458
gained so far would seem to indicate that its success is doubtful, as the cost of obtaining the men from India and sending them back at the expiry of their term of engagement is far above the value of their services.
The Inspector of Police reports that he would have no difficulty in filling up the ranks by local recruiting, as the full strength of the force is only thirty-two and there are about forty Sikhs living in the neighbourhood.
His Majesty's Consul General knows of no check upon the migration of Indians to Japan, Kiao-chow and Canada, and, although the number of Indians passing through Tientsin since the new rules for recruiting came into force has been appreciably less, he attributes this decline to the fact that suitable employment in Tientsin itself is not so readily obtainable as formerly.
As regards Shanghai, the arrangement to recruit in India was, as pointed out in my despatch No.248 of the 4th of June last, never put into operation, owing to the fact that the Municipal Council were unable to agree to the proposals made by the Government of India respecting the discipline to which the force was to be subject.
But towards the end of 1906 a special contingent of 120 men was raised in India, with the consent of the Indian Government, under the old terms of service, and this addition to the force raised it to a standard of numbers well above the normal. Since that date no difficulty has been experienced by the Municipal Council not only in filling up by local enlistment such vacancies as have occurred, but also in increasing the force which now consists of over 500 men.
With regard to migration eastwards, no check has ever been imposed upon such migration, except to a limited extent owing to the refusal of His Majesty's Consul General to issue passports to Indians desiring to proceed to Vladivostok.
The situation shortly put is therefore that the new system has been in operation at Tientsin, where it is not viewed with favour, that the local supply of recruits would be quite sufficient if a return were made to the previous methods and that, while the number of Indians passing through Tientsin has diminished, this fact is to be attributed to the decrease of employment.
458
gained so far would seem to indicate that its success
vicas.
is doubtful, as the cost of obtaining the men from
India and sending them back at the expiry of their
term of engagement is far above the value of their ser-
The Inspector of Police reports that he would
have no difficulty in filling up the ranks by local
recruiting, as the full strength of the force is only
thirty-two and there are about forty Sikhs living in the
neighbourhood.
His Majesty's Consul General knows of
no check upon the migration of Indians to Japan, Kiao-
:
chow and Canada, and, although the number of Indians
passing through Tientsin since the new rules for re-
cruiting came into force has been appreciably less, he
attributes this decline to the fact that suitable em-
ployment in Tientsin itself is not so readily obtainable
as formerly.
As regards Shanghai, the arrangement to recruit in
India was, as pointed out in my despatch No.248 of the
4th of June last, never put into operation, owing to the
fact that the Municipal Council were unable to agree
to the proposals made by the Government of India re-
specting the discipline to which the force was to be
D
4
subject.
But towards the end of 1906 a special con-
tingent of 120 men was raised in India, with the con-
sent of the Indian Government, under the old terms of
service, and this addition to the force raised it to
a standard of numbers well above the normal. Since
that date no difficulty has been experienced by the
Municipal Council not only in filling up by local en-
listment such vacancies as have occurred, but also in
increasing the force which now consists of over 500
men.
With regard to migration eastwards, no check has
ever been imposed upon such migration, except to a
limited extent owing to the refusal of His Majesty's
Consul General to issue passports to Indians desiring
to proceed to Vladivostok.
The situation shortly put is therefore that the
new system has been in operation at Tientsin, where
it is not viewed with favour, that the local supply
of recruits would be quite sufficient if a return were
made to the previous methods and that, while the num-
ber of Indians passing through Tientsin has diminish-
ed, this fact is to be attributed to the decrease of
subject.
employment
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