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burnt at Torpe-hu, Cha Tau Kok Sha E, Tsun Wan, Ping Shan, and other places visited. It is understood that a great deal of the lime used in Hong Kong is imported In from the Saf Of district.
in
The manufacture of bricks and the quarrying of stones enable the inhabitants to
Snatian obtain building material at a cheap rate.
Salt is manufactured in several places. Salt pans were seen at Sha-Tau Kok and Castle Peak Bay.
The indigo grown in the district is used for dyeing cloth, both men and women being engaged in the work of dyeing.
Boatbuilding is carried on. A boatbuilding shed was seen on the shores of Mirs Bay.*
A large establishment exists near Ts'ün Wan for the manufacture of joss-powder, The powder is made out of which joss-sticks, used in the worship of idols, are made. from fragrant wood, which is pounded into dust by means of water-wheels, six of which were seen at work.
Although there is a large force of water throughout the territory available for water-power, this is the only instance in which we saw water utilised for manufacturing purposes.
Ropes and nets are manufactured out of the hemp which was observed growing in various places.
One village we visited was engaged entirely in the manufacture of pottery, the clay The villagers are for which is found in the mountain immediately above the village. said to have learned the art of manufacturing pottery from an Italian missionary, who formerly resided amongst them.
In almost every village
are exported annually.
carried on the rearing of pigs, large numbers of which
Pine trees are grown, and cut down for firewood, which is an important article of export.
Poultry breeding and fruit growing for the Hong Kong market form lucrative occupations for many villages.
With the introduction of capital, which is sure to follow when the territory comes under British occupation, and with that feeling of greater security which just govern- ment is bound to inspire, the present industries will be greatly developed, and new industries will be created.
PRESENT ROADS AND BRIDGES.
ROADS.
There are no roads in the ordinary acceptation of that term in the territory. Communication between the villages and market towns is effected by means of foot- paths, which are about five feet wide, paved with slabs of granite. Through the land under cultivation the paths are merely the ridges between adjacent fields. The paths At all across the hill ranges have been traced with care, and at fairly easy gradients. crossings stones are erected informing travellers which road to follow to reach such centres as Sham Chin, Un Long and Kowloon. On Map II. the routes traversed. by the Commission are shown, as well as some other paths, the general direction of which has been ascertained.
BRIDGES.
Crossings over all the small streams are effected by means of huge blocks of stone. The wider streams are crossed by bridges. The largest bridge we saw is near Tai-po-bu It is well constructed of some 10 or 12 spans 15 feet in width. The piers are of good masonry in mortar; the platform is constructed of granite slabs, laid side by side, 18 to 20 feet in length, and there is a handrail of iron bars. In the same locality there is another bridge,f of similar construction, consisting of three spans of 15 feet each.
* See Photographs, Album I., No. 28.
See Photographs, Album I., No. 21.
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PROPOSED NEW ROADS.
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In order to facilitate the development of the country, and to render its administrá- tion easier, it is most important that proper roads should be constructed. On this point I have consulted Mr. Ormsby, whose recommendations, in which I concur, are embodied in a memorandum (see Appendix 4), with which he kindly furnished me. The roads recommended by Mr. Ormsby are marked on Map II.
TELEGRAFIIS.
There is a telegraph line, marked on Map II., which runs from Hong Kong through the newly-leased territory to Canton. The line itself, posts, and wires, up to the present boundary between Chinese and British Kowloon are owned and maintained by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. Beyond the British boundary the line is the property of the Chinese Imperial Government, which has a telegraph office in Hong Kong. It would, I presume, be possible, to make arrangements for using the existing line; but on many grounds it appears to be preferable to construct a separate and inde- pendent line. If it be ultimately decided to establish the headquarters of the Govern- ment at Tapah, which seems to be the most central position, it will be sufficient, at any rate to begin with, to construct a line from Hong Kong via Kowloon, and over the pass in the hills behind the latter place, directly to Tai-po-hu distance of say 10 or
12 miles.
It is estimated that the cost of such a line would amount to $5,000 or $6,000.
RAILWAY.
The construction of a railway between Canton and Kowloon has been mooted for
a long time, and some years ago a survey of the country, through which a line might pass, was made on behalf of a syndicate of Chinese. been abandoned, and nothing more was heard of it until quite recently, when it again But the scheme appears to have came under consideration, and is, I understand, at present being discussed.
If a railway be constructed between Canton and Kowloon, there can be no doubt that such a line would greatly aid the development of the new territory, through a portion of which it would pass, and whink would be of great commercial and political importance, as it would unite more closely with Hong Kong, the great commercial city of Southern China and the many towns lying between the city of Canton and that colony.
In the event of a main line being constructed to Canton, it would, no doubt, be advisable to establish branch lines, connecting with the main line, in that portion of the new territory through which the main line will not pass.
It has also been suggested that, even if the Canton-Kowloon line be not established at once, light railways should be constructed in the new area. They would, no doubt, help to develope it and increase its population by attracting people to it, but roads seem to be the first requisite, and should be attended to as soon as possible.
PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF THE SAN
CIVIL OFFICERS.
of
DISTRICT.
The district of San Op, within which the area about to be leased is situated, is included in the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of the two Kwongs, who lives at Canton,
The chief civil officer of the district is the magistrate, who resides at Namt'au, and who is responsible to the Viceroy for the good government of the whole district, and whose duties are both judicial and executive.
Under the magistrate are an assistant magistrate and two deputy magistrates. The assistant magistrate resides at Taip'ang. One deputy magistrate is stationed at Fukwing, north-west of Namt'au, the other within the city of Kowloon.
The assistant and deputy magistrates have power to make arrests and conduct preliminary inquiries, but should refer most cases to the magistrates for final decision.
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