1841
CENTENARY
HONGKONG
South China Morning Post-Hongkong Telegraph.
SUPPLEMENT
January 25, 1941.
1941
HOW HONGKONG BECAME A CROWN COLONY
T
HONGKONG attains its hundredth year under British suzerainty in difficult times: conditions in a war-torn world prevent fitting celebration of a great historic event in the Colony's history. Nevertheless, Hongkong stands to-day a monument of British foresight, enterprise, and stamina; it is still a haven of refuge, a symbol of democratic freedom, and a beacon for many who falter in these troubled and uncertain times.. Its history may well be unique, and its heritage one to cherish.
HE old records set January Near Shekpaiwan, well established at 26 as the date on which least 200 years ago, was the vilinge we know to-day .ns Little Hongkong. IL Britain's representative, was then named Heungkong, apparently Captain Charles Elliot, a translation of "Fragrant Streams" to I.N., took formal possession of give the most poetical version of the namo. On most old charts this vilinge the islands in 1841. This, is must have been marked as the prin therefore the actual Centenary cipal town of the laland and no doubt day; but a landing on the in time the whole Island came to be so named, thus giving us the present name island by a British naval force, of the Colony itself. The village of and a preliminary declaration of Little Hongkong, decimated by malaria, century Queen Victoria's suzerainty. is within the past quarter
Hallen partly Info run its reported to have taken place on existence will in time probably be no January 25,
Imore than maiter of local history. There
in airlking commentary on the march сап be little doubt that of time. voyagers from the Werl must have alghted Hongkong bland, and put in to
THE BRITISH ADVENT one or other of a baya, many years The reasons for the nequisition of the before the British occupation-we have Colony make a rather long story, but only to consider the early Portuguesa may be summarised briefly. The first settlement at nearby Macao, and the of the no-enlied Oolum Warn had arrival of the Dulch navigators and broken out between Bellain and China. early missionarles, who went as far as mainly owing to, friction nt Canton, Formosa and to Japan. British and where foreign merchants and establish- American merchants were trading with ed themselves in the trading centres front, near Queen Street, in a space Canton, early in the nineteenth cen-known as factories: Hostilles ceased tury, and this had followed much earlier at the beginning of 1841. and the de-enclosed by Queen's Rood on the north contacta with Chinn,
Ax Hongkong ision to take over Hongkong in place and west, Hollywood Road on the east, island offered shelter to the sailing ships of the Canton factories, which had and Gap Street on the south. Posses of that period, and much freshwater been reached in 1840, was then carried slon Street exials to-day, immediately from its streams, It soon became a well- Into effect. The Treaty of Nanking, alongside, connecting Queen's Road and Hollywood Road. It is probable that known locality, and was marked on confirming the cession of Hongkong the "Muuni" referred to was a hillock charts more than a hundred and fifty was signed on August 29, 1842.
later re-name Possession Point, It is years ago.
The following Interesting account of
one of the most historic areas in the One of the most Interesting narratives
the landing on the island has ucet Colony, but up to now no memorial of
Edward Belcher,
spot any kind exists to mark the that exists to-day with a reference to teft by Captain Sir
narrative of the
voyage where that ceremony of 100 years ago the island is. that of Dr Clarke Abel ... In Smith, who was a member of Lord round the world of II.M.S. Sulphur in took place.
Abel Smith was n botanist, and came ashore to collect specimens of the local flora, his notes being published a few years later. Thus we have it establish- ed that the harbour at Shekpniwan was
1030-1842:
"On the return of the Commodore
menclug on July 1. 1808. However, pointed at the time British inforests owing to trouble caused by Chinese in China were solely commercial; the agitators, the aren had to be pacified, governorship followed when formal and it was not until April 1000 that recognition of the Colony as a part of. full occupation was offecied. Much of the British Empire, and of more than the trouble was centred in Taipo, and mero trading importance, was estab- a detachment of troops, and some unvalled.
50
A
the
units, were sent to nic the Poller. When Sir Henry Pottinger became After some skirmishing, the British fing Governor and Commander-in-Chief of was hoisted at Talpo on April 18, and the Colony by Royal Warrant in 1843, the trouble subsided. The grealest op- the Colonial Government was organised, position was met af Kam Tin village, with a Lieutenant Governor, thië being IN these pages, of necessity in brief form, is given the main factual history of
and the iron gates of that place were | Major-General George C. D'Aguliar, removed, but were returned (after c., who was the General Omeer Com this Empire outpost against a background of grit and the true pioneering spirit, is
being taken to England in the mean-mouding the British land forces in Įtimo) In 1825.
China. The 1tle of Lieutenant Gov. told the plain story of how a barren, fever-stricken rock became the Hongkong of
Kowloon Old City, now largely dis-ernor was abolished after his tenure: to-day-one of the largest seaports in the world, with a huge entrepot trade, appearing under development of the but he also administered the Govern
aren, was until about 8fteen years ago ment on several occasions up to 1647, important industries, and a population of near two millions when the whole territory
surrounded by nn ancient wall in
The first Colonial Secretary was perfect state of preservation, Here Lieut.-Col. George Alexander Malcolm of the Colony is included. It stands a bastion of civilisation, as democratic peoples
the yamen was for a considerable (1843), who was succeeded by Mr F. period the centre of Chinese govern- W. A. Bruce in 1844, and by Major translate that term; perhaps, also a challenge.' Whatever the next hundred years
inent of the adjacent arca. The city William Calne (who also was Chlef was founded seven or eight hundred | Magistrato in those early years) in 1840. ̧ may hold for Hongkong, its first centuryis a glorious one, and the tale of its develop-
years ago, and the Chinese alinched Lieut William Pedder, FUN was the ment, however briefly told, should form an inspiration to any who come after us.
first much sentimental value to the Gret Harbour Master (1843); the place that under the convention hand. Colonial Surgeon being De Alexander ing over the New Territories,
Anderson (1843), succeeded by Dr F. whereby he became the first administra-|been arranged, and the territory, up to Jurisdiction of the Kowloon Clly yamen Dill in 1844; and the first head of the tor of Hongkong under British rule, what la now Boundary Street, and come was to remain intact. The revolt, in Police Department was Mr Charles pending appointment of an administra-prising about four square miles, which the city was involved, caused the Miny, who took up his duties in 1844, tor from England..
formally ceded on January 19,
over 1861: British authorities to take
the The Post Office goes back as a depart when Lord Elgin (who had come out control of this area as well, and thus ment to 1842, when a Mr FitzGibbon By that proclamation. Alt Chinese special plenipotentiary to Chinn
Icw then reading on the
Chinese suzerainty came to an end in talonet became with
Iwan in charge, succeeded in the expeditionary force) and
1800.
months by a Me Mullahy, who in turn British subjects; they numbered apother ometals representing the British proximately 5,000. The island was al-
Near Kowloon City is the historie gave pince to Mr R. Edwards. Mr. E. Government had a meeting in Kow- most barren, with a few constat villages, loon, with the mandarins representing Sung Wong terrace, where a large rock Spring followed in 1843: and in 1846
who mainly inhabited by fisherfolk
China. A party of British troops were is preserved as a revered relle: it is Mr Thomas Hyland was appointed. whenever occasion offered turned
been reputed to have formed a shelter in being the most energeile of the early present at what must have pirates. The excellent harbour the only anset with which Capinin Elliot Picturesque ceremony, when a clot of the Sung Dynasty period for Emperor Postmasters, and serving for commenced setting in motion
earth wrapped in paper was handed Dat Ping, who when he was in fight yours. the
Mr A. T. Cordon was the, first Sur machinery of British enterprise which to the principal Chinese delegate, and from the Mongolian invaders, rested for
veyor General (o illo changed in 1891. was destined to build up the Colony ns
to Director of Public Works), and took of the territory. The Royal Standard
EARLY ADMINISTRATION we know it to-day.
was raised, three cheers given
Though Captain Ellot was the first up his post la 1843, being succeeded England and the Queen, and a feu-de-administrator, the first officer to bear
by Mr C. StGeorge Cleverly in 1945, INCLUSION OF KOWLOON
the title of Governor of Hongkong That saw the beginnings of the Fubile
Works Department. The Colony of Hongkong continued nie was fired by the troops.
The Arst Registrar General fan office to comprise merely the island ares until The Mandarin of Kowloon City still was Sir Henry Pottinger, a.c.a. This
for changed 1881, when the small ceded territory retained his yamen at that old towns, was owing to the technical formalities
to that of Secretary of Kowloon peninsula was taken over. and it was not until much Inter that of taking over Hongkong as a British
Chinese Affairs in 1913) was Mr S. T war with Chinu British suzerainty extended to the area. Crown Colony: so that Sir Henry
Fenron, i 1845, who was succeeded in After the second known as the "Arrow" War owing to
The development of Kowloon pro- commenced as Administrator and con
1848 by Mr A. L. Inglis. Its being the result of an attack acceded apace, and Portuguese residents cluded his term of office as Governor. Canton on a lorcha of that name. were prominent in this pioneering Mr A. R. Johnston succeeded Captain flying the British flag and owned
by work; but that is referred to more fully Elliot on June 22, 1841, as Administra- tor, Sir Henry Pottinger assuming emce Hongkong Chinese-it was felt that for in another article.
on August 12. the same year, and being the proper defence of the island a
appointed Governor on June 26, 1843, section of the mainland should also be
de- when the laland was officially had in British possession. The war
of Hongkong." The New Territories were taken over, isignated "the Colony
fact. conclpded in 1850. but broke out again,
up- and it was not until 1800 that hostilities on lease for 90 years, under a conven- These early administrators, in ceased. The cession of. Kowloon hadtion signed in Peking the lease com- were Superintendents of Trade,
was
A
returned. as a symbol of the transfer brief period at Kowloon, on the 24th (of January,
Amherst's mission to China in 1010. The mission was aboard a ship that ngchared in Shekpalwan Bay topposite (to Macro) the village now known as Aberdeen, on 18411 we were directed to proceed to the south side of the island) for a Hongkong and commence its survey, while, and doubtless obtained fresh We landed on Monday, the 25th, 1841, water from the stream nearby. Dr At Afteen minutes past eight a.m. and being the bona fide first possessors, Her Majesty's health was drunk with three cheers on Possession Mount. On the 28th the squadron arrived: the matines were landed, the union (ing) hoisted formal possession on our post, and taken of the Island, by Commodore Sir J. J. G. Bremer, accompanied by the other officers of the squadron, under fen-de-Jole from the other marines, and a royal enlute from the ships of war." It is interesting to note that Possession Point. (now a Chinese recreation ground) appears on older plans of the city, situnted not far from the water-
And it
well known at an early period, being termed Hongkong Sound: known from, other old records that the pince was the principal seaport of the island in those days, and remained so until, with the arrival of the British in 1811 na owners of the place, the present harbour of Vieloria was developed and the beginnings of the city came into existence.
other
The reference to Macno is explained by the fact that, when the war with Chiun broke out, British and foreign residenta evacuated Canton and took refuge in the friendly Portuguese colony un hostilities were over, and for a time British Interests in China had been directed from Macao.
On January 20, 1841, a Circular was issued from Macon by Caplain Elliot, who was Chief Superintendent of Trade and Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China, announcing the cession of the Island and harbour of Ilongkong to the British Crown (as part of the terms of the peace with the Chinese). Captain Elliot arrived a few days later, taking formal passession of the Colony January 20; and from aboard L.M.5. Wellesley in the harbour, on February 2 following, Issued a Proclamation
on
NEW TERRITORIES
for
BOTTO
The Supreme Court was founded tri 1844, the first Chief Justice, appointed that year, being Mr John Walter Hulme, The first Registrar of the Supreme Court (1844) was Mr R. D. Cay.
The earliest of the Colonial Treasur
Ac. ers a title recently changed to countant General) was Mr E. Elmsilo
(Continued on Back Page).
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!!!!
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QUEEN'S ROAD, CENTRAL.
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