1841-1886
OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
HONG KONG
No. 2.
301
19
Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir Richard Graves MACDONNELL, C.B., to his Grace the Duke of BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS.
(No. 384.)
MY LORD DUKE,
Government House, Hong Kong, October 29, 1867.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith the Blue Book for the year 1866, and regret that I did not forward it sooner; but great pressure of other business, and the destruction on the 1st instant by a typhoon of a quantity of manuscript papers which I had prepared for the purpose, have compelled me to delay the transmission longer than I had expected. I can now, however, accompany it with full explanations as to the most important points connected with the present position of this Colony, and the incidents affecting it during the period referred to in the enclosed Blue Book.
2. It is impossible, however, that I can forward it without some observations on the transactions and incidents of last year, as they have been specially remarkable in themselves, and will no doubt affect considerably the future of the Colony.
3. I would here premise that the circumstances of this Colony are so entirely exceptional and peculiar that it is difficult for the Executive to derive from the experience of other Colonies, or the precedents established by the practice and traditions of Europe, any adequate system for its government and legislation. Separated in some places by scarcely a mile of water from the mainland, and adjoining the provinces where the most unruly and disorderly population of the Chinese Empire reside, addicted along the seaboard for centuries to systematic piracy, and ready, if the least opening presents itself, to land on this Island in quest of booty to be obtained by force or fraud, the handful of Europeans resident here may be regarded as perpetually on the defence. And thus actual preservation of property and life becomes, under such circumstances, a consideration paramount to many interesting questions which, in England, naturally occupy much of public attention in connexion with the reformation of criminals and the education of the people.
4. It is only necessary, in order to comprehend the exceptional position of Hong Kong, to remember that the whole surface of the Island scarcely occupies 18 square miles, consisting chiefly of hills producing a scanty herbage, and that, except a few small gardens and paddy grounds, agriculture is almost unknown. Whilst, nevertheless, the number of passengers visiting and leaving the city of Victoria alone cannot, as I shall presently show, be estimated at less than 600,000 annually, consisting almost entirely of Chinese, a race the most opposite in their habits, thoughts, and religion to Western nations, and also the most confirmed in their ancient prejudices and customs; added to which is the lingering idea of the superiority of their own ancient but worn-out civilization.
5. The weakness of the Central Chinese Government, and the little control possessed by its officers even over portions of their more immediate districts, is another fertile source of difficulty in the administration of this Government, as the effective aid which might otherwise be looked for in the repression of crime and piracy on the adjoining mainland and its vicinity must not be expected here, though it certainly is withheld from no reluctance, but entirely from a want of power to afford it. A marked improvement even in that respect is now apparent, aided here by repeated remonstrances which I have addressed to the Viceroy of the neighbouring province through Consul Robertson of Canton, who has in all such matters assisted most ably and willingly.
6. I would here desire to guard myself against being supposed, in any of my previous observations, to imply that the Chinese, as a race, are less obedient to law, or less devoted to peaceful and industrial pursuits, than Europeans. The immense number of criminally disposed persons who hover round this place, and against whom the peculiar and special precautions are necessary to which I have alluded, are the refuse of a very large population, numbering 30 millions in the adjoining Quang provinces,
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