CONFIDENTIA L.
Sir,
7 037
FOR 23 SEP 12
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG. 2nd. September, 1912.
Ev.26126
With reference to my Confidential Despatch of
tae 18th. July, I have the honour to inform you that in order to
keep the number of prisoners in the Caol as low as 630 it was
necessary to release 409 prisoners up to the 20th. August before
the expiration of their sentences.
2.
The majority of these had their sentences reduc-
-ed by only a few days, but in some cases a substantial reduction
had to be made. The admissions to the Caol were so numerous that,
if this method of release had not seen resorted to, the number in
confinement would nave risen to over nine mundred.
3.
It had not been my intention to release more than the original 129 pris mers, referred to in para_raph 3 of my
Despatch under reference, without further investigation, and I have given instructions that lists of those prisoners whom it is pro- -posed to release snall bo submitted to me for approval. I trust
that the admissions will soon return to the nonal figure, and that
the measures which I have had to take to deal with an exceptional
state of affairs may be no longer necessary. In the meantime I have
found it possible to utilise 2 rooms in the Caol used as stores for
the accommodation of persons detained pending consideration of their
banisment and for prisoners whom it is necessary under present
conditions
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, 1.P.,
و ثاني
£0.
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