CO129-018 - Others - 1846 — Page 472

REPORT ON

and I mind has been prepared for an investigation of Hong Kong; trust I may not be deemed presumptuous in having thus early formed my conclusions on the existing value and future prospects of the colony.

In Deep 20 Any 1 /464 - Sapa vale

Inclosure in No. I.

I have, &c.,

R. M. MARTIN,

Colonial Treasurer.

REPORT ON THE ISLAND OF HONG KONG. Locality-Hong Kong, which in the Chinese language signifies "Red Harbour, "(or "Flowing Streams,") is in north latitude 22° 16′ 27′′, east longitude 114° 14' 48", distant about forty miles east of Macao. It forms one of a numerous but scattered group of lofty islands, in termed the " 'Ladrones," which vary in size and height, but agree their arid and rugged features. The length of the island from east to west is about eight miles, with a breadth of two to four miles; it is separated from the main land of China by a strait, or inlet of the sea, varying in breadth from half a mile to three miles; one entrance, the Lymoon Pass, being less than a mile wide.

Physical Aspect. The island consists of a broken ridge, or “hogs- back," of mountainous hills running from W. N. W. to E. S. E., at an average height of about 1000 feet; but from this ridge and its spurs various conical mountains are elevated to the height of 1500 to 2000 The whole island, indeed, feet above the sea, and very precipitous.

rises abruptly from the ocean, particularly on the north face; there are a few narrow vallies and deep ravines through which the sea occa- sionally bursts, or which serve as conduits for the mountain torrents; but on the north side of the island, especially where the town of Victoria is built, the rocky ridge approaches close to the harbour, and it was only by hewing through this ridge that a street or road could be made to connect the straggling town of Victoria, which stretches along the water edge for nearly four miles, although only comprising about fifty European houses, and several Chinese huts and bazaars. Here and there on the tops of some isolated hills, or along the precipitous slopes of the mountains, some houses have been constructed, but the rugged, broken, and abrupt precipices, and deep rocky ravines, will ever effectually prevent the formation, at Victoria, of any concentrated town adapted for mutual protection, cleanliness, and comfort. Hong Kong cannot be said to possess any vegetation: a few goats with difficulty find pasturage. After the heavy rains of May, June, July, August, and September, the hills assume somewhat of a greenish hue; but the whity-brown or red streaked ridges, with the scattered masses of black rocks, give a most uninviting and desolate aspect to the island, which is unrelieved by the adjacent main land, whose physical features are precisely similar to that of Hong Kong, the mountain-tops and sides presenting in many places a singular configuration and gloomy prospect.

HONG KONG.

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Geology-There is no igneous formation in Hong Kong. The island partakes of the same geological character as the whole coast of China, south of the Quesan group of islands. The structure may be briefly described as consisting of decomposed coarse granite, intermixed with strata of a red disintegrating sandstone, crumbling into a ferru- ginous-looking clay. Huge boulder-stones, which gunpowder will not blast, may be seen embedded in a stiff earth, or they are strewed over the tops and sides of the mountains. Gneiss and felspar are found in fragments, and there are indications of iron-stone.

That the granite is rotten, and passing, like dead animal and vege- table substances, into a putrescent state, is evidenced from the crumbling of the apparently solid rock beneath the touch, and from the noxious vapour or nitrogen which it yields when the sun strikes fervidly on it after rain. On examining the sites of houses in Victoria, whose foun- dations were being excavated in the sides of the hills, the strata appeared like a richly-prepared compost, emitting a fetid odour of the most sickening nature, and which, at night, must prove a deadly poison. This strata quickly absorbs any quantity of rain, which it returns to the surface in the nature of a pestiferous mineral gas*. The position of

* Rotten Granite.--LYELL in his "Principles of Geology," vol. i., p. 317, says→→→ "The disintegration of granite is a striking feature of large districts in Auvergne, especially in the neighbourhood of Clermont. This decay was called by Dolomieu 'la Maladie du Granit,' and the rock may with propriety be said to have the rot, for it crumbles to pieces in the hand. The phenomenon may, without doubt, be ascribed to the continual disengagement of carbonic acid gas from numerous fissures." It is this gas which is evolved at the Grotto del Cane near Naples, and which is so pernicious to animal life. It is disengaged at Limagna d'Auvergne in France in large quantities; a lighted candle or other burning body is extinguished by the gas.

Water materially aids, by its solvent power, the operation of car- bonic acid gas in the decomposition of rocks. This gas is invisible, destitute of smell, much heavier than common air; owing to its specific gravity it may be poured from one vessel to another; may be collected over water which largely absorbs it, and is highly deleterious to animals. It is discharged from the surface of the water of some natural springs, and from narrow and deep vallies. Other gases are evolved from the earth. Dolomieu states that he ascertained the pre- sence of sulphurous acid, muriatic acid, hepatic gas or sulphuretted hydrogen, and inflammable air or hydrogen, as well as carbonic acid. The most abundant of the gases extricated from the bowels of the earth, next to carbonic acid gas, is pro- bably carburetted hydrogen, which is so rapidly destructive of life in coal mines. It is also sometimes emitted from the surface of the soil, or of springs and wells. M. De la Beche describes the manner in which the disintegration of rocks takes place, owing to the protracted action of atmospheric moisture.

The feldspar contained in granite is often easily decomposed. Some trap rocks, from the presence of feldspar, are liable to decomposition, as in some parts of Jamaica. The main composition of granite is quartz, feldspar, and mica, Some qualities of this primitive rock contains only feldspar and mica. This is generally the case in Hong Kong, where the feldspar is in large crystals looking like a quartzose gravel. The sound granite of Hong Kong is in isolated blocks. No drainage can ever render Hong Kong salubrious; and it is exceedingly desirable that this fallacy should be exploded, as the only effect is to drain money from the British treasury. If further proof be wanting of this, it is to be found in the following most valuable facts-adduced by Dr. Heyne, of the Madras Artillery, and which I did not see until after my report on the cause of sickness at Hong Kong was written, The remarks of Dr. Heyne ought to be carefully attended to in the formation of new colonies, sites of towns, garrison stations, encampments, &c.

Dr. Heyne observes that the ordinarily received opinions as to the vegetable

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