CLUBS (13)
to the Governor dated June 9, 1883, stating that a report had been received from Captain W. J. Fawkes of H.M.S. Mercury reporting that the "Bokhara" monument had been safely erected on Sand Island near the place where the unfortunate ship struck.
It is interesting to recall that the Bokhara, some years prior to this, had struck an uncharted rock just outside Hong Kong harbour, now known as the Bokhara Rock, and had to be docked at Kowloon for repairs. Following this, the authorities offered a reward of $10 to each Chinese fisherman who could point out an uncharted rock, and the Navy took a hand in improving the survey of the waters adjacent to the Colony.
In this connection, it is interesting to find that a letter dated July 18, 1888, written by the Hon. Secretary of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce to Commodore W. H. Maxwell, refers to the payment of a cheque for $100 to be placed at the disposal of Commander Moore to be disposed of as rewards to native fishermen who pointed out unknown dangers to navigation on the China Coast.
The history of the H.K. Cricket Club goes back to 1851, and it is thus very nearly the oldest established sports club in the Colony. It was in June that year that local cricketing enthusiasts formed the club, which from the outset has laid out its present ground, originally a waste piece of land by the seafront used as a drill ground for troops. The land, it is worthy of note, is still liable to military "exigencies", a right not exercised for many years.
The first Interport match took place here against Shanghai in February 1866, and in 1867, a local team journeyed to the northern port to do battle with their rivals.
It was not until 1889 that the next encounter took place, and this also in Shanghai.
In January 1890, the Straits Settlements sent their first team up here. The northerners sent a team down to Hong Kong in February 1892, and in October that same year, Hong Kong's ill-fated team went north, the majority being drowned on the return journey as we have seen. In November 1897, the Straits and Shanghai met for the first time on the local ground, and since then, the early Hong Kong winter season has been favoured, rather than the closing period for Interports.
The Cricket Club's gradual exclusivity of its ground has not been without adverse comment. We find the following, for instance, in the course of a leading article in the Hong Kong Telegraph of May 1, 1883:
"Some nine years ago, that small field to the eastward of the City Hall, now known as the Cricket Ground, was the public recreation ground for the European community. By some means or other, Sir Arthur Kennedy was 'got at' to lease this ground to the Hong Kong Cricket Club at a nominal rent, and since that time, it has been generally regarded as private property. Now, Sir Arthur Kennedy had no right to take away from the public what was undoubtedly their exclusive privilege. However, although the field in question has been vastly improved by the Cricket Club, it is still, except as regards situation,...