דיזי - rד
No. 11.
HONG KONG
No. 6. No. 7.
No. 8.
No. 9.
No. 10.
2
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
39,017 persons, exclusive of troops. As to the climate, the report of Dr. Harland, the acting colonial surgeon, appended to the Blue Book, contains very accurate statistical information connected with this subject. The sanitary condition of the colonial gaol is given in the enclosed return from the acting sheriff, which shows that amongst its inmates, averaging 138 throughout the year, only three deaths occurred, and all in January. enclosed memorandum, the mortality amongst the European troops was 5.7 per According to the cent., being an increase over that of 1852, when it was 36 per cent. number of deaths amongst the native troops (Malays and natives of India) was at the rate of 5.3 per cent. being a decrease of nearly 50 per cent. on the mortality during 1852, when it amounted to 10-02 per cent.
Education.
The
7. No remarkable change has taken place in the number of the local schools; and as to the progress of the five native ones receiving Government aid, I would refer your Grace to the annexed report of the education committee entering fully into the subject.
Trade.
8. The information under this head, from the unwillingness of the parties concerned to afford it (Hong Kong being a free port), may still be said to be as defective as in former years; but from the acting harbour master's returns annexed to the blue book, it will be perceived that 1,103 square-rigged vessels, carrying altogether 447,053 tons, arrived in Victoria harbour during the year 1853. Of these vessels, 201 imported and 154 exported goods into and from the colony, being a very considerable increase over the numbers returned for 1852, when they amounted to 74 and 79 vessels respectively. The total tonnage of vessels arrived, as compared with that of the preceding year, is also on the increase, and shows an excess of 13,670 tons in 1853. The inclosed return of imports and exports for the year 1853, by the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamers alone, gives the following result when compared with the previous year:
11.
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
beg to transmit herewith two statements for the year 1853, showing respectively, the causes under cognizance at the chief magistrate's office and the Court of Petty Sessions, and the criminal cases tried in the Supreme Court; also, a return of the number of civil cases tried and actions commenced in the Supreme and Vice Admiralty Courts, during the same period.
General Observations.
12. As I am about to quit the colony in a few days, after having administered its government for upwards of six years, I beg to annex some statistical tables showing its rise and progress from 1848, the date of my taking charge of it. From these, your Grace will observe that the call on the home Government for parliamentary grant has been reduced from 25,000l. to 8,500l. for the current year; that the expenditure has been reduced from 62,6581. to 36,418/.; that the number of square-rigged vessels frequenting the port has increased from 700 to 1,103, while their tonnage is nearly double; and that the population has in like manner advanced 82 per cent. during the past six years. In conclusion, I have no hesitation in saying, that were this colony taxed in the same way as are the settlements in the straits under the government of the East India Company, it could in a year or two be made to pay its own expenses, without the efficiency of the government being impaired; but I have considered myself bound by the opinions expressed by the committee of the House of Commons, in the session of 1847, upon our commercial relations with China, and in consequence refrained from the imposition of any new taxes. I must, however, with great deference say, after an experience of twenty-two years in the settlements of Prince of Wales Island, Singapore, and Malacca, and six at Hong Kong, I am by no means satisfied with the conclusions which the committee appears to have arrived at in this respect.
I have, &c. (Signed)
The Duke of Newcastle, &c. &c. &c.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
S. G. BONHAM.
222
HONG KONG.
No. 12.
No. 13.
No. 14.
No. 15.
Encl. 2 in No. 7.
1
Chests of opium Treasure
Imports. 36,499; Increase $10,776,085;
20,752 $10,659,774
Exports.
$3,742,914
Treasure
$2,331,931; Decrease
With regard to the native trade of the colony, I am satisfied it has increased in an equal ratio with the population; but, unfortunately, no reliable statistics on the subject can be given, owing to the absence of any means of obtaining regular returns.
The trade with California has continued undimished, no less than 32 vessels having left for that port during the past year, conveying in them 4,949 Chinese; three vessels have likewise left for the colonies, carrying 268 emigrants.
Crown Lands.
9. The following statement is an abstract of the rent roll for 1853, and exhibits the fixed revenue under this head:
Lands leased by mercantile firms
£ S. d.
4,721 12 4
17
Private individuals Chinese
4,439 8 102
"
11
1,586 10 9
£10,747 12 0
Police.
10. The inclosed return of felony cases coming under the cognizance of the police, shows a decrease of fifty-two cases in 1853.
SIR,
Surveyor General's Department, Victoria, Hong Kong, March 27, 1854. I HAVE the honour to submit my annual report upon the public works under- taken during the last year.
Buildings.
New Government House progressed very slowly indeed, in consequence of the partial failure of the contractor, and a strike amongst the masons to whom a considerable sum of money being due, I was obliged to make arrangements myself for payment, and enter into agreements for the completion of certain unfinished portions, both of the stonework and brickwork, in accordance with the terms of the contract, which empowered me to do so, charging the cost of the several portions against the amount of contract. By these means I have been enabled to expedite the work in some degree, and force the contractor to attend to his own interest, by a closer attendance to his duties and the regular pay- ment of the men. With regard to the workmanship, I have the greatest satisfaction in stating that it is of the very best description, and would do credit to European artisans. I have adopted every expedient I could devise for the preservation of the timber, by giving to it ample ventilation, by saturation in a solution of arsenic, and coating it with coal tar according to circumstances, which my experience in buildings here has taught me to be essentially necessary for the prevention of dry rot, and the destructive effects of white ants.
Contracts have been entered into for the erection of the stables, kitchen and servants' The quarters, as well as for the guardhouse or lodge, considerably within the estimate. whole of the works required for the completion of the service will be completed and the premises fit for occapation about the end of the present year. Expenditure during the year, 3,8431. 38. 6d.
Debtors' gaol, guardhouse and gaoler's house (Report and estimate, No. 5 of 1851). The two last-named buildings were commenced at the latter end of the year 1852, and The site for the debtors' gaol being the service is now fast approaching completion.
occupied, this building was not commenced until the month of August last. Expendi- ture during the year, 1,1537. 88. 4d.
A new police station for Wong-nei-chung, upon the site of Leighton's Godown, was authorized under Report and estimate No. 19 of 1853, and commenced in the month of August.
Site (and road to) Government House (Report and estimate No. 11 of 1853). A 2
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.