CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 433

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19 JAN 07

Government House.

Decamber 9th 1902

jong Kong

Sedret.

40

37584

Sir

Jecret

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your secret despatch of the 12th Septouder last,

enclosing a copy of Foreign Office despatch of the 8th

September last,and asking what steps I would suggest

to carry out the views expressed by the Secretary of

State for Foreign Affairs regarding the enlistment of

Sikhs for the Hong Kong police force and their

disposal on discharge in order to prevent their drift-

ing into the service of Foreign Powers.

2.

In reply I would first ask whether the term

"Sikh", as used by the Foreign Office, might possibly

be intended in its generic sense as comprising all

Indians and not with to the special en caste known

as Sikhs.

3.

There are at present, serving in the ong Kong

police force, 189 Sikhs and 173 Mohammedans. In

addition to these there are about 150 Sikhs employed

as private watchmen throughout the Colony over whom

the Government exercises no direct control. There are

also about 200 Indian police at Shanghai and Hankow

üsecribed in the Directory as Sikhs though I have no

that, in this case, the term is used generically. I

have no knowledge of the terms under which these men

are engaged. There are of course in addition to the

above a large number of Sikhs in military service in

the Colony. These men are in no way under the control

of the

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