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5. Mr. CORCORAN's letter of the 24th of July complains of his quarters and says the confinement is not suitable to his health. Unfortunately on making enquiry on the 28th of July, I found that, up to that date, the dry earth system had not been introduced.
6. I have asked for some explanation of what seems to have been an unnecessary delay in carrying out an urgent and not very difficult reform; but I apprehend it will not be necessary to take any further notice of it, as I now learn that in two or three days after my enquiry of the 28th of July the practical result was actually accomplished, by the commencement of the dry earth system; and it is at this moment in operation in the Gaol.
The Right Honourable the Earl of CARNARVON,
I have, &c.,
(Signed)
J. POPE HENNESSY.
MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
Is the dry earth system now in force in the whole of the Gaol?
(Signed)
J. POPE HENNESSY.
19th January, 1878.
REPLY OF ACTING SUPERINTENDENT.
The dry earth system is not carried out in the female ward and all the yards and Turnkeys' and guards' closets. It is in force in all the cells and body of the Gaol. Partly carried out in tubs by five coolies, and partly emptied down a drain. The Surveyor General has been communicated with on the subject, and this morning all the contents of the buckets were taken away by ten coolies. When the system is in force all through the Gaol, more coolies will be required.
T. C. DEMPSTER, Captain, Acting Superintendent.
(Signed)
COLONIAL SURGEON TO ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
HONGKONG, August 2nd, 1877.
SIR—In replying to the Minute of His Excellency the Governor in regard to the date when the dry earth system was introduced into the Victoria Gaol, I would refer you to my letter of the 11th June, a copy of which I enclose.
In that letter I explained that in respect to the Gaol my functions were not executive, and being purely consultative, I limited myself to arranging with the Honourable Surveyor General for the carrying out of His Excellency's wishes.
Mr. PRICE now informs me twenty dry earth closets have been working in the Gaol since the date of His Excellency's first Minute, that ninety-one are on the verge of completion, and that the remainder will be finished during the month.
A better quality of earth than that heretofore used is to be brought from Kowloon, and observations will be made of its efficacy after a sufficient trial.
I add that the new buckets are being prepared as I have recommended, so as to insure a more perfect deodorization.
I have, &c.,
PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.
Honourable C. C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
[No. 3.]
VICTORIA GAOL,
7th January, 1878.
SIR—With reference to the "dry earth system" in Victoria Gaol, which up to the present time has worked satisfactorily, the earth having been supplied by the Surveyor General's Department, I have the honour to state that the last supply is exhausted and that more is urgently required.
In answer to my requisition to the Surveyor General's Department on the 1st January, I was informed by Mr. BOWDLER that "from the first of the current year dry earth would be provided by the Gaol Department," and as there are no records in the Gaol office to show that any arrangement had been made on the subject, I have the honour to request that I may be informed how the earth will be provided.
21st January, 1878.
EXTRACT FROM AN ENTRY IN HONGKONG GAOL VISITING JUSTICES' BOOK BY DR. O'BRIEN AND MR. WODEHOUSE.
We think it right to state in connection with our report that, in describing the order which we found, we refer more particularly to the actual discipline of the prisoners, and there are one or two matters foreign to this to which we would take the opportunity to draw attention.
1. It appears that for a very long time past the night-soil contractor for the time being has been in the habit of supplying so few coolies for taking away the night-soil, that when the regulation time in which this work has to be completed is expired, much still remains to be taken away. At the present time as much as two-thirds of the Gaol night-soil is disposed of by emptying it into the drain which connects with the drain in Old Bailey Street. There are now only five night-soil coolies for the whole of the Gaol, and this at a time when the introduction of the dry earth system renders necessary a larger number than formerly.
2. We observe that the dry earth system has not yet been introduced into the female prisoners' wards nor into any of the yards.
3. Having examined the blankets supplied to the Chinese prisoners, we beg to express our opinion that in weather such as that now prevailing one blanket is quite insufficient, and we would strongly recommend that, if only for the sake of putting a stop to the prisoners in each cell all huddling themselves up together in a heap as they do now, two blankets be allowed to each prisoner, and not to those only under sentence of solitary confinement by the Supreme Court.
4. It is perhaps so obvious as not to require special comment, that were it possible to detain debtors elsewhere than in the body of the Gaol, it would be very desirable that it should be done. There would no longer then be the anomaly of an entire ward being occupied sometimes not at all, and at no time by more than four or five, while the rest of the Gaol is inconveniently crowded. Nor does it appear to us ought there to be anybody confined in the body of the Gaol not wearing Gaol uniform.
I have, &c.,
R. A. O'BRIEN, J.P.
(Signed)
H. E. WODEHOUSE, J.P.
The Honourable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
T. C. DEMPSTER, Capt., Acting Superintendent.
18th January, 1878.
MINUTE BY THE SURVEYOR GENERAL.
I regret this unfortunate delay should have occurred through my absence from the office last week. The earth is now being sent to the Gaol. I had arranged with Captain DUCAT to supply the earth while he was to pay for it out of the Gaol grant voted expressly for the purpose. The dry earth service will now continue uninterruptedly through the year.
8th January, 1878.
J. M. PRICE.
MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
In my Minute on the morning report of the 18th of January, I asked for information on these subjects, as I had heard from Captain DEMPSTER and Dr. O'BRIEN that the supply of blankets was insufficient and the dry earth system not properly carried out.
Let a proper supply of blankets be ordered; and a sufficient number of coolies be employed for the removal of the poudrettè.
How long has the system of emptying any of the night-soil into the drains been in existence?
(Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY,
22nd January, 1878.
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