From the Hon'ble C. Surru, Acting Colonial Secretary Hong-Kong, to E. C. BAYLEY, Esquire, Secretary to the Government of India,-No. 591, dated the 28th October 1887.
I AM directed, by His Excellency Sir Richard MacDonnell, to notify you, for the information of His Excellency the Viceroy, that it is proposed to take the first opportunity of recruiting another body of Sikhs for the Hong-Kong Police.
His Excellency instructs me to say that the plan of procuring Sikhs for Police duty in this Colony has been so eminently successful, and the men themselves have given so much satisfaction, that it seems expedient, not only to fill with Sikhs vacancies as they occur, but also to lose no time in sending back to India men of other Provinces, who are incapable of doing equally effective duty, and re-placing them by Sikhs.
For the information of the Indian Government, I am to add that the Sikhs already here appear in every way satisfied, and that every attention and care is given to their reasonable wants and requirements.
To carry out, therefore, the object which Sir Richard MacDonnell has in view, he has arranged that Mr. Charles Vandeleur Creagh, who so well succeeded in bringing on to Hong-Kong the present Detachment of Sikhs in the early part of this year, shall leave about the 18th of next month, and at once occupy himself with raising a body of 100 Sikhs to join their fellow countrymen here.
This scheme will, His Excellency trusts, meet with every assistance from the Indian Government, more especially as arrangements have now been made relative to the return passages of all the men in accordance with the views of the Viceroy in Council.
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