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of incoming steamers. Most of the Chinese searchers are now accommodated, under two European officers, in the new Government building in Connaught Road Central.
Connaught Road Central. There is also an office (with searching-room) a convenient arrangement for police and public alike.
6. A glance at Table III, the table of Piracies committed in adjacent waters, shows how necessary searchers are. It is satisfactory to note that during the year no case of piracy occurred on a passenger ship outward bound from Hong Kong. A case occurred in a small cargo ship in which pirates had smuggled themselves on board as cargo coolies.
7. Crime connected with political affairs showed a big decrease. Agitators appeared to have found Hong Kong an unremunerative field for their activities. A large number of Chinese who obeyed the strike and boycott call of June 1925 drifted back to Hong Kong during 1926. Consequent unemployment was partly responsible for the increase in crime over 1925 figures. Another factor in the increase was the resumption of communications in October, which gave increased facilities for the ingress and egress of criminals domiciled in Chinese territory.
The Department is much indebted to the Police authorities in Macao for close co-operation throughout the year.
The Indian community continued its loyal attitude to the Government.
The unsettled conditions in China were reflected in the increased number of European destitutes and stowaways with whom the Police were called upon to deal. Most of these persons arrived from Chinese coast ports.
8. Table IV gives the number of Discharged Prisoners, Deportees and Vagrants dealt with by the Records Office during 1926.
GUARDS.
Number of Guards employed during the year:
1926 1925 Steamer Guards (Indian) 206 290 203 Steam Launch Guards (Chinese) Nil 4 Nil Shore Guards (Indian) 328 321 340 Shore Guards (Chinese) 22 15 22 Special L. A. Gun Guards (Indian) 50 50 50 Guards on Strength but unemployed *99 25 110 700 705 725