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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 6TH JULY, 1878.

The above resolutions were arrived at without a division, with the exception of that portion of the latter which makes the study of Chinese optional on the declaration of the parents. On that point, the voting was as follows:-

For making Chinese optional.

The Honourable the Colonel Commanding

the Troops.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.

The Honourable J. M. PRICE.

The Honourable F. B. JOHNSON.

The Reverend E. J. EITEL.

•

For making Chinese compulsory. The Honourable P. RYRIE.

The Honourable H. LowcoсK. Mr. STEWART.

4. That increased accommodation, more English speaking Masters, and smaller classes are essential to the proper teaching of English at the Central School.

5. That as a preliminary step, the staff of English Masters be doubled forthwith.

6. That with regard to the other Government Schools entirely supported by Government, arrangements be made, as soon as possible, to teach the boys English in all of them.

Read and confirmed this 5th day of March, 1878.

H. E. WODEHouse,

Clerk of Councils.

J. POPE HENNESSY, Governor.

The following Annual Report from the Colonial Surgeon is published for general information.

By Command,

J. M. PRICE, Acting Colonial Secretary.

Coloni

Office, Hongkong, 3rd July, 1878.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,

HONGKONG, May 10th, 1878.

SIR,-I have the honour to forward my annual Report for the year 1877 together v the Tables showing the work done in the different Establishments of the Colonial Medical Department. Iso enclose the Report of the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital on the working of that Establishment.

POLICE.

The health of the Force has been good. There has been a very great decrease in sickness among the Europeans, and but a slight increase in the Indian and Chinese components of the Force. The deaths have decreased from 6 to 4, and of the four, two died away from Hospital--one Indian while in India on leave and one Chinaman while in China on leave. There must always be a considerable variation in sickness among the Indian and Chinese of the Force, who are more liable to fevers and bowel complaints than Europeans, both of them living on very sparing diet, especially among the Indians, who, denying themselves the necessaries of life from motives of economy, are prone to become anæmic and more liable to the above complaints. Many of the Police Stations are far from what they ought to be in the matter of accommodation, and even those that are not limited as to space are badly constructed and designed. The Hulk is too small, besides being old and rotten, and the ventilation very defective, especially in bad weather. The prisoners' cells on board are always damp, and a most unpleasantly free use of carbolic acid has to be made to keep the lower hold wholesome. Aberdeen, though still supplying a large number of fever,cases, is decidedly improved, and I hope will still further improve now that the swamp has been filled in and trees planted over it. Altogether, considering that the heat registered last year was greater than in the past eight years, and that there was less rain than usual, I think that the returns of the health of the Force are satisfactory. Table I. shows the admissions to Hospital every month during the year and the mortality. Table II. the sickness and mortality as compared with the strength of the Police Force. Table III., given for the first time, shows the districts from which the sick were brought during the different months of the year, the principal cause of admission being fevers, bowel complaints and injuries.