HONGKONG
This, the most eastern of British possessions, is situate off the coast of the Kwangtung province, at the mouth of the Canton river. It is distant about 40 miles from Macao and 90 from Canton, and lies between 22 deg. 9 min. and 22 deg. 1 min. N. lat. and 114 deg. 5 min. and 114 deg. 18 min. E. long. The Chinese characters representing the name of the island (Heung Kong) may be read as signifying either Good Harbour or Fragrant Streams.
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT.
Hongkong is a Crown Colony and was ceded to Great Britain by the Chinese Government in 1841. In the troubles which preceded the first war with China the necessity of having some place on the coast whence British trade might be protected and controlled, and where officials and merchants might be free from the insulting and humiliating requirements of the Chinese Authorities, became painfully evident. As early as 1834 Lord Napier, smarting under his insolent treatment by the Viceroy at Canton, urged the Home Government to send a force from India to support the dignity of his commission. "A little armament," he wrote, "should enter the China seas with the first of the south-west monsoon, and on arriving should take possession of the island of Hongkong, in the eastern entrance of the Canton river, which is admirably adapted for every purpose." Two years later Sir George Robinson, endorsing the opinion of Lord Napier that nothing but force could better our position in China, advised, "the occupation of one of the islands in this neighbourhood, so singularly adapted by nature in every respect for commercial purposes." In the early part of 1839 affairs approached a crisis, and on the 22nd March Captain Elliot, the Chief Superintendent of Trade, required that all the ships of Her Majesty's subjects at the outer anchorages of Canton should pro- ceed forthwith to Hongkong, and, hoisting their national colours, be prepared to resist every act of aggression on the part of the Chinese Government. When the British com- munity left Canton, Macaoafforded them a temporary asylum, but their presence there was made the occasion by the Chinese Government of threatening demonstrations against that settlement. In a despatch dated 6th May, 1839, Captain Elliot wrote to Lord Palmers- ton "The safety of Macao is, in point of fact, an object of secondary moment to the Portuguese Government, but to that of Her Majesty it may be said to be of indispensable necessity, and most particularly at this moment;" and he urged upon his Lordship "the strong necessity of concluding some immediate arrangement with the Government of His Most Faithful Majesty, either for the cession of the Portuguese rights at Macao, or for the effectual defence of the place, and its appropriation to British uses by means of a subsidiary Convention." Happily for the pernianent interests of British trade in China this suggestion came to nothing, and Great Britain found a much superior lodgment at Hongkong.
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The unfortunate homicide of a Chinaman in a riot at Hongkong between British and American seamen and natives precipitated events, and in view of the measures taken by the Chinese in reference to Macao, Captain Elliot felt that he ought no longer to compromise the safety of that settlement by remaining there. He accordingly left for Hongkong on the 24th August, 1839, Mrs. Elliot and her child having previously embarked. It was hoped that his own departure, with the officers of his establishment, might satisfy the Chinese, but it soon became evident that they intended to expel all the English from Macao. It was accordingly determined that they should leave, and on the 25th August the exodus took place. The whole of the British community (with the exception of a few sick left behind in hospital) embarked, and under the convoy of H.M.S. Volage arrived safely at Hongkong. At that time there was, of course, no town, and the community had to reside on board ship. The next measure of the Chinese was to stop supplies of food; the water also was reported to be poisoned, a placard being put up on shore warning Chinese against drinking it. This led to a miniature naval battle in Kowloon Bay. On the 4th September Captain Elliot, in the cutter Louise, accompanied by the Pearl, a small armed vessel, and the pinnace of the Volage, went to Kowloon, where there were three large men-of-war junks whose presence prevented the regular supplies of food. A written remonstrance was sent off
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