256
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
118
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
than I can here venture to discuss; nor ought the vast extension of the territory of the United States: and the wonderful augmentation of the population and commerce in North-western America to be lost sight of in anticipating and providing against future contingencies.
46. I conclude with the consciousness that in surrendering the important trust confided to me by Her Gracious Majesty, after trials and perils of no common character, neither the public interests nor the honour of the Crown have suffered while confided to my keeping, and in the humble hope that such will be the view of Her Majesty's Government.
I have, &c.
JOHN BOWRING.
The Right Hon. Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Bart. M.P., (Signed)
&c.
&c.
Enclosure 1. in No. 18.
SIR,
Report of the Colonial SECRETARY ON THE BLUE Book for 1858.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hong Kong,
8th March 1859.
The last Return having this day reached me, I am enabled to lay before your Excellency the Blue Book of Hong Kong for the year 1858.
2. I must remind your Excellency that I was absent on leave from the colony until the end of November, and, consequently, have not had an opportunity of personally watching the progress of events during the year in question.
3. I base my remarks, therefore, on the returns themselves, my own lengthened experience of Hong Kong, and such information as I have obtained in casual conversations with Mr. Bridges, who, during my absence in England, discharged so efficiently the duties of my department.
4. It will be seen that the revenue for 1858 is £62,476 9s. 8d, being a net increase of £3,634 7s. 1d. over that for the previous year, while the expenditure in 1858 has been £62,979 8s. 1d, or £2,518 11s. 5d. less than in 1857. This result is so far satisfactory on both sides of the account.
5. Of the public works I am happy to say that the orders of the Secretary of State are being now carried out, that tenders have been invited for extending the gaol, and that at the end of the current month a new and commodious civil hospital will be provided.
6. The principal points in the legislation of the year are the regulation of the sale of opium by Ordinance No. 2, the organization of a new market system under Ordinance No. 9, and the control of vessels carrying Chinese emigrants by Ordinance No. 13.
7. The total number of ordinances passed during the year is 15, of which, though none have been disallowed, only 10 have as yet received the confirmation of Her Majesty.
8. The Market Ordinance it will, I think, be necessary to revise, as there are defects in the working of it, and I may remark, that if it was intended to cheapen provisions, it has failed in its object, for all the necessaries of life are at ruinous prices. I hope that this subject will again receive the attention of the Legislature.
9. The Legislative Council has been remodelled, and will, I have no doubt, prove a most useful body; but I fear that it oversteps its proper functions at times, occupying itself with matters having no concern with legislation, and trenching on the powers of the executive. This, if unchecked, will sooner or later be found a serious evil.
10. Coming in succession to the Civil Department, I have first to note the satisfactory measure by which a severance was effected between the two offices of Colonial Secretary and Auditor General, for it was simply impossible that one person could conduct with efficiency the duties of both.
11. The Colonial Treasury has been carried on with aid from the Commissariat, but as this was never intended as a permanent arrangement, I think it right to suggest to your Excellency the necessity of putting that department on a proper footing.
12. The Harbour Master is much in want of suitable accommodation for his department, and I strongly advise the completion of the building commenced for this service over two years ago.
13. In noticing the recent return of the Colonial Chaplain, I take the opportunity of mentioning that among the community I hear but one opinion of the very satisfactory way in which the duties of that office have been discharged during Mr. Irwin's absence, by the Rev. Mr. Bench,
14. The Police of the colony is in better form than I have ever seen it, and considering what I learn to have been the troubled and hazardous condition of the colony during certain periods of the past year, I look upon Messrs. May and Caldwell as entitled to great credit for the activity and zeal shown by them in their respective posts.
15. The gaol has, I have already said, been commenced upon for extension, and I wish to state my objection to the scheme at one time proposed, whereby a second gaol was to be built elsewhere.
16. This measure would entail a double establishment and an increased expenditure, while it is most important to bear in mind the fact that the present site is the healthiest in the island, a matter of no little consequence when a crowded gaol is the subject of our consideration.
17. In due time the enlargement of the gaol will render possible the proper classification of prisoners.
18. The Registrar General has given 75,003 as the population of the island; but I am greatly inclined to question the accuracy of this return, it is less than last year's by some 1,600, and only about 4,000 over that for 1856. It is most evident to me that the crowds in the houses and streets are far more numerous than I have ever yet seen them at any period since the census was first taken.
19. The outlying villages may have diminished in population, for the Colonial Surgeon's Report makes mention of an estimated number of 1,400 falling victims to cholera in Aberdeen alone, but as the main contributor to the Census Return is the city of Victoria, I look to the districts of this city for
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