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similar disastrous consequences to the Naval Service, it had previous to the passing of the Ordinance in November 1857, checking the spread of Venereal diseases, the system then authorized of inspecting the common prostitutes, was attended with the most evident and admirable results, and the disease almost disappeared from Hongkong, the bulk of the cases admitted into the Royal Naval Hospital being contracted in the Northern parts.
Unfortunately however the Brothel Keepers and prostitutes themselves discovered that the law compelling them to submit to examination could be avoided and they took advantage of the fact. The Colonial Surgeon states in his sanitary report of March 1866 that many of the worst cases of infected women escape entirely the beneficial operation of the Ordinance by removing to unlicensed houses, where they propagate infection without hindrance.
As this is of the utmost importance to the Naval Service I therefore respectfully request that you will be pleased to move the proper Authorities ashore to stringently carry out the 12th clause of the Ordinance, which enacts that Prostitutes are liable to punishment for infecting healthy persons; and I further suggest that all persons known to be prostitutes whether licensed or not, should be regularly...