1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
247
into separate cells. I was able to appoint a trained warder and a trained head turnkey selected from the convict service in England, and to employ a few trusty Chinese assistant turnkeys instead of some unsatisfactory Europeans of a low class who had been repeatedly fined for drunkenness and for beating prisoners. With respect to this latter reform, which has undoubtedly tended to establish a better system of prison discipline, I take this opportunity of correcting a misconception into which the "Daily News" and some other London newspapers fell in referring to the Despatches on flogging in Hong Kong laid by Sir Michael Hicks Beach before Parliament in 1879. Those journals dwelt on the selection of some trained warders from the English convict service, and the appointment of Chinese turnkeys who would know something of the language and habits of the prisoners, as reforms in Hong Kong for which I deserved credit. But, in point of fact, the entire credit of those appointments is due to Lord Carnarvon. Having received a Despatch from my predecessor describing the misconduct and incompetence of the gaol subordinates, his Lordship in writing to me, a few weeks after my arrival, said :-
"I would suggest for your consideration, whether it would not be expedient to select two trained warders from the home service at £150 each, to be on an equality with the officer at present styled Head Turnkey, to weed out from the present class of turnkeys the most unsatisfactory members of the class, as occasion may justify their removal, to reduce the total number of the class say to six or eight, and to employ some trusty Chinese as assistant turnkeys under strict European supervision."
59. I was, therefore, only the medium of carrying into effect the Secretary of State's suggestions.
60. The two warders selected in England came from the staff of the convict prison at Chatham. One of them is now the warden with a salary of £255 a year; and he is competent to act as Deputy Superintendent. He has done good service in reforming the gaol discipline. But Lord Carnarvon's idea of having some Chinese turnkeys has been one of the most interesting and useful reforms effected in the Hong Kong prison.
61. That those reforms and a few minor ones have been worked well is mainly due, however, to the fact that Mr. Tonnochy, the Superintendent of the gaol, is a thoroughly good officer.
62. Four years' ago I drew Lord Carnarvon's attention to the excessive number of floggings in Hong Kong, and to the undue severity, in some cases leading, in the opinion of the Colonial Surgeon, to loss of life, with which the lash had been applied. In a report dated July 1877 the Colonial Surgeon said:-
"I have noticed that in all floggings of Chinese with the cat, that they suffer, besides the external injury of the skin, more or less from congestion of the lungs afterwards, and in old cases where the floggings have been severe, irreparable injury has been done."
623
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1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
247
into separate cells. I was able to appoint a trained warder and a trained head turnkey selected from the convict service in England, and to employ a few trusty Chinese assistant turnkeys instead of some unsatisfactory Europeans of a low class who had been repeatedly fined for drunkenness and for beating prisoners. With respect to this latter reform, which has undoubtedly tended to establish a better system of prison discipline, I take this opportunity of correcting a misconception into which the "Daily News" and some other London newspapers fell in referring to the Despatches on flogging in Hong Kong laid by Sir Michael Hicks Beach before Parliament in 1879. Those journals dwelt on the selection of some trained warders from the English convict service, and the appointment of Chinese turnkeys who would know something of the language and habits of the prisoners, as reforms in Hong Kong for which I deserved credit. But, in point of fact, the entire credit of those appointments is due to Lord Carnarvon. Having received a Despatch from my pre- decessor describing the misconduct and incompetence of the gaol subordinates, his Lordship in writing to me, a few weeks after my arrival, said :-
* t
+
帚
"I would suggest for your consideration, whether it would not be expedient to select two trained warders from the home service at 1501. each, to be on an equality with the officer at present styled Head Turnkey, to weed out from the present class of turnkeys the most unsatisfactory members of the class, as occasion may justify their removal, to reduce the total number of the class say to six or eight, and to employ some trusty Chinese as assistant turnkeys under strict European supervision."
59. I was, therefore, only the medium of carrying into effect the Secretary of State's suggestions.
60. The two warders selected in England came from the staff of the convict prison at Chatham. One of them is now the warden with a salary of 2551 a year; and he is competent to act as Deputy Superintendent. He has done good service in reforming the gaol discipline. But Lord Carnarvon's idea of having some Chinese turnkeys has been one of the most interesting and useful reforms effected in the Hong Kong prison.
*
61. That those reforms and a few minor ones have been worked well is mainly due, however, to the fact that Mr. Tonnochy, the Superintendent of the gaol, is a thoroughly good officer.
62. Four years' ago I drew Lord Carnarvon's attention to the excessive number of floggings in Hong Kong, and to the undue severity, in some cases leading, in the opinion of the Colonial Surgeon, to loss of life, with which the lash had been applied. In a report dated July 1877 the Colonial Surgeon said:-
+
;
"I have noticed that in all floggings of Chinese with the cat, that they suffer, besides the external injury of the skin, more or less from congestion of the lungs afterwards, and in old cases where the floggings have been severe, irreparable injury has been done.":
:
623
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