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CHAPTER XIX.

377 Indians (chiefly Bombay sepoys) and 132 Chinese. But, after introducing the system of licensing gaming houses, Sir Richard reported, in 1869, that the Police Force had been greatly reformed by virtue of this measure. No doubt, there was a marked improvement, noticeable in 1868 and 1869. But it seems probable that this improvement was not so much due to the licensing of gaming houses, which of course vastly diminished bribery, as to Sir Richard's searching surveillance of the personal affairs of the police officers and his daily vigilance in ascertaining the steps taken in all special cases for the detection of crime, and in the second instance to the several measures he introduced with a view to police reform. These measures consisted of the substitution of Scotch for English and Sikh for Bombay constables; the appointment of a Deputy Superintendent of Police conversant with Hindostanee (C. V. Creagh); the allowance, out of the Special Fund, of $20,000 per annum for good conduct pay; the classification of the Chinese contingent, opening up to Chinese constables the prospect of promotion (March 1, 1870); the increase of police stations and their interconnection by telegraph; the establishment of the Police School (1869) and the encouragement thereby given to Sikhs and Chinese to learn English. The establishment of a separate Naval Yard Police under the exclusive control of the Admiralty (by Ordinances 2 and 13 of 1867) was also an improvement. Up to March 30, 1870, when Sir Richard produced statistics shewing increased efficiency of the Police Force, the public were satisfied that great improvements had been made, and sided with the Captain Superintendent of Police (W. M. Deane) when he energetically rebutted (September 15, 1869), as wanton distortion of statistics, the disparaging remarks, as to the inferiority of the Hongkong Police to that of Shanghai, made by the Secretary of the Municipal Council of Shanghai (A. J. Johnston) in a letter to the London & China Express (July 8, 1869). But that the reform of the Hongkong Police was principally due to Sir Richard's personal vigilance, may be inferred from the fact