COPY.
No. 314.
Sir,
Enclosure to Governor's Despatch No. 335 of the 27th August, 1901.
From the Captain Superintendent of Police to the Colonial Secretary.
Police Office,
Hongkong, 19th August, 1901.
I have the honour to report that since the rebellion in Kwai Sin of last Autumn came to an end and its after effects, which took the form in the Colony and in the neighbouring Chinese Territory of a serious outbreak of crime committed by armed bands of pirates and robbers who had taken part in the rebellion for the sake of what they could make out of it, ceased to be acutely felt, a considerable reduction was made in the numbers of Police stationed in the New Territory; and that since the Chinese Authorities, on the representation of His Excellency the Governor, established recently Military posts on their side of the border on the mainland, a still further reduction has been rendered possible.
2.
The Force of Police stationed in the New Territory for some little time past (and since the establishment of the posts referred to) has been of the numbers set out in Enclosure A hereto. This shows a reduction of 8 Europeans, 43 Indians, and 31 Chinese on the establishment fixed in the G.G.O. above referred to. Enclosure 2 shows the annual cost of the present establishment and also the cost of running the three launches which are employed patrolling the waters of the New Territory and keeping up communication with the Island of Lantao (Tai O and Tung Chung Stations), and on occasion bringing sick from and taking stores to the Stations on the shores of Mirs Bay.
3.
I do not think that it would be safe to withdraw any more Indian and Chinese Police from the Stations in the New Territory. Indeed, I feel certain that occasions will recur when it will be necessary to re-inforce the present complements at many of the Stations. But I am of opinion that numbers of Indian and Chinese Police (among the latter are included Interpreters) set down in Enclosure A may be regarded as the fixed establishment of the Stations enumerated.
4.
The numbers of the European Police may, however,
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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.