76 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH FEBRUARY, 1882.
There is a provision for a new gaol on Stone Cutters' Island. That is a matter which has been pressed very much upon my attention by the Government, and the EARL OF KIMBERLEY has expressed an opinion that that is the only suitable site for the gaol. You are aware also that the work of establishing an Observatory at Kowloon is a matter of importance, and you also probably know that the plans and estimates for a new Water Police Station at Kowloon have been laid before Her Majesty's Government. As to the water supply scheme, before I proceded some months ago to Peking, I instructed Mr. BowDLER to carry out what is known as the Tytam scheme. He recommended the getting out of persons from England who were capable of conducting technical work necessary for the carrying out of the scheme. I telegraphed for them, and in the meantime a question has been raised by a very eminent gentleman now in the Colony, Mr. CHADWICK, as to going back upon the still more expensive scheme, in contrast to the later Tytam scheme, and he is about to report upon the mater to Her Majesty's Gov- ernment. As to the Water Police Station, that matter has been delayed by a reference, very properly made to the Surveyor General, who is now in London. The plans of the Observatory have been referred to eminent scientific authorities in London, and I am awaiting instructions before beginning the work. The question of the Gaol is also before the Secretary of State, and having been referred to the Surveyor General, the question has arisen as to the number of prisoners to be accommodated. When last I addressed you upon the subject, I thought we should provide accommodation for 750, and upon that subject the question has arisen as to how far it might not be desirable to have the gaol on Stone Cutters' Island made to accommodate say 600 or 700, and a lock up on this side of the harbour for 100 or 200. That question is under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government.
SANITATION.
Mr. CHADWICK, who I am happy to say is in the Colony, is about to report to Her Majesty's Government upon some questions connected with the sanitation of Hongkong, questions which have been brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government, as appears in the instructions given to Mr. CHADWICK, by representations-constant representations, as Lord KIMBERLEY says by the officer in command of the troops as to the condition of the Chinese houses, and the system of drainage, which he imagined was injuriously affecting the health of the troops under his command. The sanitary state of this Colony is always a question of great interest to us; and the fact of there being 900 or 1,000 European troops in the Colony, gives us an opportunity as it were, by means of the mortality returns, of testing its sanitary state. I do not by any means assert that the mortality and sickness among the troops shows the general mortality and sickness in the Colony, because it is generally greater among the troops, but comparing year by year the mortality among the troops, we arrive at some conclusion as to the improved condition or otherwise of the houses in the vicinity of the barracks.
DECREASED MORTALITY OF THE WHITE Troops.
The complaints to which Lord KIMBERLEY refers were made by the Officer Commanding the Troops in Hongkong in 1879, 1880, and 1881. I have before me a return of the mortality among the troops during those three years, and I find that the number of deaths amongst the white troops-that is amongst the men, women, and children of the European troops, amounted to 22 in 1879; in 1880 this had fallen to 20, and last year, 1881, it only amounted to 9, so that as far as these returns, which we have just received from the military authorities, indicate, there has been a steady decline in the mor- tality of the white troops in this Colony of late years.
DECREASE IN GENERAL MORTALITY.
Now, taking a return of the same years which has just reached me, of the whole population of the Colony, we find that in 1879, the death rate amounted to 32 per thousand, in 1880 it had fallen to 28 per thousand, and in 1881 it had fallen to 24 per thousand. The death rate of the European and Americans residents in Hongkong in 1881 was 18 per thousand. These figures are eminently satis- factory, as showing the general condition of the health of the Colony, and as showing what mistakes have been made by those who believe that owing to the increase of the Chinese population, or any other cause, the sanitary state of the Colony for the last three years has been getting worse, instead of steadily improving.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE.
In speaking of the health of the troops, there is one topic which I have not referred to before, but which I must touch upon now, because I am instructed by the Secretary of State to prepare an Ordinance to deal with what is called the Contagious Diseases Ordinance. You will no doubt remember that in December 1877, I took the responsibility of appointing a Commission to inquire into the operation of this Ordinance, and the Registrar General's proceedings in connection with it. You will also remember that one result of the appointment of that Commission, and the inquiry that began in 1878 was that statements were industriously circulated throughout the Colony to the effect that certain measures which I adopted to put on end to abuses that I found in operation under that Ordinance, would cause an increase of contagious diseases amongst the troops. Those who had not an opportunity of knowing the facts circulated these rumours throughout the Colony,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.