blue-jackets, under the command of Captain Boxer, of H.M.S. Hesper went inland with the Registrar-General and captured, happily without resistance, both the kidnapper and his prisoner who were brought to Hongkong.
One of the earliest subjects that engaged the attention of Sir H. Robinson in Hongkong was Civil Service reform. Very wisely he commenced his labours in this direction with an attempt to revise official salaries. But when the draft of an Ordinance (13 of 1860) for establishing a revised Civil List came under discussion in Legislative Council (December 26, 1859), the unofficial Members (J. Jardine, J. Dent and Geo. Lyall) urged that, although the salaries of most of the Civil Servants were inadequate, there were at present no available funds for effecting a general increase of salaries. They recommended, however, to increase the salaries of four subordinate officers whom they named. There was also thrown out a suggestion that Hongkong officials, instead of having their salaries increased on account of length of service, should have a chance of promotion to other Colonies. Sir H. Robinson, though foiled to some extent in his Civil List reforms, succeeded in establishing a Pension Scheme (May 5, 1862) under Ordinance 10 of 1862 by which he definitely fixed the rate of pension payable to officers of long and approved service.
Several new offices were established by Sir H. Robinson. For the benefit of the mercantile marine, the Governor established a Marine Court of Inquiry (Ordinance 11 of 1860) and a Board of Examiners for granting certificates of competency to masters and mates (Ordinance 17 of 1860). The first certificate so issued was obtained by Mr. Samuel Ashton of the schooner Vindex (August 31, 1861) and between July, 1863, and June, 1864, as many as 48 masters and 28 mates were passed by this Board of Examiners. Sir Hercules also re-organized the Police Court (Ordinance 6 of 1862) by substituting (July 23, 1862) two magistrates with equal power (Ch. May and J. Ch. Whyte) for the former chief magistrate and his assistant. At the same time (July 7, 1862) a Court for Summary Jurisdiction, under
