CO129-120 - Sir MacDonnell - 1867 [1-2] — Page 125

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

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other portions of my despatch do amply prove the vital importance, as a means of self defence, of marking in some way the convicted criminal population that visits Hongkong as a legitimate field for plunder and robbery.

b. and How to get rid of that class of criminals is a very great embarrassment. The old System did not do so, I clearly shewed that they returned again and with their numbers recruited, and preferred running every risk to abandoning so lucrative a field for robbery as this city. It therefore seemed to me necessary to do something absolutely that would be commensurate with the difficulty, and would reduce the Criminal population here, as well as the establishments required for its control, within reasonable limits.

No other mode than branding has been suggested. If any other mode sufficiently effective for purposes of identification can be devised to deter Criminals from returning, it would become a matter for consideration which plan should be adopted, but I have never heard that any mode equally effective has been suggested, and the question therefore appears now to be simply whether we must abandon the only efficient means of self defence at our disposal, and thereby expose ourselves to a continuance of wanton assaults on property and

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1 123 other portions of my despatch do amply prove the vital importance, as a means of self defence, of marking in some way the convicted criminal population that visits Hongkong as a legitimate field for plunder and robbery. b. and How to get rid of that class of criminals is a very great embarrassment. The old System did not do so, I clearly shewed that they returned again and with their numbers recruited, and preferred running every risk to abandoning so lucrative a field for robbery as this city. It therefore seemed to me necessary to do something absolutely that would be commensurate with the difficulty, and would reduce the Criminal population here, as well as the establishments required for its control, within reasonable limits. No other mode than branding has been suggested. If any other mode sufficiently effective for purposes of identification can be devised to deter Criminals from returning, it would become a matter for consideration which plan should be adopted, but I have never heard that any mode equally effective has been suggested, and the question therefore appears now to be simply whether we must abandon the only efficient means of self defence at our disposal, and thereby expose ourselves to a continuance of wanton assaults on property and
Baseline (Original)
1 123 other portions of my despatch do amply prove as a means No 160 the vital importance, of self defence, of marking in some way the convicted Criminal population that visits Hongkong regards الذ as OL legitimate field for plunder and robbery. b. and How to get rid of that class of > for criminals is a very great embarrassment. The old System did not do so, I clearly shewed that they returned again and with their numbers agam 8 am recruited, and preferred running every risk to abandoning so lucrative arima for robbery as this bity. It therefore seemed to me necesary to do do som something absolutely that would { be commensurate with the difficulty, and would reduce the Criminal population here, as well the establishments required for its control, within reasonable limits, other mode than branding Y. If any sufficiently for purposes of identification can be devised to deter Criminals from returning, it would become matter for consideration which plan should be adopted, but I have never heard that any mode equally effective has been suggested, and the question therefore ست appears now to be simply whether we must abandon the only efficient means of self defence at pur disposal, and thereby expose ourselves to a continuance of wanton assaults on property and
2026-05-19 15:36:04 · Baseline
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1

123

other

portions of my despatch

do amply prove

as a means

No 160

the vital importance,

of self defence, of marking

in some way the convicted Criminal

population that visits Hongkong

regards

الذ

as

OL

legitimate field for

plunder and robbery.

b.

and

How to

get

rid of

that

class of

>

for

criminals is a very great embarrassment.

The old System did not do so, I clearly shewed that they returned

again

and

with their numbers

agam

8

am

recruited, and preferred running every

risk to abandoning so lucrative

arima

for robbery

as this bity. It

therefore seemed to me

necesary

to do

do som

something

absolutely

that would

{

be

commensurate with the difficulty, and would reduce the Criminal population here,

as well the establishments required for

its control, within reasonable limits,

other mode than branding

Y.

If

any

sufficiently for purposes of identification can be devised to deter Criminals from

returning, it would become matter for consideration which plan should be adopted, but I have never heard that

any mode equally effective has been

suggested, and the question therefore

ست

appears now to be simply whether we

must abandon the only efficient

means

of self defence at

pur

disposal, and

thereby expose ourselves to a continuance

of wanton assaults

on

property and

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