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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 25TH SEPTEMBER, 1869.
8. In Hongkong, moreover, the hills and valleys have to be watched and patrolled. Numerous outstations are maintained, and the Police employed on many duties which never occur. at all at Shanghai, and in the absence of which, it would be essentially unnecessary to maintain so large a force as is required by the special peculiarities of Hongkong, whether geographical or moral.
9. Nevertheless, no ignorance of special circumstances can be held to justify a wanton distor- tion of statistical returns, or the untrue statement, (par. 9), that in 1868, there were at Hongkong, 1,033 convictions of Foreigners under the head of "Murder, Manslaughter, Robbery with Violence, Assault, Larceny, Kidnapping, Unlawful Possession and Piracy," amounting to 29 per cent on the number of Foreigners.
10. The subjoined analysis of the 1,033 convictions of Foreigners in 1868, shows that the total percentage was not 29 as stated by Mr. JOHNSTON, but 13.2. It also shows that the number of convictions under the heads given by Mr. Johnston was not 1,033, but 334, of which 255 were cases of common Assault or Disturbance on board ship. (Vide Apendix B.)
11. Under Piracy, Kidnapping, and Murder, which Mr. JOHNSTON puts forward so prominently (par. 9) as three of the classes of "serious" crime committed by Foreigners in Hongkong, not even
one case occurred!
12. Finally, if both for Hongkong and Shanghai the cases of Assault, which are generally trivial, and unfit to be classed with Felonies, and if also the minor offences, such as Drunkenness, Refusal of Duty, &c., be deducted from the totals in each place, the serious crimes committed by Foreigners will be found to have been in the ratio of 1.5 per cent to the population in Shanghai in 1868, and of only 1 per cent to the population of Hongkong.
"
13. Nevertheless, Mr. JOHNSTON did not scruple to assert that the proportion of "serious crime to population in Hongkong was 29 per cent, an inexcusable misrepresentation, which I respectfully trust this Government will cause to be corrected, as such misstatement by their Secretary in no way improve the position of the Anglo-American Council at Shanghai, a body whose excellent adininistra- tion is generally acknowledged.
Το
The Honorable J. GARDINER, Austin,
Colonial Secretary,
Hongkong.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. DEANE, Captain Superintendent of Police.
Appendix A.
EXTRACT from No. 1.-CENSUS of HONGKONG, including the MILITARY and NAVAL DEPARTMENTS, 1st June, 1869.
POPULATION.
No. of No. of HOUSES. BOATS.
TOTAL.
Men.
Girls. Women. Boys.
*Europeans and Americans, Resident Population, Europeans, Military,
1,161
523
323
282
2,289
581
62
61
69
763
+Europeans and Americans, Naval Establishments,
Europeans and Americans, Crews of Mercantile Ship-
ping in the Harbour,
Europeans and Americans, Temporary Residents,
Europeans and Americans, Prisoners,
Total of Europeans and Americans,
729
729
915
915
130
130
63
63
3,579
585
384
341
4,889
Goa, Manila, Indian, and others of Mixed Blood,
Resident Population,..
820
91
41
45
997
Goa, Manila, Indian, and others of Mixed Blood, Crews of Mercantile Shipping in the Harbour,..
862
862
805
18
в
10
920
Indians, Military,
Prisoners,
Goa, Manila, Indian, and others of Mixed Blood,
Total of Indians, &c.,.
22
22
2,509
109
47
55 2,810
Grand Total,.
7,199
ALFRED LISTER,
Acting Registrar General.
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