I have ascertained some additional facts which still further confirm the opinions expressed in my despatch No. 35 and 43 of June 1879.
I ventured to express my opinion that the increase of crime is not due to any defect in our administration of justice and in our treatment of criminals, and not by such theories as the cheap fare system from leautor.
I make no apology for building my argument again on the subject as there is no mistake about it, and it would only tend to conceal from Her Majesty's Government the true source of the increase of crime in Hong Kong.
The careful and minute enquiries I have made on the spot have convinced me that the increase of crime of late years is to be explained by the existence of grave defects in the administration of justice.
In particular, dealing with the increase of crime from the 1st to the 27th of September 1876, the branch case can be readily examined. In connection with the working of the Ordinance of 1876, some returns of the Steamer boat-Companies have come before me, from which it appears that the number of Chinese who availed themselves of the cheaper fare from Canton to Hong Kong between the 6th and 27th of September 1876 amounted to 22,339.