Chapter 3 Davis (1795~1890)

Davis (1795~1890), also known as Debis and others.British.He is a China hand. He arrived in Guangzhou at the age of 18 and worked in the East India Company. In 1816, he went to Beijing as an attache of the British mission. In 1833, the United Kingdom established the Commercial Supervision Office in China and was appointed as the Commercial Supervision Office.He has a lot of research on Chinese culture.The Chinese name Davis gave himself was Debishi.In his later years, he lived in seclusion in Bristol and devoted himself to the study of Chinese history and culture. In 1876, he received an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. He died in 1890 at the age of 95, making him the oldest Governor of Hong Kong.He wrote many works in his life, including "On Chinese Poetry", "Chinese: An Overview of the Chinese Empire and Its Residents", "China's Experience Records", "China During the War and Since the Peace", etc.

Although Davis is an expert in China, he is known as the Governor of Hong Kong who is proficient in Sinology.However, during his tenure, because of the registration of household registration certificates, the collection of land tax, patent tax, property tax and other cumbersome government orders, he was later dubbed by the news media as the most unpopular governor in history by Hong Kong residents.Of course, this is just a description, and Davis' successor may not be popular. What Pudingcha left to his successor was a mess.When Davis took over, Hong Kong was full of problems, with lax legal system, chaotic order and poor management.The thorniest issue, however, is the financial situation.When Davis left London to take office, the British government told him that in order to maintain this new colony, the government would spend a lot of money every year; Allocate funds to maintain the cost of the Hong Kong Garrison, but the salaries of Hong Kong civil servants, various public buildings and other expenses must be borne by Hong Kong itself.The British Colonial Secretary also told him that Pottinger had failed to solve the problem well, and London was very dissatisfied with it.I hope he will not repeat the same mistakes, but find a way to solve Hong Kong's financial problems.

The second Davis opium monopoly opened up financial resources mngyjh Hong Kong's fiscal revenue was initially based on auctioned land as the main source, and the amount was limited, making ends meet.According to statistics, from 1844 to 1854, the Hong Kong government spent a total of 512,804 pounds, with an annual average of 46,618 pounds, while the annual average income was 23,539 pounds, nearly double the expenditure.How to increase fiscal revenue to reduce Britain's heavy burden and gradually achieve more than self-sufficiency has been a major issue faced by the Hong Kong and British authorities for a long time.

Elliot announced in Hong Kong that Hong Kong is a free port.Opium was the largest re-export of Hong Kong's early re-exports and was never taxed.Tobacco and soil needed for consumption on the island were regarded as general goods, and were initially allowed to be operated by traders without restriction; the British Hong Kong authorities collected standard money from shop owners as usual, but the amount was very small. In February 1844, Stanley, the British colonial secretary, proposed to Davis that taxation should be levied to increase the income of the Hong Kong government, with the opium retail industry bearing the brunt.In June of the same year, Davis wrote to Stanley that he planned to sell licenses to local opium traders, or implement a tax package system, and recruit Chinese to take over, making him the "unrivaled and best taxpayer" of the Hong Kong government. In November, the Legislative Council enacted regulations and decided to levy a license tax on opium traders.The law stipulates that "only whole boxes of opium are allowed to be sold" in Hong Kong's land and water, but those who hold a license can retail opium below a full box, and the license is issued by the Governor; once the applicant is approved and pays a certain fee, he will enjoy the above privileges; Operators are fined up to 500 yuan. In December, the Counselor Secretary issued a circular, further stipulating that the opium retail business can be contracted by one person, and those who wish should submit an offer to the Counselor Office, and the right to include tax "will be awarded to the highest bidder".The retail business of opium below a full box in Hong Kong is completely legal. In February 1945, the Hong Kong British authorities formulated the "Detailed Rules for Scattered Opium Sales", which stipulated detailed regulations on the location, business hours and trading methods of open-light opium dens, so opium dens were also placed under legal protection.

In March 1845, the British Duddell and Martin Madison, in accordance with the above-mentioned laws and regulations, contracted the Hong Kong British government a one-year opium franchise in Hong Kong at a high price of 710 yuan per month. They buy a business license before they can open a shop to sell cigarettes.Duddell and Martin Madison became the earliest opium taxpayers in Hong Kong.If Duddell and Martin Madison want to protect their operating privileges and maintain their monopoly position, they must have sufficient manpower and necessary means to prevent or prevent other opium firms from invading.Feeling powerless, they voluntarily gave up their tax right before the contract expired in June of that year.At the same time, Davis found that the regulations on the retailing of opium "for consumption" in the above-mentioned laws were vague. Unlicensed smokers often pretended that their opium was "for export, not for local consumption" and continued to operate retail business. As a result, the monopoly position of opium contractors was damaged, the tax package system was affected, and government revenue was reduced.Therefore, in July of the same year, the Legislative Council enacted Law No. 5 of that year. In addition to formally stipulating the sale of tax-contracting rights through auction or bidding, the words "for consumption" in the original law were deleted to protect the interests of contractors and tax sources. . In August, the comprador Feng Yati Lu Yagui won the bid with a high price of 1,710 yuan per month for a period of one year.In total, in the first two years of the implementation of the tax package system, the British Hong Kong government’s counterfeit opium contractors easily added more than 6,500 pounds to Hong Kong’s annual income, accounting for about 13.1% of Hong Kong’s annual income during the same period.Opium tax revenue has become the second largest item after land sales revenue.

Davis reported to the British government with satisfaction that the opium tax was one of the "richest sources of revenue" in Hong Kong. In November 1846, Gray, the new Colonial Minister, wrote to Davis, arguing that opium, as a "consumer product", was the "most suitable" tax collection item, and he expressed his approval of the tax package system implemented in Hong Kong.This shows that the new British government will inherit the policy of the previous government on the opium issue.However, after the implementation of the tax package system, opium in Hong Kong was always sold by the contractor, "the family sold it, and the price of cigarettes was exorbitant."10 merchants including Sanchang and Liyuan jointly reported to the Hong Kong authorities in January 1847, requesting to "dismantle the Yantu company" and let all the merchants "license the sale of Yantu smoke cream" respectively.British opium merchant Gibb and others also complained that after the implementation of the tax system, the retail price of opium in Hong Kong was higher than that in neighboring areas. Insurance deposit and storage fee of 20 shillings per case per month.On the other hand, in order to maintain their privileges, opium contractors hired detectives and armed boats to search civilian ships in the name of prohibiting the illegal cooking and sale of opium, which interfered with local trade and cast a deeper shadow on the depressed Hong Kong economy. big shadows.The British government and foreign businessmen were deeply disturbed by this.Davis' opium tax policy became the target of public criticism for a while. In March 1847, the British Parliament set up a special committee on commercial relations with China. After conducting an investigation, it believed that only by maximizing free trade can Hong Kong prosper, and that it is "unwise" to implement a tax package system.In view of this, Davis accepted the suggestion of the Governor-General Hillier and decided in July 1847 to change the current monopoly operation system to a license system.There are three types of licenses: those who retail cigarettes below a full box will pay a monthly fee of 30 yuan; those who cook and sell opium smoke paste will pay a monthly fee of 20 yuan;The licenses are sold directly by the Governor's Office to retailers, the number is not limited, and the validity period is one year.

When Hong Kong was opened as a port, it was declared a tax-free port, but in fact there are many tax regulations in Hong Kong.In the early days, the governor of Hong Kong came up with various names to increase taxes. In July 1844, less than two months after Davis took office, the British Hong Kong authorities successively promulgated the "Land Registration Ordinance", "Regulations on the Licensing of Public Drinking Establishments and Liquor Sales", and "Auction of Salt and Opium Pawn Industry". Business License Tax Regulations, levy land tax, license tax, etc. In August, without consulting any parties, the Legislative Council passed a population registration law, stipulating that all island residents, regardless of Chinese, foreigners, rich or poor, should register their names, addresses, Occupational registration once, receive a registration certificate.Foreigners are charged 5 yuan per person, and Chinese people are charged 1 yuan per person.Immediately after the announcement of the law, it was strongly opposed by Chinese and foreign citizens.The opposition of the Chinese is of course insignificant, but the opposition of the foreigners is much more troublesome.Mr. Ye Lingfeng wrote an article detailing the circumstances of this incident.

For such a decree, it is not difficult to imagine the antipathy of the British residents in Hong Kong.They felt that their self-respect, national honor, and personal liberty had been violated more than they had been under the restrictions of Qing officials in Canton.A residents' meeting was therefore called to discuss the matter.Participants agreed that this tax registration law is not only harsh and ruthless to the British, but also inconsistent with the British legislative tradition.All British residents unanimously opposed, and organized a committee, drafted an opinion and submitted it to Davis.

Coincidentally, on the day when the British submitted their protest documents, the Hong Kong Government Gazette published the Chinese translation of the decree, mistaking the poll tax once a year instead of once a month.It really added fuel to the fire and made the already boiling public anger even more intense.The "Friends of China" at the time commented: "The Chinese have always been submissive and are used to enduring any kind of exploitation. But this time, due to a mistake in the translation, they mistakenly believed that they had to pay half of their hard-earned income to the government every month. It was really unbearable." , I can’t help but think that it’s better to go back to China.”

On October 30, all Chinese businessmen and laborers in Hong Kong went on strike.The shops were closed, the passenger and cargo boats stopped, the servants and the grandmother were on strike, so that all business came to a standstill.Chinese businessmen said that if the government imposes poll tax on November 1, they will all leave Hong Kong.British businessmen also said that if the government insists on implementing it, they are determined to move back to Macau to live. Under pressure from all sides, Davis was forced to make concessions. On November 13, the Legislative Council passed the Population Registration Amendment Bill.First of all, all fees are exempted from population registration; secondly, it is stipulated that all public servants, soldiers, professionals, businessmen, shop assistants, factory owners, landlords, or people with an annual income of more than 500 yuan, regardless of Chinese or foreigners, are exempt from registration.Only those poor people and residents with meager income must go through population registration procedures.Amendments came into effect on January 1, 1845.Obviously, the law safeguards the interests of the British and the rich, while the majority of poor Chinese residents still suffer.

In 1846, the Hong Kong British government issued another announcement, which stipulated the common currency and its mutual ratio. (1) The Spanish native currency, the Mexican eagle ocean, the Indian rupee and its broken silver chips, and the common copper coins of China, are all legal currency; It has been printed, and if they have the same quality, they have the same universal effect; (3) It is stipulated that each silver dollar is equal to 2 rupees and 1/4; 533 copper coins, each half rupee is equal to 266 coins, and every quarter rupee is equal to 133 coins; (5) Other currencies not included in the above provisions cannot be used as legal currency in Hong Kong; (6) Paragraph 4 The prescribed copper coins may be exchanged at the Office of the Commissioner of Commerce or the Treasury Department of Hong Kong, but shall not exceed 50 yuan.All British common currency, regardless of banknotes or coins, shall be legal and common currency in Hong Kong. These regulations fully protected the interests of the British government and British businessmen, while setting various restrictions on the Chinese. In order to solve financial difficulties, Davis issued various regulations such as "Regulations on Collection of Police Donations" and "Regulations on Tobacco Vendors' Licenses" to broaden tax sources and increase financial resources with various taxes.By 1846, the annual tax revenue of the Hong Kong government reached 27,046 pounds. The purpose of Davis's taxation measures was originally to seek the people's fat and anointment of the people of Hong Kong, China.But it also harmed the interests of some British people, so it was first opposed by British businessmen.Not long after the turmoil over the registration law subsided, on November 20, Davis passed another decree at the Legislative Council meeting, stipulating that Hong Kong colonists could order the declaration of martial law at any time without the approval of the Legislative Council.Even the British did not understand why Davis was so nervous, because there was really no need for Hong Kong to take such extraordinary measures at that time.Sure enough, London later vetoed this decree, so the Chinese-handed governor made a fool of himself in front of Chinese and foreign residents. In January 1847, the Hong Kong British authorities promulgated the "License Regulations for Market Vendors". On May 4th, the head of Jardine Matheson appealed to the British House of Commons, asking England to urge Davis to change its policy, reduce land rent, and only charge the cost of maintaining the police force, and the rest of the expenses should be borne by the British government.Naturally, the British government would not agree, and instead gradually increased its demands on Hong Kong. By 1847, when Davis left office, the Hong Kong government's various taxes had reached 31,078 pounds, equivalent to 372,936 Hong Kong dollars. Prostitutes in Hong Kong have existed since the early days of the port.Before Hong Kong was opened as a commercial port, Macau was a center of Sino-foreign trade, and Chinese and foreign businessmen who came to Macau could have fun there.After Britain forcibly occupied Hong Kong Island and turned it into a commercial port, many prostitutes in Macau came to Hong Kong one after another. In early 1845, the British authorities in Hong Kong received reports that the police had accepted bribes and sheltered prostitutes.After investigation, it was proved that the facts are true, but for the face of the Hong Kong government, the investigation report concluded that it was "the prostitutes willing to pay, not out of extortion", so the police were not held accountable.Later, the authorities realized that this was a way of making money, so they decided to let the police publicly collect donations from prostitutes, and the name said that the money collected would be used to open Hualiu Hospital. According to the report of the venereal disease hospital in June 1845, there were 31 brothels in Hong Kong, each of which donated 5 yuan a month, and there were more than 100 prostitutes, who each donated 1.5 yuan a month.At that time, one yuan was quite useful, and it could buy dozens of catties of white rice.The annual income from prostitution is huge.At that time, people in the Hong Kong society expressed dissatisfaction with this, and believed that this tax was not authorized by British law and was not a formal tax; in addition, only a small number of monthly prostitute donations were used for hospital expenses, and most of the expenditures were used for unknown purposes.Although the Hualiu Hospital was established, it only lasted for two years before it was closed due to insufficient funds.According to the opinions of people in Hong Kong society, in 1847, the British Parliament sent people to Hong Kong to investigate the matter.Soon, the British government notified Hong Kong Governor David Davis that he ordered the cancellation of prostitute donations. Although the collection of prostitute donations was stopped according to the order, not only were brothels not banned during Davis' administration, but more and more brothels were opened.After all, this is a way for the British to make money. Later, James Stelling, commander of the British Navy stationed in Hong Kong, found that the number of British soldiers and sailors suffering from venereal disease was increasing day by day, so he suggested to the Hong Kong government to promulgate regulations to control the prevalence of venereal diseases.Davis adopted this suggestion, and the Hong Kong government promulgated the "Regulations on the Inspection of Infectious Diseases of Flowering Willows" on November 24, 1857. On January 19, 1864, the Hong Kong government established Saiyingpan sailors’ dormitory to accommodate sailors suffering from sexually transmitted diseases.Despite the above-mentioned measures, there has been no significant change in the prevalence of STDs. On July 23, 1867, the British Colonial Department ordered the Hong Kong government to re-write the "Suppression of Infectious Diseases in Flowers and Willows Ordinance", stipulating the implementation of registration of prostitutes, physical examination and other matters.Subsequently, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong decided to levy a business license tax on brothels and prostitutes.Since then, prostitution has been further made public and legalized in Hong Kong.At that time, the person in charge of issuing business licenses was the general registrar and Fuhua Dao Gao Heer. He used the opportunity of issuing licenses to enrich his own pockets and buy a wide range of real estate. Since the establishment of the system where prostitutes operate with a license, prostitutes in Hong Kong have been divided into public prostitutes and private prostitutes.Those with a license are called public prostitutes.They are often forced to have a medical examination because the brothel owners are afraid that they will contract venereal diseases, which lowers their value and affects the brothel to extract money.Back then, brothels in Hong Kong were divided into Dazhai (upscale brothel) and Xizhai (medium brothel).Dazhai is concentrated in Shuikengkou, and Xizhai is scattered on Hollywood Road.Dazhai is a place that only wealthy businessmen and young people are qualified to patronize.Because going there to have fun must have a feast, and hundreds of gold are spent, which is very grand.There are three types of prostitutes in Dazhai: 1. Pipa boy.These are fourteen or fifteen-year-old prostitutes, usually girls from poor families.The madam sees them as cash cows up for grabs. 2. Half-closed door, also known as Mr. Jian, means a prostitute who is not too big or too small.Usually, after receiving the guests, Pipa Tsai looks like a girl, but he is actually an "adult", so he is called Mr. Jian.They are high-priced cash cows for madams, and they do not receive guests openly, so they are called half-closed doors. 3. Old move.In Cantonese dialect, prostitutes are called Laoju, and "Ju" means "prostitute", and they are genuine prostitutes who openly receive customers.As for the prostitutes in Xizhai, they pick up customers day and night, charging 2 yuan during the day and 4 yuan at night, so Xizhai is also called "two or four villages". Private prostitutes are prostitutes who cannot afford to pay business license tax, and their situation is more miserable than public prostitution.Most of their activities are in residential buildings with side streets and narrow alleys, in hotels and inns, and even on small boats by the sea, and the price of selling their bodies is only a few pennies each time.They often live together with legitimate residents, and some clients make noise late at night, disturbing the neighbors. Although the Hong Kong High Court began to try the first criminal case on March 4, 1844, strictly speaking, the High Court was not officially established.Because the defendant has no lawyer to defend him; the regulations of the High Court are not yet complete, and jurors just rely on the intuition of the jurors to judge whether the defendant is guilty or not.Therefore, some scholars who study Hong Kong history believe that although the High Court was founded by the first Governor of Hong Kong, Pottinger, the formal establishment of the High Court should be during the term of the second Governor of Hong Kong, Davis. When Davis arrived in Hong Kong on May 7, 1844, he was accompanied by three officials, one was Bruce, the new Secretary of State, and the other was Chase Xiaowu, The other was Robbage, Registrar of the High Court. After Davis arrived in Hong Kong, he set out to reform Hong Kong's legal system.He first limited the powers of magistrate William Jian to violations of the police and simple civil matters, and cut off his previous powers in judicial adjudication. About a month later, Davies appointed Chasi Xiaowu as a member of the Legislative Council, and he began to study and draft the High Court Regulations.At that time, there were very few people in Hong Kong who were really familiar with the legal provisions, Xiaowu lacked assistants, and the progress of work was quite slow.On July 28 of that year, the new Attorney General Sterling came to Hong Kong and was appointed as a member of the Administrative Division.With Stelling's assistance, the High Court Regulations were finally completed and published on August 21, 1844.At this time, the High Court is officially established. The Hong Kong High Court was originally located in front of Wellington Street in Central, between Dejili Street and Shiban Street.It opened on October 1, 1844, with a very grand opening ceremony. All foreigners in Hong Kong were dressed in dress, and the Chief Registrar, Robert Kee, gave the opening speech. A criminal case was originally scheduled to be tried on the opening day, but because there were no lawyers practicing in Hong Kong at that time, Cha Si Xiaowu believed that such a trial would be unfair to the defendant, so the criminal case was adjourned. After the establishment of the High Court, the first task of the procuratorate Xiaowu was to establish the lawyer system in Hong Kong and first approve lawyers to practice.According to the British system, lawyers are divided into lawyers and lawyers, and lawyers are also called barristers. This system has been used in Hong Kong. The first lawyer admitted to practice by the High Court on the first day was Kam, and the Attorney-General Sterling was a barrister. After having a lawyer, the High Court officially opened the case on October 2. This is the first case in Hong Kong to be tried under formal legal procedures. It is the case of abducting a young girl to work as a prostitute.The defendants were a Chinese couple who lived on a cargo ship in the harbor and often went ashore for shopping, so they met two young girls.One day, the couple lured the two girls onto a boat, tied them in the cabin and transported them to Guangzhou, where they were sold to prostitutes in Guangzhou at a price of 90 yuan each.The two girls managed to inform their relatives in Guangzhou, who paid for their redemption. After the two trafficked girls returned to Hong Kong, they went to report the crime with their parents, and the police arrested the couple. When the High Court opened the trial, the accused couple still did not have a lawyer to defend them, but because the confessions of each person in the case were consistent, they could all state the process of being abducted and transported to Guangzhou for trafficking. The defendants were each sentenced to 18 months in prison.At that time, there were no official prisons in Hong Kong, so the criminals had to be sent to the detention center in the police station in the police station in Sheung Wan to be imprisoned. According to British law, police detention centers can only guard suspects for a period of time, but they are not used to imprison criminals. At that time, the Hong Kong Police Station was located on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, so there was also a side street there for the police station.William Caine was in charge of this police station. He not only commanded the police, but also served as a magistrate and prison officer. At that time, the police station in the police station in Sheung Wan was similar to the county yamen in the Qing Dynasty in China. It was not only the place where the police worked, but also the place where the magistrates held court trials. Behind the police station was the detention center, which was the prison at that time. . The situation is very different from the British system.The county magistrate in the UK is only responsible for administration, and the courts are only responsible for adjudicating cases, and they are not responsible for managing prisons. There are prison officials to manage prisons. The Hong Kong government felt that William Jian could not serve as a prison officer as a magistrate. Firstly, the detention center of the police station was used as a prison for criminals, which is obviously not the British system; Crime in Hong Kong has skyrocketed as the population has grown, and there are not enough places to jail criminals.Therefore, the Hong Kong government set out to find a location to build a real prison. The first prison in Hong Kong was called Victoria Prison, which was located on a hillside on Old Bailey Street in Central and was not completed until 1857. Occupy Hong Kong?According to Zhoushan?indecisive During the Opium War, the British army occupied Zhoushan and Gulangyu Island. According to the Treaty of Nanjing, after Hong Kong was ceded, the British army should withdraw from Zhoushan and Xiamen.But the British army refused to retreat for a long time, because the British wanted Zhoushan and Gulangyu as collateral, and declared that they would not return these places until China paid all the indemnities. In 1844, when the Qing government paid the indemnity for the fifth time, the British army suddenly withdrew from Gulangyu Island ahead of schedule, and some of the British troops stationed in Gulangyu Island were moved to Zhoushan, and some were withdrawn to Hong Kong.Davis actually said that this was "for the sake of reconciliation, and there is no other reason."In fact, this was not the case. The living environment in Hong Kong was quite harsh at that time, and the British could not adapt to it, and there were many deserters.Some people in the British government and the Hong Kong British government advocated abandoning Hong Kong and occupying Zhoushan. Gulangyu Island is just a small island with no practical use. When he was indecisive, he withdrew Gulangyu Island first and made a gesture of returning Gulangyu Island. Prepare for future choices. At that time, Qiying also had doubts about the early withdrawal of the British from Gulangyu Island. He told Emperor Daoguang: "In May of this year, the German chieftain (referring to Davis) first came to Guangdong, and he will wait until December for the silver exchange. So, the proposal to return Gulangyu Island first. The slaves are unpredictable, and now they return Gulangyu Island for no reason, how can they know that the handover to Zhoushan will be postponed in the future?" It shows that the Chinese government and the public at that time were already vigilant about this action of the British. After the Chinese side paid the compensation for the Opium War in full, the British army still stayed in Zhoushan and refused to leave.As a result, Emperor Daoguang repeatedly urged Qiying to negotiate with Davis.Davis evaded several times, and finally had to call Qiying and ask him to go to Hong Kong to discuss. In October 1845, Qiying received a note from Davis, saying that Britain would not hand over Zhoushan to fear of French occupation, and invited Qiying to Hong Kong for negotiations.Qiying believed it was true and immediately reported it to Emperor Daoguang.In fact, Davis' delay in withdrawing the British troops stationed in Zhoushan was due to the fact that the British side had not yet decided whether to occupy Zhoushan or Hong Kong for a long time. Qiying came to Hong Kong for the second time on November 20, 1845. He was accompanied by Huang Entong, who had just been promoted to governor, as well as Zhao Changling and Pan Shicheng.They stayed in Hong Kong for 4 days and did not leave Hong Kong for Guangzhou until November 25. Later, the British government decided to abandon Zhoushan and focus on managing Hong Kong, because the British military officers in Zhoushan also submitted a report to London, saying that Zhoushan's geographical environment was far from ideal as the legend said.The British army stationed in Zhoushan for 4 years and recruited a large number of people there to consolidate its rule, but there was no progress.According to the records, although they ordered gentlemen to serve as directors, "Anliang arrested bandits, and handed over notes every day, ordering them to donate money to build academies, nursery homes, nursing homes, orphanages, burial coffins, invite male and female school teachers, and teach students a lesson. , and donate money to the servants", however, it is still "the Yingyi day and the residents of Dinghai are enemies", the people's resistance continues unabated, and the British rule is very fragile.Therefore, it was finally decided by England to abandon Zhoushan and occupy Hong Kong.Davis asked Qiying to come to Hong Kong to meet him. The first thing to talk about was how to ensure the safety of people in Zhoushan who had relations with the UK after the withdrawal, and then the details of returning Zhoushan. After Qiying arrived in Hong Kong, he reported the negotiation situation in Hong Kong to Emperor Daoguang.The memorial said: "The chieftain of Germany led many people from Yimu to see him the next day, and he was very respectful. I told you that the mantissa of the foreign silver that should be paid this year has been prepared and can be picked up regularly. Zhoushan should also return it as scheduled. Covenant. The chieftain said that the silver should be reclaimed after the due date, and Zhoushan must return it as promised. However, the British soldiers have been in Zhoushan for several years, and the people there have been in contact with them. Everyone is the child of the heavenly dynasty, and it has been stated in the peace treaty that all Chinese and British people who communicate with each other will be exempted from crime. How can there be any reason to treat the people there after Zhoushan is returned? It should be an announcement, so that the Communist Party can be relieved, and there is no need Overwhelmed." "The chief said again: it is the most important thing to return to Zhoushan, and a high-ranking official should be sent to receive it, which is a compromise. The minister thought that Gaiyi had occupied Zhoushan for several years, and now it should be delivered and received, and Fusui'an arrests him, so he can't be negligent. You must be familiar with the situation of barbarians, and go to handle it properly. Check the current Dao Xianling of Changzhen, Jiangsu, who used to handle barbarian affairs with his slaves. The barbarian chieftain said that Xianling is both an acquaintance and a Taoist, which is really appropriate and very happy." Every time Britain withdraws from the colonies, on the one hand, it has to make arrangements for the locals who have contributed to their aggression. Its minions fight for their rights.On the other hand, it is majestic when you come, and you have to be airy when you leave, so it is proposed to "receive with high officials" and "retreat with honor". Qiying Zoubao also said: "The chief said again: Zhoushan is an island, and the emperor should ask the emperor to issue a decree. After the British return, it will never be stationed by other countries. I asked him why he considered this? The chief only said: In response to Zhu’s criticism, saying that the country’s people’s hearts are at ease, etc. It should be said that Zhoushan is originally a Chinese land, and since it has been taken back, there is absolutely no reason to give it to other countries. Is it appropriate for a foreign country to intervene? If it is Chen Zou, it will be strictly ordered by the emperor, and it will be especially inconvenient for fear that other countries will hear about it and be reincarnated with suspicion. After repeating Zhao Changling, Pan Shicheng, etc., the chieftain began to understand and no longer insist begging.……" "The minister obeyed the decree and kept the treaty. Those who follow the agreement will agree, and those who violate the agreement will be refuted. The chieftain listens to them one by one without any objection. He prepares barbarian banquets and treats them respectfully. The invitation was renewed, and the ministers also bought wine to answer each other. The barbarians and others were very happy to entertain for days. The ministers and committee members announced the emperor's benevolence at any time, and enlightened them with words, saying that since China has reconciled with the country, there is absolutely no hidden conspiracy. Afterwards, we should abide by the treaty and trade in peace, and there is no doubt about everything. The chieftain and others are very grateful, and they all raised their cups and danced during the banquet, wishing longevity, and the situation seems to be sincere." Qiying memorials are written seamlessly every time, but every time the British side makes progress, there is never a time of satisfaction.Qiying, on the other hand, was complacent and felt that he had won a big victory. At that time, Qiying thought that everything would be fine when he went to Hong Kong to discuss the return of Zhoushan with Davis. Unexpectedly, Qiying and Davis had just "raised the glass and danced together to wish longevity" for several days, and there was a new incident.After Qiying returned to Guangzhou, Davis suddenly raised the issue of Guangzhou entering the city.It turned out that the people of Guangzhou had always firmly refused the British to enter the city.Qiying was very anxious. On December 20, 1845, he reported to Emperor Daoguang: "In the summer of this year, the chieftain (Davis) once again had a plan to enter the city, but it was stopped due to resistance. The ministers and others are concerned that there may be problems when it is handed over to Zhoushan. Chen Qiying went to Hong Kong in the past to communicate with him. Negotiable. When the chieftain handed over the Zhoushan section, he insisted that he would keep the promise without any hesitation. When he entered the city, he would invite him even more, and did not involve the word Zhoushan. Now, according to the communication, it has actually been integrated into one , in order to coerce, in the repeated agreements, they pretended to be deaf and ignorant, and ignored it, which was beyond what was expected. The ministers and others thought that the barbarians stationed troops in Zhoushan, which cost a lot of money. Although Ningbo has been connected to the market, the trade is very large. It is rare, and it seems that it will not be occupied for a long time. It is only a waste of money. But now that he is threatening to enter the city of eastern Guangdong Province, if he does not agree to the so-called, he may not be willing to return it; and the people in Guangdong Province are fluctuating. Yun Qia, suddenly allowing the barbarians to enter the city, is afraid that troubles will easily arise. The ministers and others are thinking day and night, and carefully deliberating with the officials of the same city. The severity of the rights and interests, and the priority of the current situation, Zhoushan should be recovered as scheduled, and the people's sentiments There is no cooperation, and it is not easy to go too far. It seems that it is better to wait a little longer, and the camera will handle it..." Qiying knew that he could not suppress the resolute rejection of the British from entering the city by the people of Guangzhou, so he had to tell a big lie to Davis, promising that he would be allowed to enter the city after 3 years, and the deadlock would be broken.Finally, Davis and Qiying signed the Zhoushan Return Agreement in Humen.It was not until May 9, 1846 that Qiying sent personnel to Hong Kong to agree with Davis on all the details of returning Zhoushan, and then on June 10, Dinghai City was officially taken back. Davis knew the meaning of Qiying's evasion and the anti-heroic spirit of the people in Guangzhou. He had no choice but to wait for the opportunity. Ten months later, on April 3, 1847, Davis saw the right moment, and on the pretext that six British nationals were driven out by the masses in Foshan in March, he suddenly dispatched warships to invade Guangzhou and proposed to the Qing government to allow the British to enter. 7 requirements including Guangzhou and renting Guangzhou and Henan places.The governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Qiying, agreed to all of them, except for entering Guangzhou City. Worried about the opposition of the people, the implementation was postponed for two years. From May 15th to 17th, Davis sent people to measure the land in Touzui, Henan Province, Guangzhou, and planted flags to mark the boundaries. On the 17th, thousands of people in Guangzhou gathered at Shuangzhou College to protest against British aggression. On the 20th, more than 3,000 people from 48 Township in Henan Province gathered in front of the British Commercial House to demonstrate. Subsequently, 100,000 citizens from Guangzhou demonstrated in solidarity.Due to the situation, Davis had to suspend the establishment of the concession in Guangzhou. In 1849, the three-year period had come.At this time, the main officials of both China and Britain in Guangzhou and Hong Kong had been replaced.Qiying was transferred back to Beijing, and Xu Guangjin took over as governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.Davis resigned in 1848, and Bonham succeeded him as Governor of Hong Kong.The first task of Ban Han after he took office was to break through the barrier of the British entering Guangzhou. In February 1849, Banham led three warships and asked the Guangdong authorities to fulfill the previous agreement outside Humen.Xu Guangjin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, wanted to delay and evade at first, but he was so urgent that it was difficult to deal with it. However, he was afraid of the people and was very contradictory. If the sentiments of the people are strong and public, if the barbarians move, the people will change instantly, and the situation will be difficult all day long, and the government will have no place to stand. The only way is to refuse to be outside the city. Even if there are other reasons, the government and the city will end." "Today, the two of us are in harmony If we are of the same mind and act according to the will of the people, why should there be any doubts?" Therefore, Xu Guangjin rejected Bonham's request.The British warship went straight into the provincial river and wanted to have a meeting with Xu Guangjin at the Guangzhou Government Office.Xu Guangjin agreed to talk with Banham on the British ship.Ban Han imposed all kinds of threats, saying that if he was not allowed to enter the city, he would "go north to inquire", and blocked the canal to cut off the grain supply from Jiangnan to Beijing.Xu Guangjin had no choice but to play Emperor Daoguang.Daoguang's reply was vague, saying, "You can only enter temporarily, and you can't stay there."Xu Guangjin knew that if he entered temporarily, it would be impossible to ask the British to leave.After the common people in Guangzhou knew about it, they were outraged. More than 100,000 people gathered on both sides of the Pearl River, roaring loudly and opposing the entry of the British into the city.The situation in Guangzhou spread to Hong Kong, and the people of Hong Kong were also preparing to rise up to resist.Seeing the anger of the Chinese people, Ban Han dared not move forward, so he obediently returned to Hong Kong. Davis, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Pottinger, continued to discriminate against and abuse Chinese residents in Hong Kong. On October 6, 1845, the Hong Kong government issued 16 articles of port management regulations, of which Article 15 stipulated that: after 9 o'clock every night, unless you have a special passport, you are not allowed to sail, except for foreigners on board.Article 16 stipulates: Anyone who violates the regulations, the Harbor Affairs Department has the right to impose a fine of not more than 25 yuan or imprisonment for not more than one month.Obviously, these regulations of the Hong Kong authorities are specifically aimed at dealing with the Chinese. Another aspect of Hong Kong authorities' discrimination and oppression of Chinese residents is the indiscriminate use of flogging.The Chinese were punished with public flogging at every turn.According to records, on February 25, 1846, 54 people were flogged in one day, and their braids were cut off as a punishment.In addition to the public execution of flogging, there are also humiliating punishments such as "parading through the streets", "standing up wooden cages", and "wearing shackles".Norton Kathy's book "History of Hong Kong Court Law" has recorded the situation of the Hong Kong government's indiscriminate and brutal punishment.According to the book, "corporal punishment was frequently practiced" and "the extent of cane use is almost unbelievable".Often "the Chinese are sentenced to public flogging for slight negligence". Regarding the ill-treatment of Chinese residents, Norton Casey's "Hong Kong Court History" records the following excerpts: "During March 1845, the disgusting public flogging behavior became almost a daily occurrence in the city. Once,下午日落之前一小时左右，在皇后道上，有一个可怜的家伙被缚在一间公共建筑物的门柱上，这人被剥去衣服，背上被藤条抽得伤痕纵横。这里并无人认为这事不雅观或有碍观瞻之意，但是裁判官的这么滥用鞭笞却是值得反对的。警察法庭的记录，你如加以调查，将发现若以人口为比例，香港将是全世界施行鞭笞最多的地方。” 1846年10月27日，英国商人邓肯报案说，家中遗失了200元钱，怀疑是家中厨师偷款逃往澳门，要求警方到海上截拦船只搜查。于是警方会同邓肯及其若干友人在海上截查船只。在西环海面见到一艘中国帆船便喝令停船，帆船不听，继续加速行驶，警方从后面追赶。中国船上的人慌了起来，纷纷弃船跳海。经过检查，船上并没有被怀疑偷钱的厨师，但是警方却在船上查获一些武器，便认定这些中国人都是“歹徒”，将他们拘捕控告。后来泅水上岸的船员向警方证明他们是一艘合法的商船，除船员外都是正当乘客，船上的武器是防海盗自卫用的。至于为何听到喝令不停船，船员称，船上人员当时听到后面有船追赶，误认为是海盗船，所以不得不弃船逃命。经清点船上人数，已经有5人失踪。 后来在海上捞获了4具尸体，经船上人员辨认，证明都是这艘帆船上的乘客。当时的验尸官是麦克斯威尼，因为文件上说船上疑已溺死五人，虽然事实上仅捞获4具尸体，验尸官却想当然的填写已有5具尸体被验明是溺死的。明明只有尸体4具，却签发了5具尸体的证明，另一名乘客是死是活，便置之不管。对此，居民十分不满，法官、律师也群起指责，当局只好把麦克斯威尼撤职了事。 gfhfghfghjr 港府的“医官剖验尸体”、“死因法庭研究”，以及验尸官的报告，往往是港英当局用来掩饰自己杀人罪行的一种手法。香港有名的黄祥水事件，就是一例。小商贩黄祥水被官差踢伤，脾部肿胀而死，结果经过所谓医官的尸体剖验，以及死因法庭研究，死因竟确定为“脾部肿胀”，死于疾病。黄祥水明明是被官差踢伤而死，验尸官却倒因为果，不说他被人踢死，却说他死于脾部肿胀。脾部因何而肿胀致死，无人过问。类似草菅人命的案例时常出现。 香港历史上第一个有案可查的贪官就出在戴维斯时期。戴维斯政府对这个贪官进行了百般袒护。香港处于英国的殖民统治之下，初期政府高级官员全都是由英国人担任，政治制度又不民主，没有人能够对他们进行及时和有效的监督，因此，贪赃枉法行为相当盛行。 香港岛上有一条很长的街道——坚道，就是用这个贪官威廉?坚的名字命名的。威廉?坚在璞鼎查时期就已经在港府任职，是英国人统治香港初期的首席裁判司，属于港府高官。他利用一个名叫卢亚景的中国人当走卒，向商人和“海盗”索取贿赂。卢亚景自恃有首席裁判司撑腰，横行霸道，趾高气扬，因此得罪了一些英国商人。英国商人便向法院控告了威廉?坚及其走卒。 据香港法院的档案记载，在1847年6月间，卢亚景的上司威廉?坚被另一个英国人控告，说他用人不当，利用他手下的这个卢亚景，向市场上的中国商人和其他租户索贿收规，同时更有“纵盗”和“诬良为盗”之嫌。当局接受了这个控告，下令组织调查委员会，对威廉?坚被控的犯罪事实进行了调查。自然，主要的证人是卢亚景。不料，这一切全是装模作样的，在正式开庭调查之际，卢亚景突然“失踪”了，据说是已回内地。主要证人既然失踪，调查工作也就无法进行，只好宣布威廉?坚被控的罪名不能成立。 威廉?坚的罪名既然不能成立，控告威廉?坚的那个英国人当然有“诬告”嫌疑了。于是威廉?坚就反过来告他一状，使这个英国人既罚款又坐牢。此案既了，卢亚景忽然又出现在香港。 就这样，威廉?坚的贪污渎职行为没有受到任何惩罚，后来他反而得到升迁。在1858年11月和1859年5月，先后两次被委任为代理总督，代理行使香港总督的权力。 戴维斯时期，继威廉?坚之后的另一个大贪官是前边提到的高和尔。高和尔是威廉?坚的好友。高和尔本来在广州和新加坡经商，1840年英国远征舰队从新加坡北上进攻舟山群岛，威廉?坚和高和尔两人同船，来到中国，从此成为好友。1843年，由于威廉?坚的推荐，高和尔开始在香港政府任职，成为港府裁判司的翻译，而当时的裁判司就是威廉?坚。他于1846年再升任副警司，1856年又被任命为总注册官和抚华道。高和尔索取贿赂的手段与威廉?坚如出一辙。牵涉高和尔贪污受贿的重要案件还有杜亚宝案件和黄墨洲案件。hfghgfhgfh 1847年4月，商船“加路连号”及“柯美加号”驶经尖帽湾时，遭海盗抢劫，船员全部遇害。高和尔逮捕了三名嫌疑犯，但定罪的证据不足。这时警署破获另一起行劫案，高和尔便授意行劫案犯杜亚宝出庭作证，指控前案三人是他参与尖帽湾海盗案的同党。审判官认为证词疑点很多，但陪审员认定三被告海盗杀人罪成立。杜亚宝因此事立功获得释放。之后，高和尔便利用他充当破获海盗的眼线人，进行敲榨勒索，受贿收规。捕获海盗后，仅以杜亚宝的只言片语为证，即可定人罪名。“他说是，虽良善难冀超生；他说非，则真盗也可幸免。”1847年10月，杜亚宝向船民沈亚熙勒索80元，沈倾箱倒箧如数给他。事后，沈亚熙向高和尔密告此事，高和尔置之不理。第二年1月，杜亚宝又向沈亚熙勒索100元，并声称这是转给高和尔的。沈亚熙实在无力拿出这笔在当时说来数额很大的款子，杜便诬陷他为尖帽湾海盗，将其逮捕。直到杜亚宝索贿罪行败露，被判处3年徒刑的沈亚熙才获得释放。而杜亚宝的后台高和尔却照常高官稳做，继续贪赃枉法。 戴维斯任内修建了跑马地，为香港以后的赛马、骑马活动打下了基础。 在英国推行殖民主义扩张的全盛时期，英国式的赛马在世界许多地区流行。香港的赛马就是英国人首先倡导的。《南京条约》签订不久，香港举行过赛马。根据第一任港督璞鼎查的记事册所载，1842年和1843年，香港举行过两次赛马。当时香港还没有马场，比赛是借用澳门的马场举行的。最初的赛马完全是一种体育活动，有跳栏和其它马术比赛，而且一年只举行一次，因此叫做“周年大赛”。 在早年的香港，马是重要的交通工具。香港政府要员及大商人经常以马代步，每人往往不只有一、两匹马。因此，考察香港早年的赛马记录，冠军马多半属于知名人士。例如，香港第三任总督般含的一匹名叫“诱惑”的马，从1850年起，得过多次冠军。1853年，大鸦片商颠地的一匹名叫“金手指”的马，也夺得多次锦标。怡和洋行大老板罗拔?渣甸的一匹名叫“锡克”的马，从1852年至1856年，连续五年赢得“妇女银袋”奖。有这些达官富商参与，马赛自然兴旺。由于赛马逐渐成为经常性的活动，于是，成立了赛马会。 香港的跑马场是1844年开始修建的，1848年投入使用，地点选在香港岛的黄泥涌。这一带叫黄泥涌峡，一股山溪从山上挟同黄泥沿峡谷滚滚而来，进入海面，这山溪就叫黄泥涌。溪畔有个黄泥涌村，村民在峡谷种稻田、蔬菜，养猪和家禽，利用黄泥涌的水来灌溉，利用山上的石头砌墙盖屋。英国人占据香港后，见这一带风景秀丽，就在黄泥涌峡山上，开辟英国人的住宅区，建起洋楼。可是，英国人住进后，多数得疟疾等病，死亡不少。港府认为，这是因为黄泥涌谷的水田滋生蚊虫，传播疾病，就硬把村民的稻田草园填掉，强迫村民迁徙。到戴维斯时代，就把填平的谷地辟成为跑马场。 跑马地的英文名字就是HaPPy 6allEy，意思是快活谷，与伦敦附近一所坟场的名字相同，含有“极乐世界”的意思。1842年至1843年间，许多驻港英军和商人患疟疾而死，死后就葬在黄泥涌的山边，可能因此称做“快活谷”。现在马场对面仍然是坟场。hfghgfhgfhgfh 据巴图所著《别了，港督》一书记载，戴维斯是为了迎合英国商人，修建了赛马场，并且每个周末都举行赛马活动。戴维斯的这一做法，显然是讨好英国商人的举动。因为这是英国商人们十分喜爱的一项娱乐活动。但他却没有想到，就是在赛马场上，英国商人们大大地出了他一次丑。在1845年的一个周末，戴维斯为了笼络英国商人，表示自己将亲临赛马场，为比赛的优胜者颁奖。他满以为此举必然反响强烈，但结果却出乎他的意料之外。当戴维斯兴冲冲地到达赛马场时，迎接他的即是一个十分冷清的场面。原来那些商人得知此次赛马是由戴维斯前来颁奖时，竟采取了联合抵制行动，不让一匹赛马参加这次比赛，使戴维斯感到十分难堪。 1890年，赛马开始有投注，正式变成赌博工具。第一次世界大战后，马场修建了观众台，跑道增设排水设备，跑道周圈内铺植了草皮，还可做为高尔夫球场。赛马会开始广泛吸收会员，富有的华人也可以成为会员或马主。 当年，英国《泰晤士报》特派驻华通讯员库克，曾经记述香港赛马的盛况：“如果要看良好的旧花样的赛马，其中没有横冲直撞、勒马牵缰，而且每一匹马都是为着竞赛取胜而出马的，恐怕只有到香港来才可以看得到了。”“当我们第一次看见快活谷里的赛马场，几乎忍不住地嚷着，这是整个世界上景色最丰富多彩的地方。司令台、看台、马厩、草坪和一切设备，加上那难以忘怀的午餐和香槟，所有一切都是第一流的。快活谷和维多利亚城之间相距一英里半的马路上，在赛马日那天，挤满了车辆、骑士和行人。”热闹的情景于此可见一斑。 戴维斯任期内最大的风波，是他同大法官晓吾的冲突。他利用总督的特权停止大法官行使职权，以致大法官返英向女王控诉，结果戴维斯因此而引咎辞职。 大法官约翰?晓吾，1844年5月与戴维斯一同自孟买乘船到港履职。香港政府按察司，高等法院正式成立，他是第一任大法官。 在这之前，香港只有警察法庭，裁判司禀承总督的意旨行事。当时的裁判司是威廉?坚，他几乎是总督的行政左右手，不像是一个独立的司法官。晓吾抵港后，高等法院成立，他的地位与总督分庭抗礼。裁判司是大法官的属下。而戴维斯仍然习惯于直接指挥裁判司，威廉?坚也一直以总督的属下自居。晓吾认为这是越权，侵犯了司法独立精神，所以从一开始就与总督在职权上发生磨擦，双方因为案件发生矛盾的事件接连不断。香港英籍人士习惯于英国的法治制度，因此都站在大法官一边。 1846年底，两艘中国船在港内相撞，理亏的一艘畏罪逃去，另一艘从后追赶，鸣枪警告。水警船以为发生海盗劫案，便向在逃的一艘开炮轰击致沉，溺死5人，生捉13人。裁判司不分情由将13人当作海盗，各打一顿藤条，然后押解给九龙的中国官厅完事。可是验尸官研究5个溺死人，证实他们确是良民，被笞藤后递解到内地的13个人更是无辜的良民。于是，高等法院依据验尸官的结论，指责警察方面犯了误判错误，同时发现裁判司法庭判案的律条，竟是在1845年早已明令废止了的。香港英籍居民闻讯大哗，他们早已不满意裁判司贪赃枉法的行为，现在更讽刺地劝威廉?坚应该再去学习几年法规再来任职。 1847年8月16日，戴维斯与大法官晓吾发生口角，因为一起案子，戴维斯表示，他有权决定海事法庭的开庭日期，大法官则不予承认。大法官坚持他应该被称为“法官阁下”，而戴维斯则拒绝承认这个尊称。戴维斯威吓晓吾说，要对大法官提出停职的处分。gfhgfhgfhfghgf 其实，一系列案件冲突发生之后，戴维斯已经写信给英国首相帕玛斯顿，暗中弹劾大法官有嗜饮的习惯，时常酗酒闹事。这封信本来是密呈的，帕玛斯顿却将戴维斯的私信当做官式报告，交给殖民地部大臣格雷，要求严格查处。格雷随即通知戴维斯，表示对他关于晓吾的酗酒报告将予以正式彻查。戴维斯本是想暗中中伤晓吾的，现在却弄假成真，要公开调查。于是他赶紧回复殖民地部，向格雷表示这事不必深究，因为“自从晓吾夫人离港返英以后，大法官的情状已经改善了，因此不必再继续追究。”可是格雷坚持表示，大法官的清白声誉是不能遭受玷污而不予查究的。关于这事的处理办法只有两条路可走，一条是戴维斯向晓吾道歉，另一条是他举出证据证明并非诬告。戴维斯选择了后一条路。 根据英国殖民大臣的命令，港府行政局审查大法官会议成立，总督自任主席，同时又是原告，成员还有英军驻港陆军司令德忌笠，辅政司庄士顿，裁判司威廉?坚等人，同时他们又是原告证人、陪审员。这样的会议对晓吾当然不利。 1847年11月22日，大法官晓吾接到通知，命他出席会议，答辩总督对他的弹劾。戴维斯弹劾的罪名有三项：一、1845年冬，晓吾曾经在海军少将柯讫郎在军舰“亚金科特”号上举行的餐会中饮醉了酒；二、1846年7月，在陆军司令德忌笠少将家中饮醉了酒；三、经常嗜酒醉酒。 11月25日至27日，审判会进行，在会议上，最先被查问的是第一项罪名。总督所邀请的证人多数是当时在场参加宴会的海陆军官员，被盘诘的结果，正好与戴维斯的弹劾相反。一位军官承认先后曾与大法官共席18次之多，而每次都没有醉酒，神智清楚，礼貌非常周到。其他证人也都证明大法官在“亚金科特”号宴会上实在没有醉酒。只有总督的左右手威廉?坚证明晓吾在军舰上曾经饮醉了酒。戴维斯所弹劾的第二条罪状，被主要当事人否定。参加这次会议的德忌笠因为总督将大法官在他家中的私人宴会也列入弹劾内容之一，非常不满，愤慨指责总督侵犯了他的私生活界限，违反了社交礼貌。同时参加这天宴会的宾客作证，晓吾并无醉酒之事。唯有威廉?坚证明晓吾是饮醉了酒，许多当晚在场的军官反驳了威廉?坚的说法。第三项罪状亦被许多证人否定，证人中包括军官、大商行负责人、律师、医生，以及常到法庭采访的记者。他们都证明晓吾在法庭上态度镇静，有耐性，细心静听中国证人琐碎的叙述，对于法律判断的运用非常正确。丝毫没有醉酒人那种神经错乱的表现。 在这种形势之下，一般人认为，戴维斯虽然极想利用自己的权力停止大法官的职务，但他也许顾虑这样做影响太大，不敢贸然行事。因为他要负全部责任。出人意料的是，戴维斯竟不顾一切相反的证据，利用行政会议主席的资格，宣布晓吾被弹劾的罪名成立，将其职务暂时停止，留待呈报伦敦后再作最后决定。他所根据的理由是，所弹劾第一项罪名成立。 戴维斯对大法官的假公济私的报复行为，引起了香港各界的强烈反感。大法官被停职的当天，香港的英国居民全体出动到晓吾住宅，放下各人的名片，表示慰问，并有三百余人发出慰问签名宣言，香港高等法院的全体特别陪审员、大律师，分别于12月2日和圣诞节联名写信给晓吾，向他慰问并致敬意。 晓吾被停职后，于1847年12月30日乘铁行公司的“北京”号轮船离港回伦敦，听候英伦的最后决定。在他登轮时，香港的外籍商民都到码头送行，并且大放鞭炮。 戴维斯因大法官之事闹得满城风雨，不得民心，面子失尽，挽回面子的唯一办法，只有向伦敦提出辞职，总比万一被撤职好得多。戴维斯在香港的任期本来还有两年才满任。但是，因为不得人心，不得不提早自动辞职，而伦敦方面也毫不挽留的予以批准了。 晓吾离港后返英，因交通不便，路程需要2个月，几乎到伦敦刚一登岸，殖民大臣即宣布恢复他的香港大法官职务。1848年6月16日，晓吾又抵港任职。而总督戴维斯，于1848年3月30日卸任离港，港府百官送行，军队派出仪仗队。据早期港报记载，官员们欢呼送行的口号，声音非常不起劲，看热闹的居民群众更是一点表示也没有。就这样戴维斯离开了香港。