THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH DECEMBER, 1895. 1221
There is likewise an increase in the Foreign and Local Junk Trades of 178,747 tons and 79,263 tons, respectively.
The total increase over last year in the number of ships entered and cleared at this port is no less than 5,551 vessels aggregating 845,203 tons--a distinct improvement even on the exceptionally good returns for 1893.
The passenger traffic returns shew an increase of 25,186 in the number of emigrants, but immigration has fallen off considerably doubtless on account of the prohibition in force during several months in respect of certain neighbouring ports infected with the plague.
Chinese seamen's boarding-houses have recently been inspected and licensed for the first time, and there are now 67 such houses duly licensed, affording accommodation for 1.120 men.
The criminal statistics are gratifying, and there has been no repetition of the riots which occurred in the early part of last year. The public peace has been efficiently preserved by the Police, and with the exception of the coolie strike, which took place at the latter end of March last in connection with the enforcement of the bye-laws for the regulation of common lodging-houses, and the robbery with violence on the 18th and 22nd instant, there is, I rejoice to say, no "Police News" worthy of record.
The firm attitude of the Government during the coolie strike was, however, not maintained without loss and inconvenience to the commercial community, but the cir- cumstances did not admit of concession, and looking to future interests it will, I think, be generally admitted that the success achieved was not too dearly purchased.
The community is indebted to the Naval and Military Authorities for their ready assistance in the emergency, and the Police, as usual, did excellent work in keeping order and relieving the situation as far as possible by providing coolies and cargo boats for the several firms.
With regard to education, it appears that the attendance at the several schools, which fell off last year, has now recovered its normal proportions. Including Queen's College, there are now 16 Government Schools, and 105 Grant-in-Aid Schools, (of which latter 10 have been opened during the year) in addition to numerous Chinese "Kaifong" Schools.
It has often struck me as extraordinary-not to say discreditable-that, after 55 years of British rule, the vast majority of Chinese in Hongkong should remain so little " Anglicised.” I have thus been led to enquire more thoroughly than I have hitherto done into the system of education adopted in the local schools, and I am of opinion that too much attention has hitherto been paid to purely Chinese subjects. With a view therefore of promoting a more general knowledge of English amongst the Chinese, the Government proposes in future to subsidise only those schools in which special attention is paid to the teaching of the English language and modern subjects. It is hoped that this will tend to educate the rising generation of Chinese to more enlightened views and ideas, and to dispel the ignorance and blind superstition, which have proved and still are proving such a stumbling block to the promotion of their moral and physical well-being.
The silver question remains as much a problem as ever. I had hoped that before this the evils of a depreciated dollar would have been compensated for in some degree by an influx of English capital into the Colony, but the stability of exchange appears to be beyond all control, and so long as that is the case, English capitalists will probably prefer to assist the apparently failing industries of Lancashire rather than run any risk in industrial ventures abroad. I notice, however, that in Shanghai capital is being readily subscribed for the establishment of Cotton Mills and other industries, and I could wish to see a similar spirit
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