58
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH MARCH, 1960.
COUNCIL ROOM, 12th March, 1860.
The Hon. W. T. MERCER, ESQUIRE,
Colonial Secretary.
Sin-We have the honor to intimate, in accordance with the request conveyed in your letter No. 163 of the 2nd Instant, that we have considered the comparative merits of the several Schemes for providing the City of Victoria with Water, submit- ted by Messrs. Bird, Walker, aud Rawling, and that we are of opinion that that forwarded by Mr. Rawling is the best and most practicable, and entitles him to the premium of $1,000 offered in the Government Notification No. 98 of 14th October, 1859, published in the Gazette.
We have also attentively considered the Report sent in (but not intended for competition) by Mr. Murrow; there is merit in its suggestions, but it scarcely meets the requirement of the Government Notification for a constant and sufficient supply of Water to this City, as it is of a temporary character, and the proposed conduit is not adapted for the conveyance of so large a volume of water as is requisite to meet the wants of the population.
With respect to the feasibility of carrying out the several competitive Schemes laid before us within their estimated cost, much will depend on the correctness of the assumed prices of the Tron piping, and should the plan which we consider the best be adopted by Government, various modifications in its execution have suggested themselves to us which, should His Excellency desire it, we shall be happy to submit to him hereafter.
We have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servants,
G. F. MANN, LT.-COL., R.E. JAS. J. MACKENZIE, CHIAS. ST. GEO. CLEVERLY.
By Order,
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.
Table N
No. X s No. XI No. XII
After an
upon the san
MONTE
January,... February, March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 14th March, 1860.
No. 33.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION,
The Colonial Surgeon's Report, with Returns on the sanitary condition of the Colony for the past year, is published for general information,
By Order,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 12th March, 1860.
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.
VICTORIA, HONGKONG, 25th February, 1860. My first annual Report of the Sanitary condition of Hongkong refers to a year eminently healthy. Asiatic cholera, which proved a formidable scourge in 1858, has not revisited the Colony. Small pox, which recurs each Spring and Autumn did not fail to make its appearance, and I understand that its ravages were considerable, especially among the native population.
In June and July an epidemic of ophthalmia first appeared in the Gaol and rapidly spread throughout the Colony, attacking both Europeans and Natives. It was of a very mild character and generally yielded to the simplest treatment in a few days. It was difficult to assign any local cause for its appearance. The unprecedented drought at the commence- ment of summer, and the great glare and dust, consisting of decomposed granite violently blown about by the high winds, I found however that the disense was equally prevalent at Canton, would naturally have suggested themselves as causes. Amoy, and Foo-chow-foo, and even more so at sea and among the ships in harbour, than on shore. I am therefore inclined to attribute this visitation to somne atmospheric influence.
In November the Colony was threatened by an epidemic of Diphtheria. Ten cases were seen, of which two proved fatal, and a third very narrowly escaped death. I understand that about the same time this disease made its appearance in Bombay, where at least one fatal case occurred in a school.
Diarrhea, Dysentery and Intermittent fever, which are to some extent inseparable from a tropical climate, occurred Among us, but the cases were by no means so numerous or fatal as in 1858.
As it might be considered presumptuous in one, who has held office for so short a time as myself, to enter at any length upon Sanitary matters, I shall, as briefly as may be, append the usual Statistical Tables, making a very few remarks upon the various Institutions under my professional supervision.
The following Tables I, II, III, and IV will show in a remarkable manner the extreme healthiness of the Police Force of this Colony.
Tables V and VI will show the nature of the diseases, and the result of treatment, in the Government Civil Hospital. The new building at West Point, first opened in July, is a great advance on the former building, which is now used as the temporary Magistracy.
Table No. VII, kindly furnished to me by the Resident Surgeon, Mr. Preston, gives somewhat similar information in regard to the Seamen's Hospital,
Table No. VIII exhibits the state of health in the Gaol, which it will at once be seen was remarkably good during the past season. Only four deaths have occurred therein in the course of the year: one previons to my taking charge; the second in the case of a woman, a confirmed opium smoker, who sank under the combined effects of chronic Hepatitis and Dropsy; the third from congestion of the brain, the result of injury, the death occurring almost immediately after admission; the fourth, a beggar, from starvation. Not one of those deaths therefore resulted from disease contracted within the building; and none of the Europeaus have suffered fatally. From the date of my taking charge (in April) there have been seldom more than two Europeans or a dozen Chinese in Hospital at one time. The Chinese thrive amazingly in confinement and, after a few months” incarceration, are sent out fat and healthy.
As in all Prisons, a continual change of prisoners is going on. During the year the numbers were:-
August, September, October, November,. December,..
Totals
II.
Europeans.
36
III.-
Corra.
Royal Artil- lery (for 9 months,) Royal Engi
neers (from Oct. 1858 to Sept. 1859,)
2d Battalion
1st Royals,
Totals,
IV
SICK
Europeans,
Chinese or Colored,
Females,
615
1,817
52
Total,
2,484
But the average number was only
Europeans,
52
Chinese or Colored,
185 2
Females,
Total,
239
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