DIE
MON
DROIT.
THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
No. 10.
Published by Authority.
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 9TH MARCH, 1878.
VOL. XXIV.
THE GOVERNOR'S INSPECTION OF THE POLICE FORCE.
The following account of His Excellency The Governor's Inspection of the Police Force on the 26th February, 1878, is extracted from the report of the Daily Press, for general information.
Yesterday (February 26th) afternoon Governor POPE HENNESSY inspected the Police Force. His Excellency arrived at the Central Station shortly after three o'clock, attended by his Private Secretary, Mr. G. STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, and was received with a general salute. The force was under the command of Acting Captain Superintendent CREAGH and Mr. McEUEN, Deputy Superintendent. Captain DEMPSTER, Acting Superintendent of the Gaol, was also present. The land force were drawn up in two ranks facing the North, with the Europeans to the East, the Chinese in the centre, and the Indians to the West. There were on parade forty-four Europeans, ninety-eight Chinese, fifty-six Indian Constables, and four Troopers, with Acting Chief Inspector HORSPOOL and six other Inspectors, one Jemadhar, seven European Sergeants, four Indian Sergeants, and three Chinese Sergeants. The Water Police, numbering one hundred men, with Inspector GRIMES in charge and four Sergeants, were drawn up opposite. His Excellency walked along the ranks, making a close inspeson. This concluded, the men were formed into square, and-
His Excellency then said:-Mr. CREACH, allow me to express to you and the men under your command the great satisfaction I have experienced to-day in seeing the admirable appearance and discipline of this force. In the whole of Her Majesty's Colonial Empire there is no Police Force of equal strength, and perhaps I can add with truth, of greater efficiency, as compared with the size and requirements of the Colony. The Government of this Colony has spent money, not lavishly but wisely, in providing, for the preservation of order, a body of men that can compare with the Police Force in any part of the Colonial Empire. We have got from to time from England a number of well trained Constables. I see to-day Inspectors of the European Force who have been for many years in the Colony, and whose good pay is the result of their good conduct. I can only say to those who have come from the United Kingdom recently to Hongkong that by emulating the example they will see presented by the Inspectors and Sergeants to whom I refer, they themselves can look forward to receiving in time the promotion and rewards of the service. With respect to the contingent on my right, which owes its efficiency so peculiarly to my friend, Mr. CREAGH, the Acting Captain Superin- tendent of Police, all must feel that the Sikh corps is a credit to the Colony and to Mr. CREAGH. And with respect to the important body of Chinese, it is enough to recall the fact that of late years the detection of crime in the Colony has been owing in no small degree to the fact that the Chinese Police Force has been rendered so numerous and efficient. I have recently received from Mr. Creagh a recommendation that I should consider the advisability of creating in the Chinese Force an additional number of Sergeants, and possibly in course of time an Inspector; and that recommendation, like every- thing which comes from Mr. CREAGH, is receiving my best attention. At this moment the Europeans and Indians are a well armed force. You correspond to that armed force which in other Colonies has imposed upon it the sole defence of the Colony. Here we have also Her Majesty's troops, but I do not hesitate to say that by proper care, by strict discipline, and by developing that public spirit which I have found here in existence, we should be able to establish in this Colony an armed force which would be of the utmost importance to us in the event of any contingency arising which might induce Her Majesty's Government to diminish the number of troops in Hongkong. It is well to know that if such a contingency should arise the Government can rely with confidence on the loyalty and efficiency of those I now see around me. I will take the opportunity of saying that looking to the large body of men assembled in this square, and remembering also that a considerable number are now on duty in various parts of the Colony, I think I am bound to provide a force so numerous with a greater number of officers. I am entirely satisfied with the ability and zeal of my friends Mr. CREAGH and Mr. McEUEN. They are first rate officers. But when your experienced Captain Superintendent