1941-01-20 — Page 54

CHINA MAIL, PAGE 6

1841

HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER

Colony's Birth-Pangs

Continued from Page 4.)

however, while Happy Valley-or Wongneichong Valley, as it was then known-was taken up with sweet potatoes and padi fields. The year 1845-in which, incidentally, the "China Mail" was founded- was quite a gala year, for the first of the P. & O. boots, the Lady Mary Wood, arrived in the Colony with mails posted in London only 55 days before.

It is perhaps 1111 interesting commentary on civilisation to note that, despite greatly increased speed of communications in this year 1941, residents of Hong Kong to-day would consider themselves extremely fortunate if they could rely on such a rapid passage of the ship mails from Home thanks to the war, 60 to 90 days seems to be a fairer average!)

The next ten years. however, proved far from pleasant, strikes and incendiarism being among the least of the problems which fac - ed the pioneers here. There was even talk by the early 'Arties' of abandoning the Colony.

Taiping Rebellion

111 tu

In 1850, the rebellion which was subsequently known as the Tai- ping rebellion broke out Kwangsi and slowly spread other parts of China. In 1854, Kowloon City and other towns to the north-east of Hong Kong were the subject of attacks and counter- attacks by the Taipings and the Imperial forces.

The mandarins at Canton, too, were not exactly cooperating with the British Colony, and the tric- tion between the two culminated in the famous "Arrow" incident in October, 1856. A fast-sailing junk with a British master, the Arrow Wits owned by a Chinese mer- chant resident in Hong Kong, and white lying at hor in Canton was boarded by the Chinese auth- orities, its crew inace prisoner and the British flag haded down. This followed the dulbreak of further anti-foreign incidents # Canton, notably the posting of inflammatory placards.

The Canton Viceroy refused either to tender an official apology or to surrender the prisoners, but for a time the incident developed only slowly. The bombardment of the forts and official buildings in Canton merely resulted in the destruction by rioting mobs of European Canton and Whampoa factories.

At the beginning of 1857, an incident occurred in Hong Kong which is still talked of as one of the most diabolically conceived crimes this part of the world has ever known. Bread baked in the principal bakery of the town, the "E-sing Bakery," owned

а

by Chinese, was filled with arsenic, and no less than 400 Europeans were affected.

Arsenic Plot

Fortunately,

the conspirators putting

it

over-did themselves by too much arsenic into the bread, with the result that instead of killing all those who ate it, merely made them violently ill. The owner of the bakery fled to Macao, was brought back and tried with "intent to murder."

It is perhaps a credit to Brit- ish Courts of Justice that although the judge, jury and counsel had all been victims of the poisoning attempt, the prisoner was acquit- ted.

The "Arrow" affair, meanwhile, had not been forgotten at Home; in those days, it was not neces- sary for one country to actually invade another before a casus belli could be deemed to exist, Lord Elgin had been sent out as spc- cial plenipoteniary. to China, superseding Sir J. Bowring, but

his arrival in the Colony was de- layed by the Indian Mutiny and he did not reach here untu July, 1857.

Canton was taken in Decem- ber-January, after J

Franco- British ultimatum had been re- jected, and the war was then transferred to North China, where the Taku forts were captured and the Treaty of Tientsin signed (on June 26) but not ratified.

Taku Incident

It was to have been ratified the following year, but when the British Minister to the Court at Peking, attempted to pass the forts at Taku he was fired on and had to turn back. Lord Elgin was again sent out, with full powers, accompanied by a large force commanded by Sir Hope Grant.

On August 1. 1880, Franco- British forces landed without op- position north of Taku, and mar- ched north to Peking. Deciding that further resistance was hope- less, the Chinese opened negotia- tions, surrendering the An-ting Gate as a gesture of good faith.

The Peking Convention of Octo- be 24 ratified the agreement of 1858.

On October 24,

1860,

Prince

Two crops of rice are yielded each year, and

sugar cane, indigo, hemp, peanuts, potatoes of various varieties, yam, taro, bêans, pump- kins and vegetables of all kinds are grown.

In addition, there are mineral resources, but these have been barely tapped as yet. Granite is, of course, quarried in the pen- insula.

So much for the general picture of events which led up to the final physical shaping of the Colony of Hong Kong as we know it to-day. During its frst 100 years, the Colony has seen vast changes, and once it got started its growth was cemingly inevitable, even though in the early troubled years re- sidents here could becomie SU depressed as to start thinking of abandoning the whole thing.

A Cavalcade

No attempt will be made, in re- lating the history of the first 100 years of Hong Kong, to do more than briefly sketch the major happenings of each year. Space does not permit of more, but just as a reader in a hurry can get a clear picture of the major events of the day by scanning the head- lines of his evening paper, so, it is hoped, this rapid survey will

What Kowloon looked like in 1650. The picture is appar- ently taken from a spot near the present Kowloon Docks and looks across Hunghom Bay towards the peninsula,

Kung and Lord Elgin ratifled the agreement of two years before, while the Peking Convention was signed.

the

This treaty also included right of Europeans to travel in the interior of China and permitted the free teaching of Christianity, but the clause, affecting Kowloon is perhaps the principal one of interest to Hong Kong residents at the moment.

In March, 1880, Mr. Harry (later Sir Henry) Parkes obtained in perpetual lease from the Canton Viceroy a strip of two square miles of territory on the mainland at Kowloon, projecting towards the harbour, together with Stone- cutter's Island, and this perpetual Jeuse was confirmed by Article VI of the Peking Convention,

Hong Kong was still growing, bath in actual size and in num- bers, and in 1898 a further ex- tension of territory' was granted, the "New Territories"-covering 376 square miles in area and in- cluding Lantao Islarid and the waters of the farther shores of Deep and Mirs bays-being leased to Britain for a period of 99 years.

This new district Brought the Hakkas and Puntis into the fold of the Colony, Although moun- tainous, it has extensively culti- vated valleys, the Lam Tsun valley near Taipo being considered one of the most fertile in' all China.

give à clear picture of the caval- cade of years that make up the century from 1841 to 1941.

The year 1841 naturally begins with the cession of the island to Britain on January 20th, and the formal possession of it six days later by Admiral Str Gordon Captain (later Sir)

Bremner.

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Charles Elliott, R.N., Chief Super- intendent of the Trade of British subjects in China, took over the administration in accordance with proclamation he issued on January 29, which proclamation also declared that Chinese should be governed by the laws of China and other nationals by the laws of Britain.

Free Post

to-

British and foreign merchan's from Macao; started: look around, and new buildings be- gan to come up; the first sub- stantial house and godowns being established by Jardine, Matheson & Co. at East Point.

Chinese settlers commenced' to` take root west of the Wong Nei Chong (now "Happy") Valley in what was known as the "Canton Bazaar" and near the site of what was later the Central Market.

On June 7, Hong Kong was declared a free port.

A first sale of lands was held,

33 marine lots aggregating about nine acres, being sold for a total

annual rent of £3,032. The sale was subsequently disallowed.

Malignant Malaria

"Natural difficulties" encounter- ed in this first year included an outbreak of malignant malaria in Jmc vialent typhoons br July; and a des ructive fire in August.

The establishment of the Super- intendent of Trade was moved from Macno to Hong Kong in 1842, Captain Elliott having been replaced by Mr. A. R. Johnson. taken Sir Henry Pottinger had over the Governorship in August the previous year,

The

on

Treaty of Nanking August 20th confirmed the ces- sion of Hong Kong and the war- ships and troops were sent home, with the exception of a garrison of 700 officers and men.

The Post Office was organised, Mexican and other Republican dollars were declared to be stand- ard for trade, a committee was appointed to investigate claims to land and to lay out the town (including the naming of “Queen's Road" as the main street) and a road was constructed from Wong- heicheong to Shaukiwan

In 1843, following the granting of a Royal Charter, а Colonial Government was organised, com- posed of a Lieutenant-Governor, Colonial Secretary, Treasurer, Chinese Secretary, Legal Adviser, Surgeon, Chaplain, Magistrate, Hårbour Master, Surveyor and Land Officer and Postmaster, while 18 official and 26 unofficial Justices of the Peace were created. The "City of Victoria" was offi- cially named.

Health was very bad, and be- tween May and October, 1843, no Jess than 24 per cent of the troops and 10 per cent of the European civilians died of fever.

Competition

By the end of 1843, there were 12 large English firms, 10 Eng- lish merchants trading on a smal- ler scale and about six Indian firms. The opening of five treaty ports (including Shanghai) had a markedly adverse effect оп the Colony's trade.

Among the "high-lights" of the year was the launching of the first ship to be built in Hong Kong, the "Celestial," which was launch- ed on February 7 at East Point.

Trade (except in opiumi) con- tinued to decline in 1844, partly owing to the restrictions imposed by the Chinese under Sir Henry Pottinger's supplementary treaty of October 8 the previous year, while the junk trade was affected by frequent piracies. The first oplum ordinance was passed and farm-let for $720 a month, while a salt tax was instituted.

Sir John Davis took over the governorship in May. A police force was organised the some month and had its first big task when an attempt to regulate the population by a Registration. Or- dinance was opposed at a public meeting which was followed by a general strike.

A. D. C. Formed

The Amateur Dramatic Club, was formed' and the Seaman's Hospital built by public subscrip- tion. In September.

In 1845, after some opposition, house property was rated and pa- lice rates introduced. Oplum' was farm-lot for $1,710 per month, an previous year. increase of almost $1,000 on the

The F&O started a monthly mall-steamer service, a school for English children and the Union Church were opened,

and American Consul was appointed.

(Continued on Page 8.);

an

1941