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ing this Colony, was mainly in the hands of the British Naval Authorities, who were always ready to co-operate with the Police and to act on the information they received. But in those days they had at their disposal gunboats drawing four and six feet of water and, though of slow speed, well fitted to follow piratical junks up the numerous creeks that abound on the coast. The gun vessels at present in commission draw far too much water to perform the work with any degree of safety, and since this Island has been surrounded with a cordon of Chinese revenue cruisers, and the number of attacks on British vessels has diminished, the work of the capture of pirates has been mainly left to the Chinese Government. That piracy is still rampant in Chinese Territory is manifest from the reports that appear in the Chinese papers.
8. Where steamers carry so large a number of Chinese passengers from a Free Port, wherein there is no previous examination of baggage, and where the vessels can leave from any part of the Harbour at any hour, it is difficult to suggest any certain method of precaution. But it must be accepted as an axiom that the Chinese criminal does not change his habits, and therefore although the local safety of residents may possibly be greater than it was in the earlier days of the Colony, yet it is imprudent to calculate on this immunity from attack being always maintained. Still more is it incumbent on those who have control of vessels after leaving this Colony to see that a prudential system of defence is maintained. In the Police Report for 1873 published some eight months before the piracy on the Spark, it was pointed out that sailing vessels were liable to piratical attacks until the men thrown out of work by the abolition of the coolie trade had found honest employment. So at the present time, the salt and opium smugglers find their nefarious trade day by day more seriously impeded by the vigilance of the Chinese Customs Officials under European superintendence; these men driven from their usual lawless occupation will for some time be dangerous characters. It there- fore follows that all ships carrying Chinese passengers should be supplied with a competent crew, that restrictions should be placed on the movements of the passengers, and that the officers and men should be supplied with proper weapons, the ammunition, which in this climate rapidly deteriorates, being regularly tested. The inspection of outgoing passengers by the Police is a course that may occasionally end in a good result, but too much reliance must not be placed on its efficiency-the number of detectives is limited, each officer may know a certain number of suspicious characters, but no one can know a large proportion, whilst to carry on this duty with reference to every ship would entail an amount of work beyond their power, if their other local duties have also to be attended to.
9. As these piratical attacks on European vessels now take place from the passengers, it is against this peril that measures must be taken, possibly one of the surest of these is the provision, as has been suggested of hose delivering hot water.
For an attack by junks a steam vessel has always at command the power to ram the attacking craft, if only the rudder is knocked off by the collision the junk will be helpless.
10. As to the general state of crime, having been employed on official duty away from the Police from the 19th February to the 22nd December I am not in a position to enter into details; but from the returns it would appear that the principal increase is in cases of Larcenies, viz.: 301 cases, and unlawful possession 31 cases. In most of the other serious offences a decrease is shown.
In Miscellaneous offences no less than 1,364 cases are connected with the Opium Ordinance.
11.—The health of the Police Force has been good, only seven deaths having occurred; and on the whole the casualties (76) have been fewer than usual.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
.
The Honourable F. FLEMING, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary,
&c.,
&c.
W. M. DEANE,
Captain Superintendent of Police.