3
532
of prison discipline, it will doubtless not have escaped your Lordship's attention that the number of prisoners punished in the Hongkong Gaol for prison offences has been growing in a ratio greater even than the number of committals.
2
Extracting the figures on this subject from the last three annual Blue Books prepared during the Government of my predecessor, the result is as follows:-
Years. Number of Prisoners punished for prison offences.
1874 426
1875 1085
1876 2,726
Blue book, page 185, 165, 169.
3.
The rapidly growing disorganization that such figures indicate, and the sullen looks and appearance of desperation that I noticed in the criminals on my first visit, and which I reported in despatch No. 33 of the 13th of June, show how urgent is the necessity for that which Your Lordship instructs me in despatch No. 72 of 20th June to establish, - a sound system of discipline in the Hongkong Gaol.
The first step towards such a system is now, with your Lordship's sanction, being taken. This is done by securing a...