f.
ful
98
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE NAVY AND THE DEFENCE
OF HONGKONG.
FLOGGING IN VICT
The Committee appoi
[July 18 1800,
GOAT
inquire into Gaol find in
8 pure
ber to the 266,000 persons, the estimated population in 1910, we may take 350,000 as the extreme of the population that can be supplied with water under the present At the Royal United Service Institution, the question of flogging system and its proposed extensions. Before on the 5th June, Vice-Admiral P. H have made their report the population reaches that limit, however, COLOMB delivered a lecture on "The it, may be discovered that a good supply can "Functions of the Army and Navy in the effect that the death of the prisoner who be obtained from artesian wells, or, failing "Defence of the Empire," a subject of some died recently after a flogging that, water might perhaps be brought from practical importance for us in Hongkong, accident, that the "flogging was not the Kowloon in pipes laid across the bed of the inasmuch as it involves the question of " 'causa prozima, but merely the causa remota harbour, a project to which it is said there whether we are to rely upon the Navy or “ of the death.” ́ ́. There is nothing whatever are no insuperable engineering obstacles. upon fortifications for our defence in time of Under any circumstances, however, a war, or partly upon one and partly upon
in the report that suggests brutality rigid economy in the matter of water will the other. If we are to rely upon the forti- carelessness in the administration of punish have to be exercised in the city and fications alone we are in sorry plight, the ment in the Gaol, and the Committee there is little possibility of the success armament and the garrison being alike in strongly impressed with the necessity
establishment of manufactures on sufficient for the requirements. Admiral the island. That affords an additional COLOME's argument, however, is that owing reason for the moving back of the Kowloon to the defending action of the Navy, ex- frontier, so as to give us complete commandi penditure on localized and fixed military of the range of hills there, with their valuable" defences, where there are no land frontiers, streams of water, which are believed to be can be largely reduced with perfect safety; sufficient for the supply of a large population, "and that, if this is done, we can have a though their annual yield has never been "mobile military force sufficient for our Im- scientifically measured. It seems probable, perial needs without any great increase of as Mr. COOPER suggests, that the pro- cost." The gallant officer holds "that the spective increase in the population of the Empire is not safe with only so small a colony will have to find accommodation to a military force ready to embark at short great extent on the peninsula, and if the
as we have at present and be would water supply derivable from the hills be therefore reduce the expenditure on fixed yond our present frontier turns out as military defences and apply the money so bounteous as is expected there seems no saved to the increase of our mobile force. reason why, with the proposed extension In the debate which followed Field Marshal of our territory, manufacturing enter Sir LINTORN SIMMONS, a former Inspector prise should not take, root there. In General of Fortifications, said:-'
He re- any case there is bound to be a large "membered that in 1865 there was a great population there when the proposed Canton“ hubbub at the time Lord PALMERSTON was a reformative or deterrent effect, it would
Premier. He started a commission with tend rather, as all refinements of cruelty do, regard to the defence of our naval ports, to make those subjected to it desperate on which a large sum was expended. He
·
"notice
#4
"
"
preserving to the Superintendent the right of ordering corporal punishment for offences against discipline. They suggest, however, that the number of strokes administered at any one time should be fewer and the floggings more frequent. There is a little. ambiguity about the latter part of the re- commendation, but if the meaning is the Superintendent and a Visiting dustice should have power, instead of ordering flogging of thirty-six strokes (a number that in practice we believe is never given) should have power to order for one offence a suc cession of floggings to be administered at stated intervals, we think it is not one that should be adopted. Instead of having
rokes
es
and Kowloon Railway is made. Possibly that project may not eventuate in the time of the present generation, but it is certain to do so sooner or later and it is therefore "himself believed they were useful as they❘ It is true the Supreme Cour the duty of the Government to look ahead were, but he thought it very doubtful sentencing prisoners to be flogged and make due provision for future develop whether, if the Government had placed usually does order two floggings, ments. The most pressing requirement of the question before a commission of the many strokes, but whatever may the present day in regard to Kowloon, it
"two services competent to deal with it, the merits or demerits of that syste may be mentioned in passing, is the those port defences would ever have as- provision of an adequate ferry service, asumed the extent to which they were punishment for crimes of violenc matter in which the Government might "carried.". The Times ternis this a giving not appear applicable to ordinary breaches reasonably come to the aid of private enter up of the case of the extreme advocates gaol discipline, in relation to which prise by affording the proper wharfage of fortifications. Some years ago the
ment will probably be effective in proj accommodation. Great as we believe the fortification school was in the ascendant future development of Kowloon is destined and the principle as applied theoretically to tion as it is prompt and sharp. The Com- to be however, we believe also that the Hongkong, though never completely carried mittee recommend that the birch, should be principal business quarter of the colony out, was that the colony should be able substituted for the rattan, and that if the will always remain on this side and that to defend itself against a hostile attack with- rattan is retained the maximum numbe the population here would go on increasing out any assistance from the navy. At the strokes to be inflicted at one time should almost indefinitely, provided, it were not present time the tendency of professional checked by any such circumstances as a opinion seems to be in the opposite direction, not exceed twenty. On this point, Dr. scarcity of water or actual want of space. Admiral COLOMB's views being those now ATKINSON does not. agree with the The latter difficulty does not strike us as more generally held, namely, that the members of the Committee, but would being so serious as Mr. COOPER represents principle to be followed should be, not to the maximum number of it. The present overcrowding will be prepare to meet attacks on positions when administered at any one time reduc considerably relieved when the Praya made, but to prevent the enemy from con- six, which is rather below the st Reclamation is completed, and the pro- templating such attacks, to convince him adopted in certain girls' boarding vision of tramways. will enable the popu- that he will not have time to complete an according to interesting revelations m lation to spread east and west, where attack on any locality before the general Mr. LABOUCHERE in Truth come there is still a good deal of building defending force is upon him, to produce in The lines of the criminal would appa ground available, as well as to the south his mind the conviction that if he cannot fall in pleasant places if Dr. ATKING: of the island, During the last thirty subdue by his concentrated mobile force the had the direction of his treatment. years the shipping, which has justly been concentrated mobile force of his opponent, strokes may be very well to comme termed the life blood of the colony, has he can make no attacks at all, but such as but if they do not prove effective trebled, and the population has steadily are in the nature of surprises, and, same man is repeatedly advanced with it, though at a rather slower therefore, on a very small scale. But,"
"breaches of discipline it wil ratio. There is no reason to suppose that the Admiral goes on to say, "in every him with twelve, and,” the next thirty years will not see a similar "port, island, or shore open to the obdurate, with twenty, w trebling of the present tonnage entering the enemy's attack the army must be able to that Mr. port and a corresponding increase in the.po- warn him that he will be kept at bay Hon. Command HASTINGS think should pulation, always supposing that water can be "until the defending naval force arrives. be the maximun Prisoner No. 704 procured. It is in dealing with problems
twel "How the army can best do this is a after a flogging
strok of this kind that we think the colony will separate question, to be more or less flicted a week experience the benefit of being represented" separately treated for each locality." We six strokes, bu on the Executive Council by practical can only hope that this "separate question" not the direct business men, whose advice and vigorous in- will be treated, so far as Hongkong is con- the case has litt sistence on what is necessary for the colony's cerned, on the lines of a large addition to of what the
our garrison and a material strengthening should be. of our defences.
ess and welfare will act as a wholesome onic to our anæmic Government,
**
"
:
after
COMBE
this case, being the first
METH