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At the time when the Police were thus confined to the barracks, they were also much aceded to repress robbers who were plundering shops and warehouses, which had been broken open in various parts of the town and particularly
on the Praya.
During the height of the storm, a house in the Chinese portion of the City caught fire.
The circumstance was reported to the Captain Superintendent of Police who not only refused to send any assis tance, but declined to allow the Fire Alarm Bell to be rung, and he also failed to inform the Superintendent and the Assist. Superintendent of the fire Brigade, Messrs C. May and J. Russell, that a tire had broken out, though it was his duty to do so at once.
Fortunately Mr C. V. Creagh, the other Assistant Superintendent, was prescut when the report was made, and, aid having been refused, he went alone to the Fire Engine Station, and with the help of a few volunteers, mostly private individuals, after much difficulty, the fire was subdued.
This colony pays a large sumi annually for the maintenance of the Police Force, and the Firo Brigade, for the putrction of the lives and property of its Citizens, and it is grievously disappointing to find that in a serious emer- gency, when lives were being lost by thousands in the Harbour, and the whole City was threatened with a conflagra- tion, the Chief of the Police not only was inactive himself, but withheld others from rendering that assistance which they were able and willing to give.
Had timely aid been given it is very possible that many of those who perished in the Leonor might have been saved and valuable assistance might have been rendered in other quarters; and this inference is strengthened by what took place at the various outlying Police Statious both on this Island and at Kowloong, where the detachments, not being checked from exertion, behaved in a manner which merits the gratitude and praise of the whole com munity. The names of Inspectors Burns, Grimes, and Youngson have come prominently forward among those who were most active in saving life.
The conduct of the Police at the Outstations thus affords a gratifying proof of the willingness of the men to do their duty nobly, where they were not restricted by the orders of their chief,
Our confidence in the discretion and wisdom with which the Police Force is directed has thus been seriously shaken, and we therefore pray that in view of the eircumstances herein set forth, Your Excellency will be pleased to institute a Public Inquiry into these matters, that the truth may be more fully known.
We have the honor to be,
Your Excelleury's most obedient humble Servants,
Signed by :—Jas, Whittall, x.L.C., P. Ryrie, 361.c.; R. Rowert, M.L.c.; C. Morland Kerr, for Oriental Bank- ing Corporation; George Farley Heard; A. F. Heard; H. Hoppins; Jas. Greig, Chief Manager, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation; F. D. Sassoon; Wm. H. Forbes; John M. Forbes Junr.; Adolf André; Herbert Magnias; C. Bertrand, Principal Agent, M. M. Co.; R. H. Sandeman, Actg. Manager, National Bank of India, Limited; A. Philippe, Acting Manager, Comptoir d'Escorupte; M. W. Boyd, Manager, Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; II. Lowcock; J. F. Cordes; T. Fyke; H. Seymour Geary; C. M, Siegfried; Geo, B. Emory, Acting Agent, Pacific Mail S. S. Co.; F. Grobien; H. Kiær; A. F. Chambers; J. Bradlee Smith: Geo. 9. Scott; W. D. Harrison; Thos. Hall; 6. M. Sands; F. A. Belilios; E. Vogel; N. B. Dennya; 0. Benecke; Henry A. Mylue; Ad. Strack; Ludwig Beyor; D. McCulloch; Jas. B. Coughtrie, Secretary, China Fire Insurance Co.; A. Mac G. Heaton: J. Kennard Davis; John Robinson; Rud. Jensen; R. Walker; H. L. Braddon, P. Karberg : J. Keith Augus; C. E. Parker; H. C. Ifeywood; A. Melver, Superintendent, P. & 0). Company; Ernst Behre: J. Ross Anton; Charles J. Barnes; E. A. Raven; C. Budde; P. W. Mein; C. E. Thomson; A. MacClymont; Ed. George W. H. Kay; John S. Lapraik; John S. Cox; Ed. Mellish; G. A. Kneebone; A. P. McEwen; C, W. Baird; Nowrojec & Co.; A. Ebrahim & Co.; Framjee Hormusjce & Co.; M. D, Chandy & Co.; K. Hahihbboy; A. Habib. bhoy; K. Dhunjeebboy & Co.; H. Kustonjee; F. B. Cama; M. B. Pollishwalla; H. B. Duntra; Nursey Kessonjer & Co.
THE HON. J. G. AUSTIN TO THE HON. R. BOWETT. COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
Hoxoxoxo, 13th October, 1874.
SIR, --I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th Inst., and to nequaint you in reply that the allegations contained in the Petition which accompanied it have been the subject of careful investigation by His Excellency the Governor, who has failed to discover sufficient grounds to justify the institution of a publi- enquiry into the conduct of the Captain Superintendent of Police.
I have also the honor to inform you that, whilst deeply regretting that any portion of the community should bave had their confidence in the direction of the Police Force shaken, His Excellency feels it inamubent upon him to state that at no time in the history of the Colony has the character and efficiency of the Police stood higher.
I have the honor to be, Sir.
Your most obedient Servant,
J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary,
The Hongking Times.
October 1st. 1874.
IN THE MATTER OF CAPTAIN DEANE.
WE ARE extremely gratified at being able to place before our readers the official correspond- ence that has taken place with reference to Captain Deane's conduct during the late typhoon. By those letters, we are enabled to grasp the subject in all its bearings; for our own part, we are exactly of the same opinion now as we were before we knew anything whatever of the correspondence going on. We disagree from the ideas of the Honourable Mr. Rowett altogether, but we do not fail to thoroughly appreciate that gentleman's motives in undertaking to try and rectify what he thought was wrong. We do not consider Captain Deane to be impeccable; and, at different times, we have raised a voice against both his action and his inaction when we thought he merited a little censure, but, in this instance, we consider him free of fault and we certainly intend to uphold his behaviour against which the Honble. Mr. Rowett and some others of the Colonists complain. We may be wrong, but we cannot help considering, that a good deal of the raut that has been indulged in, comes from people who really feel no particular interest in the matter, one way or the other, but who are adopts at follow my leader," and have, consequently, enrolled themselves into the train that the Honourable Mr. Rowett has headed. We can thoroughly respect the opinions of those who are writing with earnestness, although we cannot agree with them; but as to the others, they are not worth consideration. We can also fully under stand His Excellency's refusing to institute a formal enquiry into Captain Deane's behaviour in regard to sending relief to the Praya, at the dangerous time that the Honourable Mr. Rowett thinks he should have done, and we consider that the Governor has been doing nothing more than act with all just regard towards our Chief of Police.
That unfortunate fire business has, how- ever, yet to be explained. There is a vast deal of difference between trying to oppose a typhoon and attempting to put out a fire, and unless Captain Deane can give good reasons for not assisting at the conflagration, it will become the painful duty of the Governor to take him to task on this score. We hope, and trust, that Captain Superintendent Deane will we able to explain, satisfactorily, the charge of indifference prepared against him in respect to this fire, as, apart from the unpleasantness of being reprimanded, it is a very grave matter
to have ignored a fire at any time.
We commend the letters to the careful perusal of our readers, who will learn from them everything connected with the recent discussion; and who will discover, moreover, that the Honourable Mr. Rowett, in repre- senting the Public as a member of the. Legislative Council, intends to look after our interests to the utmost possible extent. Although his energy in the affair about which so much has been written we consider to be misplaced, we are not forgetful that we have a Champion in the Honourable Mr. Rowett in the event of our really wanting one.
THE HON. R. ROWETT TO HON. J. G. AUSTIN
Hong Kong, 23rd September, 1874.
MY DEAR MR. AUSTIN,-Permit me to bring the fol- lowing circumstances to your consideration in connection with the typhoon of last night.
At a little before one o'clock this meruing, the eteamer Albay, from Manila, came ashore on the Praya, inside Douglas Lapraik & Co.'s wharf, and just opposite my ofice. The typhoon was at its worst at the time. Loud cries were heart coming from the ship, when lights were displayed and a rope was thrown on board.
The Captain, officers, crew and passengers, to the number of 40 in all, were thus enabled to get on shore, and were placed for shelter in the Engine House of the Hongkong Fire Insurance Company. The Captain stated that when he arrived in port Inst avoning, thore were 4ú persons, all told, on board his vessel.
These facts were reported at the Central Police Station, by Mr. A. P. McEwen, at about 1.80 a.m., and a statement was taken down in writing, by Captain Superintendent Deane, who, instead of sending assistance to the shipwrecked men refused to allow any of the Police to turn out, on the ground of its being dangerous for them to leave their quarters in such weather; aud tais, notwithstanding the fact of which he was also informed by Mr. McEwen, viz., that another steamer was coming on shore at the time he left the Fraya.
Mr. McEwen Ahen returned to the scene of the wreck, and, together with Lieuteanut Prior of H. M. 80th Regiment, and Mr. G. W. Baird, once more to the Police Station, with 30 of the shipwrecked men, the Captain of the Albay and his three officers remain- ing at the engine house. The men, who were all natives of Manila or Malays, excopt two European passengers, were than taken care of by the police for the night.
My object in drawing your attention to these facts is to enquire whether you do not consider that it is the daty of the police to be alert in moments of great public danger, and whether it would not have been more iu accordance with the object the Government have in maintaining such a force, that they should have been sent wherever their aid might have been needed to suve life or property, than that they should have been kept in barracks, while private individuals were able and willing to assist their suffering fellow creatures at sume Fisk to their own lives?
Believe me, Your's faithfully,
The Honorable J. G. AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary, Ko., &c., ko.
R. ROWETF.
CAPT. SUPERINTENDENT DEANE TO
HON. J. G. AUSTIN.
Victoria, Hongkong, 24th September, 1874.
Immediate.
Sm, In reply to H. E. the Governor's minute on C. 5. O. No. 2799, I have the honor to report that I did refuse to risk the lives of the Police under my command by ordering them to leave the Barracks in the height of a typhoon at 1 a.m. on the 23rd instant.
Mr. Rowett entirely overlooks the fact that the danger did not so much arise to persons living on the Praya going outside their doors to render aid, as to a body of men taken through the streets of the city, when, in the words of a local newspaper," the atmosphere was principally composed of tiles, brickbats, jalousies, verandah-beams and foliage."
J
At 2.50 am, however, when the barometer showed that the heaviest blasts of wind had passed, I did turn out the men, and we went over all parts of the town: in some places over our waista in water, aud experiencing the greatest difficulty in passing along the roads.
I have further to observe that at least 36 of the crew of the Albay had been already saved whom the report was made, and that the danger of a second steamer was a mere conjecture.
I have had a good deal of experience in typhoons, and
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