FURTHER STATEMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS REGARDING HONG KONG .
ADDRESSED TO THE HON. FRANCIS SCOTT, M.P.
LONDON :
TRELAWNEY SAUNDERS, 6 , CHARING CROSS ;
AND
SOTHERAN, SON, & DRAPER , 10, TOWER STREET, EASTCHEAP.
1851 .
PRINTED BY C. DAWSON, 38, GRACECHURCH STREET .
PREFACE .
In the course of the Summer of 1850, certain “ Statements
and Suggestions regarding Hong Kong," dated Hong Kong,
April 23rd, reached England, and were published before the
vote was taken for that Colony,-Government having carried
-
the vote by a small majority. The amount has been reduced this
year. The following observations do not appear inopportune :
The Estimates for the Civil Establishment and expenses of Hong Kong
will shortly be voted in Parliament. Fifteen -sixteenths of the inhabitants
are Chinese . The remainder do not exceed 1,300, whereof only 460 are of
European or American extraction .
The revenue amounts to about £21,000 per annum ; the expenditure to
about £39,000 ; leaving a balance of about £ 15,500 , to be supplied by
Parliament, provided the Commons are content to saddle this country with
such a burden.
It is not surprising that the too frequent occurrence of lavish expenditure
in the Colonies and Government by the Colonial Office, should have induced
persons to associate economy at home with local self-government in the
Colonies. The latter is more interesting to the Colonists — the former is
more important to ourselves.
Considerable reductions have been made of late years in the charge for
Hong Kong, but the Government have little cause to boast of the reduced
cost. The reduction is owing to the completion of some works, and the
abandonment of others ; the boast is merely the vaunt that a bill already paid
is not still chargeable .
The establishment remains the same, or nearly so.
In an Island smaller than Guernsey or Jersey, without a convict estab
lishment, or large military force, the charge for a few departments of
government exceeds £30,700, viz. :
Department of Governor and Aide -de-Camp ... £6,527
Colonial Secretary and Treasury 5,955
Surveyor. 1,231
Harbour Master 1,116
Justice and Police 15,953
£30,782
To which we must add £8,000 for Public Works, and other expenses,
making in all £38,986 for that small colony, of which £ 15,500 is asked
from Great Britain .