233
HONG KONG.
Legislation.
Population.
Climate,
Places of worship.
Education.
Trade.
148
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
With the prospect of having the principal civil buildings executed by the Ordnance Department, I have confined those erected by the Land Office to three police stations, and the building now occupied by the Post-office Depart- ment, the latter yielding a rent of 150%. a-year to the colony.
Under the head of Legislation, fourteen ordinances were passed during the year 1845, some of them amending previous enactments. The first and imme- diate wants of the colony may now be considered as supplied, and future ordi- nances will be required only as occasion shall arise.
The population return in the "Blue Book" is entirely exclusive of troops. It exhibits a total population of 23,748 persous. Of these, the whites are 634, of whom 501 are males, and 133 females. The coloured population, consisting almost entirely of the registered Chinese, amounts to 23,114, being 18,438 males, and 4676 females. The proportion of the latter has increased as the feeling of security induced the Chinese settlers to bring over their families; and I hope to observe the growth of this favourable indication.
There seems to prevail among the Chinese population a perfect confidence in our Government; and since the establishment of an efficient police, and the severe examples which have been made of some atrocious criminals, security of and property have been established, in lieu of the robbery and plun- der which existed less than two years ago.
person
The most gratifying subject of the present Report is the successful vindica- tion of this colony from those charges of unhealthiness which accidental cir- cumstances (some of them inseparably connected with its first occupation) swelled into a species of panic about the time I quitted England, and led many persons to imagine that a residence in the place was a desperate undertaking. The best answer to the whole is the remarkable immunity from disease which followed immediately upon the completion of fitting dwellings, efficient drain- age, and other improvements. The delightful winter which prevails here will, I have no doubt, make Hong-Kong a place of resort to invalids from India.
The colonial surgeon's very complete report, in pages 127 to 138 of the Blue Book, will be found amply to corroborate the above statement, and to prove that this colony is much more healthy than many others of Her Majesty's intertropical possessions. Even in the case of the troops (by no means an infallible test of climate), the mortality was reduced to nearly a half during the last year, before their present excellent barracks were completed; and, now that the soldiers have been housed in them, I entertain no doubt of the marked and favourable result.
Soon after my arrival in the colony in 1844, I represented, that while the Romanists and Dissenters were already provided with respectable places of wor- ship, the members of the Established Church met in a species of shed. But however anxious to commence the erection of a more suitable edifice, I have not yet been fortunate enough to obtain that authority for the expenditure, without which, I was officially informed, it must not be undertaken. On the arrival of the necessary sanction, I hope that a proper building may be raised in the course of a year;
and there seems little doubt of obtaining one-third of the cost from among the inhabitants.
There are four European establishments for education in Victoria, into some of which the use of the Chinese language is introduced. They are at present entirely supported by voluntary contributions. In Despatch, No. 4, of January 20th, I proposed to Her Majesty's Government some small annual contribution to a school established by the Reverend Mr. Stanton, for the education of the children of European police, and others. Mr. Stanton is now erecting a school, by the aid of funds supplied in England, for bringing up young Chinese in the principles of Christianity.
As among the Chinese population generally, a number of individuals of that nation are employed in Hong-Kong in giving the first elements of instruction to the male children of the inhabitants, for the females are always kept at home. In the Despatch already quoted above, I have suggested that some trifling Govern- ment contribution might have a favourable influence on the feeling of the population.
Under the head of general trade, I may state, that two foreign consuls, American and Danish, have hoisted their flags at Hong-Kong; the first having already obtained his "exequatur" from Her Majesty. It seems to me, in every respect, desirable to encourage the resort of all kinds of trade to this port; and I
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS. 149 shall have great satisfaction in reporting that the consuls of other foreign states have applied for leave to act.
In spite of the discouragement afforded by the Supplementary Treaty, the Chinese trade appears to be rather on the increase; and I have the honour to append to this Report a paper by Mr. Gutzlaff on that interesting subject.
The total absence of a custom-house, affording the regular and exact returns connected with such an establishment, while it encourages trade by holding out the advantages of a free port, at the same time renders it impossible to give a very accurate statement of the commerce carried on.
A surprising increase, as well as improvement, has taken place during the last year in the Chinese shops. The Colonial Almanac, of which I have directed two copies to be forwarded, contains a list of 388 retail dealers, in addition to the three government markets.
A principal obstacle to the Chinese commerce of the place, is the system of piracy which infests the approaches from the east and west; but measures which are now in progress for checking this (and which shall be reported here- after), will, I trust, have a tendency to remedy the evil. Any local measures would be useless, previous to the receipt of the Vice-Admiralty commission, which is daily expected by the mail-steamer.
My previous Despatches will have shown, that the small quantity of level land available in the colony for agriculture, must always restrict this branch of productive industry within narrow bounds; but the few valleys which are to be found, will probably be devoted to the growth of market vegetables, rather than rice, which can always be imported by shipping. A better prospect exists for pasture, and endeavours are making to secure an internal supply of bullocks for the use of the Commissariat.
HONG KONG
No. 2.
I regret to state (as before observed), that I perceive no immediate prospect of Crown lands. a considerable increase to the present income derived by Government from leases of Crown lands. The additional leases sold, during 1845, amount only to about 9007. per annum, and raise the whole to something more than 13,000. The available ground about the town of Victoria has been mostly sold; but the future growth of the colony may create a demand for parcels of ground in the neigh- bourhood.
While it
satisfactory to report that an effectual check has been put to the Police, vast amount of crime prevalent on my first arrival in the colony, the very heavy expense of the police must remain a subject of regret, as long as the peculiar position of this island, within reach of the worst characters from the mainland of China, exposes it to the ingress of a depraved population. Nothing but can- stant vigilance, and the occasional exhibition of severe examples, will continue to life and property that security which they fortunately enjoy at present. The annual amount of the police-tax, which at present does not produce above 20007. per annum, will, no doubt, increase with the growth of rateable property.
A profitable use of convict labour has been made during the last year in the construction and repair of roads; and I trust that the maintenance of the pri soners will be compensated in this manner. Within the town of Victoria, and its immediate neighbourhood, their services are very available; but much time is lost, and risk of escape incurred, in their employment at considerable distances from the prison.
The extremely defective state of the colonial gaol, which was erected only for temporary use, has been attended with much practical inconvenience; but, with the arrival from England of an authority to construct more suitable prisons, the works have been commenced, and I trust their completion is not very far distant.
The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone,
&c.
&c.
&c.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. F. DAVIS.