HONG KONG,
3
£
d
5,050 0 2,858 0
7,838 0
3
Less
1,486 12 2
2
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
and to 23,1767. respectively. The increase of expenditure in 1848 over that of 1847, namely, 6371. is to be accounted for by the purchase of a Court-house for 5000, and increase of expenditure on account of public buildings, amounting to 28581. Os. 3d., the joint sums being a total of 78581. Os. 3d., from which, however, it will be necessary to deduct a decrease under the head of
£915 8 5 transport of
That of roads, streets, and bridges
And of miscellaneous
Being in all
385 1 0
186 2 9
£1486 12 2
6,318 And thus a balance will remain of 63711. 8s. 1d. actual increase, and considering the importance and utility of the buildings erected, and now in occupation, namely, a Court-house, the Government offices and the church, I trust this explanation will prove satisfactory.
No. 2.
No 3
Public Works.
4. There is no public building or work of any description now in progress, save the extension of the harbour-master's pier. This will, when finished, be a work of utility, but its completion has been retarded by its being found that it can only be worked upon at very low tides, which only occur in the southerly monsoon: and I hope that it will be completed during that now approaching. With the exception of a Government house, the colony is not at present in want of any more civil buildings. Your Lordship's Despatch, No. 57, of the 21st September, 1848, rendered it imperative upon me to stop some trifling public works and improvements to roads, bridges, streets, and drains, then in progress; but when I have the means, such of them as appear to me to be essentially necessary will be completed.
Since the Report on the Blue Book of 1847, the Court-house has been occupied; the Government offices, with out-offices, have been completed and in occupation since the 6th November last; the church finished, and service performed therein for the first time yesterday. The new bridge at the Nullah, near the North Barracks, was opened during the past year. The site for the Government house has also been levelled and prepared, and the gaols have been considerably improved, and are now well ventilated, healthy, and secure. The usual yearly reports by the Surveyor-General are herewith enclosed.
Military Expenditure.
5. The military expenditure has, I am happy to say, considerably diminished when compared with 1847, in which year it amounted to 115,149, whereas that for 1848 is only 80,778., being a decrease of 34,371.; but over works and other expenses connected with this department I have no control, as they are ordered, completed, and paid for without the Governor being in any way consulted.
Legislation.
6. Under the head of legislation, two Ordinances were passed during the year 1848, No. 1 providing for the manufacture and storage of gunpowder within the colony, and without the limits of Victoria, and No. 2 to amend Ordinance No. 13 of 1845, and establish two or more ghaut serangs annually, according to the requirements of the place. These two Ordinances have been fully reported on in my Despatches, Nos. 73 and 74, of the 15th September last. Two rules of Court, one providing for the execution of writs of capias on persons out of Hong Kong, and the other for the employment and remuneration of interpreters to the Supreme Court, were submitted and passed within the year, and have been since approved of by your Lordship,
Population.
7. The population return for 1848 amounts to 21,514, exclusive of troops; and when compared with that for 1847, we find the following results:-
1847 1848 Increase Decrease Europeans 603 642 39 Portuguese 264 321 57 Indians and Malays 539 213 326 Chinese 22,466 20,338 2,128 Total 23,872 21,514 2,454I have already had occasion to observe to your Lordship, that a large proportion of the Chinese residing in Hong Kong are migratory, and that they resort to the colony in proportion to the amount of labour that is required to be performed for the erection of buildings, the construction of roads, and other works, public and private. The decrease, therefore, of 2128 Chinese in 1848, is to be attributed to the gradual completion of these works having thrown a number of men out of employment, who have in consequence left Hong Kong to seek a livelihood elsewhere. That this explanation is the true one is proved by the fact of the number of Chinese traders and shopkeepers being, if anything, rather more than in 1847, and the shops built for their reception being as fully occupied. The stonemasons and other common labourers, composing the migratory population of the colony, have no fixed residences, but construct mat-houses in which they pass the nights and cook their food near to the works upon which they are employed.
Climate.
8. Notwithstanding the great mortality amongst the troops last year, and particularly in the 95th Regiment, to which it was mainly confined, I consider that Hong Kong is as healthy as other colonies and settlements situated within the same degree of latitude, and the fact of the comparatively small number of deaths in the civil, mercantile, and other classes, who refrain from exposure to the sun, leads me to view this climate as congenial to the European constitution, where common precautions are observed.
The fixed white or European population of the colony (including Americans and Portuguese, but exclusive of troops), amounted in 1848 to 689 males and 274 females, or taken together, to 963 souls; and the mortality during the year has been 83 in number or 8-61 per cent. The Blue Book shows a mortality of 125 persons under this head, but I must remark that 42 seamen are included there in the number of deaths who cannot be considered as forming a part of our fixed population. The white population in 1847 amounted to 603 males and 264 females, making a total of 867 souls; and the mortality during the year (excluding 26 seamen) was 55 or 6'34 per cent. From this comparative view your Lordship will perceive that the year 1848 exhibits an increase in mortality over the preceding one of 2-27 per cent. The following statement shows the average number of prisoners in the gaol during the years 1847 and 1848, with the deaths that occurred during the respective periods, four-fifths of whom were Chinese:-
Year Number of Prisoners Number of Deaths Percentage of Deaths to Prisoners 1847 201 12 5.97 1848 158 8 5-06A full Report has no doubt been made by the Major-General commanding in China to the proper authorities in England on the subject of the mortality among the troops during the year, but for easy reference I append a memorandum which will briefly show the number of deaths that have occurred, which, with reference to the strength of the force, shows that the deaths in the European branch amounted to 20-43 per cent., and in the native to 5-14 per cent, being an average of about 12:30 per cent. on the whole force, which may be taken at 1390.
11 A 2
HONG KONG,
3
£
d
5,050 0 2,858 0
7,838 0
3
Less
.1,486 12 2
2
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
and to 23,1767. respectively. The increase of expenditure in 1848 over that of 1847, namely, 6371. is to be accounted for by the purchase of a Court- house for 5000, and increase of expenditure on account of public buildings, amounting to 28581. Os. 3d., the joint sums being a total of 78581. Os. 3d., from which, however, it will be necessary to deduct a decrease under the head of
£915 8 5 transport of
That of roads, streets, and bridges And of miscellaneous
Being in all
385 I 0
186 2 9
£1486 12 2
6,318 And thus a balance will remain of 63711. 8s. 1d. actual increase, and consider- ing the importance and utility of the buildings erected, and now in occupation, namely, a Court-house, the Government offices and the church, I trust this explanation will prove satisfactory.
No. 2.
No 3
Public Works.
4. There is no public building or work of any description now in progress, save the extension of the harbour-master's pier. This will, when finished, be a work of utility, but its completion has been retarded by its being found that it can only be worked upon at very low tides, which only occur in the southerly monsoon: and I hope that it will be completed during that now approaching. With the exception of a Government house, the colony is not at present in want of any more civil buildings. Your Lordship's Despatch, No. 57, of the 21st September, 1848, rendered it imperative upon me to stop some trifling public works and improvements to roads, bridges, streets, and drains, then in progress; but when I have the means, such of them as appear to me to be essentially necessary will be completed.
Since the Report on the Blue Book of 1847, the Court-house has been occupied; the Government offices, with out-offices, have been completed and in occupation since the 6th November last; the church finished, and service performed therein for the first time yesterday. The new bridge at the Nullah, near the North Barracks, was opened during the past year. The site for the Government house has also been levelled and prepared, and the gaols have been considerably improved, and are now well ventilated, healthy, and secure. The usual yearly reports by the Surveyor-General are herewith enclosed.
Military Expenditure.
5. The military expenditure has, I am happy to say, considerably diminished when compared with 1847, in which year it amounted to 115, 149, whereas that for 1848 is only 80,778., being a decrease of 34,371.; but over works and other expenses connected with this department I have no control, as they are ordered, completed, and paid for without the Governor being in any way consulted.
Legislation.
6. Under the head of legislation, two Ordinances were passed during the year 1848, No. 1 providing for the manufacture and storage of gunpowder within the colony, and without the limits of Victoria, and No. 2 to amend Ordinance No. 13 of 1845, and establish two or more ghaut serangs annually, according to the requirements of the place. These two Ordinances have been fully reported on in my Despatches, Nos. 73 and 74, of the 15th September last. Two rules of Court, one providing for the execution of writs of capias on persons out of Hong Kong, and the other for the employment and remunera- tion of interpreters to the Supreme Court, were submitted and passed within the year, and have been since approved of by your Lordship,
Population.
7. The population return for 1848 amounts to 21,514, exclusive of troops; and when compared with that for 1847, we find the following results:-
291
.STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
3
HONG KONG.
1847.
1848. Increase. Decrease.
Europeans Portuguese
603
642
264
321
32 57
Indians and Malays Chinese
539
213
22,466 20,338
326 2,128
Total
23,872 21,514
99 2,454
I have already had occasion to observe to your Lordship, that a large pro- portion of the Chinese residing in Hong Kong are migratory, and that they resort to the colony in proportion to the amount of labour that is required to be performed for the erection of buildings, the construction of roads, and other works, public and private. The decrease, therefore, of 2128 Chinese in 1848, is to be attributed to the gradual completion of these works having thrown a number of men out of employment, who have in consequence left Hong Kong to seek a livelihood elsewhere. That this explanation is the true one is proved by the fact of the number of Chinese traders and shopkeepers being, if anything, rather more than in 1847, and the shops built for their reception being as fully occupied. The stonemasons and other common labourers, composing the migratory population of the colony, have no fixed residences, but construct mat-houses in which they pass the nights and cook their food near to the works upon which they are employed.
Climate.
8. Notwithstanding the great mortality amongst the troops last year, and particularly in the 95th Regiment, to which it was mainly confined, I consider that Hong Kong is as healthy as other colonies and settlements situated within the same degree of latitude, and the fact of the comparatively small number of deaths in the civil, mercantile, and other classes, who refrain from exposure to the sun, leads me to view this climate as congenial to the European constitu- tion, where common precautions are observed.
The fixed white or European population of the colony (including Americans and Portuguese, but exclusive of troops), amounted in 1848 to 689 males and 274 females, or taken together, to 963 souls; and the mortality during the year has been 83 in number or 8-61 per cent. The Blue Book shows a mor- tality of 125 persons under this head, but I must remark that 42 seamen are included there in the number of deaths who cannot be considered as forming a part of our fixed population. The white population in 1847 amounted to 603 males and 264 females, making a total of 867 souls; and the mortality during the year (excluding 26 seamen) was 55 or 6'34 per cent. From this comparative view your Lordship will perceive that the year 1848 exhibits an increase in mortality over the preceding one of 2-27 per cent. The following statement shows the average number of prisoners in the gaol during the years 1847 and 1848, with the deaths that occurred during the respective periods, four-fifths of whom were Chinese:-
Number
Year.
of Prisoners.
Number of Deaths.
Per centage of Deaths to Prisoners.
1847
1848
201
158
12
8
5.97
5-06
A full Report has no doubt been made by the Major-General commanding in China to the proper authorities in England on the subject of the mortality among the troops during the year, but for easy reference I append a memo- randum which will briefly show the number of deaths that have occurred, which, with reference to the strength of the force, shows that the deaths in the European branch amounted to 20-43 per cent., and in the native to 5-14 per cent, being an average of about 12:30 per cent. on the whole force, which may
be taken at 1390.
11 A 2
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