5, 1858.]
The
Hongkong Government Gazette.
what the amount of the Fee should be, but without the knowledge or sanction of Dr Bridges; that when Dr Bridges accepted - Office of Acting Colonial Secretary in February, 1857, it was on an express understanding with the Governor that he should be allowed to practice as a Barrister, and that his time should be his own; and that it did not occur to Dr Bridges at the time he accepted th Retainer from the Monopolist, that there might on future and various occasions be questions connected with the Opium Monopoly in which his duty to the Government as a Member of the Executive Council would seriously clash with his duty as Counsel to the Monopo- t. It further appeared to your Committee-though the Monopolist now denies it, and the evidence is conflicting-that the Monopolist dil say to Mr Hooy, “Dr Bridges is a very clever man; he can do what he likes with the Governor, and can inake a Law and tear it to
s again the next day.”
4th. These proceelings in the opinion of your Committee shew the want of a due appreciation by Dr Bridges of the demands of his 1ch and important offices as A ting Colonial Secretary, Member of the Legislative Council, and Member of the Executive Council; de note an absence of that proper sensitiveness which should have made him, above all other persons, foresee and avoid all posi- ans of possible conflict between his Public and Private Duties, which, in the case of the Opium Monopoly, were sufficiently obvious.
That Dr Bridges should hold the offices mentioned, and at the same time retain the privilege of practicing as a Barrister, however undesirable a state of things, is one for which he cannot be blamed; but the limits within which he would avail himself of this privilege were under his own control. He fixed the limit that he would not act against the Government, and the place in which he informed his client of this fact was most unhappily chosen. Further, he should have seen that any one, more particularly a Chinaman, must think that he would greatly gain by employing as his Counsel a high officer of Government, through whose means changes so bene- ficial to himself had been made at the last moment in a public Ordinance, and that the Monopolist and the Chinese community generally woahl conclude, however erroneously, that the official so retaine l, and the Government of which he was a Member, were open to private udience. That such must be the effect of Dr Bridges's conduct on the minds of the Chinese, there cannot be any doubt. Viewed in this light therefore, your Committee regret to say, that they consider Dr Bridges's conduct in reference to the Opium Grant blameable, though, as they have before stated, they consider his honesty and honour quite unimpeached.
H. TUDOR DAVIES, Chairman. JOHN DENT.
Council Chamber, 31st May, 1858. rsuant to notice, it was moved by Mr Lyall, and seconded by Mr Jardine, "That His Excellency The Governor be requested to instruct the Attorney General to prepare an Ordinance in accordance with the spirit of the Memorial addressed by the Community to the Attorney General, dated the 10th instant.” tion put and passed.
Council adjourned till Thursday, the 10th June, at 12 o'clock.
By Order of His Excellency The 44.
{
aor,
L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Clerk of Councils.
V% 30.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION..
The subjoined Statement showing the Number of Chinese Coolies introduced into the Island of Cuba up to the December, 1857, and also showing the Number of Deaths that have taken place on the Voyage, is published general information.
By Order,
W. T. BRIDGES, Acting Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 4th June, 1858.
LIST OF CHINESE LABOURERS Imported at HavANA, UP TO 31ST DECEMBER, 1857.
NATIONALITY OF No. of
VESGRIM
VESSELS
TONNAGE,
CHINESE CHINESE DEATHS ON THE PERCENTAGE OF EMBARKED. LANDED. VOYAGE MORTALITY.
REMARKS,
26
· 18,549
9,606
8.215
1,391
14
Many of the Chinese jumped overboard.
,;¢3,
9
7,832
3.910
3,538
372
94
8
5.003
2,773
2.463
310
11
French,
6
4.453
2,825
2,478
317
12
2,038
1.779
1,489
290
11
Screw Steamer of 1,600 Tons, brought 842, and
lost besides 58 Chinese.
tuguese, franan,
1,246
1,049
1,021
.28
2.484
1,314
812
502
38
Cora, lost 117 out of 292. Cause: Bad water.
560
249
236
13
53
རྗ wegian,
470
221
179
42
19
250
202
155
47
231
Total,
63
42,930
23,928
$20,586
3,342
14 per Cent
From 31 June, 1847, to 31st December, 1857.
Havana, 31st December, 1357.
No. 51.
J. T. CRAWFORD,
Consul General in Cuba.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
On the 1st instant, a highway Robbery was committed by several Chinese at the Stanley Road, on the Person F. I. HAZELAND, Esquire. His Excellency The Governor is pleased to offer
A REWARD OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS
any Person giving such information as shall lead to the apprehension and conviction of the Robbers.
His Excellency The Governor is also pleased to offer Her Majesty's Free Pardon to any one of those engaged the commission of the said highway Robbery-excepting only the Person or Persons who inflicted the said lence-who shall give information of his accomplices, and furnish evidence leading to their conviction.
By Order,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 4th June, 1858.
W. T. BRIDGES Acting Colonial Secretary,