BIJLAGE III.

Annnal Beport on the Chinese Protectorate, Singapore, for the year 1887.

I. The State of the Chinese Secret Societies.

1. During the past year, owing to visits to the other Settlements and to absence from the Colony on sick leave, I hare only been able to attend the Singapore office for about five months, but I will endeavour to give a report of the general state of the Chinese population for the year 1887 as far as regards their Secret Societies.

2. With one exception, the registered dangerous societies have given very little trouble, but in other respects the state of things complained of in paragraphs 3 to 6 of my last Report still exists.

3. The principal headmen of the Ghee Hok society interested in gambling, continued their lawless career, and although they did not, as I predicted, revenge themselves on the headman, who appeared as witnesses before the commission, there is no doubt, from evidence in the possession of Government that, presuming on their continued