MILITARY
(Contd.)
"The troops file off to their Barracks. The crowds break up; darkness comes over the face of the scene, and the spectacle is over.
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In connexion with the above, it should be noted that the parade ground in question was the present H.K. Cricket Club ground, then at the water's edge.
There are further notes on the military in Hong Kong in the old days which are worth reproducing here, as an extension of those given yesterday (7-7-33). As stated, it is hoped to have a full record available some day.
Not very long ago new colours were presented in Hong Kong to the South Wales Borderers, and it was stated at the time that the ceremony was almost unique for the Colony. Yet we find that as long ago as 1848 new colours were presented to the 95th Regiment. The ceremony took place on February 17 that year, and marked the taking over of the garrison command by Major General Stavely from General D'Aguilar (commemorated in Cape D'Aguilar and D'Aguilar Street). A farewell address was also presented to General D'Aguilar by leading merchants of the Colony.
On his arrival here, Major General D'Aguilar had to be accommodated in makeshift quarters, and barracks were also not easily obtained then and had to be largely improvised. We find in the records that there were temporary barracks, erected on the cession of Hong Kong, located at West Point. These were pulled down a few years later, and the military became dependent on other buildings for accommodation. A house which had been built originally as an inn, one of the early "hotels" of the period, was utilised as the General's quarters, and it is on record that the War Department were required to pay, in addition to the rent, the anticipated profits of the inn-keeper!
One of the buildings used later by the Army was the old Oriental Bank, in D'Aguilar Street; and an old warehouse adjoining the place was then not far from the seafront which had for a time been occupied as a Court House, was taken over as barracks.
It is also interesting to learn from a reader that the "Albany" is probably even older than many people think, and that it was also used at one time as barracks. A correspondent's letter is given below.
A most interesting item of news in a recent issue of the London Times sounds an echo out here, and recalls one of the most vivid episodes of the war with China which included as one of its results the cession of Hong Kong to Britain. In the course of the campaign, there was an attack on Ninghai, the capital of Chusan, and the place was taken with considerable glory to the troops engaged. The interest to Hong Kong is that several regiments which formed the early garrison here were engaged in these operations, including the 55th Regiment, 49th Regiment, and the 18th Royal Irish. It will be recalled that a correspondent recently asked me whether these regiments, even numbers in the old days, could not be identified under their present designations. Towards this end, it may be stated that the 55th were the old Westmorland Regiment, and are now the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment. The 49th are now the
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