1920-1930
- 37
1899.
427
Governor Sir Henry Arthur Blake, K.C.M.G., (25.11.1898 to 21.11.1903).
Principal Events.-New Territories taken over by hoisting British flag at Tai Po on 16/4; on account of opposition including attack on Br. Troops by some 2,600 Chinese on 19/4, in which Chinese authorities were believed to have connived, Sham Chun City beyond new boundary occupied from 16/5 to 13/11. 2 machine gun, 1 infantry and 1 engineer companies added to Volunteers.
Trade & Industries.-Hong Kong Cotton Spinning, Weaving & Dyeing Co. started operations (176). Green Island Cement Co. previously at Macao commenced manufacture at Hok Un near Kowloon for local use and export. Sugar refineries did well. Exchange averaged 1/11 for the year and stood at 1/11 on December 27th.
Public Works.-Laying out of streets at Mong Kok Tsui, N. of Yau Ma Ti, begun. Wong Nei Cheong Reservoir (33,994,000 galls.) completed for City Waterworks; total capacity of storage reservoirs now 511,394,000 galls.
Legislation.-N.T. Exemption of Laws and Regulation Ords. (Nos. 6 and 8) for administering N.T., Prisons Ord. (No. 4), Criminal Procedure Ord. (No. 9), Merchant Shipping Ord. (No. 10) supplementary to English Acts, and an Ord., afterwards superseded, for sanitary regulation of buildings.
1900.
Principal Events.-H.K. served as Br. base during Boxer troubles in the North. In typhoon of 10/11 H.M.S. Sandpiper, 10 launches and over 110 junks sunk and over 200 lives lost in 3 hours. Soldiers' Club opened (14/4).