11.839
The attached statement shows the present state of the Police Horses. Nos. 1 to 9 inclusive are the survivors of the batch that I brought from Calcutta in March, 1868.
They are all sound with the exception of No. 1, who is now under treatment for a slight strain of the suspensory ments of the near foro leg. Of the remaining horses, Nos. 15, 16, 18 and 19 are unsafe to ride and unfit for further service, I would recommend that they be sold and re-placed by Japanese or Chinese ponies. The latter, being hardier and requiring less attention than horses, are best suited to out-station work, where of necessity they are at the mercy of a Chinese coolie,
The remaining, Nos. 11, 12, 13, 14 and 17 are beginning to be worn out, but can still perform light work on level roads, they are useful at Nos. 1, 7, and Showkewan Stations.
The Central Station stables have been recently improved by substituting a stone floor for one of soft brick. The veran dala has been closed in with thick mat screens, which protect the stalls from the sun during day and from cold draughts of air at night.
Sickness has greatly decreased since these alterations were made.
The new stable at the East and West Point Stations are, as regards internal arrangement, probably as good as any in the Colony, but their distance from Head Quarters is a serious objection in cases of sudden illness.
The stables at Aberbeen and Showkewan are, as has been frequently reported, unfit for the purpose.
At Stanley no accommodation whatever has been provided. The nature of Police duty renders it peculiarly productiva of disease in horses. An animal that has only had patrol work for days has suddenly to go off 8 or 10 miles at a good pace, and that frequently during the hottest time of the day. A walk up and down in the sun for an hour is not a sufficient res torative for an animal that has taken an express 11 miles to this Station and it is unprofitable to Government as well as trying to the horse, not to provide shelter.
I would suggest that a stable be provided at Stanley and Aberdeen, each to contain one stall for the horse or pony attached to the Station and at least one spare stall for the accommodation of horses from Victoria. removing the Showkewan Station has been settled, a stable cannot be erected there.
Central Police Barracks, 4th February, 1860.
No. 114.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
338
7'
The following MEMO: which has been submitted to His Excellency the GOVERNOR by the CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 25th September, 1869.
Until the question of
MEMO:
C. V. CREAGH, Deputy Superintendent of Paker.
J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG, 20th September, 1869.
1. In the London and China Express of the 8th July last, is published a Communication, dated the 13th May, from Mr. A. J. JOHNSTON, Secretary of the Anglo-American Municipal Council at Shanghai, in reply to some remarks made in the House of Lords last March reflecting on the general character of the population at Shanghai.
2. Mr. JOHNSTON endeavours to show that Statistics prove the population of Shanghai to be comparatively better conducted than that of Hongkong. He fortifies himself by reference to my Official Report of last April, and in doing so, makes such erroneous and extraordinary statements, that to pass them by in silence, when published in a Paper having extensive circulation, might create an injurious impression in the mind of the Public.
3. The following are Mr. JOHNSTON's statements in his own language:-
"6. Perhaps, however, the most satisfactory argument is to be derived from official statistics, and I will therefore with year permission compare the police statistics of Shanghai with those of Hong Kong. I take Hong Kong alone, partly because official returns are readily accessible, partly because it is situated in circumstances somewhat similar to those prevailing at Shanghai, but especially because, from the sweeping nature of the Duke of Somerset's remarks, one well authenticated fact in
position to thein is as good as a hundred.
"7. From the official report of 1868, published by the Captain Superintendent of Police at Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of the 17th April, 1869, it appears that the total strength of the police force in that colony was 653, viz., 113 Europeans, 328 coloured, and 192 Chinese. In Shanghai, for the same period, the police force numbered 105, viz, 30 Europeans and 60 Chinese. In both places the Chinese element in the police force is useful only against crime committed by Chinese, and, therefore, so far as the prevention of crime by Europeans is concerned, Hong Kong maintains 441 police against 39 in Shanghai. By the census taken in Hong Kong on the 31st December, 1867, published in the Hong Long Government Gazette of 14th March, 1868, it appears that on that day the mmber of Foreigners of all nationalities resident in the colony was 3,551. Hence assuming, which may fairly be done, that the number of Foreigners leaving Hong Kong in 1868, about balanced the number arriving, it will appear that the police were in the proportion of about one to seven Foreign Residents.
8. In Shanghai the number of Foreigners at present is, exclusive of police, 4,099. Hence the Foreign police force is to the Foreign residents in the proportion of one to one hundred and twenty.
9. As to crimes:-In Hong Kong during 1868 there were 1,033 convictions of Foreigners under the heads of "Murder," "Manslaughter,"
Robbery with Violence," "Burglary," "Assault," "Larceny," "Kidnapping," "Unlawful Possession," and "Piracy." This is a percentage on the whole number of Foreign residents of twenty-nine convictions for serious offences. In Shanghai for the period of twelve months, from April, 1868, to March, 1869, the number of Foreigners apprehended and convicted was 565, of which 387 were simple drunkenness, 17 were "Desertion," 2 were "Forgery" (of Which one was an ex-employe of the Hong Kong Government), and 24 were "Furious Riding." Thus 135 may fairly resent the number of more or less serious crimes committed by Foreigners during the twelve months indicated. Of these the worst were three casos of " Cutting and Wounding," and 61 cases of "Assault." But 185 bears to 4,699 the proportion of 2.9 to 100, or exactly one-tenth of the Hong Kong percentage of convictions to the number of residents.
10. It is obvious from the above figures that a much smaller police force is required to keep order in Shanghai thau is required for a like purpose in Hong Kong, although Foreigners here are more numerous by 1,187 than in Hong Kong. It vill further appear that, in spite of this, order is much more effectually maintained here than it is there, although Hong Kong Courts of no less than twelve Foreign Governments. is a colony under a well organised Government, regulated by English law, while in Shanghai we have to deal with the
11. The deduction from my argument is, I trust, obvious that in comparison with Hong Kong alone Shanghai cannot justly be denominated a sink of iniquity exceeding in its immorality all other ports of Europe, America, and Asia.
4. In the first place, Mr. JOHNSTON assumes in the above 7th paragraph, that the resident Hongkong Foreign Population was only 3,551 in 1868, and makes that number his standard of comparison for obtaining the ratio of crime to population in Hongkong and Shanghai, respectively. For such a
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