165
No.-99-
8
HONGKONG.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE BRIGADE FOR 1898.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor,
POLICE OFFICE, HONGKONG, 6th February, 1899.
SIR,I have the honour to submit the following report on the Government Fire Brigade for the year 1898.
2. There were 16 Fires and 73 Incipient Fires during the year. Details regarding each will be found attached. The Brigade turned out 23 times..
The estimated damage caused by the fires was $35,000.74 and by the incipient fires $1,999.00. A list is attached shewing the number of fires that have occurred during each of the last ten years with the estimated value of property destroyed in each case.
The record for last year is the best in the series. The estimated value of property destroyed is less than $3,000 more than the lowest recorded which was in the year 1891, while the number of fires was double the number in that year.
3. There was one prosecution for arson in connection with the incipient fire at No. 112 Third Street. The accused, a Chinese woman, was discharged at the Criminal Sessions, being apparently not mentally responsible for her actions.
4. There was no loss of life at any fire.
5. The water in the mains was not turned off at any time during the year, and none of the land engines were used at a fire.
6. I attach a list of places where Fire Despatch Boxes are kept, and of private telephones to which the Police have courteously been granted access in case of fire, together with copy of a report from the Engineer on the state of the various Fire Engines, which are all in good working order.
7. During the year six shelters were built at convenient places in the city for the reception of a despatch box each. A certain number of Indian and Chinese Police Constables, not members of the Fire Brigade, have been trained in the use of the despatch box, and the beats on which the shelters are situated are assigned to these particular Constables, who carry the keys of the shelters and are ready to render first aid at any fire occurring on their beats or in the immediate vicinity.
The men receive a small. monthly allowance for this additional responsibility.
The idea of thus extending the use of the despatch box and of utilising the Police on beat duty for the purpose, is one that occurred to Mr. WODEHOUSE (as I have discovered from an old report of his) before it occurred to me.
The system is capable of indefinite extension, and I am of opinion that the moral effect alone of the existence on the spot of appliances for first aid will be found to have a deterrent effect on incendiarism.
8 It was my intention to fix in the streets a few fire alarms of the usual type used at home, but on the suggestion of Mr. E. M. HAZELAND, in charge of the Government Telephone Service, telephones connected with the Central Fire Station have been fixed instead at the back of the Harbour Office, at the Junction of Hollywood Road and Queen's Road, and at the Junction of Wilmer Street and Connaught Road.
There has been as yet no opportunity to test the utility of these telephones, but I am in hopes that they may prove useful in speedily communicating alarms of fires to the Brigade.
The system requires careful watching and is capable of extensive development.
9. The increasing height of Chinese houses in the city and the great height of the new buildings on the Praya, render necessary a re-organisation of the ladder supply of the Brigade, and the subject is receiving my attention. The matter would be an easy one were it not for the obstruction caused by verandahs.
In the meantime it is well to warn the occupants of the upper stories of the blocks of new build- ings on the Praya Reclamation, that there is no Fire Escape in the Colony and that they should provide themselves with some simple escapes such as the Amateur Dramatic Club have provided them- selves with for use from the dressing rooms attached to the theatre.
10. The extension of the Central Fire Station has been completed and advantage has been taken of the additional accommodation to increase the permanent staff by 10 Chinese Firemen, the services of the 6 Soldiers who used to be on night duty being dispensed with. The soldiers used continually to be changed for various causes and rarely had an opportunity of becoming really efficient tremen.