Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 129

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No. 9

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE FOR 1890.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 5th March, 1891.

No. 30.

CENTRAL POLICE BARRACKS,

HONGKONG, 29th January, 1891.

SIR, I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the Police Report for the year 1890.

2. The total number of offences coming under the cognizance of the Police was 8,424, being an increase on the year 1889 of 963 cases giving an increase of 12.90 per cent. Subdivided into Serious and Minor offences (so called) there were, in 1890, 3,100 cases of the former class against 2,893 cases in 1889 showing an increase of 207 or 7.15 per cent, and in latter class 5,324 cases in 1890 as com- pared with 4,568 cases in 1889 giving an increase of 756 cases or 16.54 per cent.

3. During the year there were three cases of murder resulting in the arrest of two prisoners and the conviction of one.

The

4.The most serious feature in the record of the crime for the past year was the piratical seizure of the S.S. Namoa, belonging to the Douglas Steam-Ship Navigation Company, Limited, on the 10th December last on the voyage from this Port for Swatow which took place off Mendoza Island about 40 miles to the North-East of the Colony. Some forty Chinese embarked as passengers, and when the European Officers, except the one on watch, and the passengers were at luncheon, took possession of the steamer. Their plans were arranged in a most systematic manner, and were so well carried out that resistance was practically impossible. One European passenger, who from sea-sickness had remained on deck, was shot and killed, as was also one of the Manila Quartermasters. muster, Captain Pocock, met his death by coming up from the saloon when called on deck by the pirates. It is uncertain whether this act was intentional or done in the excitement of the moment, it is probable that the latter is the case as no subsequent murders ensued, and this unfortunate officer had a well deserved reputation in the opinion of Europeans and Chinese alike. Having made them- selves masters of the vessel, the pirates headed her out to sea until the evening when they steamed back the vessel to Mendoza Island and transferred the plunder, consisting principally of dollars taken from Chinese passengers, to five junks that were in waiting. It is to be noted that although there was a large amount of opium on board, this was not taken, contrary to the plan adopted in previous cases, where opium appeared to be the principal object of the attack.

5.-Seven persons were arrested in connection with this affair, of whom five have been discharged and two await trial. The ringleaders are perfectly well known, as their photographs are, from previous offences, in the hands of the Police, but they have escaped to Chinese Territory, and it will rest in a great measure with the Chinese Authorities, who are displaying every desire to co-operate, whether they will be eventually captured or not. Information as to other persons supposed to have connected in this piracy has been confidentially supplied. So far two men who have been identified have been arrested in this Colony, and one by the Chinese the latter having made confession.

6.--The form of piratical seizure carried out in this case is one of habitual use among the Chinese. At the time of the troubles with China in 1857, the steamer Thistle was seized in this way by Chinese soldiers. (cf. Dennys Treaty Ports, p. 73.) In the same way the steamer Spark trading between Macao and Canton was captured in 1874 and the S.S. Greyhound bound from this port to Hoihow in 1885.

7.-All experience goes to show that the habits of the criminal classes of Chinese are quite unaltered from the days when, before its cession to Her Majesty, this Island and the neighbouring creeks and islands were occupied by men who were fishermen by occupation, but were always ready to turn to piracy when the opportunity was afforded. Before the Chinese Government began to claim its rights of State as to the integrity of its shores, the suppression of piracy in the waters surround-

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