LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No. 18.
WEDNESDAY, 1ST APRIL, 1885.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR
(SIR GEORGE FERGUSON BOWEN, G.C.M.G.)
His Honour the Chief Justice, (SIR GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt.)
The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.)
the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY.)
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the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)
the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.)
the Registrar General (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.) PHINEAS RYRIE.
WILLIAM KESWICK.
THOMAS JACKSON,
FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON,
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WONG SHING.
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The Council met in pursuance of adjournment.
Minutes read and confirmed.
PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary laid on the table Telegrams and Correspondence respecting the Armament of the Forts of Hongkong.
DIRECT TELEGRAPH LINE TO SINGAPORE.-
TORPEDO LAUNCHES.-The Honourable THOMAS
JACKSON, pursuant to notice, moved the following resolution :-
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"That in the Opinion of this Council, there ought to be direct Telegraphic Communica- tion between Hongkong and Singapore, the nearest British Settlement; and that immediate steps be taken to supplement the defences of Hongkong, by obtaining with the least possible delay a flotilla of Torpedo Launches fully equipped."
The Honourable P. RYRIE seconded, and addressed the Council.
The Honourable W. KESWICK addressed the Council.
His Excellency the Governor addressed the Council, and spoke as follows:-
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,-I am very glad indeed that my Honourable friend who so worthily represents in this Council the Chamber of Commerce, has brought forward this most important resolution; and I thank him and I thank the two Honourable members who supported him for the way in which they have spoken of myself and of the Executive of this Colony. I hope that this resolution will be carried unanimously. As the Honourable member said. it is owing to my exertions that the Un-official element in this Council was increased from two to five, and that the Chamber of Commerce was invited to nominate its own representative. I am sure from the able speeches my Honourable friend has made on this and other occasions, and from his high character and position, that the Chamber of Commerce could not have made a better choice. In fact I look upon my Honourable friend as a living, and I am happy to add, flourishing, proof of the success of my policy. I said just now that I hoped that this resolution would be passed unani- mously, and I said so because it would give great strength to recommendations I have already made on the same subject to Her Majesty's Government. The fact is, gentlemen, that a truly paternal Governor on this as on other occasions has anticipated the wishes of his children. A great English statesman some years ago-I refer to Sir ROBERT PEEL-said it was the first duty of a statesman to be a little, but not too much, in advance of the people over whom he rules. Now it can be proved by documentary evidence that I have been in this question of defence twelve months at least in advance, not of the Royal Engineer Officers. and others to whom my Honourable friend on my left (Honourable W. KESWICK) referred just now as having given special attention to the subject, but of general opinion in this community. I can only say that when I came here there was no general agitation on the subject of defences, and it was I who then first raised the question with the Imperial Government. I have prepared a minute showing exactly what has been done, and quoting from various documents, and with the permission of the Council I will now read that minute:--
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