FIRES AND FIRE BRIGADE. CONTINUATION.
than one occasion in recent years, has proved its versatility by turning out bodies of men to assist in putting out big blazes in the city.
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The early years of the Colony's history are a record of trials and tribulations brought about by hostile or criminal Chinese. Apart from piracy, robbery and assault, and the poisoning plot (26-6-33) there were, as stated in the above paragraph, a series of incendiary fires. Indeed, for some years it appears that there was a conspiracy, instigated if not actually operated by leading pirates and robbers to burn down large areas of the city whether for spite or loot is not quite clear. The records show that the residents of Hong-kong were becoming restless and apprehensive under what they considered inadequate protection by the forces of law and order and a flagrantly incendiary fire in 1857 stirred up the authorities to increased vigilance. Attempts at incendiarism continued throughout that year and into the next. In 1858, it became evident that most of these efforts had their origin outside the Colony but the authorities were baffled in their attempts to arrest the culprits. On May 17 of that year the Government issued a notice offering a reward of $100 to anyone "causing the apprehension and conviction of an incendiary" and declaring that His Excellency the Governor had become aware that the notorious pirate Chu Aqui was at the head of these incendiaries, and a reward was offered for Chu Aqui's arrest of $500.
As no further reference is made to this pirate chief, it is to be assumed that he met his end not long afterwards, and meanwhile managed to evade the clutches of the Hongkong authorities.
Reference to the local Fire Brigades yesterday (27-6-33) can be amplified by research among the old records. The suggestion for a Volunteer Fire Brigade arose in the early part of 1856 and in March of that year it was notified that a proposal for the establishment of a Fire Brigade was lying for signature at the office of Messrs. Armstrong and Lawrence.
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It is evident that the first body thus formed was a combined Chinese and European effort. It is reported that the Chinese held a meeting at the Joss House later that month to discuss the formation of a Fire-Brigade. As regards men they proposed that each establishment should provide a coolie dressed in a uniform to be agreed upon: and as there were 800 establishments there would thus be that number of men at the disposal for the Brigade.
As for means of procuring engines and other expenses, the proposal was that, taking for granted that the foreign merchants and others would contribute as became them, the Chinese shopkeepers should each pay half a month's additional rent provided their landlords would also contribute that like sum. One of the largest Chinese householders who was present, signified his assent to this; and the meeting decided to proceed with the scheme.
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