criminals from the adjoining turbulent Provinces, which differ entirely in the character of their population from that of the natives of the Straits or Shanghai,
wholly is regulated by circumstances beyond your control, and the course of which you can only watch, whilst keeping yourselves ever on the alert and defensive, as though in a normal state of siege.
Moreover, at this distance from England and in this climate, temperance and honesty in Europeans command an exorbitant premium, and unluckily when they have been contracted for and imported, too often disappear, whilst, do what you will, whether you recruit in Europe or in India, you cannot procure a force homogeneous and speaking the requisite languages. You can only put it together hit by bit, and gradually utilize it by patience and by holding out to each individual substantial inducements and facilities to improve. This has been done and I have reason to be satisfied with the progress made and being made.
In proportion, however, as you find less chance of diminishing your Police Expenditure, owing to the peculiar geographical position and exceptional circumstances of the Colony, I would be glad that you should, as I have already said, turn your attention to effecting economy in other Departments. I am aware of the difficulty attending attempts to accomplish Departmental retrenchment without impairing efficiency. Baghdadul Civil Covers, Lord Lawrence, has recently described how he commenced his late administration, hoping and resolved to effect great retrenchment in all the Indian Departments, and how he was forced to leave them largely increased. I mention this not to discourage, but to prevent undue expectations. As yet, I have only seen my way doubtfully to suggesting the eventual amalgamation of most of the duties of the Treasury and Audit Office, an experiment which may be said to be now in its first stage, and the eventual saving from which may amount to upwards of $6,000 annually. Nevertheless, I think an equal saving can ere long be effected in minor details, which however, I have not ventured to put on the Estimates, preferring to feel my way first, and my principal wish at present is to urge on you the necessity of keeping economy in view, where you can do so without impairing efficiency.
To facilitate your labors the form of the Estimates now before you has been improved, by keeping together the expenses of each Department instead of spreading them, as formerly, over different and totally unconnected pages. Because some Departmental expenses are for "Establishments" and others are "exclusive of Establishments," and others again for "Rent," or "Transport," I see no reason why such expenses should not be grouped together. Such an arrangement, whilst more symmetrical and clear, does not interfere, as you will find, with the distinct classification of the details so grouped.
In the Summary (Pages 30 and 31) you will see the totals of the cost of all the Departments collectively and separately, as proposed for next year, side by side with the expenses incurred for the same during the past year. You will there see that the total Expenditure of last year amounted to $991,311, whereas the vote proposed for next year is nearly $200,000 less—or $791,882. This diminution is, in a great measure, owing to the fact of the large arrears of the Military Contribution having been paid last year, so that there is about $114,000 less to provide on that service alone.
Improved arrangements of your Estimates will probably prevent many mistakes. Few persons, and certainly not those to whom it would be inconvenient that accurate information opposed to their theories and objects should be forced on them, take much trouble in sifting such dry details. It must also be admitted that it was not easy formerly to understand the Annual Estimates. Thus in the Harbor Master's Department, there were no means of knowing accurately the cost
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