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THE GEOLOGY.
BY MR. ORMSBY.
The geological formation of this territory is simple, granitic, trappean, and metamorphic rocks largely predominating, the only stratified rocks which are found belonging to the hypozoic period. There are in places evidences of vol- canic action, but of a very remote period, while the granitic and trappean rocks are very prominent everywhere. The hills facing Hong- kong are chiefly of granitic, of which many varieties occur, from a fine close-grained fels- pathic white rook and a pink-coloured granite like that of Aberdeen, to a very prophyritic granite. Kaolin probably exists, but I did not come on any defined beds of it, though told that it was to be found near the west point of Castle Peak Bay. Syenite is common and of very good quality, a dark, highly orystalline variety, in many cases the large distinct crystals of hornblende being well shown..
coarse
The bold and rocky east coast shows some very characteristic cliffs of columnar basalt, and blocks of this, an almost black and highly orystalline rock, are largely used for bridging
streams inland.
Further inland other trap rocks appear, while some of the islands in Mirs Bay sbow very dis- tinctly the terraced and step-like appearance of these formations. The more compact and crys- talline varieties seem to predominate, though trap tuff's and claystone prophyries are not ab. sent. Specimens of basalts, greenstones, and felspar porphyries were numerous.
It is extremely difficult in such a country as I have described, where the varieties of trap rocks are so numerous and so mixed up with rocks of the granite system, to say what other rocks may not exist. One thing is certain, there is everywhere an abundance of the best building material, and for road macadamizing nothing could surpass the hard basalts.
In one or two places I came on distinctly stratified rooks, of a hard, crystalline, close- grained variety, dark gray or bluish grey in colour, which I would call sye¬itic gneiss.į
Pure quartz rock is uncommon, though in places distinct out-crops of quartzite were to I saw no mica schists, and except in the pure granites mica is not to seen. Talc also is absent, but hornblende appears every where, and I should say chlorite dhists, hornblende schists and actynolite schists are fairly common.
be seen.
be
I saw no limestone, all lime used in build- ings being obtained from the burning of coral or oyster shells.
The lower hills between the mountain ranges are of laterite, rounded or conical in shape, and well covered with vegetation, combining to form the extremely picturesque scenery usually associated with such formations. The richly cultivated valleys lying between, formed by the denudation of the surrounding mountains, seem in most cases to have a few feet of good soil overlying laterite; some excavations, as in wells, showed this very distinctly. The laterite is what would be called a coarse cabook in Cey. lon, fit for cutting out in blocks for building purposes. This is extremely like the disinteg. rated granite of Hongkong, but contains more silicate of alumina and oxide of iron, the latter showing in large nodules.
Some excellent pottery olay exists on the slopes of Taimò Shan, of which we saw speci- mens in the village of Un-iu, of a light brown colour and extremely fine texture. Brick olay is found in all the valleys, and is used in the
form of large sun-dried bricks in many of the village houses and walls.
THE HONGKONGWEEKLY PRESS AND
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due rather to Chinese official interference and bad management than to the absence of a paying richness in the ore. Expensive buildings were erected on the sea-shore and machinery said to have cost 100,000 dollars imported and erected. Even when the speculation collapsed, the plant was valued at $30,000, all of which is said to have been abandoned. Only the foundations and cement floors of some of the buildings remain, and the brick chimney shaft of the smelting
works.
I should say that on the Taimo Shan range gneiss syenite and trap rocks predominate. Massive boulders of gneiss of a bluish grey or greenish colour are scattered over the mountain side and in the ravines. On the slopes in which the best pasturage is found there is a stiff yellow clay, with veins of quartz gravel,
'Lautao Island is chiefly granite on the south face and trap rooks on the north, the latter being consequently much better covered with vegetation and trees. The smaller islands, such as Cheung-chau, P'ing-obau, and Lamma seen to be almost entirely granite,
It will be understood that as only 12 days in all were spent in the exploration of the main land and islands, no accurate or close geological survey was possible; the predomiuating rocks were judged as much from the stone used in the paved footpaths, stream crossings, sea walls, and houses, as from the bed rocks on the hill sides, usually difficult of access. This geological description of the country is therefore of a very sketchy and imperfect character, and a closer and more careful examination by a professional geologist, or an expert in mineralogy, will doubtless bring to light much that has escaped my observation.
•
PROPOSED NEW ROADS.
BY MR. ORMSBY.
One of the first and most pressing needs is a good cart road on an easy trace from the shores of Mirs Bay, where it approaches nearest to Kowloon city, over to British Kowloon. Such a road can readily be made as a continuation of the road already constructed on the west side of the peninsula to Mong-kok-tsui. The trace would pass through Tai-kok-tsui and along the sea coast past Lai-chi-kok, Keo paksug, &c., rising by an easy gradient until it passed round the end of the southerly mountain range, and entered the y lley leading down towards Sha-t'iu Inlet in Mirs Bay. Leaving Sha. t'in on the right, the trace would pass the keeping up by Kau-to, drop again to the im villages of Tai-Wai, Chenng-Lnug, Fotan, and portant centre of Taipo Hu market town at the head of Toln harbour. From Taipo Hu the road should follow the existing paths up the valley to the north-west to Sham Chan. The line I bave indicated only-scales 22 miles on the map, and I am of opinion that a good carriage road trace would turn out to be not more than 25 or 26 miles. I put this road first, as I con- sider it far and away the most important; it would pass through the centre of the territory, and not only would afford rapid and easy access to Hongkong markets for villagers with produce to dispose of, but would render the administra tion of the new territory simple. Besides this there is daily communication by junks from different points on Mirs Bay with Taipo Hu and Sha-tin.
Next in importeance I would put a road from Sham Chun to Shat'au Kok or Starling Inlet. very easy gradients, the greatest elevation This road would be about 10 miles long and on between these two towns being only 80 feet above sea level.
The Des Voeux road on the east side of
British Kowloon through Hung-Hom should following the existing footpath through a low be carried on to Kowloon city, and generally pass in the chain of hills, be continued on to the important town of Sai-Kung on the shores of Port Shelter. This road should eventually shore of Tolo Harbour in Mirs Bay. be continued across the dividing range to the
Possibly beds of primary limestone will be found, but the lime obtained by the burning of coral or shells is at a rale better for building purposes, so the absence of rock limestone, if such turns oạt to be the case, does not matter. A lead mine was worked for some years on the side of Taimò Shán, but the working discon- tinued for some reason about six years ago. opinion be what I would designate as second- The roads so far described should in my Galena was also found near Kowloon, and on class carriage roads, 12 feet wide, all rivers and the north side of Lantao, and elsewhere. These streams permanently bridged with stone or iron workings should be examined by a mining ex-structures, stone cross drains, and surfaced with pert, and the richness of the ore ascertained. the beat gravel or disintegrated rock obtainable The natives also speak of alluvial tin being locally, all soft ground having a bottoming of found. Silver and lead were worked on the large stones; 1 in 14 should be the steepest south of the island of Lantao within recent gradients permitted. On such roads Chinese years, but without success financially, possibly ponies in light two-wheeled carriages could
[April 15, 1899.
readily accomplish eight miles an hour, bringing Sham Chun within a three hours' drive of Kow- loon. I roughly estimate the cost of such roads- at $1,000 a mile, but in the absence of surveys and sections this must be considered rather of a guess.
Besides these, some good bridle roads should be constructed, the most important being one leaving the first main road above described where it enters the valley leading to Sha-tin, skirting the hills close above Teun-wan and following the telegraph line path through one of the gaps on Taimo Shan down into the Pat Henng Valley, and so on to Unlong Hu and Pingshan by Kamtin Ha. A road joining Uulong Ha with Sham Chun would also be desirable. Another useful road would be one connecting Pat Heung Valley with Taipo Hu, through the Lamtsun valley, a low ridge of hills between the two making this a simple matter. These bridle roads should be six feet wide, with stone culverts over the smaller streams, and paved fords over the larger ones, to save limited to 1 in 10, but carriage road gradients expense in bridging. The gradients should be adopted if possible, with a view to future developments. The natural surface might be left. I estimate that such roads should not cost more than $2,000 a mile.
OUTRAGE ON A BRITISH OFFICER AT MACÃO.
HE NEGLECTS TO DOFF HIS HAT TO A RELIGIOUS PROCESSION AND IS ASSAULTED AND ARRESTED.
RELEASED ON INTERVENTION OF THE CONSUL.
procession at Macao, Colonel Brown, D.S.O.. Ou Monday afternoon, during a religious the Military Attaché to the British Legation at Peking, was subjected to a disgraceful out- rage. Colonel Brown was on a visit to the Suttlement with a party of ladies, and while on his way from the steamer to the Bon Vista Hotel, a religious procession was en- countered. The procession, it may be men- tioned was not one of the great processions officially recognised by the Government, but what is known as the Senhora Remedios Procession, Senhora Remedios having won- prize in the Manila lottery some years ago and devoted part of the money to an endowment for an annual procession in connection with one of the churches. Religious banners are carried, but not, we understand, the Host or crucifix. Meting the procession, Colonel Brown stood to see it pass, when his hat was rudely kuoobed off. Thinking it was an accident Colonel Brown replaced his hat, when it was again knocked off with violence, and a party of soldiers, acting under the orders of Lieut. Galhardo, nephew and A.D.C. to H.E. the Governor of Macao, arrested him, and marched him off to the church enclosure. On gathering that it was his neglect to uncover that was objected to, Colouel Brown was quite ready to keep his hat off. Captain Clarke, of the steamer Heungshan, who wit- nessed the occurrence from some little distance, came up and tried to explain in Portuguese that the gentleman could not understand what was required of him by being assaulted in such a manner, and also expressed Colonel Brown's Captain Clarke suggested that the arrest was regret that he had neglected to take off his hat.
quite unnecessary and unjustifiable, but all to state of uncontrollable excitement, and the no purpose; the Portuguese officer was in a
arrest was caried out. In the meantime the Vice-Consul. Captain Clarke continued his lailies had gone on to report the matter to the representations to the A.D.C., stating Colonel Brown's official position, and that he was suffering from illness, whereupon he was allow. ed to walk in company with the A.D.C. to the and Colonel Brown was ultimately allowed to Consulate. Some conversation here took place, proceed to his hotel. The matter is now in the hands of the Consul, and no doubt an apology will in due course be tendered to Colonel Brown, if it has not been tendered already, for Governor Galhardo, we must assume, would not approve of the rash condnot of his A.D.C. We understand the matter has been reported to Sir Claude MacDonald. Colonel Brown is just
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