Page 57
Page 57
60
The order of Her Majesty in Council of the 26th day of October, 1896, confers upon the Governor, or on the person for the time being administering the government of the Colony, full powers to enforce the acquisition of buildings and lands for military purposes, the destruction of buildings, empressment of civil labour, animals, vehicles, food supplies, &c., the suspension of any law, rule, or ordinance which may interfere with the defence of the Colony, and the proclamation of military law, and in so doing strengthens the hands of the defence.
Drafts of Proclamations which might require to be issued are given below.
3. Supply of Food to Civil Population.
It will be important to reduce to a very large extent the number of Chinese residing in the Colony in view of a possible blockade. This will probably effect itself by the voluntary exodus of Chinese which will take place on war being declared.
The exportation of food and other supplies will be prohibited as soon as war is imminent.
Hong Kong may be said to be the store-house for Canton as regards rice, the staple of Chinese food. It is estimated that there is rice enough in the Colony for the supply of the whole population for 139 days, and the unsavoury materials with which the Chinese season their food are abundant. It is hardly conceivable that communication will be so interrupted as to prevent the further importation of rice into this Colony, and as many Chinese will clear out in the event of war, the present supply may be reckoned on to last for a longer time.
As to its distribution there will be no attempt to alter existing arrangements. There is no reason that the Chinese population who live apart from the European should live at time of preparation for war in any other way than they do at present, and to attempt to take the distribution of food for 226,000 people out of the hands of those who now do it in such organized fashion would be an impossible economic problem.
4. Police and Fire Brigades.
Police. The strength of the police is as follows:-
Captain Superintendent
Deputy
European force
Indian Chinese
"
23
Total
:::
:
:
:
:
1
1
109
210
261
582
Horses
Steam launch Steam pinnaces Whale-boats
They are organized as land and water police as follows:-
LAND POLICE.
Europeans Indians Chinese
Total
:::
:
Chief Inspector and Inspectors.
11
1 (Jemadar)
12
9
1
3
+
Sergeants
and Acting Sergeants.
Police Constables.
Total.
29
10
74
95
10
199
210
5
186
191
15
25
459
496
Page 57
Page 57
Page 57