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The men looked well and healthy. There were no serious cases in hospital.
The regimental institutions, cookhouses, cooks, were all well found and adequate. The regiment is in possession of a sub-target gun, purchased regimentally. There were no complaints brought to my notice. The station is popular with the men, who greatly prefer it to South Africa, from where they have lately come. There was one general complaint, to which I will allude hereafter, viz., the loss on exchange which affects adversely all ranks, particularly married men.
9. At Victoria Barracks I inspected the Royal Garrison Artillery, a magnificent body of men, who appeared competent for any duty.
The barracks, newer and better than the Murray, were in excellent order.
10. I then proceeded to the Royal Engineer Barracks and Hospital. Here everything is very mixed up a state of affairs which will be rectified when the new hospital is in occupation. This will be shortly, as the building is finished, and a re-appropriation can be affected of the old hospital building, which will give the Royal Engineers more room. The Royal Engineer companies are a fine body of men, and were well turned out.
The local detachment of Chinese Sappers turned out very well, and I was told is most useful.
I inspected the hospital, and found it in very good order; but it will shortly be abandoned in favour of the new hospital, which is much better placed for the purpose. I did not have time to inspect the new building, but I was informed by General Broadwood that, when completed, it will be a thoroughly up-to-date hospital. I then inspected the hospital established for the wives and families of soldiers. This also is to be moved to the new hospital, an arrangement which finds little favour in the eyes of the local military authorities. The present building is an old adapted Chinese house, Government property, and is popular because it affords that privacy which is desirable in a female hospital; but, on broad principles, I fail to see why military estimates should be burdened with such establishments when there are available (if arrangements were made) excellent civil hospitals for all such cases as are likely to occur. So long as we provide accommodation the civil authorities will object to taking in our sick women and children, especially when suffering from minor infectious diseases. But I am certain these difficulties could be overcome, and such expenses as the maintenance and upkeep of auxiliary hospitals generally done away with, except, of course, at military stations, where no civil hospitals exist.
11. I then proceeded to Kowloon, where I inspected the Hong Kong- Singapore Garrison Artillery, 372 strong, on parade. These are a splendid body of men; they were very well turned out, and I was informed they are efficient Garrison gunners. They were well and comfortably housed in the barracks built for the now disbanded Hong Kong Regiment.
12. I next inspected the 119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment) and the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, 540 and 555 strong on parade respectively. I was very much struck with the great improvement in the physique and appearance of the 119th, a Bombay regiment. Their turn out, drill, and the manner they handled their arms was first-rate, and would reflect credit on any British regiment. The Native Infantry are housed chiefly in matsheds, though each battalion has one barrack room allotted to it.
The matsheds are native made, and excellent airy barrack rooms they make, but totally unsuited to a place like Hong Kong, which is so subject to typhoons. In the late typhoon every matshed in the island was blown down and totally destroyed, with a considerable loss of arms and equipment. Each matshed cost £80 to erect, and, as they are liable to annual destruction, it seems bad economy to continue the arrangement. I strongly advise more substantial buildings being erected.
The Native hospital was adequate and in good order. (2.6)
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