CO882-(1-2) — Page 238

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TEC.O. 882

سلسالسا

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Return of officers and men short of establishment.

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2ndly. I should wish to have a report upon the commissariat department, detailing their duties, the pay and allowances of the establishment, and general... cost annually to the Government. It will be also desirable that I should be made acquainted with the nature and value of the public stores in charge of the commissariat, together with a description of the buildings in their possession, pointing out the amount of stores they are calculated to contain, and exhibiting at the same time what portion of the store-rooms, if any, are vacant.

3rdly. You are aware of the contents of my despatch, No. 10, of 25th January last, relative to the strength of this garrison and its expenditure; and if you are able to afford me any further explanation upon this head, I shall be glad to profit by it.

4thly. It is of the utmost importance that every possible reduction should be made compatible with the objects for which the public departments have been established; and if therefore it appears to you that any two or more establishments can with benefit to the service admit of being amalgamated, or that you are of opinion any may be dispensed with, I shall feel thankful for your views thereon, accompanied by such remarks as may appear hecessary from the head of the department likely to be affected by a change in its numbers, expenditure, or otherwise.

Lastly. Bearing in mind the very heavy expense incurred by the Crown in this colony in the departments generally, both civil, naval, and military, do you consider it feasible or advisable to abolish the establishment of the naval store- keeper by causing his duties to be shared by the commissariat and ordnance departments? our known experience on these points must be productive of much advantage to the public service; and therefore I have been induced to request you to afford me the information so essential for carrying out the instructions of Earl Grey.

I have, &c.

Sir,

(Signed)

Enclosure 4.

S. G. BONHAM,

Governor.

Major-General Staveley to Governor Bonham.

Hong Kong, April 20, 1849.

WITH reference to your Excellency's letter to me of the 3rd instant, and to the despatch of Earl Grey calling on you to institute a strict investigation into the expenditure of this colony, civil, naval, and military, I have the honour to transmit the enclosed reports from the respective officers of Ordnance, the Commanding Royal Engineer, the Ordnance Storekeeper, Barrack Department, and the Assistant-Commissary-General.

The return of ordnance stores is not yet prepared in consequence of the death of one of the clerks and the illness of another, but will be sent as soon as possible.

The value of ordnance stores can only be ascertained in England, as it varies according to the different contracts and other circumstances, which are not made known to the departments in the colonies.

On the third part of your letter, relative to the strength and expenditure of this garrison, I know nothing to add to my Military Secretary's letter dated 28th December, 1848, and my memorandum dated 27th January, 1849, but I enclose a return showing the number of officers and men short of our establish. ment; and when the great length of time is considered which must elapse before vacancies can be filled up which are occasioned by death, sick leave, removal, or promotion to other corps, I am still more impressed with the opinion that our small military establishment in this remote command can admit of no reduction. On the fourth point of your Excellency's inquiry, I am clearly of opinion that no two or more of the military establishments can be amalgamated more than they already are, nor any dispensed with; nor do I think it would be desirable to charge the commissariat or ordnance storekeepers' departments with the duties of naval storekeeper.

The Ordnance storekeeper declares distinctly that he could not undertake

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any part of the naval storekeeper's duty; and considering the daily changes which take place in the naval force here, I conceive that a considerable addition would be required to the commissariat to enable it to perform the duties of the victualling branch of the naval storekeeper's department, besides other incon- veniences alluded to in the last paragraph of Assistant-Commissary-General Smith's report.

I have, &c. (Signed)

Sir,

*/.

W. STAVELEY,

Major-General Commanding the Troops.

Enclosure 5.

The Officers of Ordnance to the Major of Brigade.

Office of Ordnance, Victoria, Hong Kong, April 20, 1849. WE have the honour to inclose herewith the information, &c., required in your letter to us of the 4th instant, so far as the royal engineer's department is concerned, viz. :-

A report of the amount already expended upon the public buildings, &c., as well as a schedule of the pay and allowances of all persons belonging to the Royal engineer department, together with a table showing the duties which each individual is required to perform.

Likewise a schedule of the pay and allowances of all persons in the ordnance storekeeper's and barrack departments; and a statement of the duties which the officers and clerks in the Ordnance storekeeper's office are required to perform, together with a letter from the Ordnance storekeeper on the subject, in which he states his inability to undertake any part of the duties of the naval storekeeper in addition to those which he has now to perform.

We also enclose a table showing the duties which the barrack master and

the different persons in his department are required to perform.

We regret to state, with reference to our letter to you of the 17th instant, that the Ordnance storekeeper will be unable to complete the return of stores, &c., before next week.

In transmitting these returns, &c., we beg leave to observe that in our opinion no reduction can be made in any branch of the Ordnance departments at this station without injury to the public service, taking into consideration the nature of the climate, and the important duties which each individual has to perform.

(Signed)

HENRY ST. HILL,

Store Keeper.

We have, &c.

(Signed)

JOHN L. C. TETLEY,

Actg. Dy. Store Keeper.

GEORGE PHILLPOTTS,

Lt. Col. Comg. R. Eng.

J. EYRE,

Lt.-Col. Comg. R. Artillery.

P. S.-There is no alteration whatever in the schedule of duties, pay, and allowances of the Royal Artillery sent in on the 8th January, 1849.

(Signed)

H. ST. H.

J. L. C. T.

(Signed)

G. P.

J. E.

Enclorure 6.

RETURN of the Troops serving in the China command, showing the number required to complete the establishment of each Corps.

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RODNEY MYLIUS, Captain, Brigade-Major.