SIR,
1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
(No. 387.)
Enclosure in No. 20.
273
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hong Kong,
June 1, 1861.
It is two months since I received in draft the Blue Book of this Colony for the past year, 1860; but I find, on my recent return from leave of absence, that, owing to pressure of work in the office, it is only now that I am enabled to place it herewith in your Excellency's hands.
2. All the occurrences of the year having passed under your Excellency's own observation, it is not necessary that I make the customary report on this occasion otherwise than briefly.
3. The population shows an increase of nearly 8,000, being 86,941 in 1859, and 94,917 in 1860; while to the houses a large, and to the boats a considerable addition has been made, being 600 to the former, and to the latter 139. The number of houses in 1859 was 4,201, and in 1860, 4,861; of boats, 3,786 in 1859, and 3,925 in 1860.
4. As to Revenue and Expenditure, the returns are, for 1859, revenue, 65,225l. 0s. 2d.; expenditure, 66,109l. 3s. 9d.; for 1860, revenue, 94,182l. 10s. 3d.; expenditure, 72,890l. 12s. 10d., showing an increase of nearly 30,000l. on the revenue, against a little over 6,000l. increase in the expenditure.
5. The Shipping exhibits a great augmentation; but as the past year is concerned with the large transport service of the recent expeditionary force, it may be well not to frame any decided conclusions on this particular proof of prosperity, satisfactory though it be.
6. In connection with the shipping interests, however, it may be noted that a signal station has been established at Victoria Peak, 1,770 feet above the sea, and that the dockyard at Aberdeen has been completed, and is now in full work. There is ample room, however, for three or four dockyards in Hong Kong, and enquiries about Stonecutters' Island have been made, with a view to the construction of one or more at that spot.
7. The legislative enactments have been 19 in number. Three are connected with the Merchant Shipping Act; one regulates pawnbroking, or I should say seeks to regulate, for hitherto it has been a dead letter, through the power of combination so remarkably possessed by the Chinese; one organizes a system of cargo boats, and provides a remedy against the habitual plundering of goods between ship and shore; this was also strongly opposed by the Chinese, but is now in successful operation; another ordinance provides waterworks for Victoria; another establishes a civil list for the Government of the Colony; and another gives some security to the public against the adventures of the press. The rest of the legislative measures require no special mention.
8. Coming to the state of the departments, I regret that I can give no more favourable report than last year. Four public officers have died; Messrs. Newman and Gunthorpe, acting harbour masters; Walker, assistant surveyor, and Cooper Turner, crown solicitor, while Mr. Chapman, postmaster general, and Mr. Inglis, harbour master, have both quitted the Colony in a state of health that renders it impossible for either to resume his duties.
9. In addition to the loss sustained in these officers, I may note that Mr. Lobscheid, inspector of Government schools, has resigned, and that Messrs. Forth, Rennie, Mitchell, Masson, and Murray are absent in England on leave.
10. In fact, at the present moment, out of 20 chiefships of a department, or like offices, 12 are held on acting appointments, and of the remaining eight, two, if not three, are likely to be soon invalided.
11. The Harbour Master's Department alone has had no less than five heads during the year,—Messrs. Newman, Gunthorpe, Harris, Thomsett, and Inglis.
12. During six months of the year Mr. Alexander, registrar of the Supreme Court, presided most ably at the police magistracy.
13. I am bound to say, on the subject of our police, that the materiel of our force shows no improvement during the past year; nevertheless their duties as a preventive body are tolerably conducted. The question is one which has baffled one, and all of us for years past, but I do not despair yet of seeing something in the form of a constabulary more creditable to the Colony.
14. The Surveyor General's Department has been fully occupied; the Harbour Master's Office is nearly ready; the Gaol Buildings are progressing, and considerable activity has been shown in the construction and improvement of roads.
15. The villages of Aberdeen (the locality of the dockyard) and Showkeawan have been settled, and the irregular mode of squatting checked. The land in both places has been duly surveyed, planned, and sold. The tenants, therefore, have legal property in their ground, secured by Crown leases.
SIR,
1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
(No. 387.)
Enclosure in No. 20.
273
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hong Kong,
June 1, 1861.
Ir is two months since I received in draft the Blue Book of this Colony for the past year, 1860; but I find, on my recent return from leave of absence, that, owing to pressure of work in the office, it is only now that I am enabled to place it herewith in your Excellency's hands.
2. All the occurrences of the year having passed under your Excellency's own observation, it is not necessary that I make the customary report on this occasion otherwise than briefly.
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3. The population shows an increase of nearly 8,000, being 86,941 in 1859, and 94,917 in 1860; while to the houses a large, and to the boats a considerable addition has been made, being 600 to the former,, and to the latter 139. The number of houses in 1859 was 4,201, and in 1860, 4,861; of boats, 3,786 in 1859, and 3,925 in 1860.
4. As to Revenue and Expenditure, the returns are,for 1859, revenue, 65,2251. Os. 21d.; expenditure, 66,1091. 3s. 9§d.; for 1860, revenuc, 94,182), 10s. 3d.; expenditure, 72,8901. 12s. 10d., showing an increase of nearly 30,000%. on the revenue, against a little over 6,0001. increase in the expenditure.
5. The Shipping exhibits a great augmentation; but as the past year is concerned with the large transport service of the recent expeditionary force, it may be well not to frame any decided conclusions on this particular proof of prosperity, satisfactory though it be.
6. In connection with the shipping interests, however, it may be noted that a signal station has been established at Victoria Peak, 1,770 feet above the sea, and that the dockyard at Aberdeen has been completed, and is now in full work. There is ample room, however for three or four dockyards in Hong Kong, and enquiries about Stonecutters' Island have been made, with a view to the construction of one or more at that spot.
7. The legislative enactments have been 19 in number. Three are connected with the Merchant Shipping Act; one regulates pawnbroking, or I should say seeks to regulate, for hitherto it has been a dead letter, through the power of combination so remarkably possessed by the Chinese; one organizes a system of cargo boats, and provides a remedy against the habitual plundering of goods between ship and shore; this, was also strongly opposed by the Chinese, but is now in successful operation; another ordinance provides waterworks for Victoria; another establishes a civil list for the Government of the Colony; and another gives some security to the public against the adventures of the press. The rest of the legislative measures require no special mention. 8. Coming to the state of the departments, I regret that I can give no more favourable report than last year. Four public officers have died; Messrs. Newman and Gunthorpe, acting harbour masters; Walker, assistant surveyor, and Cooper Turner, crown solicitor, while Mr. Chapman, postmaster general, and Mr. Inglis, harbour master, have both quitted the Colony in a state of health that renders it impossible for either to resume his duties.
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9. In addition to the loss sustained in these officers, I may note that Mr. Lobscheid, inspector of Government schools, has resigned, and that Messrs. Forth, Rennie, Mitchell, Masson, and Murray are absent in England on leave.
10. In fact, at the present moment, out of 20 chiefships of a department, or like. offices, 12 are held on acting appointments, and of the remaining eight, two, if not three, are likely to be soon invalided.
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11. The Harbour Master's Department alone has had no less than five heads during the year,--Messrs. Newman, Gunthorpe, Harris, Thomsett, and Inglis.
12. During six months of the year Mr. Alexander, registrar of the Supreme Court, presided most ably at the police magistracy.
+
18. I am bound to say, on the subject of our police, that the materiel of our force shows no improvement during the past year; nevertheless their duties as a preventive body are tolerably conducted. The question is one which has baffled one, and all of us for years past, but I do not despair yet of seeing something in the form of a constabulary more creditable to the Colony,
14. The Surveyor General's Department has been fully occupied; the Harbour Master's Office is nearly ready; the Gaol Buildings are progressing, and considerable activity has been shown in the construction and improvement of roads.
15. The villages of Aberdeen (the locality of the dockyard) and Showkeawan have been settled, and the irregular mode of squatting checked. The land in both places has been duly surveyed, planned, and sold. The tenants, therefore, have legal property in their ground, secured by Crown leases.
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