Delegraphs.
13. The system of telegraphs in the Island of Hongkong was extended to British Kau-lung last year, by a submarine cable. Two years ago, another cable was run across from the main island to Green Island. All the Police stations in the Colony have thus been put in direct communication with the Central station in the town of Victoria.
Typhoon Breakwater.
14. Sir Arthur Kennedy's despatch of the 14th October, 1874, showed that the typhoon of that year destroyed, in a few hours, a considerable number of the Junk population of this Colony. One of the reports he enclosed said :--
"The losses sustained by Chinese Junks, as far as they could be ascertained, are, sunk, and total loss, 185 Junks; repairable, 455; but this does not by any means show the terrible havoc which the typhoon has made with this description of vessel. I have only been enabled to count vessels stranded, and those sunk having their masts above water. Hundreds of smaller Junks and boats must have been driven out to sea, or gone down in the Harbour, of which nothing can ever be known."
15. Of the bodies of Chinese found drowned, and duly registered, there were 419 adult males, 152 adult females, and 141 children. The fact that many families reside permanently in these Junks, accounts for the deaths of the women and children. In forwarding those figures to the Colonial Secretary, the Registrar General reported that the Returns did not show the actual loss of life, which, he thought, might be roughly estimated at thrice that recorded. Two other members of the Executive Council estimated the loss of life amongst the Junk population of the Colony, as between four and five thousand. The probability is that all these people were drowned in about fifty minutes, when the force of the typhoon was at its maximum.
16. Soon after my arrival in Hongkong, my attention was drawn to the subject by some of the Chinese merchants who had presented Memorials in 1874 and 1875 to the Government, praying that steps might be taken to protect the boat population from similar calamities in future. I read Lord Carnarvon's despatch of the 18th November, 1874, describing the deep personal interest the Queen had manifested in the calamity of 1874; and, on enquiry, I ascertained that competent authorities were of opinion that it was possible to prevent this lamentable loss of life in future.
17. Seeing that the construction of breakwaters at certain points in the Harbour might save the lives of the floating population during a typhoon, I instructed the Public Works Department to prepare an estimate of the probable cost of such places of refuge.
18. From Admiral Watson, then the Commodore on this station, and Captain Bonham Bax of Her Majesty's Ship Sylvia, I received valuable suggestions as to the best sites for the breakwaters. Admiral Ryder also approved of the scheme, and gave me his best assistance in maturing it.
19. Some of the leading Chinese merchants, who were good enough to thank the Government for moving in the matter, assured me that they regarded the protection of the Junk population as being of such vital importance to the Colony, that they had contemplated raising a subscription amongst themselves to defray the cost of the necessary works.
20. Remembering, however, on the one hand, what a considerable sum the Treasury obtains from the Opium farm and other taxes, to which the Chinese contribute so largely, and, on the other hand, how essential this laborious Junk population is to the transit of goods and the ordinary commercial operations upon which the prosperity of Hongkong depends, I was of opinion that the breakwater should be built at the cost of the public. I submitted the plans and estimates to Her Majesty's Government in November 1877. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach authorized me to begin the work in 1878, but the Survey Department having avowed its inability to undertake any special work of this kind until the repairs of the Praya wall were finished, it was only this year that the work was taken in hand by the Acting Surveyor General.
21. The breakwater is now being constructed in Cause-way Bay, a part of the Harbour selected for the purpose by a joint Committee of Naval and Colonial Officers. It will cost about £16,000.
Education
22. The reports for the last two years of the Acting Head Master of the Central School and of the Inspector of Schools, show some progress of late in education. The state of public instruction in this Colony is not, however, what it should be.
23. No doubt, the important changes made in the Grant-in-aid scheme by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach have given very general satisfaction, and removed a grievance under which more than three-fourths of the Christian community suffered, and which, I found, had prevented the Roman Catholic Bishop,
المراة
Delegraphs.
13. The system of telegraphs in the Island of Hongkong was extended to British Kau-lung last year, by a submarine cable. Two years ago, another cable was run across from the main island to Green Island. All the Police stations in the Colony have thus been put in direct communication with the Central station in the town of Victoria.
Typhoon Breakwater.
14. Sir Arthur Kennedy's despatch of the 14th October, 1874, showed that the typhoon of that year destroyed, in a few hours, a considerable number of the Junk population of this Colony. One of the reports he enclosed said :--
"The losses sustained by Chinese Junks, as far as they could be ascertained, are,sunk, and total "loss, 185 Junks; repairable, 455; but this does not by any means show the terrible havoc which the "typhoon has made with this description of vessel. I have only been enabled to count vessels stranded, and those sunk having their masts above water. Hundreds of smaller Junks and boats "must have been driven out to sea, or gone down in the Harbour, of which nothing can ever be known." 15. Of the bodies of Chinese found drowned, and duly registered, there were 419 adult males, 152 adult females, and 141 children. The fact that many families reside permanently in these Junks, accounts for the deaths of the women and children. In forwarding those figures to the Colonial Secretary, the Registrar General reported that the Returns did not show the actual loss of life, which, he thought, might be roughly estimated at thrice that recorded. Two other members of the Executive Council estimated the loss of life amongst the Junk population of the Colony, as between four and five thousand. The probability is that all these people were drowned in about fifty minutes, when the force of the typhoon was at its maximum.
16. Soon after my arrival in Hongkong, my attention was drawn to the subject by some of the Chinese merchants who had presented Memorials in 1874 and 1875. to the Government, praying that steps might be taken to protect the boat population from similar calamities in future. I read Lord Carnarvon's despatch of the 18th November, 1874, describing the deep personal interest the Queen had manifested in the calamity of 187-4; and, on enquiry, I ascertained that competent authorities were of opinion that it was possible to prevent this lamentable loss of life in future.
17. Seeing that the construction of breakwaters at certain points in the Harbour might save the lives of the floating population during a typhoon, I instructed the Public Works Department to prepare an estimate of the probable cost of such places of refuge.
18. From Admiral Watson, then the Commodore on this station, and Captain Bonham Bax of Her Majesty's Ship Sylvia, I received valuable suggestions as to the best sites for the breakwaters. Admiral Ryder also approved of the scheme, and gave me his best assistance in maturing it.
19. Some of the leading Chinese merchants, who were gool enough to thank the Government for moving in the matter, assured me that they regarded the protection of the Junk population as being of such vital importance to the Colony, that they had contemplated raising a subscription amongst themselves to defray the cost of the necessary works.
20. Remembering, however, on the one hand, what a considerable sum the Treasury obtains from the Opium farm and other taxes, to which the Chinese contribute so largely, and, on the other. hand, how essential this laborious Junk population is to the transit of goods and the ordinary commercial operations upon which the prosperity of Hongkong depends, I was of opinion that the breakwater should be built at the cost of the public. I submitted the plans and estimates to Her Majesty's Government in November 1877. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach authorized me to begin the work in 1878, but the Survey Department having avowed its inability to undertake any special work of this kind until the repairs of the Praya wall were finished, it was only this year that the work was taken in hand by the Acting Surveyor General.
21. The breakwater is now being constructed in Cause-way Bay, a part of the Harbour selected for the purpose by a joint Committee of Naval and Colonial Officers. It will cost about £16,000.
Education
22. The reports for the last two years of the Acting Head Master of the Central School and of the Inspector of Schools, show some progress of late in education. The state of public instruction. in this Colony is not, however, what it should be..
23. No doubt, the important changes made in the Grant-in-aid scheme by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach have given very general satisfaction, and removed a grievance under which more than three-fourths of the Christian community suffered, and which, I found, had prevented the Roman Catholic Bishop,
المراة
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