1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
No. 340.
HONG KONG.
(For Report for 1899, see No. 314.)
GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
Government House,
Hongkong,
25th September, 1901.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the Blue Book for 1900. The statistics quoted in the Report of the Colonial Secretary show that the Colony is in a sound financial position, and that its business, which is mainly that of a great transhipping port, continues to increase with the expanding trade of the East. The shipping returns show that during the year 1900, 82,456 ships of the aggregate registered tonnage of 18,445,133 tons, carrying 9,862,868 tons of cargo and 2,031,079 passengers arrived and cleared.
2. But this considerable increase of shipping over the previous year by no means represents the enormous increase in the number of ships that entered the harbour during this year of abnormal activity. The Boxer troubles in the North broke out in June, and in July the first contingents of the China Expeditionary Forces began to arrive. Hongkong was practically the British base, and for months the man-of-war anchorage was filled with British and Foreign warships and transports. At first it was feared that there was no available space in which to accommodate the Indian Brigades landed here to await the settlement of details as to future operations. I gave the Major-General Commanding Troops carte blanche to occupy every spot of ground on which a tent could be pitched, and sufficient accommodation was found in the immediate neighbourhood. I may add that the conduct of the Indian Troops landed here left nothing to be desired.
3. With the new road now being completed to Taipo, opening up the plains and hillsides of the New Territory, there is now ample accommodation for any number of troops likely to be required in the East.
10185-75-10/1901 Wt 25152 D & S 5
A 2
Page 291
3
1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
No. 340.
HONG KONG.
(For Report for 1899, see No. 314.)
GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
Government House,
Hongkong,
25th September, 1901.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the Blue Book for 1900. The statistics quoted in the Report of the Colonial Secretary show that the Colony is in a sound financial position, and that its business, which is mainly that of a great transhipping port, continues to increase with the expanding trade of the East. The shipping returns show that during the year 1900, 82,456 ships of the aggregate registered tonnage of 18,445,133 tons, carrying 9,862,868 tons of cargo and 2,031,079 passengers arrived and cleared.
K
2. But this considerable increase of shipping over the previous year by no means represents the enormous increase in the num- ber of ships that entered the harbour during this year of abnormal activity. The Boxer troubles in the North broke out in June, and in July the first contingents of the China Expeditionary Forces began to arrive. Hongkong was practically the British base, and for months the man-of-war anchorage was filled with British and Foreign warships and transports. At first it was feared that there was no available space in which to accom- modate the Indian Brigades landed here to await the settlement of details as to future operations. I gave the Major-General Commanding Troops carte blanche to occupy every spot of ground on which a tent could be pitched, and sufficient accom- modation was found in the immediate neighbourhood. I may add that the conduct of the Indian Troops landed here left nothing to be desired.
3. With the new road now being completed to Taipo, opening up the plains and hillsides of the New Territory, there is now ample accommodation for any number of troops likely to be required in the East.
10185-75-10/1901 Wt 25152 D & S 5
A 2
291
3
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.