Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 185

No. 8.

No.

11

88.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FIRE BRIGADE FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of

His Excellency the Governor,

FIRE BRIGADE DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 20th February, 1888.

the

SIR, I have the honour to present the following report in connection with the Fire Brigade for year 1887.

The year has been characterized by an unusual number of fires, some of which have attained serious proportions, but the greater part of which have been soon extinguished. There were nearly three times as many fires as the maximum number recorded in any previous year and the resources of the Brigade have been very fully taxed. To those who know how easy the spread of a fire is in the crowded Chinese town with its back to back houses, and narrow lanes, I think the Brigades may be congratulated on the success that has attended their efforts.

In one of these fires only has a charge of incendiarism been made. It was made at the instance of an Agent for a German Insurance Office, and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, where the defendant was acquitted without being called upon to make his defence.

I understand that a civil suit is pending in connection with this trial and I forbear therefore from dwelling upon this particular case. Generally speaking, however. I may say that the practice of in- suring contents of Chinese houses without any check beyond what is caused by the self-interests of the parties concerned is a grave source of temptation, and is fostered by the interests both of those who insure and of those who accept the risks.

Even supposing abuses not to arise it is inexpedient to give opportunity for them and the danger created by the facilities for bad practices is aggravated by the difficulty of detecting and exposing such as take place, and by the natural reluctance which a Company concerned only with its own interests feels to take the initiative by refusing a claim.

In the interests of the Brigade I think it would be well if it were made obligatory upon Insurance Companies and Agencies to furnish the Superintendent or the Government with full particulars as to date, amount and nature of policies effected in houses in which fires occur, and thus possibly to afford some idea as to how far Insurance and fires stand to each other in the relation of cause and effect. I do not think there would be any reluctance to give the information, and it might in time form a valuable record.

It is possible however that when systematic enquiries on oath are made, other causes such as the indiscriminate and careless use of Kerosine oil, or the increase of accidents arising with the growth of the population may be found to be the prime promoters of conflagrations, but the tendency of insuring is undoubtedly to give rise to incendiarism, and even apparent carelessness may be the result of careful forethought.

Two or three cases of undoubted incendiarism have come under my own notice, occurring not necessarily in the house in which the fire originated, but in the house adjoining it, and I am credibly informed that on the occasion of the large fire in Queen's Road West some weeks ago, the fire broke out simultaneously in three different houses separated from each other and with no possibility of inter- communication of the flames.

The fires of the past year have been marked by some painful incidents. Towards the close of the extensive conflagration in Queen's Road West to which I have just referred a member of the Government Fire Brigade named Fox lost his life in venturing into a house, the upper portion of which was in a dangerous state. The house collapsed and fell down upon him while he was inside.