1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
639
263
be ornamental, though at this latitude they do not bear ripe nuts.
•
135. On the important sanitary question of cultivating the Eucalyptus in Hong Kong, it appears that only 400 seedlings of the Eucalyptus Globulosa had been planted in the Colony, and that of these but 100 survived up to 1879. The necessary steps were then taken for getting 4,000 seedlings of another species of Eucalyptus which grows in a climate resembling that of Hong Kong, and this number will be increased year by year.
Chinese and Irish Famine Funds.
136. Within the last few years I had to make two appeals to the community to relieve national distress. In both cases the well-known munificence of the European merchants of Hong Kong was shown, and in each case the benevolence of Her Majesty's Chinese subjects was also manifested. The subscriptions in this small Colony for the Chinese Famine Fund amounted to $120,000. Of this sum the Europeans contributed $12,000, and the Chinese $108,000. For the Irish Famine Fund the Chinese also contributed more than half the sum collected, and the largest individual subscribers were Chinese. One Chinese gentleman gave $2,000, another $1,500, and several gave from $100 to $500.
137. The Relief Committee was able to send her Grace the Duchess of Marlborough 4,359l., Mr. Gray, M.P., Lord Mayor of Dublin, 2,000l., and to Mr. Kennedy, Mayor of Cork, 1,000l. Comparing the population of the Colony and the annual Revenue with the population and Revenue of other Colonies, the proportion contributed by Hong Kong is relatively greater than the contributions sent to Ireland from any other Colony. Applying the same test, population and public Revenue, the 7,000l. sent from this small island, constituted a larger contribution, comparatively speaking, than the 35,000l., raised by the Lord Mayor of London, or all the generous contributions from the United States.
Ecclesiastical and Religious.
138. The number of ecclesiastics and of religious institutions in Hong Kong seems to be out of all proportion to the size and population of the Colony. At one time last year there were five Bishops here, and the number of priests and ministers of the various Christian denominations is extraordinary. At the Te Deum on the Queen's birthday I have seen an altar crowded with Italian, French, Spanish, and Chinese priests; this large religious element has done good to the Colony in various ways. St. Paul's College, which is under the control of the Bishop of Victoria, has been of great benefit to the Church of England community, and it was also distinguished at one time for the thoroughly sound education in English it gave to some Chinese.
1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
639
263
be ornamental, though at this latitude they do not bear ripe
nuts.
•
135. On the important sanitary question of cultivating the Eucalyptus in Hong Kong, it appears that only 400 seedlings of the Eucalyptus Globulosa had been planted in the Colony, and that of these but 100 survived up to 1879. The necessary steps were then taken for getting 4,000 seedlings of another species of Eucalyptus which grows in a climate resembling that of Hong Kong, and this number will be increased year by
year.
Chinese and Irish Famine Funds.
136. Within the last few years I had to make two appeals to the community to relieve national distress. In both cases the well known munificence of the European merchants of Hong Kong was shown, and in each case the benevolence of Her Majesty's Chinese subjects was also manifested. The subscrip- tions in this small Colony for the Chinese Famine Fund amounted to $120,000. Of this sum the Europeans contributed $12,000, and the Chinese $108,000. For the Irish Famine Fund the Chinese also contributed more than half the sum collected, and the largest individual subscribers were Chinese. One Chinese gentleman gave $2,000, another $1,500, and several gave from $100 to $500.
137. The Relief Committee was able to send her Grace the Duchess of Marlborough 4,3591, Mr. Gray, M.P., Lord Mayor of Dublin, 2,000l., and to Mr. Kennedy, Mayor of Cork, 1,000% Comparing the population of the Colony and the annual Revenue with the population and Revenue of other Colonies, the propor- tion contributed by Hong Kong is relatively greater than the contributions sent to Ireland from any other Colony. Applying the same test, population and public Revenue, the 7,000 sent from this small island, constituted a larger contribution, com- paratively speaking, than the 35,000%, raised by the Lord Mayor of London, or all the generous contributions from the United States.
Ecclesiastical and Religious.
138. The number of ecclesiastics and of religious institutions in Hong Kong seems to be out of all proportion to the size and population of the Colony. At one time last year there were five Bishops here, and the number of priests and ministers of the various Christian denominations is extraordinary. At the Te Deum on the Queen's birthday I have seen an altar crowded with Italian, French, Spanish, and Chinese priests; this large religious element has done good to the Colony in various ways, St. Paul's College, which is under the control of the Bishop of Victoria, has been of great benefit to the Church of England community, and it was also distinguished at one time for the thoroughly sound education in English it gave to some Chinese
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