42
C.3.0.
166 of 1900.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Seventy thousand Nine hundred Extension. and Eighty Dollars ($70,980) to cover the cost of construction and chartering of Steam-
launches, &c., for the use of the New Territory.
C.5.0.
1966 of 1900.
C.5.0. 2136 of 1900.
Government House, Hongkong, 8th September, 1900.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Three hundred Dollars ($300) in aid of the vote "Incidental Expenses in the Supreme Court."
Government House, Hongkong, 8th September, 1900.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Eight thousand and Nine hundred Dollars ($8,900) in aid of the following votes:-
Provisions,
Medical Comforts,
Government Civil Hospital.
Fuel and Light,
Washing,.
Incidental Expenses, Furniture, &c.,
Medicines,
-$6,900.00
350.00
500.00
400.00
250.00
New Territory.
500.00
Total......
.$8,900.00
TE GR.Q...
2143 of 1900.
C.5.0. 1350 of 1900.
Government House, Hongkong, 12th September, 1900.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Four thousand and Five hundred Dollars ($4,500) in aid of the vote "Maintenance of Waterworks, Kowloon."
Government House, Hongkong, 17th September, 1900.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Two hundred Dollars ($200) to defray the salary of a Clerk during the current year in connection with the Census of 1901.
Government House, Hongkong, 25th September, 1900.
The Colonial Treasurer seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
REPORTS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.-The Director of Public Works laid on the table the reports of the Public Works Committee No. 4 dated the 8th August, 1900, and No. 5 dated the 23rd August, 1900, and moved their adoption.
The Colonial Secretary seconded.
Question-put and agreed to.
His Excellency the Governor then addressed the Council as follows:
In laying the Estimates on the table, I have to congratulate you on the prosperous condition of the Colony as disclosed in the figures to be laid before you. The period embraced within the past twelve months has been one fraught with momentous issues to the British Empire. The carefully planned attempt to subvert British Supremacy in South Africa bas happily been frustrated, and I congratulate this Colony upon the generous con- tribution of over $153,000 in response to a call for funds for the families of Sailors and Soldiers engaged in the serious South African War, now rapidly drawing to a successful conclusion.
Nor can we close our eyes to the gravity of the present position in the North of China, where a fanatical anti-foreign movement originating with the Boxer Society was ultimately joined by the Imperial Troops. The Foreign Settlements of Tientsin were attacked, large numbers of foreign missionaries and native Christians have been murdered under circum- stances of horrible barbarity, and for eight weeks the Legations of all the Foreign Powers in Peking were closely besieged by Chinese soldiers aided by Boxers. The capture of the Taku Forts, the Chinese City of Tientsin, and of Peking was not effected without grievous loss of life and destruction of property, and now the Allied Forces are in full possession of the Capital, while it has yet to be decided what retribution shall be exacted from the Chinese
,