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tall C.A. thal the Jush: must conturbat BW.00 und teifum her
that he ought & pan told us to
at
Feng 17/4
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41 450
RECE
RG 2 DEC 00)
Government House,
HongKong, 17
17th 1
November, 1900.
481
Among the injuries suffered from the late
typhoon I find that the two new police launches only just
taken over have suffered severely, having drifted out of the
harbour of refuge and sustained such injuries against the sea
wall that one has sunk and the other must be docked for ex-
tensive repairs. It will so far as we know at present cost
over $3,000 to repair them.
2. The direct cause was the incapacity
of the water police constables in charge, who were recruited
from the Marines, but who knew practically nothing about boats
and neglected the necessary precautions to meet the excep-
tional fury of a typhoon.
3. The Captain Superintendent of Police
points out that it is impossible to obtain here the proper stamp of man for the very responsible duty of taking charge
of these police launches, which owing to the nature of our coasts are liable during their patrols to be caught in heavy weather. The water police have important duties to perform in the preservation of order in the harbour and the preven
The Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
tion
&C., &0..
80..