Richmond

Terrace?

A.-Not with mine.

472.--And your tenants?

A.-Captain JOHNSON told me he had a little trouble with his servants, that they said they got fever, but on his testing them with the clinical thermometer, he found their temperature was normal. On one occasion his cook's wife came to him and said her husband who had just left on account of fever had died, and she wanted his wages. He told her to bring a certificate of death, and he would pay her. Three or four days afterwards he saw the man sitting down at the foot of the road. The fact of the matter is with reference to fever among the servants in the west, they know it has had a fever reputation. Formerly when they wanted to go away, it was "My father have die, my mother have die, or my grandmother have die," but now they come and say they have fever if they want to get a better situation or go away. Personally I have had no trouble of that sort. During the first year after the houses were built there was a good deal of sickness among the servants. I think that was undoubtedly true, but it was distinctly attributable to certain causes. The floors were almost flush with the ground and of porous tiles. There was simply a catchwater drain at the back intended to carry off rain water. That was not deep enough, and it had become, I suspect, filled up with rubbish. A heavy fall of rain came and overflowed the quarters and made them damp. These porous tiles soak

tiles soak up water like a sponge, but I think even on the ground floor quarters since that has been remedied, and cement put down in place of tiles, and the walls chipped and coated with cement they are as healthy as any other quarters in the Colony. However I have put another storey on them to make quite sure, not only on account of that but because people living in the terrace keep more servants than we thought they would.

By the Chairman.

473.--Has an extra storey been put on all?

A.--I am doing them as fast as I can. I have put an extra storey on three houses and I am now putting one on my own, and as soon as we get an opportunity of completing the others we shall do so.

( 41 )

By Dr. Manson.

474. Have you heard of any case of typhoid fever in the terrace?

A.-No.

475.-Diphtheria, sore throat or boils?

A.-No.

476.-Diarrhoea or dysentery?

A.-No.

477. Are there no bad smells there?

A.-No, except perhaps occasionally in the early morning, when the night-man is at work, and then of course there is a row and it ceases for a time.

Dr. CANTLIE.—There is an interesting feature in connection with Mrs. BLACKBURN's children. The children had fever all the summer. She found it suddenly stopped. She discovered that when she prevented the children coming to the level of Caine Road and let them take their exercise on the level of Major BROOKE's house the fever ceased. She prevented them coming down below when the drains were bad and the fever symptoms completely disappeared.

Dr. MANSON. And how often was the experiment made?

Dr. CANTLIE.--It was made once. The fever stopped suddenly while that of other people in the Terrace continued.

The Chairman.-Was that illness fever or sewer poisoning?

Dr. MANSON.-These children had distinct fever, and two had enlarged spleens.

Dr. CANTLIE.-One child died there after two hours' illness.

Mr. HUMPHREYS.-The children were in perfect health when they left.

Dr. CANTLIE.-They did not go down below then?

Mr. HUMPHREYS.-They were kept up for three months. They were perfectly

healthy so long as they were so kept.

By Dr. Jordan.

478.--Have you noticed any surface accumulations of water?

A.-To the East of us and to the West also, but to the East especially there is a very wet plateau.

479.-Is it noticeable after slight rains or only after heavy ones?

A. It is noticeable all through the year. You will find coolies collecting water there all through the dry season, scraping it out of little puddles. I believe thousands of gallons are gathered there every day and night.

480. And to the West have you noticed any

accumulation?

A. Yes, that is a place I propose to deal with. I shall make an application to the Government for that wet piece of land there and deal with it myself. I shall sink a good well there.

( 42 )

By Dr. Manson.

481.-You mean a patch of ground above and to the West of Richmond Terrace?

A. Yes, at the South-west corner between the two ridges. The ridge we are on is an absolutely dry ridge. I don't think you would get water there if you were to sink three hundred feet. The ridges on both sides of us are wet ridges and we have water on both sides of us. There is another thing which has helped to make the neigh- bourhood unhealthy. Lately there has been a good deal of disturbance of the top soil, and while you have road making or levelling sites going on and you have trees in the vicinity, you will find the coolies employed will not use the places put up for them- when they are put up for them to use-but they will be all over the hills. I could take you to places in that neighbourhood which would make you feel very ill indeed.

By Dr. Cantlie.

482.-What use do you mean to make of that well you spoke of?

A.—I mean to use it for drinking water entirely. I believe that the drinking of surface water is not good. There is a good deal of decomposed vegetable matter in it, especially about such damp places. Wherever you have damp you have decaying vege- tation, and I have not the slightest doubt a great deal of the illness down below in the town, West, is caused by the people drinking that filthy surface water, because it is not only filthy on account of decomposed vegetation, but from animal matter too. The coolies have to pay a cash to go to the public latrines. A cash saved is a cash gained to them and there are thousands of coolies who go up all round that neighbourhood. And then the surface water is scraped up. You see it not only in that plateau, but in the side channels down below. It drips into the side channels and is collected there. Now the side channels were polluted up to three or four months ago, when I complained of it, with the liquid portion of the night soil. The stench all along that road from the junction of the Bonham and Caine Roads and right away to College Gardens sometimes, but especially near the tanks, in the early morning when I got up at five o'clock was enough to stifle you; it was better when I returned about eight or nine, but you could smell it more or less all day long.

15th February.

EVIDENCE OF MR. F. A. HAZELAND.

By the Chairman.

483. Had you fever in 1887 ?

A.-No.

484.--Had any one of your household fever in 1887?

A. Yes, my eldest brother and my sister.

485.-How often and at what dates?

A.-My brother once and my sister three times.

486.-Were the attacks all of the same nature as far as you know?

A.-I believe so.

( 43 )

:

487.-Could describe an attack, stating if there was shivering and high fever

you

and sweating? Did they occur at regular intervals and how long did they last?

A.-No, I cannot.

488.-You don't know whether there was any diarrhoea?

A.-No, I don't know.

489. Had these individuals fever prior to 1887 or was this their first attack?

A.—I don't think my brother ever had it before nor can I remember my sister having it before.

490.-Then you think it was the first attack?

A.-I think so.

491.-Were you living in the same place then?

A. Yes, I have lived in the same house thirteen years.

By Dr. Cantlie.

492.-Your sister has been a good deal troubled with sore throat has she not?

A.-My second sister has had sore throat very frequently.

By the Chairman.

493. During 1887?

A.-For years.

By Dr. Cantlie.

494.—Both your sisters have been troubled with sore throat have they not?

A.--I don't think so.

495.-The eldest is the one subject to fever?

A. Yes.

496.-You are troubled very badly with smells I think?

A.-I have only noticed it two or three times.

497.-But you have heard the others complain of it?

A.-Not in the house, but going along the roads.

498.-Your mother and sisters complain that on the steps from the road to the house they have noticed a very objectionable odour, you are not aware of that?

A.-No, I am not aware of it.

[Dr. CANTLIE.-This is one of the houses we went over and we found at one parti- cular spot on the steps to the house there is a leakage we believe in the main sewer. The odour can be traced almost to a hole immediately over where the main sewer runs and the pressure of gas there must be enormous if the trap above is in working order. I know they complain of that very frequently.]

By the Chairman.

499.-With reference to the sore throat, were there any other individuals in the household who suffered from sore throat.

( 44 )

A.-I have suffered from sore throat, as far as I can remember, for about twelve years, ulceration of the throat.

By Dr. Cantlie.

500.-Ever since you have been in the house?

A.-Before. I was worse before we went there.

501.-You say you have lived in the house thirteen years and you have had ulce- ration of the throat for twelve years?

A.-I ought to have said more. My throat has been very much better since I have been there.

502.-Where were you living before?

A.-In Mosque Terrace.

By Dr. Atkinson.

503.-No one has ever had diarrhoea there I suppose?

A.-No.

By Dr. Yarr.

504.-Are you satisfied with the sanitary arrangement of the house?

A.—I have been there for thirteen years and have never had a day's illness.

505.-Are the coolies' quarters in good condition ?

A.-I don't know, I have not been in them.

By the Chairman.

506.-Have you had any difficulty with the coolies?

A.-No, my

coolies have been with me six years and they have never been ill-not a day's illness.

my

By Dr. Yarr.

507.-Have none left you on account of illness?

A.-No.

508.-Is the house damp?

A.-No.

By Dr. Cantlie.

By Dr. Yarr.

mother's four years and

509.--You have no idea of the duration of the fever in the case of your sister?

A.-No, Dr. CANTLIE will know about it.

[Dr. CANTLIE.-It lasted about a week. Of all the cases I have seen I think that was the most perfect type of malarial. It began with sore throat. There was malaise and it ended off very often with sore throat, and took some little time to recover.

Dr. YARR.-Would you be inclined to say there was a mixture of drain poisoning in it, having regard to the sewer?

( 45 )

Dr. CANTLIE.—I should think it would be very detrimental to have that smell about. I know Mrs. and the Misses HAZELAND have complained of that time after time. You are not so much in the house as they are.

[Witness.--No, I leave in the morning and don't come back till evening.]

By Dr. Jordan.

510. You don't suffer from ulcerated throat now?

A.-No, not now.

EVIDENCE OF Mr. C. J. Bateman.

By the Chairman.

511.-Had you fever in 1887 ?

A.-I have not had fever at all since I have been in Hongkong.

512-Had any of your people fever in 1887 ?

A.-I went to the house where I live now last April, and from April to last De- cember I had in the house nine boarders. I don't think during that time these nine boys sat down to breakfast together, one or more were down with fever. In November, my wife, my two daughters and a little girl who lives with us were all down with fever.

513.-As far as you know were the attacks all of the same nature?

A.-No they were not the same. In the case of the pupils the fever was of this character. A boy would be seized with shivering, sometimes at the College, I would send him home and give him quinine, and then would come on the hot stage and next day he would be all right. In the case of my wife, the first attack of fever was similar to that, then it developed into a kind of rash and then that was followed by a more severe attack of bilious remittent fever. In the case of my eldest daughter the fever had the same character so far as the rash was concerned.

514.-Who attended them?

A.-Dr. CANTLIE attended my wife and my daughters.

515.-Was there any diarrhoea during the fever?

A. So far as I know, there was not, but there was a great deal of vomiting.

516.--Did they suffer from fever at all prior to 1887?

A.-When we were living in the College, we had two or three cases of fever among the pupils.

517.-The same pupils?

A. Yes, the same pupils.

By Dr. Cantlie.

518.Where did you live before?

A.-At St. Paul's College.

519.And did your wife or boys have fever there?

A.-I think two of the boys had it.

(46)

520.-Was it of the same type?

A.-Just the same.

521.-How long did it last?

A.-Sometimes it only lasted a day and a dose of quinine put it all right.

522.--You complain I see in your paper about the smells in the neighbourhood of your present house?

A. Yes, during the summer we were obliged to keep our windows closed on the upper verandah. In the early morning there was a disagreeable smell from the Chinese squatters' village in the neighbourhood.

523.-Do you know of any one else who had to do so?

A.-No, the same smell was noticed about a fortnight ago by my wife and Mr. OST when coming up from Mr. OST's house.

524. You are aware the bath-room pipe was stopped up about that time?

A. Yes.

525.-Are you aware it was stopped up all the summer?

A.-The water didn't flow away freely.

526.-But it never flowed on the verandah as it did lately?

A.-No, the pipe was put right in October, but was not properly done.

527.-Do you think that might have caused the smell you thought was from the squatters' village?

A.-I did not know until lately there was a connection between that pipe and the main sewer.

528.-Is there a connection? ·

A.It is not connected but there is an outlet at the corner of the house which leads into the main sewer.

By the Chairman.

529.-Is the pipe directly over the sewer?

A.-No, when the water comes from the outlet pipe it goes to a brick drain and then it goes to the main sewer.

530.-There is a little distance between the opening of the pipe and the sewer then?

A.--Yes.

By Dr. Cantlie.

531.-Then on the east side of the house you have a pipe?

A. Yes, it is directly connected with the sewer; it is not cut off.

532.-What pipe is that?

By the Chairman.

A.-The waste pipe from the bath-room.

( 47 )

By Dr. Cantlie.

533.--But you have a ventilation pipe?

A. Yes, one at each corner.

534.-But that opens on the first floor does it not?

A. Yes.

535. It takes the water from the first floor verandah?

A. Yes.

536. So any escape of gas from that pipe would get in at your bed-room window?

A. Yes.

537. You are not aware of any trap between you and the main sewer?

A.-No.

538.--There was one discovered at Mr. Osr's house, not in working order, but there was one there?

dry.

A. I have not heard of it.

539.--What do you put down as the cause of the fever?

A.-It is impossible for me to say what was the cause.

540.-Have you any opinion? Is it a damp house?

A.--No, it is not a damp house. It has a very good basement and it is perfectly

541. Would you put it down to the earth cutting?

A.—I don't think so, because we are a long way from the forts where the principal

earth cutting has been.

542.-Which way do the boys go for their walk?

A. They generally come into town. They don't often go out that way.

543. And the water?

A. The water is laid on from the reservoir to the house.

By Dr. Yarr.

544.-Have you had any difficulty with your servants or with getting servants?

A.—We had considerable difficulty in September. The boy was very seriously ill, and he went away and then I don't know how many we had. One would come for a couple of days and fall sick and then another for a few days, and we never knew what servants we had about us.

545.-Do you think your servants' quarters are in a good sanitary condition?

A.—I don't think they are, I have had them white washed and done up, but at the back there is a drain from Mr. Ost's premises which seems to soak into the quarters. ·

546.-Is there not a place in front where all kinds of refuse are thrown and where it is always damp?

A.-There is a very defective drain from the sink of the kitchen. There is really no drain. The dirty water sinks into the soil which is black.

547.-It lies there altogether?

( 48 )

A.-No, what does not soak into the ground runs into the main sewer.

There is

a connection but there is really no drain. The other day I found the coolies had lifted up a large slab of granite and there I found this stinking black mud.

By Dr. Manson.

548.-Have you had any

diarrhoea in the house?

A.-No.

549.-Dysentery?

A. One case,

550.-Diphtheria?

A.-No.

551.-Sore throat?

A.-No, I have had no complaints from the boys or my people? 552.-You signed the petition did you not?

A. Yes.

553.-There is one clause in the petition which says that with the extension of the drainage system there has been an extension of the fever. You signed that did you Mr. BATEMAN?

A.-I should like to see that.

By Dr. Cantlie.

554.-You have not been long in that neighbourhood?

A.-I have a very strong impression myself we are suffering from a closing up of that gully at the other side of "Fairlea." [Dr. CANTLIE-Well, that is what is meant.] [Witness reads clause of petition]. In signing the petition I was alluding to the closing of that gully between "Fairlea" and Mr. AITKIN's house.

By Dr. Manson.

555.--It says "some of us have noticed." Are you one?

A. By signing the petition, of course, I made myself one.

556.-No, you would infer from that that some had a particular knowledge of this and others not.

Dr. CANTLIE.Your belief is that such is the case?

A. Yes, my belief is that.

By Dr. Manson.

557.-You say as a matter of fact?

A.-But I did not draw up the petition.

558.-But you signed it and thus made yourself responsible.

A.-Of course the closing up of the gully was long before my time. I could not have observed the fever going step by step with the closing up of the gully because I was not there.

( 49 )

559.-Can you tell us which of the signatories are referred to?

Dr. MANSON.-It would be well to know because we could question them.

Dr. CANTLIE.-I think we know one or two. Mr. AITKIN is very anxious to be examined on that point.

Dr. MANSON.-It is a very strong statement.]

560.-A.—There is one thing I may mention, when my wife came from Macao, after she had recovered, we were walking near some new houses Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP is building just below us and we noticed a very disagreeable smell coming from the drain at the other side of the gully. My wife complained of this disagreeable sinell and she went home and had fever again. She had an attack of fever that day. I cannot say whether the attack of fever was connected with the smell.

EVIDENCE OF MR. J. GRANT SMITH.

By the Chairman.

561.--Had you fever in 1887?

A.-No.

562.-With regard to the members of your household had any of them fever?

A. Yes.

563. How often and at what dates ?

A.-Up till April in 1887 we lived in Greenmount and all my children had fever more or less during that time-frequent attacks.

By Dr. Manson.

564.When did you go to Greenmount?

A. We lived there some years and in 1886 we were there till August.

565.--How long were you there altogether? When did you first go to Green-

⚫mount?

A.--About three years ago.

566. Then you were there from 1884 to 1887?

A. Yes.

567.-You were there three

A. Yes.

years then?

By the Chairman.

568.-As far as you know were all the attacks of the same character?

A. Yes, the children's were all the same.

By Dr. Cantlie.

569.-Where did you live before?

A.-At the Peak principally for sometime and we were at the Peak in the sum- mer time. But in 1886, I think it was in August we went to the Peak in consequence of fever breaking out at Greenmount.

570.-At your own house?

( 50 )

A.-No, there was a family living with us in the same house and they got fever We had no fever in our family at that time. We re- Very shortly after we got back to Greenmount as the

and we left to escape the fever.

mained at the Peak till October.

winter approached the fever came on and lasted in to 1887.

Pag

571. Did you have fever in any house previous to Greenmount?

A.—About eleven years ago we had an attack at Idlewild one summer.

572.-Had your children

A.-No.

573.-None?

By Dr. Manson.

any fever in 1884 or 1885?

A.-One of the children, I think, suffered a little at the Peak in 1885.

574. But it was not until 1886 that the fever became serious?

A.-It was after we went back to Greenmount in the winter of 1886, when it became very serious and alarming.

575.-But before that your family had fever?

A.-One of my children had fever as an infant on its way home when nine or ten months old and an attack of the same kind of fever on his way out again when it was

grown up.

576.-Then until 1886 you would say Greenmount was a healthy house?

A. Yes.

577.-Who were the tenants before you?

A.-The North China Insurance Company occupied it.

578.-Were they subject to fever do you know?

A.-I did not hear that they were. [Dr.

[Dr. AYRES-I don't think Mr. KENNARD DAVIES had fever the whole time he resided in Hongkong].

579.—But before leaving that you had fever in 1886?

The rooms

A.-Dr. EITEL and his daughter had a very serious attack in 1886. they occupied were at the West side of the house and the rooms we occupied when we went back in the winter of 1886 were on the West side. No one on the East side of the house had fever during the whole time.

By Dr. Cantlie.

580. Was that during the North-East monsoon?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Manson.

581. Your neighbours at Rheda had fever, had they not?

A.-Not in our time. We left before the fever broke out there.

582.--In 1886 there was a death there?

A. Yes, there was a death in 1886. We were at the Peak at the time.

( 51 )

583.-Greenmount has been untenanted this year?

A. Yes, it was vacant for sometime after we left it. The rooms on the West side of the house appeared to be the ones to have given the fever. The rooms on the East side were perfectly healthy.

By the Chairman.

584.-Does that refer only to the time the North-East monsoon was blowing?

A.-No, the family living with us took the fever in summer.

585. Before the monsoon set in?

A.--Yes.

By Dr. Manson.

586. The fever your children had begins with shivering?

A. Yes.

587.--And then very hot?

A.--Yes.

588. And sweating?

A. Yes.

589.-And then goes away and the child is apparently quite well?

A. Yes.

590.-And then it recurs sometimes after a day or two?

A.--Yes, but not at regular intervals; sometimes a week elapses. During the hot stage there was generally a great amount of delirium and at the end of the hot stage a great deal of vomiting.

591.-Was there diarrhoea?

A.-No, no diarrhoea.

By Dr. Cantlie.

By Dr. Manson.

592.—Has there been diphtheria in the house?

A.-No.

593.-Nor sore throat?

A.-No.

By Dr. Cantlie.

594.-Have the drains at Greenmount been changed lately?

A. Yes.

595.-Since when?

A.-After I went there.

596.-Did the fever get worse or better after?

A.-The fever did not break out until after the drains were changed.

( 52 )

597.-Were you put on the main sewer do you know?

A. Yes.

598.-Was the trap near your house put there the same time your drains were changed?

A.-No, before.

599.-Previous to that time you had not been connected?

A.-No.

600.-Was it not changed again after it was made your own house drain?

A.-No. There was one connection made by order of the Government. The order was that the landlord had to connect their house drain with the main drain.

601.-At the back of Greenmount there is a trap?

A. Yes, that is the end of the new connection.

602.-Until that connection was made you did not notice any fever break out at your place?

A.-No.

By Dr. Yarr.

603.-Have your servants suffered from fever?

A. Yes.

604. Has there been much?

A.-Our servants were the first to be affected by it, before ourselves. Our bed- rooms are on the East side and the servants are on the West and they suffered much for months. Several had to go away but returned again. In the autumn of 1886 our cook went down there when we were living at the Peak. As we were going back he was sent down to look after some alterations, some carpenters' work, and he came back with a bad attack of fever. Three days after he got back he was so ill that I sent him back to Hongkong.

By the Chairman.

605.-What month was that?

A.-September. I visited him two or three times at his house in Taipingshan. I wanted to get him to the hospital but his family would not allow him to be removed. The last time I saw him he was in a dying state, and he died an hour afterwards.

By Dr. Yarr.

606.-Did this fever last some time?

A.-Not more than ten days.

By Dr. Manson.

607.-Was there diarrhoea?

A.-I don't know. It was not the same kind of fever the children had. seemed not to be able to take any nourishment. He never had any fever before that.

He

( 53 )

By Dr. Cantlie.

608. There is a stable in your grounds?

A. Yes.

609.-Is it drained at all?

A. Yes.

610.-Do you know where the drainage falls into?

A-No, but that side of the house is the healthy side.

By Dr. Yarr.

611.-Which side? The side your servants are on?

A.-No, the servants are on the West side and the stable is on the East and low down. No one has ever lived there. I would like to mention that the cook was for a few days ill at our place at the Peak and we got a man to take his place. This man had come straight from Australia and had not been more than two days in the Colony and he had to be sent away from the Peak very ill with fever. The servants attributed it to sleeping in the cook's bed.

612.-Did he recover?

By the Chairman.

A.-I believe he did but he never came back to me.

By Dr. Manson.

613.-How long was it after sleeping in the bed before he got the fever?

A.-Not a week.

By Dr. Cantlie.

614. The illness was the same as the cook had?

A.--I am not aware.

was absent from the house ?

He was very ill, very ill indeed. He went away when I

615.-Had he any rash on the skin?

A.-I am not aware.

616. Did you see him?

A.--I saw him for a minute or two, after he was ill, but I did not take any notice of his condition, except that he appeared to be totally unfit for his work.

By Dr. Manson.

617.-Were there other people sleeping in the same room as the cook?

A.-No, I think not. He slept by himself. I put him in the chair and he was totally unable to take up his things and his room was left entirely as he left it after he had being lying a few days incapacitated for work.

By Dr. Yarr.

618.-Did you notice in your visits to the cook whether he had any rash on the

skin?

A.-No, his skin looked dry and hard. He looked emaciated.

( 54 )

By the Chairman.

619.-Were there any spots of any kind?

A.-No, he got one or two doses of quinine before he left the Peak, but they did not appear to do him any good, and the third dose he refused to take.

By Dr. Jordan.

620.-How long were his things left untouched at the Peak?

A.-Not a week.

621.-Did any one else sleep there besides the one who came from Australia after the cook left ?

A. Yes I believe so, but the bedding and things were taken away after the cook took the fever.

622.-Was the room white washed at all after that?

A.-No.

By Dr. Cantlie.

623.--You have been a long time in Hongkong?

A. Yes.

624.-Do you think it peculiar the fever should come in October, November and December this year? You used to have it in the summer at all times did

you not?

A. I have had very little experience of fever except what we have had in our own house. Living in Queen's Road or near it for twenty-five years I have seen very little of fever.

625. Suppose any one had asked you the feverish time in Hongkong, what would you have said?

A.-I would have said that in the cool weather it was free of fever.

626. You think it is exceptional now?

A. Yes.

627. Do you

and Mr. AITKIN'S.

know how long the gully has been covered up between your house

A.-Not a year, I think.

628.-The fever came before it was covered over then? Was it covered over this time last year?

A.-No, I don't think so, but it may have been a year and a half.

629.-It is put down in the petition that the extension of fever has proceeded pari passu with the extension of the drainage?

A.-It never occurred to me the drains could have anything at all to do with the fever. I think the smells have been multiplied very much of late years from the drains. It is only during the last three or three and a half years I have observed smells from the drains at all, except a few in Queen's Road.

630. Do you think West Point is more unhealthy now than before?

( 55 )

55)

A. Yes.

631.--But you yourself would not put that down to the drains?

say it is not such a nice place to live in now?

A.

I cannot account for it.

the last few years.

632.-But

You would simply

I know the smells have increased I know the smells have increased very much during

By Dr. Jordan.

you don't think the fever is due to the drains?

A.--I think, myself, speaking broadly, the unhealthiness of West Point must have been assisted during late years by the increase of the population and the increase of filth-the gradual increase of filth and the immense population below there.

By Dr. Yarr.

633. Had you any opportunity of watching the illness of your other servants besides the cook.

A.—No, the cook was the one I had most to do with, because I was very anxious about him and went over and over again to try to get medical assistance for him, but I did not succeed, as he lived with his wife and family and they would not allow anything to be done for him. Most of the others, after getting thoroughly ill, went away to the country and came back again, some after a period of three or four months.

18th February.

EVIDENCE OF MR. A. G. AITKIN.

By the Chairman.

634.-I believe Mr. AITKIN you did not sign this petition?

A. No.

635.-But you are desirous of giving us any information you can?

A.-I will be only too willing.

636.—I must ask you these questions we have agreed to put to each witness. Had you fever in 1887?

A. Yes.

637.-How often and what dates?

A.—I cannot tell you the dates but I had it four or five times during the summer; from about the middle of the year to the end.

638.-Were these attacks all of the same character?

A. Some were more severe than others. Towards the end of the year they were attended with retching and vomiting.

639. Had you any shivering followed by heat and sweating?

back.

A.-No, I cannot say I had shivering, but I felt a cold sweat running down my

( 56 )

640.—Did these attacks occur at regular intervals?

A.-Sometimes I would have it every second day. At other times I would be free of it for a week.

641.-Was there any diarrhoea?

A. No diarrhoea.

642.-Nor any eruption?

A.-No eruption.

643.--Had you fever prior to 1887, and if so what was the nature of it?

A.-I never knew fever before.

By Dr. Young.

644. Had you no fever in 1886?

A.-Oh, yes, I had fever in 1886.

By the Chairman.

645.-Where were you residing then?

A.-At Nullah side, the same place as I am in now.

646.-Had other individuals of your household fever also?

A. Yes, the whole of my family had fever, not one excepted.

647.-Had your coolies fever also?

A.- -My coolies had fever, a great many of them. I had great difficulty in pro-

---

curing coolies and servants generally.

648.—Is that this year?

By Dr. Cantlie.

A.-1887.

By Dr. Young.

649. Had some of your family to go home in 1885?

A.--Yes, five of the children and my wife went home in 1885.

By Dr. Cantlie.

650.--Had they to go home, or was it simply that they did go?

A.-No, they went home.

651.-Not for fever?

A.-No, not for fever in 1885.

By Dr. Young.

652.--Has not one of your girls had enlarged, spleen?

-My second daughter had enlarged spleen.

653.-And it was principally for her the family went home?

A. Yes.

654. That was in 1885?

( 57 )

By the Chairman.

A. Yes.

By Dr. Young.

655.-But the fever has been worse during 1886 and 1887 than it was before?

A.--Yes, since about May 1886 and in 1887.

By Dr. Cantlie.

656.--Was that peculiar to the last two years?

A —I have been twenty-eight years in Hongkong and never knew fever before.

657.--But you have heard of fever?

A.--I have heard of it the last two years.

658.--But you have heard of fever in Hongkong before?

A.--At East Point, not at West Point. I have lived at West Point these last twenty-six years constantly.

659.--Do you think it peculiar?

A.-I think it very peculiar the fever should come in the winter time.

660.--Why?

A. Because we never knew fever in the winter time.

661.-And you think that peculiar?

A. Yes, that is very peculiar, more especially at West Point.

By the Chairman.

662.-Have you anything to complain of with regard to the drainage near your

house?

A.-A great deal to complain of the bad smells coming from North-West by North facing my house.

By Dr. Cantlie.

663.-Does the Tung Wah Hospital lie in that direction?

A.-No, that is a good distance from my house.

664.-Does it lie in that direction?

A.-It lies North-East.

665. And you complain of the North-West?

A. Yes, when the wind is blowing from the North-West the obnoxious smells are something awful.

666. What do you think they come from?

A.—That nullah that has been converted into a sewer, the other side of Fairlea.

667.-When standing on the West side of that nullah, do you observe the same

smell?

( 58 )

A. Yes, I went this afternoon to see and you get it full power both on the East and West sides. Wherever you stand near the sewer you get it perfectly fresh, a good smell of it.

668.-How long is it since that nullah was converted ?

A.-I cannot say. It was within the last two years. In the nullah a sewer has been constructed out of the nullah.

669.-What do you mean by that?

A.-It was a ravine running down from Bonham Road, and there was a bridge crossing it at Pokfulum Road and a wall on either side. About two years ago the stones were taken away from the ravine and a sewer built and the different drains run into it.

670.-You mean to say the sewer is the end of the nullah?

A.-No, the sewer was built up to Pokfulum Road, and it is left open there, and then there is the nullah from Bonham Road to Pokfulum Road running between the houses Fairlea and Nullah side, where the Chinese come and gather water.

671. And you think the trouble has proceeded from there principally?

A.-I am almost certain of it.

672.-Was that sewer carried up gradually or suddenly to the present level?

A.-Suddenly.

673.-So

you cannot say the fever advanced with the sewer?

A. Yes, I say it did advance.

674.-Is the sewer open anywhere?

A.-I think it is open near the bottom. It was at one time. I don't know whether it is open now or not.

675.-But it is covered over for a considerable distance?

A.-It is covered over for a considerable distance. I don't know the names of the

streets.

676.-Do the drains from your house open into it?

A. Yes, I have a plan here if you would like to see it. [Plan produced. Witness points out a place at which the Chinese get water from the stream after it has passed the servants' latrine at Fairlea, which drains into it.]

677.-Is it not a fact that sewer was covered over about six years ago for a certain distance and then suddenly extended two years ago?

A. Yes.

678.

Did you notice fever was prevalent about its mouth before?

A. I cannot say. I don't think so, because the gas-works are so near and there is a certain amount of disinfectant in the liquid coming from the gas-works.

679.—Why do you attach the ill-health to that Nullah?

A.--From the smells that come from it.

:

( 59 )

680.-You have had some other illness in your house? Typhoid fever you

had?

A.-Mrs. AITKIN had typhoid fever last Summer.

have

681.-Do you think the smell could account for fever in your neighbours' houses?

Does it extend far enough to effect them?

A.-I know it extends to Fairlea, and Westbourne Villas and as far as I would expect when the wind blows that way.

By Dr. Jordan.

682.--When had Mrs. AITKIN typhoid fever?

A.-I think about three months ago.

683. Have any other members of the family had typhoid fever?

A. Well, no, they have had very severe fever though.

By Dr. Cantlie.

684.-What was the nature of the fever they had?

A.-Shivering, cold sweats down the back and then a great glow of heat all at

once, the temperature rising to 103.

685. Had they that at the same time Mrs. AITKIN had typhoid fever?

A.-No, the children were all sent from the house to East Point.

686.-How long before were they sent away?

A.-As soon as we understood it was typhoid fever, a friend took the children to East Point.

687.—The children at that time were just recovering?

A. Yes, they were just recovering from fever.

688. Had any of them sore throat?

A. One of them had a sore throat.

689. At the same time that she had fever?

A. Yes.

690.-Was the fever of the same kind as the others?

A. Yes.

691.-Had she any diarrhoea with it?

A.--No. Mrs. AITKIN had a very sore throat at the time she had typhoid fever.

[Dr. CANTLIE.—I may mention that we visited Mr. AITKIN's house and I think we found it the most perfect house in West Point in regard to drainage. It was in excellent order so far as we could see, and Mr. AITKIN is at a loss to account for the illness except from the reason he is expressing now.

Mr. AITKIN.-About three months after the nullah was closed up, I noticed some bad smells, and when I informed Mr. SASSOON he employed Mr. DANBY to renew the drains about the house and trap them.]

( 60 )

692.-How long ago is that?

A.-Eighteen months.

693.-But the health of the house has not improved since?

A.-No. It has improved so far as the house itself is concerned, but still the smells come from that quarter.

694.--Have you noticed that the water at the top of the sewer has been more foul of late?

A.-It has been very foul of late.

695. Of what nature is the foulness?

Does it get green ?

A.-There is a small basin or reservoir at the mouth of the sewer, the bottom of which is lower than that of the sewer, and that is filling up with sand and muck of all

sorts.

696.-Is there any vegetable growth?

A.-I have not noticed it. Over the top there is a great deal of black mucky stuff which causes a bad smell and the Chinese passing through it causes it to be in a state of swamp always.

697.-You have lived in Fairlea?

A. Yes.

698.-Had you good health there?

A.--Never better.

699.—Which side were you on?

Road.

A.-I had the whole house, not the basement, but the whole house from Bonham

700,-Was anyone occupying the basement at the time?

A.-There was a Captain HOWARD or some one who had it for three months.

701.—It used to be considered a healthy house?

A.-Very healthy.

702.-But it has changed?

A.-Within the last few years it has changed.

703.-And the change surprised you very much?

A.-Very much. I have lived round that quarter these last fourteen years and I

never knew fever until this last two years.

704.-But you have known of fever in Richmond Terrace before?

A.-I have heard of fever in Richmond Terrace.

By Dr. Young.

705. You have lived in Westbourne Villas?

A. Yes, I lived there for six and a half years.

706.---And you had very little illness there?

A.-Only infantile complaints.

:

707.-Had you any fever there?

A. No, nor any of my family.

708.-Nor your servants?

( 61 )

By Dr. Jordan.

A.-No.

By Dr. Cantlie.

709.-You still support the theory that the advance of the sewer up the hill brought the fever, at any rate the two came together?

A.--I am strongly of opinion that is the whole cause of fever.

710 —Are you aware that the same kind of thing has been done at any neighbour- ing places where they have had fever?

A.-I believe there is a place near Rose Villas.

711.-There used to be a stream near the Diocesan Home, have you observed since that was covered up there has been more fever there?

A. Yes.

712.-How far is your house from the mouth of the sewer?

A.---About fifty or seventy yards. I have never measured it.

EVIDENCE OF THE HON. J. M. PRICE, SURVEYOR-GENERAL.

By the Chairman.

713.—It has been said in this petition :-"It has been carefully observed by some of us, and is therefore a matter of fact, that as the water-courses in this neighbourhood were enclosed and converted into public sewers, the fever extended up the hill in a cor- responding manner and moved pari passu with the extension of the sewer." Can you give us any information as to that sewer? Is it a ventilated one or an unventilated one?

A.—It is one that is very much ventilated, because it terminates in an open nullah. The Secretary requested me to bring a plan of this sewerage system and I have brought one which shows I think the two sewers mentioned in the petition. I apprehend the first sewer referred to is that which comes up from a little above the Diocesan Home to a road below Mr. HARMAN's house, and the second one that which comes up from Third Street to Pokfulum Road below Mr. AITKIN's house.

By Dr. Young.

714.--What is the total length of that sewer from Pokfulum Road.to the Praya

wall?

A.-It does not go to the Praya wall. It is open below the road in Queen's Road. 715.—But what is the length of the enclosure?

A.-600 feet.

716.-How many ventilators are there in that distance?

A.-There are two intersections with the roads. untrapped gully-hole. I think there are about nine.

At each intersection there is an [Explains on the plan.]

( 64 )

delayed by opposition and other circumstances but I should think very soon we must hear of its confirmation by the Queen, when it can be proclaimed.

By Dr. Young.

741.—Mr. GILLIES complains in his evidence that two stones have been taken off the top of that sewer which runs up the hill, east of his house, Rose Villas, and that it has been left open. Do you know any reason for that?

A.-Possibly there may have been some work going on there. I was not aware of the circumstance.

742.-It has been open now for two months.

A. In the street is it? [Dr. YOUNG--No; it is about 20 feet off.. Is this the drain to which you allude? [Refers to plan.] There is no sewer gas from that drain.

Is is well trapped below at this point.

743. He complains of a very bad smell from it.

A.-Perhaps things may have been thrown in, but it is trapped down there.

744.-He says he can almost see it, that he sees a vapour.

down.

A.-A hole like that would

be a great temptation for a coolie to throw night soil

By Dr. Cantlie.

745.-If you covered over the ground in Hongkong for a distance of one hundred yards, say, up the hill, would you not at the top perceive an odour, without any drainage of anything?

A.-I don't know. I should think not. If anything I should expect to perceive

an odour at the lower end.

746.-Why?

A.-Because the percolation of sewage would be down hill.

747.-Would that carry the sewer gas down the hill?

A.--That is a hypothesis which I have never considered-covering over large surfaces and imprisoning whatever was in the ground.

748.-When a stream is running down a sewer it carries the air down with it, does

it not?

A.-It does.

749. Of what use will a ventilation shaft be, then?

A.-Because in sewers which are on steep gradients sewer gas being lighter than atmospheric air travels upwards.

750. So there must be two currents?

A.-The upward current is the normal one. The gas current that runs with storm waters is an adventitious current.

751.-There are no flaps at the outlets of the sewers in Hongkong?

A. A great many have them.

752.--Do you know if the one at Richmond Terrace has a flap?

( 65 )

A.-No; all of them east of the Harbour Master's office have tide-valves.

753.-So taking all these things into consideration, the fact is that this one below Richmond Terrace is a sealed tube at the top end.

A.It is not a sealed tube, it is full of perforations.

754. But at the top it is sealed.

A.-At the very top; the terminal section between Caine Road and the street just below, that is the only section that is sealed.

755.-Taking these two facts together it is just possible people might have trouble there, but when you get the shaft up above and the valve below, it will cease?

A. The moment the shaft is open of course there will be a through current.

M

756. That seems to me to explain a good deal of the trouble, that the top is a sealed tube, but there is a shaft made at the present moment to carry the

gas up the hill.

A.—It has been up some months, but is not connected yet.

757.-And there is the absence of the flap or valve at the outlet to the sea.

A.---But still I would remind you of the perforations all along the whole line.

758.--But these are not made for the purpose?

A. But they are the most efficient ventilators you could have. They are objection- able because they bring the effluvium into the public road.

759. But they are valved.

A.-No. There are a great many Street gullies trapped and valved, but I am referring to those of this sewer in particular; they have no valves or traps, so the sewer has perfect ventilating communication throughout with the external air.

760.-Then only at the top is it sealed?

A. Yes.

761.-Is there to be any means of ingress to the sewers-manholes?

A. That is a large question. I ought, to explain to you that it is not * intended to continue the present large underground channels or conduits as foul water drains. The plan for the drainage of Victoria comprises the gathering of all the house. sewage into separate glazed earthenware pipes, which will enable the sewage to be sepa- rated from storm waters, and the present channels will remain for the storm water.

762. So we will have two systems, one for sewage and one for storm waters; but in the meantime there is no means of subsoil drainage.

A. Subsoil drainage can be provided for, either by turning it into the storm water drains or under certain circumstances into the foul water drains.

763.--Would you say that West Point is a wet district?

A. It is unquestionably. You only have to look at the topography of the ground to see that.

764.-Does the subsoil drainage find its way into the main sewers?

A. No, I think it percolates broadcast.

765. So there is no means of carrying it off?

( 66 )

A.-It is ground water; you have at the back a lofty mountain condensing moisture all the time, taking it in at the upper levels and letting it out at the lower, and it permeates the soil.

766.-Is it intended to carry out subsoil drainage?

A.---Undoubtedly. Again I refer you to the Public Health Ordinance, which contains ample provisions for subsoil drainage and there are also provisions in the proposed new Building Ordinance. [Reads sections.] The object of these provisions is to secure that every house built in Hongkong shall have subsoil drainage.

767.—So there are efficient means of subsoil drainage provided for, carrying off storm water, and for ventilation shafts to each of the sewers, and for flaps at the lower ends where they fall into the sea. Do you think these important?

A.-Not if you reduce the present sewers to simple conduits for storm waters. 768.--It will be a great expense, that separate system of drainage?

A.—It is a necessary expense, because the rainfall is so enormous that it requires unduly large channels to carry off storm waters. Channels large enough to give escape to storm waters present very broad evaporating floors for sewage if turned into them. House sewage flowing over these broad evaporating surfaces dries up and causes a nuisance.

769. Are you of opinion that the breaking up of earth is a cause of fever?

A.--Under certain circumstances. I think it requires a combination of causes.

770.-Is it a fact that Hongkong has had more fever this year than before?

A.-Unquestionably.

771.-Were there not epidemies of fever before?

A.-In the early days.

772. But not since you have been in the colony?

A.--No.

773. Then this is something new?

A.-There may have been some seasons worse than others, but I never heard of • an entire district being stricken as this has been.

774.-Would it be possible when a new road is constructed to cover it up at once so as to prevent exhalations?

A. It would be possible to concrete the surface.

775.-There is a cutting at Richmond Terrace with the sides exposed.

be a great expense to cover them?

Would it

A.-It would be a great expense, certainly. Such a covering would mean a wall, a skin of masonry.

you

776.-Do know whether a stone wall built against the side would be sufficient to keep out fever?

A.-No, I should think not, because moisture would percolate through the inters- tices of the stones. Of course a more impervious skin of concrete—a mackintosh, so to speak-would keep out moisture.

17

777.—Would turfing be sufficient?

(67)

A.-I think turfing would do a great deal of good, and turfing is cheaper than con- creting.

778.-It would be possible then to concrete it or turf it over in all cases?

A.-Unless the slopes were so steep that turf would not cling.

779.—And without any very great expense

A.-Without any very alarming expense.

the cost of roads.

?

Of course it would add enormously to

780.-Will there be plenty of water to flush the drains when the new supply is ready? What district will it supply?

A. It will supply the districts below the level of Caine Road.

781.- And Mr. BIRD's new house, will that be supplied from Pokfulum?

A.-No, Mr. BIRD's house is above the level of the supplies. Special arrangements are being made to supply those houses from the Albany nullah.

in ?

782.-Is there to be any system of flushing the drains or simply what finds its way

A.-The increased use of water in households will dilute house sewage and give it legs to run away.

783.-Will you have a constant supply?

A. Yes, there will be constant pressure. The new water works extension will do away with the very objectionable system of intermittent supply.

784. So we will have a constant supply?

A. Yes.

EVIDENCE OF MR. COOPER, SANITARY SURVEYOR.

By Dr. Young.

785.-You have looked over the plan of the drainage of the city?

A.—Yes; I have been considering a big scheme for the drainage of the city. 786.-You are acquainted with the Board of Health's regulations?

A.-Yes; for the last ten years I have been connected with drainage works.

787.-Do you think they would be suitable for a city. like this?

A.-Yes; with modifications. I think with such steep gradients ventilators would have to be placed with discretion. The wholesale number of openings in the streets advocated by some people is not advisable here.

788.-Why not?

By Dr. Cantlie.

A.-As you get higher up the hill you require fewer ventilators, because otherwise the large shafts would draw only of the ventilators nearest to them and the circulation

#

-

( 68 )

of air would not extend right through the system of sewers. The number of openings you have in the streets must be arranged with due regard to level of such streets.

789.-You would have some surface outlets?

A. Yes, but their action depends on the pressure of atmosphere and also on the amount of heated liquid being turned into the sewers in the lower parts of the city. In some recent experiments at Hampstead I found that with sections of three feet by two, and gradients of about one in forty or fifty, there was a strong current of air down the

Air currents in sewers are very irregular.

sewer.

790.-A small current would be sufficient to carry the air down?

A.-Well, it depends on circumstances, but every current of water carries air with it.

791. Do you mean to say the pressure in a sewer is

outside?

very

much

greater than the air

A.-No; it never can exceed the seal of the trap, which is usually three inches that is, 146th part of an atmosphere or about a tenth of a pound to the inch.

A great many traps are considerably less than that, and as soon as the pressure rises the air

escapes.

792. Do you think any harm would arise from openings it the street?

A.-I think in the present condition of house drains very serious harm would arise from openings in the street. The house drains are in an extremely bad condition. Matter in a state of decomposition entering into the main sewers immediately causes very noxious gases to arise out of the ventilators into the street, and any one in the neighbourhood would certainly smell a very strong smell if nothing worse. I think it would be a very bad plan to open ventilators in the streets whilst the present condition of the house drains exists.

793.-There are some already?

A.-There are some, but I would not increase the number.

794.-Then you would confine the sewer gas?

A.-No; if you keep the house drains in bad condition they would have it in the houses. If the house drains are in bad condition you cannot take the gas into the streets and pour it out there. It is bound to find its way into the houses. air in the houses always tends to draw the gas in.

795.-But if we could get the ventilationi mproved?

The warm

A.-You could not prevent the passage of sewer gas into the houses through the defective house drains.

796.-You don't think you could draw the gas into the main sewers?

•. A.-No.

797.-You are content with the present system of drainage in Hongkong then?

A. In the present state of the house drains, I don't think we can do much more.

798. So we cannot look for any improvement until the house drains are improved?

.

( 69 )

A.—I think the house drains should be the first. It is impossible you can have a satisfactory system until they are attended to. I don't know that any minor impro- vements can be made.

799.-But you don't think ventilators in the streets would be good?

A.-I would not like to recommend them with the house drains in their present

condition.

800.-Do you think the shafts up the hill would be of any use if you put ventilators in the streets?

A.-The shafts would be of use, but they would draw on the ventilators nearest to them. You would not get a circulation of air throughout, because the indraught of air would be mainly confined to the surface ventilators near to the shafts. It was tried some years ago in the House of Commons. A large chimney was put up and it was found to be an utter failure in producing a general circulation of air in the drains.

801. So the shafts up the hill just now have not much to do with the current?

A. They draw in air from the openings in the sewers in the upper part of the

city, and I think that so far they are satisfactory.

By Dr. Young.

802.-What is the distance between the street openings in London?

A. It varies. It is 150 feet in some cases, but London is done very irregularly. Ventilators have been placed at the points considered best and some of the sewers are very old, but generally the distance is from one hundred to two hundred and fifty feet. The general plan is to place a manhole at every bend and if the distance between the bends is more than say two hundred and fifty feet, to place one between them. That is the plan adopted throughout nearly all recent sewerage works in England.

803.- Have

A.-One.

By Dr. Cantlie.

you been in a Hongkong sewer?

804.-Was the crown of the sewer very foul.

A.-No. The sewer was about 6 feet high.

805.-I mean, was there not filth at the top?

A.-No, it was in very good condition. It was the one in Glenealy.

806. It was very clean?

A. Yes.

807.-Because filth does collect you know?

A.—Well, I cannot say. Of course in the lower parts of the town it may.

808.-I don't mean here; I mean any where.

A.—Oh, yes.

tion is bad.

You will find fungus growing in some of them where the ventila-

809.-But here you did not see it?

A.-Here I saw nothing of the kind.

+

( 70 )

810.-Trees do a great deal of harm in drainage, do they not?

A. The roots work through into the drains sometimes.

811.-I am afraid you will have plenty of trouble here that way. A.-Good brick and cement are generally proof against them.

20th February.

Mr. COOPER, Sanitary Surveyor, again attended and handed in a plan showing the rainfall of Hongkong, also copy of an analysis of charcoal-wood, peat, and animal.

EVIDENCE OF MR. R. K. LEIGH, CIVIL ENGINEER.

By the Chairman.

812. We wish you to give us some evidence as to the state of the drainage in the Western part of Victoria, and also your opinion, if you have no objection, as to the cause of the fever. But first, have you had fever yourself?

A.-No, I have never had fever.

813.-Have any of your household had it?

A.-I returned from England four months ago, and I have now got my third boy. I live in Westbourne Villa, the same house as Mr. DANBY. Only my boy lives in the house, the chair coolies do not stay there. One boy had fever twice. I took his tem- perature and found it 102 deg.

814.--Can you describe the nature of the fever?

A. He came to me shaking and generally looking debilitated.

815.-How long did an attack last?

A.-He asked for leave at the end of the second day and I said he could go away if he could get a substitute. He then got another boy. Both of them had been with me before at the Peak and never been ill. The second got fever in his turn and then the other came back and got it again, and now I have got my third boy, who seems to be proof.

816.-You say the boys had shivering?

A. Yes; the boy came up to me in a trembling way and said "Have got fever." Thinking it might be an excuse I took his temperature and found it was 102.

817.-Did he go away immediately or had you any opportunity of observing him?

A.-No, he went right away.

818. You don't know if it was followed by sweating?

A.-No.

819. Was there any eruption?

• A.-There was none apparent when he went away.

By Dr. Jordan.

820. Did he complain of any diarrhea?

A.-No.

( 71 )

By Dr. Yarr.

821. You have never suffered from sore throat-either you or your house hold?

A.--No, I may state I have only lived down below four months, since my return from England.

822.—And neither you nor your boys have suffered from sore throat?

A.-Not myself, and not my boys that I know of.

By Dr. Young.

823. Do you notice any smells about that locality?

A.-Plenty.

$24.—Always or occasionally?

A-They are worse at some times than others, but I could always find them if I wanted to.

825.-What do they arise from?

By Dr. Cantlie.

A.-Chiefly from three causes. First, from the densely populated town below, living in a very dirty way with an insufficient water supply and insufficient scavenging; secondly, from the squatter's village, which has been mentioned; and thirdly, from the drains.

By Dr. Yarr.

826. You make the squatter's village a second cause; you do not include it in the first?

A.-It is an aggravation of the first, because the people there are living in a dirtier way. There is no pretence of drainage with them.

By Dr. Jordan.

827.-What would you put as the first cause?

A.-The smells one meets as one walks along the streets are sewer smells un- questionably.

828. Do you mean that is the first cause of the fever?

A. No, I don't say it is a cause at all. I think it may be a cause.

By the Chairman.

828A.-These sewer smells arise from the escape of gas through the so-called venti- lators in the streets ?

A. From the so-called gully holes.

By Dr. Yarr.

829. You put down as the third cause bad drainage. Have you arranged any ideas 829.-You under any heads as to the faults of the drainage?

A. Yes. I have a good many ideas.

830.-What are the chief faults?

:

:

( 72 )

A.-I think the chief fault of the drainage in Hongkong is that it has grown from time to time, without any proper system being carried out. As the sewers became a nuisance, so they were trapped, both by private individuals, on a very wholesale scale, and also by the Government in the roads. This trapping to all intents and purposes unventilated the sewers and increased the nuisance. As to the sewers themselves, some of them--many of the more modern ones-are on a very good section. Some of the older ones are not. I have taken up sewers that have been choked by banian roots for a distance of twenty to thirty feet.

831.-In the Western district?

By Dr. Jordan.

A.-I have no doubt they are the same there, but I have not taken any up there.

By the Chairman.

832.-How do the roots get in?

A. The roots grow in through the chink in the covering stone and finding a very congenial soil, they throw out shoots and the more they accumulate sewage matter the better they like it and the quicker they grow.

833. That could be remedied by examining them?

A.-You could not examine them unless you opened them at very short intervals; they are too small.

By Dr. Yarr.

834. Will that be so in the present form?

A.-They adopt several forms here.

835.-But they have the V shape?

A.-It is not the bottom or sides they get in at, but the covering stones.

836.-But they are set in mortar too?

A. Yes; but the joint between them cannot be set with mortar, not well, it has got nothing to set against.

837.-Is there no means of joining them together?

A. Yes, if they were squared joints.

By Dr. Young.

838. Are not these joints all covered with concrete?

A.-Not all of them. They may have adopted that system more lately, but it used

not to be so in the old days.

839. Do you think that would prevent the roots getting in?

A.-Yes; if you get a good sound concrete, that should stop them.

By Dr. Jordan.

840.—You don't know of this defect you allude to existing in the Western District? You have not seen it there?

A.--I should think it most probable.

(73)

841. You are reasoning from analogy?

A.-Reasoning from analogy I should say it would exist.

By Dr. Cantlie.

842.-Would you say the shafts at the top of the sewers are sufficient ventilation?

A.-No.

843.-Why not?

A. You see the shaft is at the top of the one main sewer. That main sewer it may ventilate to a certain extent downwards.

844.-What is your opinion of the passage of sewer gas--up, or down, or irregular?

A.-I think it is irregular. In a sewer about two-thirds full the current would carry the sewer gas down, but if the sewer were practically empty it would rise.

845.- -Suppose you get a lot of ventilators, would it always rise? Would not the air come in at one and go out at another?

A.-It might do so.

846.-

-We understand there are a large number of ventilators in the sewer, but do you think there are sufficient to cause a regular passage of the gas, or if not sufficient to cause that, do you think they are sufficient to cause it to ascend?

A.--I think with the present outlets in most cases the tendency is an outward current, because they are so few.

847.-You think they are too few then?

A.- -Certainly. You see there are only about ten of these main drains from the military ground to West Point, that is ten openings. Some of these have shafts, some have not. I may say I think the shaft makes very little difference. The open end of the sewer would be the same. The only slight difference it makes is the difference in the density of the gas in the additional height of the shaft. The shaft may ventilate the one sewer down to a certain distance, but you must not forget that the sewer has innumerable offshoots running into the side streets and splitting up into others. All of these run down to the main sewer; to ventilate them with the present system, the gas down these and up the other. Sewer gas will not do that for anyone.

must go

848.--So none of the collateral drains are ventilated at all?

A.-I don't think the shaft ventilates them.

849. So there are a large number absolutely unventilated?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Yarr.

850.—What about the gully holes and traps?

A.--I know whole streets where every gully is trapped or flapped.

By Dr. Cantlie.

851.-In the Western District?

(74)

A.-Taking it roughly, all the streets and roads on which Europeans travel have been done, Caine Road, Bonham Road, Queen's Road Central, and all the thorough- fares frequented by Europeans the gully holes have been trapped or flapped. There have been some trapped since this Commission began to sit.

852.-They are no use for ventilation?

A.-Certainly not, when they are trapped.

853.

Between Mr. AITKIN'S house and Fairlea there is a sewer and there are a number of openings in it, four in one group and four in another. Do you know if these

are trapped or open?

A.-I cannot say, but I can say generally, the further you go west the less trapping there has been done in the public streets. I have some rough sketch plans of Chinese blocks of houses which will give some idea of the way drainage is done for blocks of houses. On inland lot 8, thère are seventy houses. All the drains shown on the plan are private drains draining these seventy houses. They are all trapped and not venti- lated. They run down Wellington Street and join the main sewer and the gas would have to travel over 400 yards to find an escape by the shaft.

them up.

854.--In narrow streets like we have in Hongkong you could not put ventilators over the sewers in the streets; people would find them so disagreeable they would close It is only in wide streets like you have at home that you can put ventilators.

A.-Hongkong is so steep that if you had a good drainage system it should not take more than a few hours for sewage matter from the most remote part of the town to reach the sea; that is to say, it should reach the sea before it has any chance of giving off any gas. The sewage is retarded now by the roughness of the bottom of the sewers, the want of any proper system of drainage, the flatness of the gradients in one or two cases, and the want of water. As soon as we get the water from Tytam I anticipate there will be a great change in the condition of the sewers.

855.-Are you acquainted with any marshy districts in Hongkong?

PR

A. Yes, there is one by Richmond Terrace, another above Rose Villas, and one below No. 1 Tank.

856.-Would it be difficult to drain these?

A.-No.

857.-Or expensive?

A.--No. It requires no special Ordinance or anything to drain these.

858.-There is a scheme before the Government now, that we heard of from Mr.

PRICE the other day; would it be inconsistent with that scheme to set to work and drain those marshy districts now?

A.-No; the thing might be done any time. If I happened to want to build on one of those sites it is the first thing I would do.

859.-Where would you drain it to?

A.-Into the nearest sewer. The water is perfectly clean: in many places the Chinese get it to drink.

860.-Is that separate from storm water?

(75)

A. Yes it is caused by the hills at the back forming springs at these places owing to the nature of the ground.

861.-Would you have separate sewers for sub-soil drainage and for storm water?

A. No, certainly not.

862.-Why?

A.—You would be obliged to put one system at a lower level than the other.

863. Is that not possible?

A.-Take the narrow streets you have here. You could not put the sewers side by side, and you would be 10 or 12 feet down in the road before you get to the lower drain.

864.-There is some such a plan of sub-soil drainage.

A. Yes, but I think a good V shaped sewer will answer the purpose of both admirably because in the event of little water, which means a large proportion of sewage, will

pass down the V and directly we have a larger quantity of rain the upper portion will come into play. I have been in the main sewers. They are perfectly clean after heavy rain, and not only that but in some cases the granite has been perfectly smoothed by the friction of sand.

865.-If we have these places drained immediately without waiting for the general plan of sub-soil drainage, for we cannot expect the Government will launch out immediately to drain all, would it not be a great expense?

A.-No, because the marshy districts are all close in the neighbourhood of existing

sewers.

866.—So that could be done at little expense?

A. Yes.

867.

And run into the present sewers?

A. Yes.

868.

Are they big enough to accommodate it?

A. Yes.

869. Is the water sufficient to burst the sewers?

A.-No it is nothing to the rain water they have to carry.

870.--But we have sewage and storm water, and now you turn sub-soil drainage

into them.

A.-This water all finds its way into them somewhere now.

871.-You think it finds its way into the drains ?

A.-Most of it does.

872.-Have you proved that as a fact?

A.-I can show you many places where it does so. Under No. 1 Tank it flows over the kerbstone and into the gully, except in the morning when the coolies have fetched away so much that it does not flow over.

873.-So you think sub-soil drainage could be done without great expense or waiting for new drains?

(76)

A. Yes.

874. Suppose you wanted to ventilate a sewer what system would you follow?

.

A.-Before you can ventilate the sewers as they exist now, the Government must take the initiative and compel all householders to ventilate. It would be most dangerous for any one now because that one would get the accumulated gases of the whole neighbourhood. There is the case Dr. AYRES quoted the other day. On the 15th instant he said "He did not suppose that when he came here there was a single pipe that did not go straight into the main drain. He had had to cut the pipes of every house he had lived in," and then he went on to say that in the house Mr. MODY lives in now, he left one bath room uncut and the following tenant of that room got typhoid fever. That was to be expected. He first unventilated the sewer and then when the next tenant came and went into the one room where it remained connected, he naturally got typhoid fever. That has been going on everywhere. My own firm must have trapped and disconnected thousands of houses during the last few years.

suppose there is hardly a European house that is not trapped now.

I

875.- Is there no temporary remedy that can be applied to get rid of these smells?

A.-Temporary is rather an uncertain word. I believe if the Government were to oblige every European house, and every third or fourth Chinese house to put a pipe leading from the sewer to the eaves of the house, it would practically remedy it.

876. That would be ventilating the sewers; they have no traps.

A.-I beg your pardon, they are all trapped. In the two drawings I have here, one of seventy houses, another of fifty, they are all trapped.

877.-Well, where would you ventilate; beyond the trap?

A.-They are only trapped at the outlet; that is to say, where they throw in the sewage, the first thing it has to pass is the trap. I would not trap the sewers them- selves.

878.-But if you are going to ventilate the present system you will have to ventilate beyond the traps?

A. The trap is simply to the sump.

879.-[Dr. CANTLIE drew a diagram and took the witness's opinion on it. ]

A.--You are assuming the trap to disconnect the sewer. It does not do that. · The trap is on the top and the drain runs underneath. All you would have to do would be to bring down a stink pipe from the eaves of the house into the drain.

880.-What form of trap do you use?

A.We have traps cast by the Dock Company to our own design.

881. The same as the Government?

A. Yes, but the centre web comes down about an inch lower and makes a better

10

+

seal.

882.-Is it covered over?

A.-No, it is open.

883.--Then the pipe leading to it must be disconnected?

A.-The trap makes the disconnection.

( 77 )

By Dr. Manson.

884. That provides for no ventilation of the common sewer. wants to find out is how to ventilate the common sewer.

A.-[Witness draws diagram.]

By Dr. Cantlie.

885. Then that man would be ventilating into the main sewer?

A.-Into the drain that goes to the main sewer.

What Dr. CANTLIE

ܬܵܐ

886.-Well, it is very hard a man should have to ventilate for his neighbours.

A.-No, if every house ventilates he does not feel any effects from it, and the go up above his house.

887. Might it not get in at the first floor windows of other houses?

gases

A.—It might in some instances, but given the sewers properly laid there would be no smell. I have walked in the London sewers without finding any smell, because fresh sewage matter in motion gives off very few gases. It is only when it is allowed to collect and stagnate that it gives off gases. In a place like Hongkong there is no reason for that, there is no reason why it should not get into the sea within a few hours.

888.-You don't think anything can remain long in the sewers here, then why do we get the smells?

A. It remains in the side sewers, not in the main vertical sewers with the shafts at the top.

These main sewers were formerly the streams beds.

By Dr. Manson.

889. Is not that arrangement of ventilation the one provided in the new Ordinance?

A. Yes.

By Dr. Cantlie.

890.-Is that pipe supposed to be used to ventilate the side drains?

A. Yes, that is the clause Mr. PRICE read out on Saturday, about ventilating pipes for private houses.

891.That is not a usual form of ventilation is it?

A. Yes, every well constructed house at home has it.

892.-But it only ventilates its own house?

A.—It ventilates its own neighbourhood and every one else does the same, so that the drain is thoroughly ventilated.

893.-Yes, but there is a trap where it leaves the house and another further on. You have not got that here.

places.

A.-We have put them down in many instances, in Seymour Terrace and other

894.-But it is not often that you hear of a man ventilating for all his neighbours.

A.--The house ventilating pipes are only intended to ventilate his own house and the drains immediately adjoining his house. As soon as a drain comes into the street and becomes a Government sewer it should have public ventilators.

( 78 )

895. You could not have them here?

comm

A. Yes, they are flush with the street. They are quite level; you can drive over them.

896.—Yes, that is all very well in wide streets, but in narrow streets you would find the people would stop them up.

A. You have them in the London streets. There are plenty of streets there, not so wide as the streets in Hongkong, ventilated in the same way.

897.--I understood there was an objection to them.

A.--The sewers here are ventilated direct into the street in all cases where the gully holes have not been trapped. It is only because they became a nuisance that they were trapped at all.

898.--But why, if we have such a tremendous fall here that the sewage should reach the sea in a few hours, have we such smells?

A.--If I may be allowed to refer to that plan [the plan produced by Mr. PRICE.] I can show you some of the sewage has to travel a long way. [Points out a plan.]

899.----So you can recommend no temporary measure?

A.--I could not recommend any client to begin to ventilate his house, because if he did so he would get the accumulated gas of all his neighbourhood.

900.--So we must wait?

A.-I think the first measure likely to help us at all will be the water from Tytam, which I think will help us considerably.

By the Chairman.

901.-But you would recommend the sub-soil drainage of the three places that have been mentioned ?

A-Yes, I recommend that to be carried out at once.

By Dr. Yarr.

902.---I understood you to recommend those pipes as a temporary measure?

A. Not unless the Government will take the initiative and compel everyone to do it, and will also carry out the ventilation of the streets, otherwise, as Mr. COOPER said,. it would be a most dangerous measure.

By the Chairman.

903. You would have it done simultaneously at all houses?

A. Yes, or the first man who does it will get all the sewage gas of the neigh- bourhood. Before there were any traps all pipes were ventilators. Every pipe to a bath-room was a ventilator.

By Dr. Manson.

904.-Do yon condemn the system of ventilating by a shaft at the top of the sewers?

AN. I think it is the best way. It is the plan adopted everywhere. It is

patting it out over peoples' heads.

taking

( 79 )

By Dr. Jordan.

905.—But what about the sewers in the side streets, which you say won't be venti- lated by the chimneys?

A. I say these streets should have their own ventilators, proper ventilators. There is no reason why these ventilators to the Government sewers in the sid· streets should not be pipes up the sides of the houses. That would meet the objection Dr. CANTLIE inentioned of having them under your noses.

By Dr. Cantlie.

906.--Don't you think that would prevent the inlet of air very much?

A.-No, because the inlet would be at the lower end.

907. That is sometimes shut by the sea.

A.-It is open three hours out of every six.

908. When you get a sewer well ventilated you would not depend on the lower opening, you would get the air coming in at one ventilator and out at the other?

A.-Mr. LEIGH--Yes, that is the advantage of having them open and flush with

the streets.

sewers.

But with the enormous incline we have here our sewers are not like ordinary We have a difference of 400 feet between the upper level and the sea. If the sewers were properly grouped and arranged--they have been connected from time to time but simply as the convenience of the moment suggested and not on any uniform plan from the first--if each drain took its own neighbourhood only and was well constructed and all the private drains well constructed, the sewage matter should be in the harbour within a few hours of leaving the houses, and therefore there ought to be no sewer gas at all in Hongkong.

909. But in front of each opening there is a decomposing mass.

A.-There ought to be no foreshore allowed.

910. But there it is.

There are many

A.It is a foreshore that has grown within the last few years. bits of foreshore which I know did not exist when I came eight years ago. Very little dredging would suffice to remove them, and the new Praya scheme will put us out into deep water.

911.--You have seen the sea side ventilators in some places at home, worked with a screw; would you recommend them here?

A.--No, I don't think they are necessary. The sewers are at such an angle that they are virtually shafts, and if the drains are properly ventilated you would have all you require in the way of a current of air.

EVIDENCE OF MR. E. BOWDLER, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR-GENERAL.

By Dr. Manson.

912. Have you any theory as to the cause of the prevalence of fever in the Western District ?

A. Yes, I have one.

( 80 )

913.-Will you be kind enough to state it?

A. I think the primary cause was the burning of rubbish at Lap-sap-wan.

914.-How long has that burning been going on?

A.-Three or four years.

915.-How far is it from the site of the fever?

A.-From a mile to a mile and a quarter.

916.-Are the smells perceptible?

A. Yes. They are very strong. I have smelt them above No. 1 Tank. 917. Have you seen fever result from a similar cause in any other town?

A. Yes.

918.-Tell us, please.

A. At Mauritius and in the neighbourhood of the "Camp" at Aldershot. A.-At

919. What were the circumstances at Mauritius?

A.-The whole of the rubbish and filth collected in the City were conveyed to one spot dumped into a heap and burnt, or rather distilled, the fire only smouldering, liberated and vapourised the noxious gases, forming malaria the temperature being too low to decompose and resolve them, into their simpler, or primary elements. The fever broke out about three miles to the leeward of the spot where the rubbish was burnt.

920. And prior to this was Mauritius healthy?

A.--Yes. At one time it was considered a Sanitarium, Invalids being sent there from India.

921.--And the sickness that became epidemic started at the same time as the burn- ing of the rubbish?

A.-No; the burning of the rubbish commenced about ten years before.

922. Have they discontinued burning the rubbish?

A.-No.

923.-And Mauritius is still unhealthy?

A. Yes.

924.-Then the people don't believe in that theory?

A. I don't think the subject has been broached.

925. And what about Aldershot?

A.-Soon after the formation of the camp at Aldershot, about 1856 or 57 a system, for drying the filth and refuse in ovens to convert it into a portable manure, was estab- lished by a company; and within a short time the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages to the leeward of the ovens, were more than decimated by fever.

926. What sort of fever was it?

A. I think it was intermittent Fever similar to the fever we had in Mauritius.

927. Was the practice discontinued at Aldershot?

A.--Yes. It was stopped by injunction. The fever abating almost immediately, and finally ceased within 12 months or so, on the abatement of the nuisance.

( 81 )

By Dr. Cantlie.

928. Was not the fever in Mauritius coincident with the cutting down of trees? A.-No; the cutting down of trees had been going on for many many years.

929.-Previous to the outbreak of fever?

A.-It was going on for years before and after. It has been stopped lately.

By Dr. Manson.

930.-What system of drainage is there at Port Louis?

A.--They have no sewers. It is surface drainage with the exception of one or

two covered drains.

•931.-Pokfulam has been unhealthy as well as West Point?

A.-Very probably. When the wind is from the North-east it would carry the noxious gases towards Pokfulam; when it is from the North-west it would carry them towards the Western district. During the last twelve months the burning has taken place at Green Island, consequently the line of fever has changed its direction. During the time the rubbish was burnt at Lap-sap-wan a bluish mist, or vapour, could be seen floating along the upper portion of the hills in the Western District, and the inhabitants of the houses situated on the higher and projecting portions of these hills, had fever, whilst those occupying houses in the valleys and on the lower levels had little or no fever.

932.—And how do you account for the fever at Quarry Bay?

A. I do not think it is very difficult to account for; as the ground on which the Sugar Factory stands was formerly the outlet to the nullah, which drains the ground above Quarry Bay. The Bridge which carries the road over the upper portion of the nullah has a clear span of 40 feet, and in extraordinary rains it is too small for the storm waters to pass through, the waters on two or three occasions during the last ten years, having flowed over the Bridge and road, but in reclaiming the ground, the nullah below the Bridge was reduced to about 12 feet wide, and 10 feet deep, consequently, in ordinary rains the new nullah is too small to carry off the storm water, which overflows, flooding the reclaimed ground on which the Factory and other buildings are erected, and the surface of the ground round these buildings being more or less impregnated with filth, sugar, vegetable and animal, refuse, from the Factory, is washed down by the flood waters through the sandy porous earth, mingling with the salt water at from two to four feet below the surface of the ground, where it soon putrefies, disintegrates, and finally disappears as noxious gases, similar to those liberated whilst burning or dis- tilling rubbish and filth; forming malaria.

933.Then there are two causes, the burning of rubish at West Point, and at Quarry Bay water flowing over ground saturated with sugar. The witnesses we have examined from West Point have given very distinct evidence that the fever they suffer- ed from was intermittent fever.

A. Yes, but I think a good many cases have been bilious remittent fever, as well as intermittent fever and these were the types of the Mauritius fever when it com- menced; afterwards it degenerated into malarial fever. In the early stages quinine had little or no effect upon.

( 82 )

934. Then the rubbish fever is bilious intermittent?

A. Yes. It

It may be either intermittent, bilious remittent, or malarial fever.

935. And that from the sugar bags an so on is intermittent?

A.-Illness arising from decomposing filth, sugar, vegetable, or animal matter, might be intermittent, bilious remittent, or malarial fever. The mingling of the fresh and salt waters, with the vegetable and animal matter, would I think have a tendency to create malaria.

936.-How long do you think it would take to drain the valley below Richmond

Terrace?

A.-From two to three months.

937.-It could be done before the hot season then?

A. Yes.

938. Would the expense be great?

A. No, I don't think it would.

By Dr. Cantlie.

939.—Would it not do a great deal to flush the present sewers, too, if that water drained into them? You would have it turned into the present sewers, would you not?

A. Yes. Ten years ago every drain was an underground drain and not a sewer, then the subsoil was thoroughly drained because all the joints were open and the water percolated through them. In order to adapt them for the sewage they have been filled in with cement and are now impervious to water.

940. That is to say the old ones were all drains as distinct from sewers?

A. Yes; they were under ground drains. was perhaps the best drained city in the world. ground water.

Ten or twelve years ago Hongkong Every drain carried away the under-

By Dr. Manson.

941. Could you suggest any inexpensive way of covering over newly turned earth so as to prevent the effusion of malarial poisoning from it?

A.--You could turf it over.

By Dr. Cantlie.

942. Is that better than concrete?

A.-No, I would not say it is better.

943. Is it cheaper?

A. Yes.

944. Are you acquainted with the drain running to the sea from the foot of the road that leads up to Richmond Terrace?

A.-I know nothing of it. I know the drain from Bonham Road to the sea. The other parts have all been made recently.

( 83 )

945.-We want to find out something about how the surface water got into that drain. I was informed on Saturday that there were eight or ten openings in that sewer before it fell into the sea, and I was anxious to know whether they were trapped gullies or whether most of them were open.

A. They are all open below Bonham Road, unless they have been closed within the last three or four months. There has been a lot of work going on within the last three or four months about which I know nothing. Previous to that all the gullies were open below Bonham Road. There are three large traps attached to that drain on Bonham Road.

946. Surface metal with an iron flap would not be a very good means of ventila- tion, would it?

A.-I should not think so.

947.-Are any of the surface water drains trapped under ground independently of the gully traps that we see? Are any of the surface drains trapped as they pass along below the roadway?

A-I am not aware of any.

948. Is there not a form of drain in Hongkong in which you get a sort of D trap?

A -I have not seen any. In private houses there may be some.

949.-In Mosque street there is one like I am describing, only it is completely be- yond the opening for the surface water, and so I was wondering whether any of the openings for surface water have traps beyond them?

A. I don't know any trap there. There used to be a trap at the top of Peel Street.

950. So all the surface water passes in without any trap?

A.-Except at the gully holes.

951.—And some of them have got valve traps?

A. Yes.

952. They are perfectly useless for the entrance of air?

A.-They keep the air out.

• 953.—You are not aware of how many there are of these I am speaking of?

A.-I am not aware of any.

954.-There is one at the corner of the Civil Hospital; and there is a large trap in the centre of that sewer lying below the Diocesan Home in East Street. What I was asking for is, how the air gets in and out, because it cannot get through the gully holes, because that one has no ventilating shaft. The one in East Street is cut by the trap. The other has a large opening at Rose Villas; there are three traps, but where the water enters it is open ?

A.-I don't know.

By Dr. Manson.

955.-Do you know Nulláh side, Mr. AITKIN's house?

A.--Yes.

:

( 84 )

956. How far is the entrance of the new sewer from his house?

A.-It is brought up to Third Street now.

957. How many feet from the house?

A. 200 to 300 feet.

958.--Would the smell of a sewer of that kind be perceptible?

A.-I don't think so, at any distance.

959.-Why?

A.Because there is so little sewage goes into these drains, and they are 5 or 6 feet high.

By Dr. Cantlie.

960. Mr. AITKIN does complain of smells; where do you think they come from?

A.-I should say from the burning of the rubbish.

961. But it is not burnt there now?

A. It is burnt at Green Island. A large piece of ground at this side of Green Island is used for it and the stench is something fearful. They have put one near my place and sometimes it is enough to stifle one, although it is on a small scale. I dare- say Dr. MANSON has smelt it at his house.

[Dr. MANSON.-I have not noticed it.]

By Dr. Manson.

962.-Some years ago when Captain THOMSETT lived at Nullah Side, his family had intermittent fever. Do you know anything of the circumstances?

A.--No.

By Dr. Jordan.

963.--Where would you suggest the rubbish should be burnt instead of Green

Island?

A.—I would take it out to sea, take it away altogether. It used to be removed some years ago, during the time of Mr. CLEVERLY. The rubbish was carried away, the night soil the same, everything carried away.

964. And dumped into the sea?

By Dr. Manson.

A. --It was taken out to sea or up the Canton River. The night soil was sold. It was collected by scavengers and each man was paid by the quantity he collected. It was put in boats at Lap-sap-wan and taken up the Canton River. That was in force until a few years ago, and then Hongkong was one of the most healthy places in the world. The death rate was about 15 per 1,000.

965. When was that?

A. -About 1864.

When Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL came he found the coffers empty and he wished to study economy and all these things were changed.

85)

By Dr. Cantlie.

966. Had you ever cholera in Mauritius?

A. Yes.

967.-Don't you think open drains were a great nuisance in cholera epidemics?

A. -No. There has been no cholera there since 1862. They had it in 1858, 1859, 1861 and part of 1862.

968.-Were there open drains there then?

A. Yes, just the same as now.

969.--Don't you think the present system of carrying out night soil would be very dangerous in the event of an attack of cholera ?

A.-No. Cholera I think will never attack Hongkong as long as the Chinese are allowed to fumigate their houses morning and night with joss sticks, crackers, &c.

By Dr. Young.

970.-Could not a furnace be constructed suitable to burn the rubbish?

A. Yes. If it was destroyed, perfectly cremated, it might be good; it only smoulders now.

By Dr. Jordan.

971.-Would you ascribe the fever in Stanley and Aberdeen to the same cause, the burning of rubbish ?

A.-I don't think so.

972. -What would you say was the cause of fever at Aberdeen? It is well known to be a place for fever.

A.--Yes, but the fever is rather of a different kind, is it not?

973. Well that is open to question. Anyway, you think the cause would be quite different from what it is on this side of the island?

A.-I think so.

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4.


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