CRIME.
During 1907, 11,540 cases were reported to the police, an increase of 3·55 per cent. over the total for the preceding twelve months. Of this number 3,306 related to serious offences, a decrease of ·81 per cent.; and out of 2,036 persons arrested, 1,592 were convicted. Fourteen murders were reported—a greater number than in any year during the past decade—and in connection with them 24 persons were arrested and 16 convicted. There were 6 gang robberies, 3 of which took place in the New Territory, and in 3 cases no arrest was made. The police failed, also, to make arrests in 15 out of 24 cases of street and highway robbery. Reports were received of the commission of 18,234 minor offences, and 10,506 arrests, resulting in 9,991 convictions, were effected. One hundred and forty-seven gambling warrants were executed, and in each case a conviction followed. No fewer than 2,781 search warrants for prepared opium were executed by the police and excise officers of the opium farmer, and in 787 cases opium was found, and 1,057 persons were apprehended. By the fingerprint system 185 recidivists were identified. One hundred and eighty-three beggars were deported to Canton, 31 were dealt with by the police magistrate, and 3 were sent to the Tung Wah Hospital.
The estimated value of the property reported as stolen during the year was $141,354, and of that recovered by the police, $18,787.
THE FIRE BRIGADE.
Allowing that the probability of an extensive fire in the more elevated residential areas of the Colony is comparatively remote, it may safely be affirmed that Hongkong is now adequately insured against the recurrence of such serious conflagrations as those of 1851, 1867, 1878, and 1904. In 1851 a large area north of Queen's Road was destroyed, 30 lives were lost, and 472 Chinese families were rendered homeless. This turned public attention to the question of fire-extinguishing appliances, but it was not until 1856 that volunteer European and Chinese fire brigades were formed. The brigades even then were but ill-equipped, and this, no doubt, explains why in the outbreak which occurred towards the latter end of November, 1867, 500 houses were demolished before the fire could be got under control. An ordinance was passed in the following year establishing a volunteer fire brigade, under a superintendent, in which both police and civilians were enrolled. In 1878 occurred a terrible outbreak, involving the destruction of 368 houses in the centre of the town, which demonstrated, in the opinion of the community, the absence of all system in the management of the Fire Brigade. The fire began on Christmas Day and raged for about forty-eight hours, damaging over a million dollars' worth of property. Extensive, but less serious fires, broke out in 1881 at Taipingshan, where 36 houses were burned, and in 1884 at Hunghom, where two outbreaks occurred in one week. Of recent years the fires of 1902 involved losses aggregating over $2,145,000, one conflagration alone, in which 47 houses were destroyed, being responsible for nearly half this sum. The fire at the Kowloon godowns in 1904 wrought damage estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars, whilst in the burning of the river steamer Hankow over one hundred lives were lost.
These severe lessons have not been disregarded. In 1895 the Fire Brigade was made a sub-department of the police department, and slowly but surely its efficiency has since been raised. Towards its maintenance a rate of ¾ per cent, is levied on certain parts of the Colony. The force comprises Europeans selected from the police, and permanent Chinese firemen. The police-firemen, who receive a retaining fee in consideration of their services, are required to attend monthly courses of instruction in general work and an annual re-qualifying course. Those of the men who display special aptitude are further trained in handling the steamers and the floating fire-engine, in order that there shall be no lack of engineers and engineer-drivers. The permanent Chinese firemen, who are quartered at the various stations, are trained in the ordinary brigade exercises and as mechanics. Under normal circumstances the brigade could muster about 20 Europeans and 26 Chinese to a fire, without distressing the police force. The Captain-Superintendent of Police, Mr. Francis Joseph Badeley, is ex officio Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, other police officers carrying out the duties of deputy superintendent and assistant superintendent respectively. The engineer is Mr. D. Macdonald, of Messrs. Macdonald & Co.
