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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 1998.
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Stubba Ed.
Hongkong Telegraph.
MONDAY, AUGUST B, 1938.
BRITAIN AIR-RAID
CONSCIOUS
en-
Although Hongkong has been described time and again in either terms of the most cloying praise or of the most vitriolic abuse, scarcely any one has attempted to show "why Hongkong should not be a success," unless it was Mr. Charles Henry Sirr, an English barrister who came out to the Colony in 1844, and left it four years later in disgust preferring, as he was alleged to have bluntly stated, "to rather die a pauper in any other part of the world than to become wealthy and be compelled to leave his bones in Hongkong."
VALLEY OF DEATH
"Wongnelchong, or Happy Valley,
ment. The rent ramp wan even then apparently in existence; for it is re- that day that a "decent dweiling" whilst even a moderate sized one was
corded by more than one resident of
cost $150 Spanish Currency per month,
let at what was then regarded as on "enormous rental" $60 5 month, Prices for foodstuffs, however, were
considered especially dear and were in the light of to-day's charges, much more expensive than even now, as
for the most part, if we view them "
for instance:
"English bacon, one Rupçe to half
a dollar per lb.
Ham, from 1s to 2 per Ib. Cheshire cheese, one Rupee to
half a dollar per Jb. Dutch cheese, 1s/6d to 2s per lb. Butter, 2s per lb.
Mutton, 15/6d to 2s per lb.
"ABOMINABLE BEEF"
The beef sold in the markets of
Colony the
be stated to WAS
the price "abominable” and
Wha pearly dear as that prevailing in
Of course, Mr. Sirr was an inexact impressionist, and al- though he departed from here to experience what historians say was certainly a chequered career in the Government service in which raight with more propriety be Ceylon, he was apparently honest in his convictions. In present elled the valley of death, is the day estimates, however, he was sadly lacking in vision. Like most pleturesque part of the Isind; the East, csendes, which dash down from the many others who have sojourned in this portion of
arid grey time-worn rocks, meander either before or since, Mr. Sirr felt that it was his express duty in a pellucid stream through the to write a book detailing his impressions, and so accordingly he valley, and as the waters meet with England. Bread, too, was expensive, published in London in 1849, a two volume work entitled "China resistance in their course, from trag- although there were in existence, a
Character, Customs, and the Chinese: Their Religion,
and menta of cocks which acts as nature's number of bakeries which catered to the local demand. Wines and dams Or locks, accumulate and Manufactures."
accumulate. until overflowing the spirits, however, were much cheaper and in the harbour of Victoria, within opposing obstacles, they dash down in than they were at Home, and writers
is
INAUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS
and
By T. PAUL GREGORY
beverage
excellence par
of the
"Animals as well as human beings cannot endure the insalubrity of longkong: horses which are imported there from India, the Cape of Good Hope, or Australia, are frequently ill, and too often die; and the climate is
fatal peculiarly
to thoroughbred English dogs, .. The only living
stream of while creamy foam. The of the day rather gloried in the fact; His description of Hongkong in sight of our men of war. To those who profess the doc-
"A road extends from the east to Chinese cultivate these barren rocks, for in view of the Impalatable water the year that he "sailed for more trines of the "Prince of Peace" | hospitable
the west paint, the whole length of varying up earth to form terraces, and the lamentable lack of sanitation, - shores"
especially the harbour, and is
throughout the manuring and irrigating the artificial the juice of the vine and grain, 25 it is rearvely con-
handsome whole extent many
and roll, from which they procured paddy afforded, whether for good or Ill, the the piling up of armaments and interesting
rice, and the exquisite, bright ceivable that our present flourishing commodious dwellings, Godowns, or or the spectacle of two bloody wars Colony
private wharves brillant green of the growing paddy majority of the foreign community. and modern inctropolis warehouses,
Some of the author's statements, in two hemispheres are far from should have had such inauspicious have been built by the merchants; presented a most beautiful contrast
these, together with Government to the aged rocks; pleasing alike to moreover, seen in the light of modern heartening. It is apparent that beginnings:
store-houses, barracks, an hospital, the artist or udmirer of the handworks conditions, almost improbable, as for and a club house, all bear honourable of bountcous nature.-Alas! sickness example, when he says: every effort is being employed
"Hongkong is one of that cluster of testimony to English perseverence, and death lurk amidst this picturesque to make people more and more:
The extreme scenery; for the exhalations arising Islands, called by the Portuguese the industry, and energy,
eastern and western parts "war-minded," and the conse-
of from the waters produce fever and Ladrones, or Pirotical Islands, and
of Victoria are composed Chinese ague, which too frequently terminate quences of this extensive propa-
a barren region, which although cultivated with ganda may be onerous in the in
parts muny extreme. There is, however, in persevering industry by the Chinese Inhabitants, scarcely repays the apite of all the constant
his labour, as sircets and bazaars, where merchon- fatally, and some individuals attracted creatures which appear to defy the deavour of certain nations to agriculturalist for
vegetation will not thrive in this disc and curiosities essentially Chinese by the beauty of the scenery, erected climate, are vermin of all descrip- glorify war as an instrument of insalubrious colonial possession of are to be found, as well as those of some apparently desirable residences, tlons; these thrive and multiply to OF manufacture. the successive Inhabitants of each of the ruin and destruction of every national policy, a very encourag the British.' A rocky sterile noun- European origin
Some few villages are distributed them were seized with fever and died. description of property." ing note in the active prepara-tain rises from the shore, the height over the Island, but Chick-chu, a The goodly dwellings are now all
Nature lovers, too, will he shocked tions being planned and executor which is 1,000 to 2,000 feet above military station on the southern side, deserted and falling into decay; doors to learn that "the cheerful note of ed by Britain to counter-act the the level of the sea, on whose side the is the largest, the population of which and venetian blinds are dropping off hinges. whilst rank dense menace of threatened attack. town of Victoria is built, where houses does not amount to seventeen hun- their No longer can she depend upon of every variety of form have sprung dred. Sal-wan, a smaller village on tropical weeds are springing up in kong, and their tuneful notes, except up, with continuous ranges of build. the cast, is also occupied as a milliary what had been laid out as flower as imprisoned pets, never glad the
withering senso at stution and sanitorium for our troops, gardens; the the natural boundary of her sea-
ings, Interspersed with detached and the native population of which does desolation and death, which fllckers
before the mental vision girt coast and her powerful fleet, enclosed villas, where lately revelled not amount to five hundred.”
of the In short, this early resident of the but must anticipate the advent the
Happy Valley, moreover, which is spectator, is overpowering, when he Colony was not only a convinced of an enemy from another quar poisonous centipede. The Island has now so greatly favoured as a residen- Cazes on those tenantless dwellings. pessimist, but unfortunately, a most ter-the air. Consequently, been held in i repute by the tial district was in the early days The mind reverts to the occupants pronounced "calamity howler." One Where are they ment if he were permitted to see tor mock air raids of auch a scale Chinese nation from time immemorial, of the Colony a far from ideal locality, who arrived in this distant clime full could scarcely conceive his tustonish-
the cold grave,
himself the splendours of this great then a subject of remark. But let now?-Tenants of as were carried out on Friday as one most unhealthy, and from be- although its natural beauty was even of health and hope. are most opportune; for now isg the resort of pirates, thieves, and Mr. Sirr give his impressions and where no kindred dust commingles commercial emporium as; it is some desperate characters of every des- then let us compare that populous with their own, their earthly remains ninety years subsequently from the the time to bring home to the cription; and when taken possession section as it is to-day with what It being devoured, before decomposed. date that he wrote these lines;
was at the time when he saw it: by the disgusting land crab." people the lessons of modern of by us, the whole population was warfare as exemplified by the under cight thousand, consisted powerful bomber and its cargo principally of this disreputable class GRIN AND BEAR IT
venomous
serpent and
the
and although many have left, still the insecurity of property in Hong- kong is proverbial, and daring acts of piracy occur continually near to,
enhanced
h
of death. It is not enough to depend upon the despatches from Spain and China to arouse the population to consider for itself the necessity of adequate pro- tection if and when hostilities
will be China occur. That time will be too late; for in these days when hundred-fold, and in order to
with Buch cope
formidable tliere is an obvious disintegra tion of international morality, a weapons of offence, it is impera- possible enemy might not wait tive that adequate measures be taken. The splendid efforts for the formalities of declaring that a state of war exists, but being expended by the British would actually send its fleet of Government in order to accom- plish this herculean task call for bombing planes to deliver &
the highest praise. What is "knock-out blow" without warn- ing. Those who aver that such more, the initiation of such prac-
tical demonstrations as mock air! a contingency is improbable,
raids, "black outs,” the training need only to turn to the "un-
of anti-aircraft gun crews, and declared war" that has been raging in the Far East more the like will go a long way to
than a year.
assure that in case of omer- gency, the population will react without fear of panic, and thus
It is an undisputed fact that all wars of the future, will be nullify what to the enemy would fought largely in the air. The bo the greatest desideratum prominent part played by the collapse of civilian morale.--| bomber aquadrons in Spain and ' T.F.G.
a singing bird, in the full enjoyment of existence, is never heard in Hong-
car."
"We deem it a duty that we owe our fellow man to speak truthfully and plainly of the insalubrity of China generally, but especially of Hong-
By Lichty; for had we but one sincere
"I said low bridge very, dlatinetly, Lady! And now my duty
ir done!”
friend, who would have told us the honest truth concerning that charnel house Hongkong, not all the wealth of the East would have lured us thither. Many who have expended much capital in Improvements upon the Island, endeavour, naturally possibly--but assuredly, knowing what they do of the unhealthiness of the Island, most unfairly, to in- crease the number of colonists by mia-representation-hence the local press, under their influence, never reveal one title of the deaths which
occur,
Is
"If any man, therefore, have a mind to visit China, from curiosity, let him turn his time and his money to better account. If any man, be allured to it by the,, love of gain, let him think that health. better than wealth; and it any unfortunato enlisted in either of Her Majesty's services be com- pelled to come, by duty, just let him have a stout heart and 'a lively falut In God's mercy," which latter muy spare him to curse the place, as it has dono tl/e writer of these few lines; and if, after his term at servico here, he leaves it for a more hospitable shore, after having cs- caped fevers and typhoons, he may say and think to himself that very Providence has watched over him?? -Hongkong, Sept. 28, 1840.
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