PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
'ग य ग
6
سلنا
Reference :-
C.O. 882
1
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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The following books are kept in this office, viz.:--
Cash Ledger.
Cash Book.
Draft Book.
Rent Book.
Remarks on Cash Accounts.
Warrant Ledger.
Draft Check Book.
Register of Contracts.
Register of Letters of Credit.
Store Ledger.
Issue of Stores.
Receipt of Stores.
Conversion of Stores Expended.
Annual Demand of Stores.
List and Check of all People Employed.
Letters from the Board to the Respective Officers of Ordnance. Letters from the Board to the Barrack.
Letters from the Board to the Civil Officers.
General Orders-Ordnance.
General Orders-Barrack.
Letters from the Barrack Master.
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Assistant Adjutant-General. Quarter-Master General.
Brigade Major.
Military Secretary.
Commanding Royal Engineer.
Commissariat Department.
Naval Department.
Various Corps and Officers.
Colonial Department.
Private Individuals.
Book of Models of Printed Forms.
Letters to the Honorable Board from the Respective Officers of
Ordnance.
Letters to the Honorable Board-Civil Officers.
Letters to Various Departments--Civil Officers.
Copies of Requisitions for Stores and Repairs.
Copies of Requisitions for Transport.
Daily Attendance of all Officers and Clerks.
Order for the Issue of Stores.
Watch Book.
Work Performed.
Storehousemen's Books (5).
Record of Encroachments.
Local General Orders.
Register of Casual Barrack Repairs.
Copies of Monthly, Quarterly, Half Yearly, and Yearly Returns: Record of Barrack Returns transmitted to the Honorable Board:
Books of Reference.
Ordnance Regulations, and 3 volumes of General Orders. Royal Warrant and Barrack Regulation, and Addenda. Orders and Regulations-Engineers and Sappers and Miners. Commissariat Regulations.
Ordnance Medical Regulations.
Finance Regulations-Royal Artillery.
1.
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Ofte of Ordnance,
April 19, 1849.
Military.
(Signed)
HENRY ST. HILL, Storekeeper.
Sir,
Enclosure 11.
Assistant-Commissary General to the Major of Brigade.
Commissariat Chinh, Hồng Kong, April 10, 1849. WITH reference to your letter of the 4th instant, I beg to annex for the information of the Honorable the Major-General commanding, a statement "detailing the duties of this department, the pay and allowances of the estab- lishment, and general cost annually to the Government." The latter part of this information is merely a transcript of what has already been furnished for a similar purpose, while the former is limited to an outline which could not well be exceeded, without a lengthy analysis of our whole business and accounts.
I note on the margin the establishment fixed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, when, by the evacuation of Chusan, the duties at Hong Kong were reduced to about their present extent; and it will be perceived that this establishment exceeds the number of persons now employed, by one Deputy-Assistant Commissary-General, and two Clerks, while the subordinate appointments have been correspondingly diminished.
Taking into consideration the great pecuniary responsibility devolving upon this department, the distance from home, the peculiarity of the climate, the necessity for having experienced officers to prepare the accounts, and conduct the charge in the event of sickness or other casualties, I am of opinion, and have reported accordingly to their Lordships, that the department could not con- sistently with efficiency, be reduced below its present strength,
At the same time, I am desirous of enlarging the sphere of its usefulness to the public service as much as possible; and with this view have already sug- gested for their Lordships' consideration, whether the duty now performed by the Colonial Treasurer could not be transferred to the Commissariat, a duty, which, if modified to our regulations, I am willing to undertake, with the addi- tional assistance (perhaps only temporary) of the Treasurer's second clerk, and which would thus effect a direct saving of 1,879% per annum.
I have also suggested for their Lordships' further consideration, whether the comparatively small amount of public works now in operation, or likely to be undertaken, could not be superintended by the Royal Engineers, and thus by abolishing the separate department hitherto maintained for the purpose, diminish the public expenditure by about 2,000l. a year more.
These suggestions have been made in furtherance of their Lordships' instruc- tions to me, as well as of what the large contributions from our chest for civil services in this country, renders an integral part of my duty. They were thé most prominent and simple to begin with, and have not been followed by others on my part, because his Excellency the Governor will probably, in compliance with the special instructions of Her Majesty's Government, go more deeply into the subject than I could, and bring under particular notice those appointments and salaries of the civil service which, it is respectfully submitted must have been fixed at first, in anticipation of a far wider sphere of action and responsi- bility, than ever has existed, or is ever likely to exist, in this limited colony.
In forwarding for bis Excellency's information an account of the stores on hand, with their estimated value, and a description of the buildings in our pos- session, I beg to observe, that it is out of my power to calculate exactly what the store rooms are capable of holding; but that the vacant portions of them might perhaps afford stowage for about three or four times the amount of their present contents. It is, however, to be further observed, that the bulk of the supplies are furnished under annual contracts, direct to the troops and military depart- ments; and that although they do not actually pass through the public magazines, still there is the same amount of minute detail required in accounting for and superintending them as if they did.
Besides, if anything should occur to disturb the successful operation of these contracts, not only would the whole of the store-rooms, and perhaps more, be immediately wanted, but an efficient staff of persons should always be ready to adopt a different system of supply, almost at a moment's notice, the necessity for such an alternative being by no means improbable in a country like this.
* 1 Assistant-Commissary-General, 2 Deputy Asistant-Commissarise-General, 4 Clerke.
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