668
MILITARY (Contd.)
that a vessel was wanted for the reception of troops (invalids, we concluded).
In Yesterday's Register we read that the Coromandel, 660 tons was the vessel taken up that she has no ports, but is ventilated with scuttles that she might do for 100 healthy men, but the propriety of employing such a vessel, when accommodation is sought for 200 invalids, is, by the Register, magnanimously questioned.
On August 15, the following notification appeared:
The Coromandel hospital-ship was towed into the harbour yesterday afternoon. The unfortunate little scuttles looked like pins' heads through her broad white streak. Now that she is fairly in the service, however, we must make the best we can of a precious hard bargain; and look out that there are plenty of windsails hung up. Captain Brown, who we hear is a very excellent man, will perhaps suggest cutting one or two ports in the sides; we have known such things done, in emergencies like the present, without any real injury to the vessel.
On August 21, the Coromande was in full use as a hospital ship. Three days earlier, three officers and 150 men of the 59th Regiment had been embarked. The ship was moored in a safe position a short distance from the P. and O. Co.'s receiving ship, Fort William. Part of her outside sheathing had been stripped off for the purpose of admitting more air.
Towards the end of August, the mortality among the troops began to fall coincident with the supply of bread to the men suffering from fever. An improvement in their condition was noted and the Friend of China forthwith drew the inference that the whole cause of the illness among the troops was starvation!
Many have heard of the Chinese Regiment of Weihaiwei, which for a number of years performed excellent service under British officers, but was eventually disbanded as a matter of policy. It is interesting to find, at the time of this regiment being raised (January, 1899) several references to previous instances of Chinese service under British officers, and to a labour corps which did splendid work at the time of the second China War in 1857-58 (see 2-3-34).
One of the officers of the newly-formed regiment was Captain Bruce, of the West Riding Regiment, who went up to Weihaiwei from Hong Kong, in 1899.
Praising the courage of the individual Chinese, and supporting the plan to raise "Her Majesty's First Chinese Regiment" at Weihaiwei, a writer in the Pall Mall Gazette towards the close of 1898 stated, inter alia:
"In January, 1841, Captain Elliot, the British Inspector-General of Trade in the first Chinese War, (afterwards the first Administrator of Hong Kong, see 24-6-33) reported that the stubborn defence of the position of Taikok by the poorly armed Chinese soldiers "was obstinate and honourable to them." So much as regards their facing European troops marines and blue-jackets. In October, 1857, a "coolie corps" of 750 Hakkas was organized by Captain Temple and Mr. Power in Hong Kong and Kowlung. The official report of the storming of Canton stated with regard to these men: "The coolies on the side of the invaders had distinguished themselves by their remarkable coolness and pluck during the heat of the action".
The Mr. Power referred to, as assisting in the formation of a local labour corps in 1857, was probably J. C. Power, at the time working in the Hong Kong Land Office, under the Surveyor-General, as First Clerk. This officer's residence in 1860 is given as "The Albany", formerly Civil Service quarters (see 22-8-33).