CHINA MAIL;- PAGE 20
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HONG KONG CENTENARY: NUMBER
Many
some
(Continued from Page 18.) had as a sequel a report months later by the committee appointed to consider suggestions for the improvement of fire-fight- ing organisation in the Colony: and the King Edward Hotel fre of March, 1920.
Perhaps the biggest local pro- blem of this period, however, was provided by pirates, who had ap- parently modernised both their ideas and their equipment and started holding up the smaller river and coastal steamers on ล really large scale. Their record is worthy of being given in chronological order:
1922: Macao steamer "Sui An" pirated. A commission was ap- pointed to enquire into this, and the officers were found negligent,
1923 Piracies
1923: Steamer "Wang Ping" pirated on March 13; Shaukiwan junk pirated, March 25; Chinese steamer "Kwok Man" pirated near Macao, May 5; China Merchants S. N. Co.'s "Tai Shun” pirated
near Swatow, May 12; Chinese steamer "Sai Chow" pirated near Whampoa, May 25: Chinese steam- er "Woo Fu" pirated on the West River, May 25; junk pirated in Chinese waters just outside Hong Kong, June 10: passenger junk pirated near San Mei, October 4 China Merchants S. N. Co's "Hsin Chang"
pirated near Canton, October 8; Hong Kong steam launch “Tung On" pirated in Chinese waters. October 12: Chengchau ferry launch pirated, November 8: and s.s. "Kango" pirated near Hong Kong on De- cember 5,
1924: Steamship "Tai Lee" pirated, Captain Willox being murdered. January 20-21; further attempt at piracy on s.s. "Tai Lee,” February 20; and piracy of the s.s. "Ningshin" near Wenchow, Octo- ber 2.
1925: Steamship "Hong Hua" pirated, January 15; s.s. "Tai-O" attacked, March 25; steamship "Kwok Ning" pirated, October 5.
1926: Steamship "Ping On" pirated, March 15: 5.5. "Hsin Kong." March 25; s.s. “Hsin Fung.” October 1; s.s. "Hanoi." November 11; s.s. "Sunning”—one of The most famous-November 15; and s.s. "Wei Hol," November 19.
1927: Steamship "Wing Wo" pirated, January 5; s.s. "Seang Bee" pirated, January 27, s.s. "Hop Sang," March 21.
Naval Raid
This was followed by a naval raid on Blas Bay, on March 30. which kept the pirates quiet for a bit--but not for long!
On July 20, the Norwegian steamer "Solviken" was pirated; S.S. "Yatshing" was pirated on August 29; steam launch "Wo Fat Shing," in Hong Kong Harbour itself, October 12: and the s.s. "Irene," October 26.
1928-Junk "Hon Cheung" pirated, March 9; s.9. "Hsin Wan" pirated, April 14; Asiatic Petro- leum Company's motor boat pirat- ed in New Territories' waters, May 1; s.s. "Tean", pirated, May 6; and on September 26, the piracy of the s.s. "Anking," another fam- ous China Coast piracy.
1929: Fishing junk pirated off Cheungchau Island, August 18; s.s.. "Halching" pirated, December 12. 1930-Piracy of the 8.s. "Helikon."
It will be noted that the year 1923-when conditions on the mainland were very troubled- was the peak year for piracies and that for a few years after that the pirates were still fairly busy, only tending to drop off after 1028,
Shipping-men had other diff- culties to contend with as well, however, thanks totyphoons,
Royal Visitors
rocks and other hazards of the deep. Thus in March, 1921, the s.s. "Hong Moh" was wrecked off the Lammocks. About 250 per- sons were saved thanks to prompt and efficient action by the CN.C. 9.8. "Shansi," H.M.S. "Carlisle" and H.M.S. "Foxglove."
The Marine Court found that the wreck of the "Hong Moh" was duc ได้ faulty navigation. The rescue work was praised highly, "especially Captain E. G. R. Evans, R.N."
to
8.5.
8.5.
Three vessels, in addition Submarine L-19 and the "Loong_Sung," were sunk in the 1923 typhoon, and many others were forced ashore. suffering varying degrees of damage.
And in 1929, although piracies
wrecks dropped off,
registered again. On January 18, the "Hsin Wah" was wrecked off Waglan lighthouse, and this was followed by the wreck of a Chi- nese emigrant ship, the s.s. "Lok Sun," off Samun Island.
Nevertheless, improvements and facilities in Hong Kong's munications, both by land and sea, progressed during the decade from
1920 to 1930.
Harbour Report
com-
Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice arriv- ed in November, 1920, to inspect and report on the development of Hong Kong Harbour. his visit coinciding with considerable ex- tensions made by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd., to the dockyards at Hunghom by the laying down of additional slip- ways, the extension of existing workshops and the provision of houses for the staff.
and a Community Ball.
After visiting Kowloon on April 8, he left for Japan.
In 1920, H.RI. the Crown Prince of Rumania arrived; in
1921, H.I.H. the Crown Prince of Japan passed through the Colony On a private visit en route for Europe; in 1922, of course, there was the Prince of Wales; in 1925, H.R.H. Prince George arrived in Hong Kong; in 1926, T.R.G. the Crown Prince and Princess nf Sweden visited the Colony.
In addition, there were visits by the Governor of Macao; Sir Arthur Yupp, who came here in connection with the European Y.M.C.A., Kowloon, in 1928; the Bishop of London, also in 1928; Rear-Admiral Stotz. new Com- mander-in-Chief of the French Naval Forces in Asiatic Waters, in 1927; Sir Miles Lampson, British Minister to Peking. in 1928: H.E. the Governor to Canton, in 1928: another official visit, this time by the
Governor-General of the Philippine Islands, 1928; Marshal L Tsai Sum, 1928; and muny others.
Steady progress was made In the field of education, the newly- appointed Board of Education holding its Arst meeting early in 1920. The Government announced its intention that same year to contribute $1,000.000 to the Hang Kong University endowment fund and to meet the University's exist ing indebtedness which stood about $570,000 --in accordance with the recommendations of the H.K.U. Commission.
Benefactions
of
The year 1928 was a year substantial gifts in the educational sphere of the Colony's life. was
On
In July, 1926, the wireless sta- tion on the Pratas Island opened, to Soon prove its great value to shipping. A year later, the short-wave commercial radio service between Hong Kong und Manila was inaugurated (July 23, 1927), while the first trip by air from the Colony to Hong Kong occurred in December three years later.
The year 1929 saw the opening of the radio broadcasting studio at the Post Office by Mr. W. T. Southorn, the Officer Administer- ing the Government.
In the early part of this decade. the Canton/Kowloon railway suf- fered once more from "hold-ups." Armed men stopped and robbed an express train to Cahton in Chinese territory early in 1922. while the year 1923 saw two hold- ups near Canton, the first in February, when Chinese passen- gers were taken off and held for ransom, and the second in July.
A steady stream of prominent personalities who visited the Celony during this period perhaps gives some idea of its growing im- portance as the focal centre of British interests in the Far East.
"Renown" Tour
Biggest and most important of these was, of course, the visit to Hong Kong of the then Prince of Wales, on board H.M.S.. "Renown." This was in April, 1922, and the Prince found a busy programme awaiting him in the Colony.
There was a presentation of addresses in a special prógramme; followed by a reception of ex- Service men, after which Hts - Royal Highness relaxed and play- ed polo. An official banquet, a fish procession and Illuminations terminated the activities for April 8...
The following day, he inspected the Troops, attended the founda- tion-stone laying of St. Stephens' Girls' College, had a University degree conferred on him, attended a Masonic ceremony, Royal Gymkhana, a Chinese banquet
February 2, Mr. Kwok Siu Lau presented the Hong Kong Univer- sity School of Chinese with $60,000, and in September Woo Hay Tong's scholarships Hong Kong schools amounted to no less than $100,000,
а
Mr. to
The position of children, parti- cularly mui-tsais also came in for
good deal of consideration. Early in 1821, a commission of enquiry into child labour was up- pointed by the Governor, its re- commendations being published towards the end of the year.
A scheme for the abolition of mui-tsai was announced in the House of Commons in March, 1922, and the "Mui-Tsai Bill" was introduced into the Hong Kong Legislative Council in December.
Child Labour
The ordinance covering the in- dustrial employment of children, based on the recommendations of the 1921 commission, came into force early in 1923, the Mui-Tsai Abolition Bill being passed by the Legislative Council shortly after- wards.
Finally, 1930 saw the holding of the inaugural meeting of the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children and the arrival of the League of Nations' Commission of
· Enquiry into. the traffic in women. and children.
A few items of "headline.news" and "famous Arsts" will round out the general panorama of this dé-, cade:-
New University Medical Schools. opened, 1919; committees appoint- · ed to consider the development of the Colony's economic resources and the question of the protection of life and property during ty phoons, Kowloon Residents' Asso- ciation formed; Aero Club of Hong Kong formed, 1920; Banque In- dustrielle de Chine suspended; first annual meeting of the S.P.C.A., 1921; British postal agen- cles in China closed, 1922; knight- hood" for Mr. Henry E. Pollock;
$50,000 granted in aid of Kwang- tung flood relief, 1924; Hong Kong's offer of £250,000 to Home Government towards cost of Shi- gapore Base-announced, 1925; in- vestitute hetd in Government House by H.R.H. Prince George, 1926; Peninsula Hotel opened, 1928: Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. opens Kowloon sub-agency in Peninsula Hotel, 1929; first radio exhibition, 1929; Hong Kong Flying Club formed, 1929; Hong Kong Flying Club opened by Sir William Peel; official opening of the harbour pipe line by H.E. the Officer Ad- ministering the Government; visit of a Canadian Trade Mission, 1930.
Refreshers
The last 11 years of Hong Kong's first century will still be fresh in the minds of residents and so there is little need to do more than just touch on one or two of the lead -
events ing episodes and
of the period as a "memory refresher!"
The year 1931, for instance, will be chiefly remembered fur the outbreak of anti-Japanese riots, following the "Manchuria inci- dent". Japanese shops and resi - dents in the Colony were attacked and stoned, the must brutal inci- dent occurring at Tsang Foo Villas when a mob of 1,000 stormed Japanese homie, murdered a man and a woman and severely injured five children, four of whom died subsequently.
The Police and the courts work- ed overtime, the foru.er breaking up demonstrations and riots and arist'ng the ring-leaders, the lat- ter handing out deterrent senten- ces by the score.
There was excitement of another nature at the end of the year, when a 7-foot leopard was shot
at Shoutakok!
"Hullo, Canton! Hullo. Hong Kong!" were the
messages ex- changed between the two cities on September 1, 1931, when His Excellency the Governor formally opened the telephone link from the Colony to the City of Rams.
Ching At War
In January, 1932, the Rotary Club at Hong Kong embarked on its first philanthropic work by opening a new playground for chil- dren in the congested Wanchai district, "in the presence of a large
the youth gathering of
of the district," as a report of the time put it.
The outbreak of host litics in Shanghai between the Chinese and Japanese caused
a great deal of excitement in the Colony, but the rioting which had marked the "Manchurian Incident" was con- spicuous by its absence.
On February 23, however re- ports of a big Chinese victory in Shanghai caused tremendous ex- citement. The reports had it that the Japanese had been forced to re-embark on their warships and that a Japanese general had been killed. Hong Kong was subjected to an "intense bombardment" by firecrackers,
A. A. Beginnings
""The Anti-Aircraft, Light Auto- matic Company. "anticipates a real and urgent need the need to guard against a menace that 125 years ago would have seemed as fantastic as it seemed -40 years before then, when Tennyson"fore=" visioned the nation's aerial, na- vies grappling in the central blue," sold Mr. Champkin in a Rotary Club address in March, 1932: ·
Hong Kong lost its City Hall in 1932, when Government sold part of the site to the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank,and converted part Continued on Page 80.)
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