1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
HONG KONG.
No. 38.
COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Colonel CAINE to the Right Honourable
(No. 79.)
MY LORD,
Lord John Russell.
Victoria, Hong Kong, June 9, 1855.
(Received, July, 1855.)
I HAVE the honour to forward the Blue Book for 1854, as transmitted to me by the Colonial Secretary, with his letter No. 302 of the 5th instant, to which I beg most particularly to call the attention of your Lordship.
I trust the state and prospects of the colony as shown therein will be satisfactory to Her Majesty's Government.
The Right Honourable Lord John Russell, M.P.,
I have, &c. (Signed)
W. CAINE.
&c.
&c.
&c.
Enclosure in No. 38.
SIR,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hong Kong, June 5, 1855.
I HAVE the honor to forward the Blue Book of Hong Kong for the past year 1854, and take the opportunity to note the great advance recently made by this colony.
2. The revenue for the year has amounted to 27,045l. 3s. 5¼d., and the expenditure to 34,635l. 0s. 1d.; the revenue being in excess of that for 1853 by 2,344l. 17s. 1d., and the table of expenditure showing a reduction of 1,713l. 11s. 11d.
This result must be considered most satisfactory.
3. As regards military expenditure, the payments made by the Commissariat and Ordnance Departments are stated together at 41,540l. 11s. 10d., being 8,805l. 19s. 7d. less than during the previous year.
4. The outlay on account of public works amounts to 5,238l. 12s. 7d., of which 3,262l. 8s. 10½d. was expended on the new Government House, now close on its completion. The total amount is under that of last year by 633l. 11s.
The number of convicts at labour on the roads has exceeded that of 1853, and more work has consequently been obtained from them.
5. Six ordinances have passed the Legislative Council during the year; one to meet a temporary object by raising an additional police rate, another to
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