3.07
FIRES AND FIRE BRIGADE
CONTINUATION.
We find that the first meeting of the Fire Brigade was held in the Room of the Asiatic Society that same month (March 1856) and rules were drawn up by a committee appointed for that purpose. The Brigade was called the Victoria Volunteer Fire Brigade and consisted of three divisions, Engine companies Nos 1, 2 and 3. The Brigade was supported by voluntary subscription and its property was to be handed over to the Colonial Government whenever the Brigade was considered totally inefficient.
The first officers of the Fire Brigade were Chief Director G. L. Haskell, Deputy Chief Director G. Duddell, Assistant Chief Directors, T. A. Lane and D. Lapraik and the Secretary of the Institution Mr. J.M. Armstrong.
The first exercises of the Volunteer Fire Brigade took place at West Point. On that occasion, there was but a single engine, the attendance was considered good - both of Europeans and Chinese, some 20 of the former and 50 of the latter.
Curiously enough, at its inception the Brigade received little encouragement from the Insurance Companies and foreign Hongs. On the other hand, the Chinese merchants contributed voluntarily and liberally towards this public utility.
Afterwards this state of affairs was remedied by the firm of Messrs. Dent and Co., placing a fire engine at the disposal of the Brigade.
In the summer of 1856 we learn that two new fire engines were landed in the Colony from the ship "Jane and Isabella" and that the same vessel also brought three new fire engines for the Ordnance Department.
In December of the same year, three houses were burned down in Queen's Road West, and the public prints of that day indicate that only two members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade attended in uniform! It was also stated that the want of a directing head was much felt.
Thus with a varying amount of public spirit was formed that first voluntary fire-fighting unit of the Colony, which was to prove its mettle in the years that followed.
The announcement yesterday that the Hongkong Fire Brigade is shortly to hold its annual drill display reminds one that the present efficient body has grown out of original chaos, like the Police force, and has passed through various vicissitudes.
It is not intended at present to attempt even a brief history of the Brigade, but we might recall its dual nature in the old days, when local insurance companies maintained their own fire-fighting organisations. This has already been commented upon (see 27-6-33) when the big fire of 1878 was described. This did damage estimated at a million dollars, some 368 houses being destroyed, the flames sweeping across an area in the heart of the city north of Queen's Road, and the blaze lasting about 36 hours.
In 1851 (see 3-11-33) great destruction was caused by a fire in the area around Bonham Strand: and in 1859 (see 11-10-33) a huge blaze south of Queen's Road, near Wellington Street, swept through a fairly large area and among the buildings...