CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 620

!

No.

Hongkong.

615

Goverment House Ja. 03]

Hongkong, 31st.December, 1902.

Admy

40425

02

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the re-

ceipt of your Despatch No. 355 of the 21st. of last October,

relative to a proposal that the policing of the Naval Dock-

yard at Hongkong should be taken over by the Colonial Govern-

ment and in reply to request of the Lords Commissioners of

the Admiralty for an estimate of the armual cost of the force

specified by them in letter D.5656/7727 of the 29th. of last

September, I enclose a statement drawn up by the Captain

Superintendent of Police.

losure

onth December,

1902.

2.

Having regard to the great difficulty

which is experienced in recruiting the Police Force of this

Colony, it would not be expedient for this Goverment to attempt

to police the Naval Dockyard.

I would point to the fact that even in the present

year since the establishment of Sterling Salaries the Crown

Agents have only been able to engage 9 men out of 14 asked

for 9 months ago and that in the meantime the Captain Superin-

tendent of Police has been obliged to fill up constantly occur-

ring vacancies by local enlistments which with few exceptions

do not produce the class of men desired.

The difficulties of the Captain Superintendent of

Police

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,