Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
PAPERS RELATING TO THE
them. On the 17th July only four men out of the 20 Europeans were reported fit for duty.
The returns made to the army and naval medical Boards will furnish full information of the sufferings of the soldiers and sailors in Her Majesty's service in this colony.
The Indian troops bear the insalubrity of the climate worse than the Europeans. In the cantonments at the east end of Victoria the 39th Madras Native Infantry, and the 37th Madras Native Infantry, lost nearly half their men in 1842. In 1844 a wing of the 4th Madras Native Infantry landed at Hong Kong 450 men in perfect health, and 53 sick, after a long voyage. There have been already many deaths in the cantonments at the west end of Victoria; and in June 1844 there were 160 men sick, and the list was daily increasing. From 15th April to 2d July 1844, there died at Hong Kong, out of the small force there, 52 Europeans and 42 native soldiers.
General D'Aguilar says, that the maintenance of a garrison at Hong Kong would cost the Crown one regiment every two years. Estimating each soldier as having cost Government £100, this would be a severe economical loss, and worthy of the consideration of those who would not reflect on the humanity of the subject. To keep 700 effective firelocks in Hong Kong, it is necessary to maintain 1,400 men.
Hong Kong is not less fatal to the Chinese, of whom there are on an average about 600 sick and dying monthly. Dr. Gutzlaff says, "of 100 coolies with whom I was acquainted, there died between 20th May and 15th June 1844, 10 men, whilst 30 left the place diseased." I understand that the whole of these 100 strong men from the east coast were obliged to leave the colony from sickness. There is no large town or extensive population on the mainland of China adjacent to Hong Kong. Dr. Gutzlaff says, "many Chinese have fallen victims in Hong Kong from a malignant fever, which not only deranges the whole system, but hastens the death of the patient." He adds, "there exists amongst the doctors not one dissentient voice about the fatal tendency of diseases contracted here.”
Nor is it during only one period of the year that the island is unhealthy. In the cold season there are agues, low continued fever, diarrhea, pulmonary complaints, dropsy, rheumatism, and various other diseases, arising from general debility of the system, and the poisonous atmosphere. On the 25th August 1843, the surveyor-general of the colony reported to Government that "the number of interments has been so great (in the European grave-yard) that the enclosure is almost quite full, and the hill behind is so rocky, that it is impossible to dig into it; therefore ere long it will be necessary to provide another place.' The surveyor-general stated it would be a difficult thing to select another grave-yard, on account of the rocky and uneven nature of the island.
Let it not be said that the dreadful mortality and sickness of Hong Kong is the result of the newness of the colony, and that all young settlements suffer proportionately. The assertion, if made, is at variance with fact; new colonies, even in the tropics, have not been originally unhealthy. When the West India islands were first colonized they were perfectly healthy, as is proved by the large European population who resorted thither and remained there many years.
Calcutta and Bombay are reputed to have been formerly much healthier than they are at present. The Australian colonies were perfectly healthy when founded, and also the Mauritius and St. Helena. I cannot name a single colony that was originally unhealthy, and that subsequently became salubrious. Soldiers, sailors, and civilians, Europeans and natives, women as well as men, residing in every part of Hong Kong, have fallen victims to the climate, and at all seasons of the year.
An extensive study of the subject, and no inconsiderable experience in different climates, induces me to concur in the opinion of Dr. Thompson, the respected head of the medical department of Hong Kong, that the island never will be healthy. Its geological character, and the circumvallation of hills surrounding the town and island, render it a hot-bed of disease, which may be more mitigated one year than another, but which will ever and anon recur with increased violence.
No drainage can obviate this destructive miasm; independent of new roads or buildings, the rain will every year uncover large portions of the hills, washing the putrifying substance down the deep ravines towards the sea, thus generating a fruitful crop of disease.
We shall have to consider in a subsequent part of this report, whether the objects sought or to be obtained by the possession of Hong Kong, are worth the dreadful sacrifice of life which the maintenance of the present establishment entails.
POPULATION and PROGRESS.
Hong Kong was ceded to the British Crown under the seal of the Imperial Minister and High Commissioner Keshen, in January 1841 (see Captain Elliot's proclamation, dated Hong Kong, 29th January 1841), promising "full security and protection to all British subjects and foreigners residing in or resorting to the island, so long as they shall continue to conform to the authority of Her Majesty's Government, hereby constituted and proclaimed in and over Hong Kong, &c." By the same proclamation, natives of China were invited to settle in the island, by promising them that they should be “governed according to the laws and customs of China, every description of torture excepted.” And by another proclamation, dated Hong Kong, 1841, issued by Sir Gordon Bremer, Commander-in-Chief, and Captain Elliot, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, it is declared, "that the island of Hong Kong has now become a part of the dominions of the Queen of England, by clear public agreement between the High Officer of the Celestial and British Courts. The Chinese