[ { "id": 292612, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-166 - Public Offices & Others - 1873", "page_number": 42, "title": "CO129-166 - Public Offices & Others - 1873", "content_text": "40\n\nat an altitude/\n\nThe South West Monsoon which blows from May to October is diverted by the range of hills, forming the backbone of the Island, stretching from East to West and having heights varying from 1900 to 1800 feet. It is exposed to the North East Monsoon blowing from that quarter, during the remaining months of the year, and it is to this cause of alternate shelter and exposure that Victoria is so hot in Summer and so cold in Winter.\n\nextensively\n\nThe geological formation of the Island is almost entirely Granite, which is extensively quarried and used for building purposes not only in the Island but also at Canton, Hongkong, and other ports on the Coast, even as far as Shanghai.\n\nThe Island is very scantily wooded; only a few small trees growing in valleys sheltered from the effects of Typhoons which prevail during the South West Monsoon Season; but the planting of trees has been exhaustively carried out by the Government, and they are now yielding a grateful shade to the roads in all directions in the neighbourhood of Victoria.\n\nThe business portion of the City is naturally that lying close to the Harbour, but here also are to be found the residences of the employees of the large Merchant and Banking Firms, and the major portions of the Chinese Hong (places of business) and dwellings.\n\nnumerous\n\nThe European dwellings of the better class are to be found on the higher ground at the back of the City, and extending up to a height of more than 1100 ft above the Sea.\n\nThe European portion of the Community is individually by far the larger consumer of water, although the Chinese, as the more numerous, require the greater quantity, but the former, from the fact of living higher up the hill-side, require that supply to be delivered at a much greater altitude, in fact most of the better European residences are to be found above the 250 feet level.\n\nIn the early days of the occupations of the Colony, when the inhabitants were few and funds scarce, water was obtained from the numerous streams flowing down to the sea, and from wells, but the increase of the...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-166 - Public Offices & Others - 1873.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 320200, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-206 - Public Offices & Others - 1882", "page_number": 164, "title": "CO129-206 - Public Offices & Others - 1882", "content_text": "# PALL MALL GAZETTE. \n## WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1882.\n\nIt is to be hoped that the Colonial Office will scrutinize carefully the doings of the officers who are administering the government of Hong Kong during Governor Sir Pope Hennessy's temporary absence. The policy of fair play to the preponderating Chinese population of the island which had been steadily pursued, in the face of much local opposition, for five years was followed by its natural result. Native timidity and suspicion were gradually replaced by confidence in our administration; Chinese capital was freely invested in land and various industrial enterprises in the colony, and the Chinese had commenced to settle permanently on the island. Shortly before the Governor's departure, Mr. Ng-Choy, the only Chinese member of the Legislative Council, prophesied that any reversal of his policy, or any retrograde step, would inevitably be followed by the distrust of the Chinese and the withdrawal of their capital. Unfortunately this warning was unheeded. The Chinese became alarmed at one or two apparently unfriendly acts of the administrator as soon as the Governor had left. The consequence was a steady outflow of Chinese, with their money, which has now reached such a pitch that on June 10, only three short months after the Governor's strong hand was removed from the helm, a public meeting of the colonists was called \"for the purpose of discussing the reasons which have led to the withdrawal of native capital from the colony.\" Confidence is a plant of slow growth, especially in the sensitive and suspicious minds of Asiatics, and, unless Lord Kimberley interferes, the good effects of the work of the past five years will be effaced from the minds of the native population, which, after all, forms the backbone of the prosperity of the colony and of our whole trade with China.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-206 - Public Offices & Others - 1882.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 328670, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-221 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [4-6]", "page_number": 445, "title": "CO129-221 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [4-6]", "content_text": "# A GAME LAW GRIEVANCE IN HONG KONG.\n\nEver since the late Governor left Hong Kong (writes an Anglo-Chinese correspondent) the administration of that colony appears to have been going steadily down the hill in all that relates to the native population, until it has reached the position in which it was ten years ago, when the feelings, wishes, and rights of the Chinese, who form the vast majority of the inhabitants, were totally disregarded. The colonial legislators now, as then, think only of the small handful of Europeans, to the utter neglect of the dumb thousands who compose the backbone of the prosperity of the colony.\n\nTo take the latest example of this discreditable class legislation. A few gentlemen, military officers and others, took it into their heads that game should be preserved for their amusement, and that a district of this island, which is itself smaller than many an English parish, and which, moreover, contains a populous city, should be placed under a rigorous game law. Aided by the colonial officials, an ordinance has just been passed, putting rather more than half the island (the rest probably being built over) under such a law. It is stated that about sixty persons, at the most a hundred, will enjoy the benefit of the sport.\n\nThe worst of the story, however, is that this portion of the island is inhabited by the poorest class of the population, the families of labourers and artisans in the city, and by so-called \"grass-cutters,\" who get a livelihood by cutting the rough, coarse grass for fuel. At a late meeting, one of the spokesmen observed that it would be useless to think of preserving game while these people carried on their occupation, and accordingly they are to be evicted from their homes, which they have held under squatters' licences from the Crown, with the understanding that they were not to be evicted unless the land was required for public purposes.\n\nColonel Stanley's attention should be strongly directed to this tyrannical legislation in the interest of a few score of sportsmen. Even Mr. Winans purchases the land which he turns into a desert. The Chinese know nothing of game laws, and it is safe to predict that the Hong Kong gaol will be crowded with unfortunate poachers.\n\n## Government House, Hongkong, 15th June 1885.\n\nMy Lord,\n\nI have the honour to transmit herewith for Her Majesty's gracious allowance and confirmation, `Ordinance No. 15 of 1885`, entitled \"**The Preservation of Wild Birds and Game**\" of 13th June 1885. The six spare Copies.\n\nThe Right Honourable The Earl of Derby K.G., ...\n\nPage 444\nPage 44 \n\n## REL \n## REGE 27 JUL 85 \n13067 \n\nI be is confident that his Lordship will carefully value the operation of the Ordinance, and request him to see whether there is least any interference with the people who have hitherto had the land.\n\nThe 19/6 \n\nNo \n\nHi august. \nwate that Cd. Stanley's attention has been directed to the above statement by sending copies.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-221 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [4-6].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 336682, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-237 - Governor Des Voeus Acting Governor Stewart - 1888 [1-6]", "page_number": 398, "title": "CO129-237 - Governor Des Voeus Acting Governor Stewart - 1888 [1-6]", "content_text": "# Pateable Value is introduced for the first time, the procedure as to appeals simplified and provisions are introduced as to the numbering of houses.\n\n(Signed) Edw. L. O'Malley \nMay 4th 1888.\n\n## Enclosure B.\n\n### The Daily Press.\n\n#### HONGKONG, MARCH 28TH, 1888.\n\nThe Council went into Committee on the Rating Bill.\n\nThe **COLONIAL TREASURER** moved, in the definition clause, that for the words “annual valuation” the words \"annual assessment\" should be read, and that for \"general valuation” in the same line \"general assessment” should be read. He said the alteration was merely a technical one, and he would have to propose it frequently throughout the reading of the Bill.\n\n**His EXCELLENCY**--I think it would be well, considering that this Bill has been before us some time, to give some reason for the alteration. I am not quite clear in my own mind as to what the difference in meaning is.\n\nThe **COLONIAL TREASURER**-The valuation of a property is simply the stating by an officer, brought in for the purpose, of the value. The process in England is this-a Vestry employs a valuer to give them an estimate of the value of the various properties in the parish. He does so and then the Vestry takes upon itself the responsibility of either accepting or rejecting his valuation. They are not bound by it. If they think it is too low they take the responsibility of raising it, or if they think it is too high they may lower it. Having done that they have fixed the rateable value of the property, which is generally the amount estimated, but not always. They take the valuer's estimate as a guide, and then assess it at either more or less. Here we have no vestry, and the valuer performs these two functions. He values the property and then he fixes it in the rate book at the value which he has fixed. He does in some cases revise his own valuation, but the assessment is that entry in the rate book which the valuer makes as the rateable value of the property on which the rates are to be paid.\n\n**His EXCELLENCY**-Do you think the alteration absolutely necessary? It is always inconvenient to alter all through an Ordinance.\n\nThe **COLONIAL TREASURER**-I don't think it absolutely necessary, but I must confess that while the Bill is in progress I should like to have it technically correct if possible. I do not press the point.\n\nThe **ATTORNEY-GENERAL**-It seems to me that \"valuation\" is better than \"assessment.” If the word \"assessment\" is substituted for \"valuation\" it might leave a sort of discretion in the hands of the valuer which is not desirable.\n\nThe motion was withdrawn.\n\nHon. C. P. CHATER, with reference to definition 2, said-I beg to propose an amendment, namely, that the last few lines in this section \"Such annual value shall include the value of any fixtures or fixed machinery which may be regarded as the proper fittings of the tenement and essentially necessary to its occupation by the tenant,\" be omitted, and the following words from the old Ordinance 21 of 1885 be inserted in lieu thereof; \"In estimating the value of a tenement the value of any machinery contained therein shall not be included.” I know that this Ordinance has been compiled under the careful supervision of the Colonial Treasurer, but in taking exception to the words in question I feel I am acting for the good of the colony, and my opinion is shared by most of the influential members of this mercantile community. I consider if this section be adopted in its entirety it will be, if not killing, at all events materially wounding the proverbial goose. I think too much zeal in the collection of taxes is to be deprecated.\n\nHon. P. Ryrie -Hear, hear; and the words which I propose should be omitted seem to me to have been inserted specially to the exclusion of the words of the old Ordinance, which I now propose to retain. I feel personally so confident that the proposed alteration is a mistake, that I would be more inclined, if it were necessary, to subsidize industries than to hamper them by placing a tax on machinery; for in encouraging machine shops and factories labour is invited to the Colony, which means of necessity increase of population and of the area of ground occupied, and thereby augmenting our rates and the revenue of the Colony generally. Surely then, Sir, it must be a near-sighted policy to attempt to tax these industrial establishments. In fact, I feel it almost an indirect tax on goods manufactured in this Colony, which I am sure your Excellency will admit is against the spirit of our constitution, and I have therefore much pleasure in proposing the alteration.\n\nHon. J. BELL-IRVING-I have much pleasure in seconding the amendment, and I fully endorse all that has been said by my hon. friend.\n\nThe **COLONIAL TREASURER**-This is a most important section of the Ordinance, and therefore I trust the Council will not think any time spent on it is spent in vain, because this definition is the very backbone, the mainspring of the Ordinance. If the hon. member's amendment be accepted I believe Hongkong will be the only place in the world where machinery is not rated. It is no doubt a very important question whether Hongkong should be the only place where machinery is not rated, and I confess much may be said in favour of the view that it should. I sympathise to a very great extent with the views of the hon. member and his seconder, but there are considerations on both sides and while I would refrain from attempting to influence the mind of the Council in any way, I feel bound to state what are the considerations on the other side. There are thousands of people here who, if they thought about the matter at all which I don't suppose they do, might express themselves something like this:-\"Hongkong is a great deal more comfortable place to me with 100,000 inhabitants than with 200,000 and would be more comfortable still with only 50,000. The only result to me of the large population of operatives flocking here to work machinery and every piece of ground being taken up and new streets being opened, would be that I would be a good deal more bustled and jostled than otherwise; I would be living in a quarter of the space and paying three or four times as heavy a rent.\" That is not only the view of the dilettante professional man who comes here for three or four years and goes away, or of the Government servant who has no interest in machinery or commercial enterprise, it is the view, or should be the view, if they thought about it at all, of tens of thousands of the Chinese here who find themselves pinched for room and have to pay excessive house rents in consequence of the over-crowding of the Colony. These are the considerations on the other side. If you consider the matter very carefully, it seems to me it is a choice between a possible injury to trade on the one side and an injustice on the other. It is possible that where enterprise is struggling and can only keep its head above water a tax might just turn the scale and induce the shutting up of some such establishment as our late lamented steam laundry. The $10 or so a month might perhaps just be the last straw which would make the establishment not worth carrying on. But if on the one hand you have a little possible injury to enterprise, you have on the other a considerable injustice to large numbers of people who would be paying less taxes if machinery in the Colony was paying its fair share. And then, sir, I scarcely see where this exemption is to stop. If machinery is necessary to enterprise so are piers, therefore exempt piers; and godowns, therefore exempt godowns; also houses for the godown keepers and the clerks, therefore exempt these; in fact the only people who would be taxed would be the public servants, who would probably be regarded as not essential to the progress of the colony. Finally, sir, your Excellency's contemplated reduction of taxation will probably leave the machinery-using establishments paying no more rates than at present, while the hard-working Chinese population will pay less. The machine using householder will only probably pay what he is paying at present or a little less.\n\nHon. P. RYRIE-If you carry out this principle you should assess all the houses as furnished houses. We have all machinery of some sort, gas lamps, cooking pots, and so on. If you have a factory, to furnish that factory you must put machinery in it.\n\nThe **COLONIAL TREASURER** (reading)-“Such annual value shall include the value of any fixtures or fixed machinery which may be regarded as the proper fittings of the tenement...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-237 - Governor Des Voeus Acting Governor Stewart - 1888 [1-6].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 346263, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-250 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [6-8]", "page_number": 662, "title": "CO129-250 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [6-8]", "content_text": "## Telegram\n\n**MINUTE**\n\nMr. Johnnn & Any 30. Graham \nMr. Wingfield \nX Mr. Bramston \nMr. Meade \n8 2 \nHerleri & \nSir R. Herbert \nBaron de Worms \nLord Knutsford\n\ndapted for \nAkay 1581 \n(10 Aug 191) \nfather. \n657 referring to telty backbone changeabl \nCol. Lecreting \nbany: \nEloquently \nleave extended till \narterial \nuntil arrival \nfittable \nof \nJovenes Amphing \ndatolite \ndesp. follows by mail \nSeus \n1219 \nSw \nwith \n2 Drafts on 14713", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-250 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [6-8].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 346472, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-251 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [9-11]", "page_number": 76, "title": "CO129-251 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [9-11]", "content_text": "# Enclosure 6.\n\n1\n\nOne China Unit.\n\n**HONGKONG, SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1891**\n\nThe opponents of the Share Bill, if their declarations are sincere, fully recognise the evil done by the wild speculations of bulls and bears and are anxious to check that evil. They, however, maintain that legislative interference, more particularly of the kind to be attempted in Hongkong, will not be effective and will be detrimental. They point to the fact that the English Parliament, by refusing to interfere in the absolute freedom of the trade in pig-iron and in the sale of warrants therefor, has practically condemned the principle on which the Hongkong Share Bill is based. Why then, they ask, should the Legislative Council of Hongkong be permitted to interfere with the freedom of trade in a way condemned by the Imperial Parliament? Why? Because the conditions of life in Hongkong are different from those at Home.\n\nIt has been remarked that the most ardent advocates of laissez-faire become, when transferred to India, advocates of state interference; and the reason for the change is not difficult to find. The soundness of the laissez-faire policy is only relative. In a country where the force of public opinion is great, it is possible for reforms to be carried out by voluntary combination, and the sphere of state action can with advantage be reduced to narrow limits. But in a country like India, where the higher civilisation is exotic, and the vast majority of the inhabitants are only semi-civilised, the State, which is the embodiment of the exotic civilisation, is compelled to interfere in the affairs of everyday life to a far greater extent than the English Government. So it is in Hongkong. That a measure has been condemned by the Parliament of Westminster is no proof that it would not work satisfactorily in Hongkong.\n\nThe memorialists point out that the Leeman's Act has fallen into desuetude in England and is wholly discarded on the London Stock Exchange. But why has it fallen into desuetude? Because the objects it sought to attain have been accomplished in another and more effective manner. The rules of the London Stock Exchange, which on the whole ensure honest dealing by reputable operators possessed of means, and which place wholesome restrictions on speculations, effect what the Leeman's Act was intended to accomplish. In Hongkong, there is not sufficient honesty and moral backbone to do this voluntary work. The Government gave brokers ample opportunity to cleanse the Augean stable, and did not start work until all hope of voluntary effort had been abandoned.\n\nThe truth is—a lamentable truth—the majority in Hongkong are in favour of gambling, or 'fluttering' as the Fairplay writer euphemistically calls it, or are so under the influence of the gamblers that they cannot take energetic action against the community. A director who openly admits that he shares half the proceeds of a speculator who has been engaged in 'bearing' the stock of the Company concerned, is loudly applauded by the majority of the shareholders assembled in public meeting.\n\nGranting that legislative interference, no other being practicable, is necessary, the next question which arises is—is the interference that has been sanctioned by the Legislative Council of Hongkong the best that can be adopted? Whether it is the best possible or not, there can be no doubt that no better method of treatment has yet been suggested. The great value of the measure that has just been passed lies in the equal restraint it places on 'bulls' and 'bears'. A false impression has been created that the Bill was introduced for the purpose of annihilating 'bears' and allowing 'bulls' unlimited scope for action. Perhaps the wide prevalence of this false idea is due in some measure to the advocates of the Bill, who by their strong denunciation of the mode of operation of the 'bears' may have made the public suppose that the object was the suppression of only one of the two evil species of gambling.\n\nThey had doubtless good cause for their strong denunciation, for the feeling in Hongkong against the 'bear' is accentuated by the conviction that certain of that class not only perturbed the market by their gambling but gambled with loaded dice. We are not going to enter into the nice question whether 'bears' or 'bulls' do the most harm or whether one of the twins was born a minute before the other. The two exist together and are almost inseparable. Where the one is, there the other is sure to be, and the harm both do is immense. The great value of Mr. Keswick's Bill is that it cramps the action of both, and of both equally. The attempt made to show that the Bill is solely levelled against 'bears' is pure subterfuge; it is the straw which Mr. Francis and the sinking memorialists are convulsively clinging to. The Bill simply puts dealing in fictitious shares in its true place among gambling transactions. If no contract enforceable by the Court can be made without real shares, the 'bull' will have as much difficulty in accomplishing his object as the 'bear'.\n\nIt is significant of the feebleness of the...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-251 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [9-11].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 348663, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-254 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [1-4]", "page_number": 396, "title": "CO129-254 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [1-4]", "content_text": "# MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.\n\nunder the lead of Dr. Stewart, furnished unwittingly by this very Grant-in-Aid Scheme the means to develop religious education to an extent never before witnessed in Hongkong, and to enable the denominational institutions to outstrip by far, in number of Schools and scholars as well as in popularity, the secular Schools of the Government. For six years, indeed, a few Mission Schools groaned in the chains of secularism, but when, by what the adherers of the secular system called a few merely verbal alterations, the secular elementary Grant-in-Aid Scheme of 1878 had been transformed into a Scheme which left the primary Mission Schools absolutely unfettered in religion and free to develop into secondary Schools, the denominational Schools, and particularly those of the Protestant Missions, multiplied and improved at an extraordinary rate, speedily making up for lost time, and yet, though rapidly distancing the Government Schools, hardly able to come up to the educational wants of an even more rapidly increasing population. The highest praise for this wonderful success is due in the first instance to Dr. Stewart, who deftly launched the Grant-in-Aid Scheme in 1873, and, in the second instance, to Governor Sir John Pope Hennessy who successfully reformed it in 1879.\n\nOn 14th February, 1873, Dr. Stewart submitted for the approval of the Government a Grant-in-Aid Scheme differing in no material points from Foster's Education Act of 1870 except that, while the latter, respecting the conscientious religious scruples of parents, left the knotty point of religious instruction to the discretion of the School Boards, the former dispensed with School Boards and religious education altogether and made it a preliminary condition of a grant that four consecutive hours per diem should be set apart for purely secular instruction and that the grant should be paid exclusively for results ascertained by examination in secular subjects. The chafing point of this yoke of secularism was by no means the allotting of the grant on the exclusive basis of an examination in secular subjects - on the contrary, all the Mission Schools were and are quite willing to submit to this test - but what worried all the Mission Schools under this Scheme, and soon caused the Catholics to withdraw altogether from it, was the iron rule as to four consecutive hours, necessarily the very best part (the forenoon) of every day, to be devoted to exclusively secular instruction. This was the sore point, and it was a sore grievance to the friends of religious education, because this appropriation of the very best part of every day to exclusively non-religious work was felt by scholars and teachers as a virtual exaltation of secular education and practical relegation of religion to a back seat. In vain did the writer of this implore Dr. Stewart to make a concession on this point. Dr. Stewart was inexorable; he considered this very point the backbone and marrow of his whole Grant-in-Aid Scheme.\n\nExcellently adapted as Dr. Stewart's Grant-in-Aid Scheme was to the peculiar circumstances of the Colony, it contained - like Foster's Act - some radical defects, which immediately made themselves felt by causing considerable friction. No one has more clearly and concisely defined those defects than an American Educationist (Franklin Rhodes) who took great pains in studying (May, 1888) the history of our Grant-in-Aid Scheme. Referring to Dr. Stewart's Scheme of 1873, he says: \n| Condition | Description |\n| --- | --- |\n| First | The plan was applied to elementary Schools only and so failed to fill the demands of a complete system. |\n| Secondly | It gave no aid to any School whose average attendance was under twenty and so left the weak School without help at its most critical time. |\n| Thirdly | A School must devote at least four consecutive hours a day to secular instruction, and thus it not only exalted the secular in undue measure but virtually excluded religious teaching. |\n| Fourthly | The text-books must be sufficient as regards secular instruction, thus making the whole standing of the School turn on its secular character. |\n\nBefore the Scheme was formally approved, Dr. Stewart, acknowledging that there were no Chinese schoolbooks in existence satisfying the demands of his Scheme, recommended (17th April, 1873) that the Governor should appoint a Committee for the compilation of Chinese schoolbooks with Dr. Eitel as Chairman. This was done. A Committee of Protestant Missionaries (together with Dr. Stewart) immediately set to work and compiled a series of three graduated Chinese Readers after the pattern of the Irish National Schoolbook Society's publications, each Reader containing a few deistic-religious articles, devoid of anything essentially Christian. A preliminary hornbook containing graduated exercises for writing Chinese was also adopted. These books are in use in the Government Schools and Grant-in-Aid Schools to the present day. But no English Readers, adapted to the peculiar needs of children whose mother tongue is other than English, have ever been prepared here, though this want is badly felt.\n\nOn 24th April, 1873, the Grant-in-Aid Scheme was approved by the Governor in Legislative Council and the following six Schools, attended by a total of 442 scholars, were at once placed under the Scheme: \n- St. Saviour's English Day School (Catholic)\n- St. Stephen's Chinese School (Church Mission)\n- Victoria English Boys' School (taught by Mr. Hanlon, managed by Mr. Ryrie and described as 'undenominational')\n- Wantsai and Taipingshan Chapel Schools for Chinese (London Mission)\n- Baxter Vernacular Chinese Girls School (Church of England)\n\nIn his report for 1873, Dr. Stewart states that the Scheme has met with the approval of all denominations, Catholic and Protestant alike. But that the approval of the Missionaries, who took up the Scheme to give it a fair trial, was not an unqualified one, will be seen from the following extract from a local paper.\n\nThe China Overland Trade Report (summarizing several articles which had appeared in the columns of the Daily Press and referring to certain correspondence which had appeared in the China Mail) contains the following editorial remarks in its issue of 25th December, 1873: \nA lively controversy has been going on with reference to the system of education provided at the Government Schools. That system is based upon the secular principle, and as far as possible all religious lessons are eliminated; but on account of the extent to which ideas connected with quasi-religious systems among the Chinese are mixed up with everything in Chinese books, it is impossible entirely to eliminate them from the books used to teach the natives their own language. On account of this difficulty, Dr. Eitel of the London Mission has attacked the system, arguing that the Schools should be made Christian, as otherwise we exclude Christianity whilst we teach Paganism. The supporters of the secular system, in reply, point out that this is the only system which is suited to the Colony and prove their assertion incontestibly by the official statistics which present a total of over 1,300 Chinese scholars at the Government Schools against 147 at the Missionary Schools. Unfortunately for the framer of this argument, the proportion of scholars at Government Schools, as compared with the number of scholars attending the Missionary Schools, decreased steadily from year to year, and ten years later, the relations were reversed, for there were (in the year 1883) 3,517 scholars attending the Christian Mission Schools (under the Grant-in-Aid Scheme) and only 2,080 scholars attending the secular Government Schools. Last year (1890) the proportion was 4,656 scholars in the Christian Mission Schools to 2,514 scholars in the secular Government Schools. \n\n## 390 \n## 42 \n## 43 \npril", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-254 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [1-4].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 349284, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-255 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [5-7]", "page_number": 236, "title": "CO129-255 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [5-7]", "content_text": "## \n\n235 \n\nremain uncollected because they would cost the paltry sum of 20,000 dollars. It is not, I think, to be credited that the fears of the Chamber would be realised that some of this vast trade would leave Hong Kong in consequence of a few statistics being asked for from ships frequenting the port. That trade goes there for its own convenience and profit, and a dollar or two per ship will not deflect the course of the stream. \n\nThe last point raised is, in my view, the serious objection, viz: the interference with the junk carrying trade. But as to loss of such business, that could hardly be involved in the mere fact of the Master of a junk being asked to state that his cargo consisted of, say, 100 piculs of rice. The difficulty is to get them to understand this and that no sinister motive lurks behind the demand, and such understanding could only come with time, but would come no doubt. \n\nGenerally I believe that there is not much backbone in the objections of the Chamber of Commerce. The absence of Trade statistics is barbarism, and sooner or later Hong Kong in its \"unique position\" will find it necessary to do something in this way. Even China does so. I do not pretend to be able to suggest the best methods of doing the thing. I only suggest that it ought to be done and that I am confident Hong Kong has men who can do it if they choose. \n\n3 August 1892 \n\nVery Truly yours \nMatur \nGeneral", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-255 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [5-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 352495, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "page_number": 87, "title": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "content_text": "86\n\nstore but in a dilapidated condition through disuse from which also the stores of the chemical laboratory appear to suffer. The playgrounds are virtually useless and none of the Masters considers it his calling to encourage or organize any use of them.\n\n5.\n\nAim of the School. This School established in 1861 for the special benefit of the Chinese community has aimed from the beginning at giving at the same time both an elementary Chinese education in the Chinese language and an elementary English education with the use of both the English and Chinese languages, but for the sake of unity the ordinary methods of teaching Chinese have always been more or less anglicized. The hybrid Anglo-Chinese character of the School, which has no counterpart in social life, involves enormous difficulties. Two languages and two codes of civilization of absolutely irreconcilable tendencies are forcibly welded together. Two sets of Masters, English and Chinese, who cannot or will not work in mutual subordination or even cooperation, because each set retains its own antagonistic national bias, have to be employed. As cooperation is, with the present Chinese staff, impossible, some classes are taught by Englishmen only, others by Chinese teachers only. Englishmen unable to read or speak Chinese with facility have to teach Chinese translation for which they acknowledge themselves incompetent and to supervise classes under instruction in classical Chinese. Chinamen anti-English to the backbone and unable to pronounce English correctly or to speak it idiomatically, and even to teach English dictation, grammar, and composition. Consequently, the school resembles a garden in which", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 352500, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "page_number": 92, "title": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "content_text": "91\n\nAll thought of school or scholars till he returns to his desk. The fact that none had a notebook to show in proof of his having lately prepared any lesson beforehand, and the fact that the Masters generally come to their lessons unprepared, speak volumes. A reform is urgently needed in the direction of giving to the Chinese Masters their proper position as subordinate assistants and to the English Masters a sense of responsibility with regard to their respective classes or subjects, coupled with a measure of personal authority over their scholars and some freedom in the choice of their methods.\n\nB.\n\nStaff of the Chinese Division. The Chinese School consists of four roughly classified sets of scholars under four Chinese graduates meeting (with frequent and lengthy interruptions) for three or one and a-half hours every day each time under the supervision (for purposes of order) of an English Master. The Headmaster does not profess competency to fix the subjects to be taught in these classes but leaves that to the four Chinese Masters who arrange it as they deem best. Loud memoriter repetition (indispensable for progress in Chinese studies) is forbidden. Individual teaching (the backbone of Chinese method) is the exception and class teaching the rule. The boys have, however, a fair opportunity, if they choose to avail themselves of it, to keep up their previous attainment in English. More cannot in fairness be expected. Responsibility is in this case also significantly absent. But even the Headmaster's rule is here wanting. The supposed supervision by the English Master is avowedly a mere form and a waste of time and energy.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 352886, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "page_number": 478, "title": "CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12]", "content_text": "way, refusing partnership alliance with Europeans, and strictly confining itself to the relations of buyer and seller, so in matters of education also the leading men among the Chinese population have hitherto stood aloof from Government grants-in-aid as much as from the schools of Christian missions. Nevertheless, of the 10,000 children now under instruction in the schools of this colony, hardly one-fifth attend those Kaifong schools, whilst over 8,000 children, mostly Chinese, are crowding into the schools established by Church and State. Moreover, those Kaifong schools are now, so far as accommodation and scope of teaching is concerned, in the same cramped and slipshod condition in which they were 50 years ago, and as oblivious of the needs of female education as ever. On the other hand, the Mission schools and the Government schools, largely patronized by the Chinese people, are from year to year steadily improving their accommodation, their organization, and their methods of teaching, and drawing into the education net both boys and girls of all nationalities. Lest among the audience some of the leaders and representatives of the Chinese community, and I would earnestly call upon them to reconsider their attitude of isolation, not merely apart from, but virtually in opposition to the main drift of the educational movement of this colony. I would ask them to consider that the onward sweep of the world tolerates no longer any standing still, in matters of education no more than in politics, trade or civilization, that in the increasingly keen competitive struggle for individual or national existence, the victory is now with the educated, while the illiterate remain ciphers in society or become the dangerous tools of designing agitators; that, as Chancellor Kent put it, the parent who sends big sons into the world uneducated (in the modern sense of the word) defrauds the community of a useful citizen and bequeaths to it a nuisance.\" I would add that he who does not send his daughter to school must be regarded as an enemy of coming generations. By all means, I should say, let the leaders of the Chinese community strike out a path of their own in matters of education, but let them remember that the welfare and success of the Chinese people of this Colony require girls' schools as much as boys' schools, demand English as well as Chinese teaching, and necessitate a modern and moral rather than an antique or merely intellectual training of the people. Sir, I have spoken of the three great educational agencies at work in this colony, the people, the Church, and the State. It is to Mr. Belilios that we owe the addition of a third educational agency, as important, as powerful, as necessary as the others, the agency of private generosity in creating educational endowments. The endowed schools of England have hitherto been and still are the backbone of England's educational system. I will go further and say the endowed Schools of Europe were and are the mainsprings of European civilization and greatness. Hongkong, I am sure, needs educational endowments as well as the agencies of Church and State. Mr. Belilios has taken the initiative in creating several educational Trust Funds, for the encouragement of medical studies among the Chinese, for the promotion of female education among all classes, and so forth. The interests of the colony call upon others, whom God has blessed with worldly goods, to follow and, if possible, improve upon, the example set by Mr. Belilios, by creating educational endowments. In conclusion, I commend to Your Excellency the acceptability of the building, which accommodates over 600 children. Mr. Belilios has generously erected it on ground provided, with equal generosity, by the Government and which he desires to hand over to the unrestricted control of the Government, under the name of \"The Belilios Public School.\"\n\nHis Excellency said-Ladies and gentlemen, I have a very pleasant task to perform this afternoon, and that is to accept, on behalf of myself and all future Governors of Hongkong, this princely gift which has been presented to the public of Hongkong by the Honourable Emmanuel Raphael Belilios. (Applause). I may mention in connection with it that several years ago Mr. Belilios offered to build a school for girls if the Government on its part would provide a suitable site. This offer, for reasons which were doubtless sufficient, was declined by my immediate predecessor, Sir William Des Vieux. Shortly after my arrival here in December, 1891, that offer was repeated, and after consultation with the Director of Public Works and the Inspector of Schools I gratefully accepted that offer. Having inspected this building, ladies and gentlemen, and looking at it from this standpoint, I must say that I consider myself very fortunate in having, even to a very slight extent, been associated with Mr. Belilios in this charitable and benevolent undertaking. Mr. Belilios has made the question of education, and especially of female education, his own in Hongkong. This building is capable, as Dr. Eitel has just stated, of holding between 600 and 700 girls, and that it will be of immense benefit to the Chinese community goes without saying. But Mr. Belilios's generous acts did not commence with this School, and I trust they are not terminated with it. He has established several scholarships here at a cost of $14,000. He has given a site to the Committee of the Medical College valued at least at $15,000, and has pledged himself to erect a College thereon at a cost of $34,000 if the maintenance of that building can be guaranteed either by private or public support. I do not wish to make any promise in regard to that project, but I shall only be too happy if, during my tenure of office, I should find myself in a position to take it into favourable consideration. This building has cost $30,000. Now, for the last fifty years the community of Hongkong has been distinguished for its liberality in subscribing towards private and public charity, and from time to time many wealthy individuals have given large sums for private and public objects. But I believe I am right in saying there is no single instance of one public institution having been founded and erected by one single individual. That is the case with the Belilios School. Such remarkable benevolence and generosity are not common in Her Majesty's colonies, though they are not infrequent in the great dependency of India, and I venture to think on this account that Mr. Belilios is not only entitled to the thanks of the present generation but that he is entitled to and will gain the respect and admiration of the community of Hongkong in all time to come. (Applause). He has spent a portion of his wealth most nobly, and the good results which will flow from his munificence will be a lasting record of his great efforts in the cause of education and public health. I am sure, ladies and gentlemen, you will all be pleased to hear that our most gracious sovereign the Queen has been made acquainted with Mr. Belilios's liberality, and I am instructed by the Secretary of State, and in giving me that instruction he has expressed his own personal pleasure, I am instructed to say that Her Majesty has approved of the honour of the Companionship of St. Michael and St. George being bestowed upon our worthy and honoured citizen. (Loud applause). No way in Hongkong is more worthy of that honour, and no man in Hongkong, I am sure, will value it more than Mr. Belilios will do. I only now have to accept, on my own behalf, and on behalf of future Governors of Hongkong, this building, and I also have to accept the responsibility which its maintenance entails. I say, and I am sure you will all say with me, may the Belilios Public School flourish; may it be the means—and I am sure that is Mr. Belilios's chief wish—may it be the means of elevating the social scale of many of the Chinese girls of Hongkong, and of spreading amongst them and their relatives on the mainland a fuller knowledge of Western methods of thought and Western educational and civilizing influences. I have only to congratulate you, sir, upon the opening of this building, and to congratulate you most heartily, Mr. Belilios, upon the honour your most gracious sovereign has been pleased to confer upon you. (Applause.) His Excellency amid loud applause cordially shook the Hon. E. R. Belilios by the hand.\n\nThe Hon. E. R. Belilios said-Your Excellency, Lady Robinson, ladies and gentlemen. Before handing over the keys of this building I have to thank Your Excellency and Dr. Eitel for the flattering remarks you let fall when alluding to what you were pleased to regard as acts of benevolence on my part to this colony. I can assure you, sir, that what little I have done in the past and whatever (God willing) I may be able to do in the future has been and will be undertaken, not with any thought of self-glorification but purely and simply for love of this island, where I have spent the best years of my life, and from esteem for that great book, the Bible, which solemnly imposes on man as one of his first duties to do good to his fellows to the best of his means and ability. This honour of the Companionship of St. Michael and St. George which you have just conferred on me is a pleasant surprise to me. If I had known it was coming I would have detained my family from going home in order that they should have been present to have witnessed the ceremony performed and to have participated...\n\n475", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-260 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1893 [9-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 360251, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-271 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [1-4]", "page_number": 447, "title": "CO129-271 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [1-4]", "content_text": "## \n2. Chu Ho was for some years a ship's painter in Hong Kong and is said to have once held a petty military command under General Ching at the Bogue Forts. He was last heard of at Ng Chan (Wuchow).\n\n1. The man who is believed to have found the money, and to have been the backbone of the organisation, is Sun Waa, or Sun Yat Sin. He was born in America and was once a student in the Alice Memorial Hospital in Hong Kong. On the 31st October he drew $300 from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and was followed to a house in Queen's Road, which he probably left by a back door as he was lost sight of and has not since been seen in the Colony. He also is said to have gone to Honolulu.\n\n11th March, 1896.\n\n**Sr. Fr. J. Badeley** \nAct. Assistant Col. Secretary", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-271 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [1-4].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 364140, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10]", "page_number": 334, "title": "CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10]", "content_text": "Conclosure.\n\nTelegram\n\n20007\n\n333\n\nGovernor to Secretary of State.\n\nDarrles.\n\n152-\n\n13th October, 1897.\n\nReferring to your despatch no. 152 of 6th August regarding prisoner Carew being transferred from Backbone to Hydriado-Lugsail (Sumatra) - leaving on or about 16th October by P.T.O. Steamer \"Sumatra\" and arriving on or about 27th November. The port of landing will be London.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 364213, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10]", "page_number": 407, "title": "CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10]", "content_text": "og Forin. \n\nCky's Name, \n\nForeign No.. \n\nNo. of Words. \n\nREMARKS. \n\nBl \n\nTHE EASTERN TELEGRAPH COMPANY LIMITED. \n\nJanly \n\nLONDON STATIONS: \n\nREG 25 \n\nSTATION: 11, OLD BROAD STREET, E.C. \n\nBRANCH STATIONS: \n\n8, LEADENHALL STREET, E.C. 3, GREAT TOWER STREET, E.C. 37, HOLBORN VIADUCT, E.C. \n\nNo... \n\nAnd 449, \n\nThe following TELEGRAM Received at \n\nFrom \n\ni \n\nDated \n\nTo \n\nAddress - Referring to your tel. \n\nHong \n\nKong \n\n480 \n\n206a, WINCHESTER HOUSE, L.C. 41 & 42, PARLIAMENT ST., S.W. Foreign Auction Hall, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. STRAND, W.C. \n\n680 \n\nBM40 \n\nLondon \n\n4069 \n\nmying to death of \n\n(author backbone Cramolog \n\nLap \n\nacquisition d activate \n\npanties \n\nat have \n\nGemmefores \n\nJha Power of Attaway \n\n- \n\nleper 5 \n\nDelayed fill Cubature \n\nin a few weeks. \n\nazaleas Snowbird \n\nRobinson \n\nAsc \n\n23/4/17 \n\nfistery, \n\nNo inquiry respecting this Telegram can be attended to without the production of this Paper. CONDITIONS UPON WHICH THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED.-The Telegraph Companies and Administrations through whose hands this Message has passed, will not be responsible in any case for anything done, or omitted to be done, beyond the limits of their Stations or Telegraphs; nor for any MISTAKES OR DELAYS in the transmission or delivery of, nor for the NON-TRANSMISSION, MIS-DELIVERY or NON-DELIVERY of Telegrams, from whatever cause arising. Any complaint, however, will meet with every attention on being brought to the notice of the Company. \n\nREPLIES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED \"VIA EASTERN.” \n\nWaterlow & Sons Limited, Printers, London Wall, London,", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-277 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1897 [8-10].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 369621, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898", "page_number": 209, "title": "CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898", "content_text": "# PRESENTATION TO MR. NORTON KYSHE\n\nTwo interesting presentations took place in the Registrar's room at the Supreme Court at noon yesterday. The Registrar, Mr. J. W. Norton Kyshe, leaves for England to-day in the Ceylon on leave, and it says much for the faithful manner in which he has discharged his duties and his unfailing urbanity towards all who have come in contact with him that not only was he the recipient of a token of the esteem in which he is held by the Court staff, but also of an exceedingly flattering testimonial from the Chinese community of Hongkong. The latter presented to him a splendidly prepared address bound in green velvet and mounted in silver, and the former an address in an oakwood frame. Each address made a complimentary reference to the valuable work which was but recently issued from Mr. Kyshe's pen - \"The history of the laws and courts of Hongkong\" - a work which has been received by a chorus of eulogiums throughout the colony, and a work which will serve as a lasting monument to the author. We feel sure all our readers will join with us in re-echoing the hope that Mr. and Mrs. Kyshe will have a pleasant voyage and will be all the better in health for their well-earned holiday.\n\nThe first address presented was that from the Chinese merchants.\n\nMr. CHAU TSENG FAT said - I have been asked by the Chinese merchants to call upon you and to present you with an address. During the few years you have been in this colony as Registrar of Supreme Court, Registrar of Companies, Official Administrator and Land Officer, you have rendered valuable assistance to the Chinese, especially to those who came in contact with you. We cannot allow you to leave us without expressing our gratitude to you, and also to wish you and Mrs. Kyshe a pleasant voyage, and we sincerely hope that you will soon be promoted to a higher position. On behalf of the Chinese merchants who are now before you, I beg to hand you the address, and trust you will be pleased to accept it. But before handing it over to you, I wish you will be good enough to allow one of your officers, Mr. Mok Man Cheung, to read the address.\n\nMr. MOK MAN CHEUNG read the address, which was in the following terms:\n\n\"Hongkong, 12th December, 1898.\n\n\"JAMES WILLIAM NORTON-KYSHE, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Official Administrator, Registrar of Companies, and Officer, &c., &c., Hongkong.\n\n\"We, the undersigned, take the liberty to acknowledge the valuable services which you have rendered to the public in this colony during the time you have been Registrar of the Supreme Court of Hongkong. We can testify that you have performed your various duties with fidelity and unremitting attention, and that the public here are loud in their praises of your ability and faithfulness to duty. We appreciate you not only for your fidelity and integrity in the discharge of your duties as a public officer, but also for your kindness and civility towards us whenever we have had occasion to approach you. We have noted with great pleasure that you have so ably compiled and published a very valuable work designed \"The History of the Laws and Courts of Hongkong.\" The work will certainly ever prove a monument of your industry and will moreover be of use, not only to ourselves, but to the rising generation of English-speaking Chinese. We also note with equal gratification that in all matters both public and private, you have ever been ready and cheerful in affording us the benefit of your advice. Your candour and frankness have ensured for you the good-will of all nationalities, especially the Chinese who have been thrown in contact with you, and all those who know you always feel happy to cultivate your friendship. Your unquestionable ability undoubtedly must have induced Her Majesty's Government to appoint you to the Registrarship of this colony from Singapore, where we have heard you were very much respected and esteemed.\n\n\"Now as you are about to proceed to England with your family, we cannot but express our regret at your departure.\n\n\"We beg to present you with this address as a testimony of the sincere good-will and respect entertained for you, and we venture to hope you will do us the honour of accepting it as an acknowledgment by ourselves of your valuable services.\n\nWe avail ourselves of this opportunity to wish you and your family a pleasant, calm, and safe voyage; and sincerely hope that you will derive rest and great benefit from your sojourn in England. We have the honour to be, Sir, Yours most truly.\"\n\n(Here follow signatures and chops.)\n\nThe address is bound in green plush, with silver corners of dragon design, and a central shield bears the following inscription: - \"To James W. Norton-Kyshe, Registrar of the Supreme Court of Hongkong, from the Chinese merchants, on his departure from the colony, December, 1898.\"\n\nMr. Kyshe said - It is gratifying to me as a high official of the Supreme Court to find by the magnificent testimonial which you have presented to me - unknown of your intention but a few moments ago - that you so fully acknowledge the services which I have been able to render to yourselves and countrymen as a public servant in the faithful discharge of his duties. In no department of the service is an official in a better position to make himself appreciated than that connected with the administration of justice, and so far as I am concerned I can assure you that no stone have I left unturned which could make you understand that when entering my office you were there to find yourselves on a footing of equality with any of Her Most Gracious Majesty's subjects seeking what assistance our benign laws could confer upon you. These were my positive instructions to my subordinates on my assumption of duty in Hongkong, and I am pleased to think that on no occasion has it ever been brought to my notice that you were deprived of that assistance whenever you sought for it. For my part, I have done for you what right consonant with justice demanded. Those of you who have sought my advice from time to time well know how earnest I have been in discouraging litigation whenever it was possible to avoid such, and I am glad to know that in several instances I have been successful. I appreciate your testimonial for the little I have been able to do for you. Your allusion to my career in the Straits Settlements brings back very pleasant reminiscences to my mind. I laboured for fifteen years in that colony. There, as here, my services were appreciated by your fellow countrymen, and I now hold up to your view two addresses which were presented to me by the Chinese and other nationalities in Singapore so long ago as in 1884 when I relinquished magisterial duties in that settlement. Although a stranger to Hongkong itself, on my arrival I soon found that the people were no strangers to me. Here, as in the Straits, the backbone of the population is Chinese, and except for change of scene I soon found myself completely at home; and hence the reason probably why, if I may be allowed to say so, I have been able to make my services appreciated. Believe me when I tell you under no Power could the Chinese be a more free people than under British rule. I have often spoken to some of the leading Chinese on the subject, and it is satisfactory to know how much those in that vast empire from which you come appreciate the benefits they derive from being connected with us. This is a matter, gentlemen, that I need not go into further. During my stay here, I have done in my own quiet way, not as a judge in public, but as a Court official sitting in his own Chambers, what good I could, and your kind reference to my recently published work is fully appreciated by me. I shall now carry away with me the highest memento that I could possibly have received, namely, the knowledge that as a public servant specially appointed by the Home Government I have done my duty faithfully towards those who constitute the majority of Her Majesty's subjects and of the foreign community of Hongkong. I thank you for your kind wishes to myself and family and particularly for your magnificent address which I shall hand down to my family as an heirloom.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 372308, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-292 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [6-8]", "page_number": 303, "title": "CO129-292 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [6-8]", "content_text": "301\n\ndifference is insufficient to induce men to come out here.\n\n(2) The recent increase in the pay of the Imperial Maritime Customs. This causes all local candidates to go to the Customs.\n\n(3) The recent increases in the cost of living here. (4) The evil reputation of the Colony for Plague. The backbone of this Force is the European contingent, and on the efficiency of that Contingent depends the efficiency of the entire Force, and the efficiency of the Contingent cannot be maintained at a high standard unless trained recruits are obtained from home, unless a depot were established here for the training of recruits with no previous police service, which would involve an expenditure in buildings and instructors which would make the system more expensive than that hitherto pursued.\n\nIn view of the fact that recruits who have had previous training are practically unobtainable at home, and that locally the pay fails to attract respectable men I have no alternative but to recommend an increase of the pay of the European Police.\n\nApart from the questions of such increase being necessary to overcome the difficulties in recruiting, I consider that a substantial increase is necessary in order to meet the extraordinary rise in the cost of living, that has taken place during the last (5 years?).\n\nThe following are the prices paid for eatables by the wife of one of the Inspectors (she is a most careful housekeeper) in 1895 and at the present time:-\n\n \n \n 1895\n 1899\n \n \n Beef per lb.\n 11 cts.\n 14 cts.\n \n \n Mutton per lb.\n 14\n 20\n \n \n Chicken per lb.\n 12\n 17\n \n \n Capon per lb.\n 11\n 20\n 25\n \n \n Fish per lb.\n 19\n 44\n 10\n 16\n \n \n Carried forward\n 66\n 92\n \n \n Sugar", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-292 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [6-8].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 381607, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-306 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [8-9]", "page_number": 320, "title": "CO129-306 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [8-9]", "content_text": "Enclosure M67 to Govt Despatch 160. 343/01\n\n4\n\n318\n\n35250\n\nPEC:\n\nNotes on the attached Petition of the Residents of Hongkong, praying for the establishment of a School for the use of the children of European Residents exclusively.\n\nWith reference to the question whether such a School should be established by the Government of Hongkong, the following three points must be settled:-\n\nA. Is there any inherent objection to such a School on the ground that, while supported by general taxation, it would be for the benefit of one class only?\n\nB. If justifiable in principle, is it necessary?\n\nC. If necessary, what kind of School should it be?\n\nA.\n\nAs I understand the matter, public funds may be devoted to any object such as will add to the strength or wealth of the Colony: such objects are, the erection of batteries and forts, public works, and the equipment of the rising generation with knowledge and character enabling them to subserve the general welfare. Now as to this last object, there is one section of the community perhaps of more vital importance than any other, and that is the members of the mechanical and engineering trades, the skilled British labour in the dock-yards and manufactories, the Engineers on local steamers and steam tramways. They are the backbone of the Colony in time of peace, and their professional knowledge would be a potent factor in its defence in war time. Many of them are already members of the Engineer and other Companies of the Volunteer Force.\n\nI base my justification of such a School as is proposed principally on the good it would do the Colony by strengthening this vitally important class. To justify its creation, such a School must show itself an addition to the local and imperial armoury: it is no question of granting a compassionate allowance to one section of the community, however deserving.\n\nB.\n\nThere are in the Colony according to the recent census 175 boys and 202 girls between the ages of 5 and 18. Few of these are children of the comparatively wealthy classes who afford to live at the Peak. Most of them have parents of the professions above enumerated. To each parent there are three courses open. Either they can send their children Home to be educated; or they can avail themselves of the existing Schools; or they can let their children grow up without instruction. As regards the first alternative, it is simply out of the question on the score of expense in most cases, the expense not only of sending", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-306 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [8-9].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 385136, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7]", "page_number": 376, "title": "CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7]", "content_text": "375\n\n*\n\nless it is correct, so far as it is done. The number of trigonometrical and intersected points is far too small to be of much service for the future preparation of a real large-scale survey. It will be useful to record the latitude and longitude of the several points exactly. There appears, however, to be grave doubt as to whether the points have been carefully and permanently marked on the ground, so that they can be identified with precision, in case of extensions or amplification of the survey.\n\nTogether, I am of the opinion that the survey of the New Territories leaves much to be desired. It is a topographical sketch, and by no means a survey. However, the trigonometrical work can be made available as the backbone of a more detailed survey in the future.\n\nI can say that, owing to the doubt as to the possibility of identifying the points on the ground, any that can be identified should be marked in a permanent manner, and full descriptions of their positions should be recorded in a book, kept in the office of the Director of Public Works.\n\n#", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 391288, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-321 - Public Offices & Others - 1903", "page_number": 249, "title": "CO129-321 - Public Offices & Others - 1903", "content_text": "245\n\n2\n\nis a moral for the Mandarins in the fact that goods destined for consumption in China will always endeavour to approach their markets, as far as possible, by foreign routes.\n\nAfter leaving Wu Ting, we turned north-west up a narrow valley and into some very mountainous country, inhabited chiefly by Lolos, but with some well-watered, and therefore well-peopled, valleys; on the second day from Wu Ting, we passed the backbone of the range which forms the west limit of the basin of the An Ning River, Shih T'a La (8,000 feet), and descended through bare imposing mountain scenery to the ridge of Hao Chi Pa, where we camped with no water nearer than 700 feet below us. The country resembles the Wa hills, on the Burmah frontier.\n\nFrom Hao Chi Pa there is an easy descent down to the valley of Yuan Meng Hsien, but the city having been partially destroyed by the rebels, the officials' residence has been moved further down the valley to Ma Kai, a busy market of 400 houses, where there is a considerable traffic. The valley is well cultivated down to the Yang-tsze, which is 25 miles distant on the Chien Chang road. This valley is almost tropical, the height of Ma Kai being only 4,000 feet; sugar is grown in considerable quantities, and the whole look of the place is Szechuanese rather than Yunnanese. Leaving Ma Kai, we entered the hills to the west of the valley, and after a long march across the river whose head waters flow sluggishly across the plain of Chu Hsiung on the main Burmah road, and over a waterless range (5,900 feet), we descended into the narrow and poor valley of Miao Men (li-kin station and 150 houses in the principal village), and then passed by a defile into a narrow, but fertile, valley, with a number of Chinese villages. Here we put up at the Lung Ch'uan Temple (\"dragon spring\"), which has been restored by Colonel Li, formerly Commandant of the Lin An brigade in South Yünnan, who has beautified his ancestral home with the spoils, if not of war, at least of peace. Hence a climb over another main north and south range (7,200 feet) brought us down to the valley and busy city of Ta Yao, which contains about 5,000 inhabitants and is a busy market. It is one of the places which the opening of the Teng Yueh customs has brought within the sphere of Burmah trade influence. Much of the through traffic between West Yünnan and Szechuan passes this way, and there is a main road from Ta Yao to Jen Ho Kai, an important market and li-kin station near the Yang-taze, whence trade goes across to the Chien Chang Valley. Silk, ponies, tobacco, sugar, and Szechuan cotton cloth are the chief imports into Yunnan by this route.\n\nThree-quarters of the country hitherto traversed had been mountainous; the hills are mainly populated by Lolos, who form the majority of the crowd at the Ta Yao market. The Chinese have, however, already occupied most of the good valley lands, and will, no doubt, in time gradually extinguish the Lolos. The only product of the country besides mules and ponies which is worth mentioning is hemp, which the Lolos use for their coarse garments. It sells raw for 50 cash a catty (1 lb.) on the market at Ta Yao, and some of it finds its way to Teng Yueh.\n\nFrom Ta Yao as a centre, a number of cultivated valleys penetrate in various directions into the surrounding hills. Following one of these for 12 miles we crossed another low range running north and south, and looked down into the valley of Pei Yen Tsing (\"white salt wells\"), and across it on to vast confused mountain masses.\n\nWe camped 3 miles short of the wells; a sharp white frost fell in the night and nearly every other night for the rest of our journey.\n\nPei Yen Tsing is a filthy town of about 6,000 inhabitants, consisting of one long street in a close gorge, where brine wells have been bored. The output of salt is about 2,000 catties per day, and there is an official of the Salt Department in charge. The brine is brought up in leather buckets, let down by hand and then boiled in large open pans over charcoal fires.\n\nImmediately after leaving Pei Yen Tsing in a westerly direction, an abrupt and tiring ascent over a main range has to be made; from the summit of the Kuan Yin Miao pass the traveller descends through wild country to the K'ung Hsien Bridge by the banks of the K'ung Hsien River. This is a mountain stream which flows down to the Yang-tsze, and we ascended it for 19 miles through a magnificent defile, densely wooded, and with the side valleys finely terraced with rice-fields. The road from Pei Yen Tsing up over the mountains and along this gorge was once paved, and as there are clearly not enough inhabitants in the vicinity to have undertaken such a work, it seems, probably, that this was once a main trade route between Ta Li and Szechuan.\n\nLeaving this romantic valley, we ascended to the open plateau of Mi Tien, whence a level road to the south-west leads in two days to Yunnan Hsien on the Burmah high road, while another road to the north-west leads, through a defile in the hills, past the fertile valley of Chiao Ting, and so out on to the wide plain of Pin Chuan, which is the most important rift in the mountains between Ta Li and Yunnan-fu. This plain is about 3 miles long and 14 miles to 3 miles broad.\n\n3\n\nIt debouches on to the Yang-tsze at the important market of Chin Chiang Kai, one long day's march from Pin Chuan city; thence the high road leads to Yung Peh. Of recent years a considerable and lucrative trade has sprung up between West Yunnan and the trans-Yang-tsze Yung Peh district, specially those parts of it which are near the Yang-tsze and to the Szechuan border. The people of West Yunnan is supplied with sugar from this source, and also with tobacco; paper, oranges, and Shasi cloth are other objects of commerce, while opium, cotton, and gams move east in return across the Yang-tsze.\n\nThe south of the Pin Chuan Valley is divided by an easy col (7,250 feet) from the extensive plain of Yunnan Hsien, and this again is divided by one range from the valleys of Mi Tao and Meng Hua, which brings us near the Mekong River; the railway engineer who had got his alignment over on to the east bank of the Mekong would have an easy task to reach the Yang-tsze north of Pin Chuan.\n\nA great part of the Pin Chuan Valley is barren, owing to an insufficient supply of water; here, as in so many parts of Yunnan, scientific irrigation would work wonders. The city of Pin Chuan contains only one business street and a number of ancestral temples, and not more than 4,000 inhabitants, but there are two busy little markets in the plain, at Niu Kai, 7 miles north of the city, and at Pin Chi, 6 miles to the south-west. This valley, together with Yung Peh, ought now to get its foreign supplies wholly from Teng Yueh.\n\nIndian yarns of the coarser counts are likely to remain for many years the staple Note on cotton imports of Teng Yueh. I therefore append some notes on the cotton trade generally trade in Yünnan:\n\n(a.) Raw cotton is imported almost solely for the purpose of wadding garments and quilts.\n\n(b) The imports of Manchester goods are small, the annual value being from 55,000 to 100,000. The well-to-do inhabitants of the towns are Manchester's chief customers, and they do not form a large class in Yünnan, where there is only one town (the capital) of over 60,000 inhabitants, and only three others (Yung Chang, Chao Tong, and Chù Tsing) of over 20,000.\n\nThere is, however, a chance of extending the foreign piece-goods trade in the Yung Chang and Teng Yueh Valleys, where many people have travelled in Burmah, and have a taste for foreign cloth, and in many parts of Yunnan I think American drills may find favour.\n\n(c.) The Shasi cloth, so well known along the Yang-tsze, comes into Yünnan from Szechuan by Lao Wa Tan; it is still the principal clothing of the people in the Chao Tong district, but is losing ground almost everywhere on account of its price.\n\n(d.) All other cottons have in the last twelve years rapidly yielded in public favour before \"yang sha pu,\" or cloth locally woven from imported yarns. The great centre of this industry is the Hsin Hsing Valley, three days south of Yunnan-fu. This valley and the country near it take some 40,000 piculs yearly, and the manual dexterity of the weavers has attained so high a standard that Hsin Hsing cloth is distributed all over the province, especially in the Ta Li district; the reason for the establishment of this industry at Hsin Hsing is that the population is dense and is near a foreign custom-house, so that goods can be brought in cheaply under transit pass from Mengtse.\n\nHad we been wise in time, Teng Yuch would have been an open port ten years ago, and with the cheap and regular Tariff of the Imperial Customs, the weaving industry would certainly have established itself in the Yung Chang or Teng Yueh Valleys. The disadvantage to us of its being at Hsin Hsing is that there Japanese and Tonkin yarns can compete with Bombay on favourable terms, while near Teng Yueh the yarn would all be Indian.\n\nYunnan-fu takes about 15,000, and Chủ Tsing, in East Yunnan, about 12,000 piculs of yarn annually; these, however, are consumed locally, and there is no export of cloth to speak of from these districts.\n\nI was glad to observe that attempts are now being made to start weaving all over West Yunnan, notably at Yung Chang and Hoching Chou, and even that yarns can now go from Teng Yueh into South-west Szechuan and return thence to Yung Peh in the form of woven cloth.\n\nFashions, of course, vary, and there are many districts which could be supplied more cheaply from Teng Yueh which at present prefer Shasi or Hsin Hsing goods, and from the point of view of wholesale manufacture for export to other districts, as apart from merely supplying local demand by local domestic industry, merchants complain that trade and mule...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-321 - Public Offices & Others - 1903.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 393149, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-323 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1904 [6-7]", "page_number": 330, "title": "CO129-323 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1904 [6-7]", "content_text": "858\n\n$\n\nDRAFT.\n\nPAINTED FC\n\nAFRICAN.\n\nNO.\n\n735\n\nCOLONIAL OFFICE\n\nTelegram\n\nGoverno\n\nGov 2\n\n329\n\ntrong trong 27447. Transvaal.\n\nDad 2/1447\n\nBackbone August Pathoming\n\n6th No. 1.\n\nJohannesburg\n\n86677/0\n\nJust. 6/87\n\nCoded frent\n\n5.30 pm.\n\nTo God\" #\n\nAug. 4.\n\n6/8700\n\n4. Mr. Lyttelton toy #leghing\n\n27447 4\n\nTo Fo\n\nWelton to Gout - Hongkong\n\nERB.\n\nbaceated\n\nReferring to my telegram of 'I thing.\n\none\n\nbreasts\n\nNo, one? #. M. Consul Generata\n\nargentry\n\nCanton has arranged for\n\nosseous\n\nand four\n\npublication of inventure 7 for\n\ncurematio\n\nAgency at Wuchow/ and for\n\nrackrent\n\nsignature of indenture before\n\n\"breastrail\n\nButish Consul Wuchow and\n\nChinese Inspector\n\nantiche Sangbad Tender\n\nArticles of converte\n\njarret\n\n32 Aug 77335 of Medical Examination at the\n\nHong Kong to 14. Lyttelten\n\n47 - Aug. 27447\n\nKons Love\n\nby recruiting firm at Wuchow Transvaal Emigration Officer\n\nprotour\n\njanet.\n\nfsces to Government med regt\n\nexamination at Howloon to ships futfitting\n\nSchamish\n\nand\n\nclouenitions laid\n\nconvention Lychellen\n\nPage 330\n\nPage 331", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-323 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1904 [6-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 410895, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907", "page_number": 72, "title": "CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907", "content_text": "**CONFIDENTIAL**\n\n# CHINA TRADE\n\nNo. 1.\n\n## SECTION 3. C.\n\n### (No. 461.)\n\nŠir, \nSir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received December 29.)\n\nPeking, November 8, 1906.\n\nDURING a visit which he recently paid to Peking, Mr. Fulford, His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden, informed me that the Chinese authorities there showed a decided tendency to limit the rights of foreigners to a \"Settlement area,\" and he suggested that we should invite the co-operation of the Representatives of the Powers who were interested in the question, with the view of securing that the place should be opened on the same footing as other Treaty ports.\n\nI have since had some private correspondence with Mr. Fulford on the same subject, and I have the honour to inclose an extract from one of his recent letters which fully describes the situation there.\n\nAfter consultation with my American, Japanese, and German colleagues, I found that they were all agreed as to the necessity of combating the Chinese contention, and in a letter of instructions (copy of which I have the honour to inclose) I have informed Mr. Fulford that he may rely upon the co-operation of their respective Consuls in the matter.\n\nI have, &c.\n\n(Signed) \nJ. N. JORDAN.\n\n### Inclosure 1 in No. 1.\n\nConsul-General Fulford to Sir J. Jordan.\n\nNewchwang, October 31, 1906.\n\nTHANK you for your letter of the 27th re li-kin at Mukden. The German Consul, Dr. Mezger, who is appointed to Mukden, is quite willing to go with me in the question. Indeed, he is already in it, for his merchants, Arnhold, Karberg, and Co., refuse to pay the li-kin, and have been allowed so far (he informs me) to escape it—chiefly, I think, because they have opened a branch in Mukden and a foreigner goes there occasionally. The British American Tobacco Company is in the same position. But people who send their goods up to Chinese agents find that the agents have not the necessary backbone to resist payment. Butterfield and Swire are in this latter position, and their agent here, Ross Thomson, intends to visit Mukden and adopt the same attitude as the other two firms.\n\nThis seems more effective than academic discussion as to the status of the Treaty port, which has been going on for months between the Americans and Chinese, without result.\n\nThe Japanese naturally do not care to \"discuss\" the matter. They are in the town, and simply refuse to pay. The Chinese admit this, but say the Japanese escape payment for the present under the plea that the goods are \"military supplies,\" and that this must end soon—in fact, should end at once.\n\nIt seems to me that, apart from the question as to what the opening of Mukden means, we can claim exemption from li-kin so long as the Japanese obtain it. The \"military supplies\" is too thin to be accepted.\n\nThe Standard Oil man here talked of sending up a consignment of oil and refusing to pay li-kin, but does not do so, but sells locally to Chinese, who, of course, pay. He, I think, wants to run no risks of interference with his business, and thinks other people will fight the battle whilst he continues the old system. That is, in my experience, the usual American attitude in these matters: large talk, but little real action.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 412232, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907", "page_number": 732, "title": "CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907", "content_text": "## 70. Akong \n30977 \n720 \n31 Aug 1909.\n\nDRAFT.\n**Governor Hongkong sent.** 3.50 per **MINUTE**.\n\nMr. Harding 31/8\nMr. Pusley 31.\nMr. Janisch Stübts 31\nMr. Antrobus.\nMr. Cox.\nMr. Lucas.\nSir F. Hopwood.\nMr. Churchill.\nThe Earl of Elgin.\n\nFor conson \nAund $158\n\nCopy 70.\n\nYour telegrams of 26 Aug and 29 Aug \nForeign Affairs \nBoys for more not prepared \nadvised to make representations \nto US Government \nI guesturise new case of Jacksons \nSee de aluma not \n6 August 1874 \n147 Law Officers then \nconcured with \naxotomo of Attorney \nVeu \n\nCopy H.D. 8 No o \nrupturing backwater \nbaculite prodrome \ninimically shacklings \nbackbone humanly \nclose stair signally \nетав Teme", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 428181, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910", "page_number": 106, "title": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910", "content_text": "AFFAIRS OF CHINA.\n\nCONFIDENTIAL.\n\n[147]\n\n(No. 669.)\n\nSir,\n\nNo. 1.\n\n105\n\nC\n\n765\n\n[January 31\n\n1 29 JAN 10 SECTION 5.\n\nSir A. Nicolson to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 3, 1910.)\n\nSt. Petersburgh, December 22, 1909.\n\nI HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's vice-consul at Vladivostock, reporting on recent attacks on the German consul at that port and on Russo-German relations in the Far East in general.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nA. NICOLSON.\n\nEnclosure in No. 1.\n\nVice-Consul Hodgson to Sir A. Nicolson.\n\n(No. 26.) Sir,\n\nVladivostock, December 5, 1909.\n\nIT is possible that your Excellency's attention has been called to an article which appeared some six weeks ago in the \"Novoe Vremya\" in which it is stated that meetings had been held in the course of last summer in Berlin with the object of organising a plan of action with a view to undermining Russian influence in the Far East, and that these meetings were attended by M. Adolph Dattan, head of the firm of Kunst and Albers, and German consul at Vladivostock.\n\nThis article has been reprinted, with additions and commentaries, in the Vladivostock press, and I have the honour to transmit herewith a cutting from the local \"Okeanski Vyestnik,\" reproducing it and continuing it by a further attack on M. Dattan, who is accused of ingratitude towards Russia, in which country he has made a large fortune and from whose Government he has received honours and decorations of various kinds.\n\nThat M. Dattan in fact attended meetings in Berlin which had for their object the fomenting of anti-Russian agitation in North Manchuria has, naturally, been denied both in the German press and, by M. Dattan himself, in the Vladivostock papers. As far as I have seen, no attempt has indeed been made to substantiate the charge. The fact, however, that it should have appeared at all is indicative of the very strong antipathy to Germans in general, and to the firm of Kunst and Albers in particular, which has been growing up in this country for some time past, notably since the latter part of the war; which has gained in intensity on account of the recent political events in the Balkans, and which has latterly been rendered particularly acute by the friction arising out of the attitude adopted by the German consul in Kharbin.\n\nThe firm of Kunst and Albers has existed in Vladivostock for some forty-five years, being one of the earliest businesses established here. From a small ship-chandler's store it rose to hold a commanding position in the Russian Far East as merchants, as retail dealers in goods of all kinds, and as shipping and insurance agents and bankers. Their Asiatic head-quarters are in Vladivostock, while their European office is in Hamburg, and they have branches in about twenty of the more important commercial centres of this region. Till lately they have had to face no serious competition, except in the retail trade, in which they have long been closely followed by the Moscow firm of E. Churin and Co. Latterly, however, former employees of the firm, having learnt the business with them, have established themselves in lines in which Kunst and Albers formerly had the monopoly, and a number of their best agencies in trade and shipping have passed into other hands. Moreover, Messrs. Churin and Co. have started competing for the large contracts for Government supplies, which have in past years constituted the backbone of Kunst and Albers's business, and, being a Russian firm dealing in goods of Russian origin...\n\nPage 105\n\n...\n\nPage 106\n\n4\n\nmissionaries' accounts of the mobilisation of troops and the arrival of heavy guns are strengthened by the admission made to His Majesty's consul by the German consul at Chengtu that he knew of large purchases of arms and ammunition carried out by the Szechuan Government at Shanghai. Time will show whether these warlike preparations are the heralds of Chao Erh-feng's long-delayed advance into Tibet.\n\nThe Tongking Chinese frontier remains in a state of disturbance, but it may be said that but little of the trouble comes from the Chinese side of the border. In Tongking the general unrest has assumed somewhat grave proportions, according to a report received from His Majesty's consul at Pakhoi. Numerous minor successes gained by the rebels have obliged the French military authorities to start a series of arduous \"drives,\" without, however, attaining any decisive results, as the rebels, when hard-pressed, generally managed to take refuge in Chinese territory, much to the discomfort of the Chinese border officials. The agreement for mutual assistance is nevertheless working well, both Chinese and French authorities affording each other early information of rebel movements.\n\nChang Chih-tung.\n\nSome interest attaches to the severe criticisms on the career of the deceased statesman that have appeared lately in a native paper published at Hankow, with which Yuan Shih-k'ai is believed to be closely connected. Chang is chiefly accused of reckless borrowing from foreigners, whereby he is stated to have besmirched the fair fame of his earlier career. His attitude in regard to borrowing was guided entirely by his idea of his own interests. Thus, the first time he acted at Nanking, just after the Japanese war, had added 200,000,000 to our burden, he borrowed from the foreigner a sum of 2,000,000 merely for the construction of a road from his official residence to the river. His twenty years at Wuchang brought 10,000,000 of debt, and he set the fashion of reckless foreign loans.\" Taking the above as a text, the paper in question preaches the necessity for seizing the opportunity offered by Chang's death, and preventing the conclusion of the foreign railway loan.\n\nIn Chang's last memorial to the Throne he refers particularly to his unfinished task of providing funds for the two railways running south and west from Hankow. These lines, he says, should be run by the Central Government, though provincial capitalists should be allowed to participate to the extent of one-half.\n\nAs regards the campaign now in progress against Chang's foreign loan for the Hankow Railways, an article which has appeared in the native paper above mentioned suggests the suspicion that the provincial objection is not so much to foreign loans per se, but rather to the determination of the Central Government to keep such loans entirely in its own hands. Commenting on the reported refusal of the Government to allow the province of Manchuria to raise a foreign loan for the expenses of reform, the paper complains that the Peking authorities want to monopolise the raising of loans and prevent the provincial authorities from sharing in the plunder which is to be made out of foreign loans. \"As to the suggested internal loan bonds,\" the paper continues \"such things are not feasible in a country like China, where no trust is placed in the honesty of the Government.\"\n\n[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 428992, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910", "page_number": 333, "title": "CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910", "content_text": "2\n\nChildren are wearing charms in order to prevent their souls being taken away to form the foundations for railway bridges. The census is popularly believed to have been instituted in order that foreigners may place the names collected under the railroad; whenever a name is crushed by a train, the person so named immediately dies. The epithet \"foreign devil,\" which since 1890 has been rarely heard, is now frequently applied to foreigners in the streets, and the missionaries all agree that the Chinese are in a most restless and excited state, and ready to be led away by any mob orator. The Viceroy has assured the foreign consuls, in an official note to the senior consul, that there is \"no ground for anxiety,\" and that he is \"fully able to protect foreign lives and property\" (see enclosure in Mr. Goffe's despatch No. 32 of the 23rd May). According to a telegram from Nanking, his Excellency also sent two deputies to His Majesty's consul on the 29th May, and these officials told Mr. Goffe that the Viceroy was confident of his ability to deal with any emergency, that every precaution had been taken, and that the troops could be relied on. Whether his Excellency's assurances are due to a knowledge that he is master of the situation, or whether, as the foreign consuls are inclined to believe, they are inspired by a desire to appear confident, is a matter of opinion, and the truth will only be ascertained when and if disturbances occur, but of one thing I feel sure after the conversation I had with his Excellency Natung on the 26th instant, and that is that the Chinese Government are fully alive to the necessity of preventing any revolutionary outbreak at Nanking, and that every precaution that can be taken has been taken. \"Astra\" will be at Nanking on the 5th June, the date of the opening of the exhibition, and stay there for a few days.\n\nThe despatch from His Majesty's consul-general at Chengtu, copy of which is enclosed herewith, serves the double purpose of showing that the spirit of unrest is manifesting itself in the most remote provinces of the Empire, and that, where the local authorities are really efficient, the situation is by no means so serious as it undoubtedly is in Hupei, Hunan, and Kiangsu. Mr. Wilkinson reports that rumours similar to those current at Nanking have been prevalent at Chengtu, where it has been commonly asserted that foreigners were cutting off women's hair, emasculating small boys, and desecrating graves. The authorities took prompt measures to undeceive the populace, and to remind them that death was the penalty for those who disseminate dangerous lies. The Governor-General, the energetic and able Chao Erh-sun, assured Mr. Wilkinson that some of the culprits had already been punished, and the result of his Excellency's action is that Mr. Wilkinson is able to report that the rumours are dying out. Similarly, I have received a despatch from His Majesty's consul at Chinkiang, reporting that an anti-foreign riot very nearly occurred at Hsing Hua Fu, a town situated 55 miles to the north-east of Chinkiang, owing to a woman falsely accusing a local missionary of stealing her child. A riot was prevented by the decisive action of the magistrate, who not only adequately protected the mission house from the crowd, but caused the guilty woman to be paraded through the streets bearing a cangue and preceded by a man carrying a board on which the nature of her misdeed was described in large characters.\n\nAlthough, therefore, the situation is serious, as I have already pointed out in my previous despatches, it has not yet passed beyond control, and the central Government have it still in their power to prevent, by the adoption of firm measures, the spread of disorder and the advent of a revolution which the present policy of laisser faire is calculated to encourage.\n\nTwo favourable factors in the situation are that, firstly, the comet has come without bringing again great misfortune to China, though many Chinese, I am told, believe that it was the cause of the grievous loss suffered by the British Empire in the death of His late Majesty King Edward, and, secondly, that during the last few days there has been a marked improvement in the climatic conditions; in the Yangtse Valley, sunshine and dry weather have greatly improved the prospect of the crops, while in the neighbourhood of Peking, and in fact throughout the province of Chihli, the three last days of rain have had a similar effect.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nW. G. Max Müller.\n\nChengtu, No. 33, May 3, 1910.\n\nAFFAIRS OF CHINA.\n\nCONFIDENTIAL.\n\n[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]\n\nC [June 20] 858\n\n330\n\n[22106]\n\nNo. 1.\n\nSECTION 2.\n\nRECD 8 JUL 10\n\n(No. 183.) Sir,\n\nPeking, June 4, 1910.\n\nI HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a report which I have received from the military attaché upon the discipline of the Chinese regular troops quartered at Changsha.\n\nEnclosure in No. 1.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nMAX MÜLLER.\n\nReport of Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby on the Discipline of the Chinese Army.\n\n(Hunan Regular Troops.)\n\nPeking, June 1, 1910.\n\nWITH reference to the remarks on p. 5 of my report No. 6, dated the 25th April, 1910 (on \"Indiscipline in the Chinese Army\"), relating to the inaction of the troops at Changsha during the recent riots there, the following report, just received from His Majesty's consul at Changsha, is of especial interest, bringing out strongly, as it does, the fact that the headway gained by the forces of disorder was due, not to culpable inaction on the part of the troops or sympathy with the rioters, but to the pusillanimous conduct, if not worse (viz., actual connivance), of the high civil officials, who prevented the troops from acting against the rioters, thereby incidentally subjecting their discipline to the severest strain.\n\nThe report is as follows:\n\n\"During the attack on the governor's yamên, the regular troops were only once permitted to fire, and that was when General Yang obtained Governor Ts'en's permission to kill the men who were pouring oil on the roofs of his Excellency's entrance halls. With this one exception, the men stood stolidly for twelve hours, hemmed in by a hostile mob, stoned with large bricks and tiles and suffering casualties; yet not one single shot was fired nor one bayonet thrust given in retaliation because, as a soldier himself quite simply expressed it, 'How could we? we had orders not to.'\n\nSuch discipline might be equalled by some, it could not be surpassed by any troops in the world.\n\n\"From the 14th April to the 7th May, the consulate was left to the care of a section of infantry under the command of a lieutenant. There were also two of the consulate servants on the premises. During this period, not one single article of any type or description was stolen. It would not have been surprising had chickens been stolen or vegetables removed, but nothing was touched.\n\n\"At present, I have one section (forty-two men) under a lieutenant quartered in the chair-house attached to the consulate, and they will remain here, I am told, till the middle of August. The total size of the quarters is 38 feet by 20 feet, and the accommodation is miserable, and yet not a single complaint is made. The men, who are specially picked, are uniformly civil, quiet, and orderly.\n\nWhatever defects the 'Mixed Brigade' of Hunan may have, their discipline is beyond all praise. As I conceive that perfect discipline forms the very backbone of military efficiency, I take this opportunity of bringing the admirable discipline of General Yang's troops to your notice.\"\n\nMr. Hewlett then moots the question of our Government giving some permanent memento to the troops for their services, the British property (Government and personal) protected by them being worth about 1,000; and I think with him that, amid so much that is blameworthy (viz., attitude of the high provincial officials, hostility of the gentry and students, anti-foreign tone of the press, &c.), it would be...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 429599, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910", "page_number": 336, "title": "CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910", "content_text": "2\n\nhave, Chinese excepted, the exclusive right of navigation. The ambiguous wording, however, of article 1 in Part I and the text of various other articles seem to leave no room for doubt that the Russian authorities have, at least for the time being, succeeded to a very large extent in securing recognition of the privileged position to which they laid claim both in regard to this and the other points already mentioned. For example, it is to be observed :-\n\n1. Vessels (vide article 5, Part 1) are only required to produce their papers for inspection to officers of the Imperial Maritime Customs and inland barrier officials acting on behalf of this institution. The native authorities have no right of interference on their own behalf whatever.\n\n2. All local dues (vide article 1, Part II) are to be levied before loading or after discharge of cargo. The effect of this is to exclude all native levies en route once the goods are shipped on board, contrary to the provisions contained in the regulations of the 26th June, 1909.\n\n3. Imports from Russia (vide article 4, Part II), when destined for the Chinese frontier zones, are exempt from duty,\n\n4. Native goods exported to the Russian frontier zones are free of duty. The privileges claimed for the principal marts of Harbarovsk and Blagovestchensk, to which I had the honour to refer in my despatch No. 9 of the 30th April last, are thus established. It has, however, to be mentioned that the Imperial Maritime Customs officials have the right to require from the Russian Customs authorities certificates in proof that goods have actually been consumed in the places for which they were declared; while another point of no little interest is that, as stated in my despatch No. 8 of the 13th April last, it was estimated that fully 70 per cent. of the export duties leviable at Harbin on cargo shipped by river would have been obtained from goods, chiefly grain, bound for Harbarovsk and Blagovestchensk.\n\n5. Native goods, excluding various grains and beans and cargo destined for the Russian frontier zones, pay (vide article 5, Part II) one full treaty export duty only. This involves the abolition of the coast trade duty. Buckwheat, \"kaoliang\" (large millet), \"hsiao mitzu\" (small millet), wheat, beans, &c., pay only two-thirds duty. The effect of this stipulation is to remove the anomaly mentioned in my despatch No. 12 of the 14th May last, and beans and grain brought down-river from Petuna or up-river from Sansing and the Hulan district to Harbin for export by rail to Vladivostock will pay the same Imperial Maritime Customs duty as that charged when they are conveyed from the place of origin to Harbin by rail or cart.\n\n6. Tonnage dues are abolished under article 2, Part II, and river dues are substituted. The latter form of taxation conforms, I gather, more with Russian practice, and will be more equitable in its incidence. The charges, I understand, will be levied at so much per passenger, per pood of goods, and per head of live-stock, according to the distance travelled. The table of river dues has not yet been prepared, and tonnage dues will continue to be collected during the present navigation season.\n\n7. The arrangement as to duty-free goods is, I am confidentially informed, as follows: It was agreed that the duty-free list of the 1861 treaty should be introduced on the Sungari; but that, inasmuch as no definite agreement had yet been reached as to its application to goods carried on the Chinese Eastern Railway, no specific mention of its adaptation to the Sungari traffic should be made in the new regulations. I had the honour to refer to this matter in my despatch No. 9 of the 30th April last.\n\nThe above are, I think, the main points; but there are a few other particulars to which it may be useful to invite attention.\n\nArt. 14 in Part I, though it contains certain provisos as to payment under protest, and reference under given circumstances to the Russian consul-general, apparently gives to the Imperial Maritime Customs the right of direct infliction of fines for infraction of Customs rules and regulations.\n\nArt. 6 in Part I, and other articles, provide that steamers' manifests may be signed by the captain or responsible agent. The reason for the inclusion of the latter is that in many instances the captain has no general authority on board, and is merely employed for navigation purposes. I am, in fact, reliably informed that in some cases the steamers are actually navigated by the owners, who thoroughly understand the intricacies of the rivers, but have no master's certificates, and are therefore compelled to carry certificated captains in order to comply with the Russian regulations for the navigation of the Amur.\n\n3\n\nParagraph 1, under \"Harbin Customs Provisional Regulations,\" omits the demand for the deposit, on entering port, of the ship's papers with the Imperial Maritime Customs. The same omission is noticeable in the Sansing and Lahasusu regulations, the reason, I understand, being that no ship's papers, in the usual sense of the term, are carried.\n\nIn reviewing the whole position, I am in no small degree handicapped by the fact that I have not yet had time to give a close study to local trade statistics, and that the opportunity has not yet offered of making a journey along the Sungari and Amur rivers, with the object of obtaining first-hand information, and of judging for oneself as to the condition of things in general; but, as far as I can gauge matters at present, there can, I think, be little doubt that the Russian authorities have, as previously inferred, succeeded to a very large extent in maintaining the position adopted by them in regard to all the chief points at issue.\n\nThough, theoretically, the privilege of navigating the Sungari may perhaps be reserved for the subjects of other foreign Powers, the real intention of the present regulations undoubtedly seems to be to limit this right to Russian subjects only. Notwithstanding that the place-to-place local traffic is not great, and that no attempt has been made by the Chinese authorities to collect li-kin en route, the definite fact that the coast-trade duty is abolished, that the necessity for inland-water certificates is withdrawn, that the native officials have no right of interference with Russian vessels on their own behalf whatever, and that all native charges on goods must be imposed before loading or after discharge, makes it sufficiently clear that Russia has—at least for the time being—sustained her argument that, as far as she is concerned, all places on the Sungari are, under the 1858 and 1881 treaties, open to navigation and trade, This is a privilege which the subjects of other Powers obviously cannot claim as an ordinary treaty right, and the changes in the new regulations to which I have just referred would therefore appear to acquire peculiar significance. There are, however, other considerations which make it difficult to see how foreign steam-ship owners other than Russian could, under existing political and commercial conditions, make the navigation of the Sungari a profitable enterprise except with Russian toleration and support. The Amur is a frontier river, and the bulk of the Sungari trade is a direct trade with places situated in Siberia; the backbone of the export trade is grain for Harbarovsk and Blagovestchensk, and of the import, salt fish from Nikolaievsk. Large numbers of the steamers and barges employed in navigation are, I understand, owned by mill-owners and grain merchants, and even the Chinese Eastern Railway Company cannot itself find work for its fleet of steamers and barges which was acquired to transport the material used in constructing the railway. The majority of its steamers are laid up, and most of its barges, if not out of use, are leased to private parties. The only part of the trade in which foreign ship-owning firms other than Russian could hope to share is that between Sansing and Harbin and Harbin and Petuna, for the trade with places below Sansing and with Lahasusu is infinitesimal. To do this and be able to call at inland places—Petuna itself is an inland place—would necessitate a set of regulations more in accord with those of last year than those by which they have now been superseded, unless it were agreed that other foreigners should be admitted to this share of the trade on the same footing as Russian subjects; but even in that case the existing commercial conditions would not, as previously stated, make an independent enterprise of the sort profitable.\n\nTurning to the question of duties, it is easily apparent that the Russian authorities have gained considerably by the arrangements made on this head. Russian exports to the Chinese frontier zones are duty-free, likewise exports from China to the Russian frontier zones; while the dues on grains and beans conveyed by river to Harbin for export by rail are reduced to two-thirds of the tariff duty. Another feature of the agreement concluded on this matter is that the Chinese Government retains all the river duties collected last year; while those levied this season in excess of the rates established by the new regulations are—vide Customs notification, No. 20, enclosed*—to be refunded.\n\nFinally, it may be observed that, though the spirit of the present regulations clearly conflicts with that of the Aigun regulations introduced last year, copy of which was enclosed in my despatch No. 4, it seems unlikely that any question will be raised in regard thereto, either by the Chinese or Russian authorities. The revision of the 1858 and 1881 treaties is now pending, and it is improbable that either party * Not printed.\n\n335", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 450502, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914", "page_number": 84, "title": "CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914", "content_text": "Loan. I understand the 7.O. to accept \n\nThis new but perhaps, in nei \n\n1 \n\na certain risk & backbone in premises leg, within \n\nloan motion \n\nbank lam \n\nM \n\ndesirable to ask the amplified rest of \n\n( \n\nto loan negotiations, it comes a might be \n\n7.O. bad whether they definitely hold this new scounder that It M.G. can properly support it. \n\nIf so, loan motion to approve the \"proposal which, if carried into seems \n\nthe best chance of saving the financial situation in Hong Kong \n\n: As 7.O. according \n\naper \n\nIt is hard to tell the Gov. to \n\ncontinue to interest himself in \n\n# scheme \n\nif it is to collapse, entirely through a supposed conflict with the Reorganisation Loan Agreement. \n\nthe \n\nGov. M. in \n\n21/7/14 \n\n81 \n\nI have a messy feeling that if we go \n\non with this we shall be embarking \n\non an adventurous porting pan.oom \n\nforesee the End. \n\nCarnst \n\nBefore we allow his Tray & \n\nmove further in the matter \n\nwe want \n\nto know \n\nhi powain \n\nDo Hrug. ambt \n\nnon-Effect of \n\nreens a \n\nAgreement \n\n6 the \n\nthis qu; and \n\nthe hom \n\ntuy \n\nprepared to stand firm against the porrents us. will probably be read from Foreign Powers? \n\nWhat are \n\nthe convitons as a control \n\nto \n\nwhich \n\nTie J.F. (and his Tray) \n\nConsider Essential? \n\n(3) How far \n\nis the Contract prepared o \n\ngo in tim direction? The Comme Gent Has had, for a worth, Sir J.F. suggestion to approve them \n\nwhat has been done? \n\n2 White 5-7.O. in the Lense \n\nJr. M.13.21 \n\n8.2.14. \n\n23.2.14 \n\nPage information is not detected in this text, and the content appears to be a draft or notes related to loan negotiations and financial matters concerning Hong Kong. The text has been proofread and corrected for spelling, spacing, and some minor reordering to improve readability while maintaining the original tone and content.\n\n was removed as per rule 12. Minor adjustments were made to adhere to the rules, including correcting obvious OCR errors and improving spacing.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 453072, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-420 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [1-2]", "page_number": 428, "title": "CO129-420 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [1-2]", "content_text": "# The Caloocan Clarion\n\nThe fact that no issues of this paper have appeared lately is due to the fact that we have been off on a holiday? Who in the world wants to work all the time. We don't and we are compelled at times to put aside the scissors and the paste pot and take a trip to Heyman's home for weary ones on Calle Pinpin. We are now back on the job, a little bit the worse for wear and deucedly short of funds. We wouldn't mind having some of our delinquent subscribers come through as we sure feel that a plate of beans or wieners would improve our health. Our office is at the same old place and we still can write our name to a receipt. Don't crowd.\n\nThe war news from the front has been quiet lately. The French news censor licked the English news censor for trying to cop all the glory. General Joffre says that the French are tired of doing all the fighting and having the English claim all the credit.\n\nGeneral French has lost his powder puff. There will be a suspension of hostilities until a new one arrives from London.\n\nThe Portuguese army surrendered in a body yesterday to a corporal and seven men of the German army. They will be put to work making tamales for the export trade.\n\n## Advertisements\n\n**GORDON & Co's DRY GIN DISTILLERY, LONDON. APRIL 1, 1917**\n\nT. Graydon Moody has won the championship mile race at the International Athletic Meet at Dublin.\n\nCarl Hess called at the office last week and wanted to know if he owed anything. We got a dollar out of him on account.\n\nBacoor is now the most orderly town in the islands at the present time. The town received a thorough purification some years ago.\n\nThe Ananias Club of the Philippines held its regular annual meeting at Clarke's Saturday last and awarded the prizes for the three best liars in the islands. One went to Henry De Wolff and the other two were awarded to Joe Wolfson.\n\nThe Czar of Russia has conferred the Double Cross on his Imperial Allies King George of England and President Poincaré of France.\n\nJapan is trying to make an alliance with Germany and says that she is willing that, besides ceding back Kiaochau, Singapore and Hongkong should be turned over to the Germans.\n\n## O'CONNELL'S, January 30, 1915\n\nNo. 50\n\nA number of prominent British citizens called at this office last night, but as we were entertaining a delegation of friends from the Caloocan Turn Verein and the Malabon Lodge A. O. H., they did not come in. We tried to persuade them to stay and promised them lots of fun, but they said they were out of training.\n\nMcCulloch Dick was arrested last night on the Escolta for masquerading in false attire. Dick had got himself up as a neutral.\n\nBy means of our own private wireless, we learn from the trenches in Europe that while the soldier boys appreciate the sacks and sweaters and scarfs and bands and such things the women are knitting for them, they would also like to have some one knit for (or otherwise produce) certain other things. Why not knit the boys a good pipe and package of tobacco? Why not knit them plenty of cigarette paper and tobacco? Why not knit them a lot of matches in waterproof match boxes? Why not knit them a few cans of beef extract for hot broth while they are in the trenches? Why not knit them a supply of stationery and pencils for writing home? And a lot of the brave boys would like to have some shattered bones knit for them. Why not knit them a few mending outfits?\n\n**GORDON'S Dry & Old Tom Gin**\n\nBest for Cocktails, Rickeys, Fizzes, etc.\nTake no Substitute\n\n**Kuenzle & Streiff. Ltd**\n343-347 SAN JACINTO\n\n**O'CONNELL'S, January 30, 1915**\n\n## Carnival Opens\n\nA Hint To Mack\n\nWe have received a copy of the new \"Agricultural\" monthly edited by that famed Kansas expert Mark Cretcher. We think that too much of the bureau's appropriation has been spent in paper and ink. If Mr. Cretcher would follow Cyclone Jim's plan and get out and try and make something of value come out of the ground, he would show more real intelligence and be of more value to the people. Incidentally, he would be less criticised. If Mr. Cretcher does not know anything about coconuts, he might start a bean farm or something of the sort. Cretcher has been roasted to a frazzle and from all reports, he is a very decent fellow. He perhaps needs the job he is at present holding and we have no objection to his staying on the payroll. We think, however, that he should stop fooling and get down to real business.\n\nToday is the day. Manila is in fiesta garb and worry and care have been shelved that revelry and merry-making may reign supreme. The big Carnival of 1915 is on and when the great carnival parade winds through the streets of the gay capital this afternoon, it will mark the opening of this famed celebration for which the Philippines are known all over the wide world. Already confetti is being scattered over our sidewalks and pathways, already the maskers are seen mixing with the laborers and the tradesmen. At eight tonight, the only people in the town who will be working will be the policemen, the car-conductors, and the engineers in the light and ice-making plants. Everybody else will be bound for the gay white city on the Luneta to partake in the merriment and have a good time. The carnival city is more beautiful this year than ever before and the Hubbub is full of wonderful attractions from Coney Island and other pleasure resorts. The big ball which will open the carnival this evening is the Devil's Raising Ball and the crowd that attends generally does it. It's merry hell long about midnight. Some elegant costumes will be worn at the ball this year, say the modistes, and it will be worth the price of admission to those who do not dance to go and look on. There will be lots of good things to eat and drink on the carnival grounds. Come early and stay long. Make this the best Carnival we have ever had.\n\nHe Was A Yid\n\nMacfarlane, the Insular Lumber Company manager, tells a story of a Jew soldier in the German army who had accomplished some gallant deed on the field of battle and had been mentioned for the Iron Cross. The Kaiser was present at the town when the Iron Cross was to be presented and decided to make the presentation himself. He asked if the Jew was a man of family and was told that he had a wife and six children and was quite poor. The Kaiser, thinking that the Jew might better appreciate a gift of money, asked him when he was brought up, whether he would rather have the Iron Cross or a hundred marks. The Jew said, \"Your Highness, what is the value of the Iron Cross?\" The Kaiser replied that it was worth a couple of marks, whereupon the Jew said, \"Well, Your Highness, I will take the Iron Cross and 98 marks.\" Mac does not say what the Jew got.\n\nDiscovered\n\nProfessor Waters has been discovered by the daily press. They are certainly getting wise to this Kansas faker at a pretty late day. Waters should be prosecuted by the Philippine government for estafa.\n\nThe man who flooded the German position on the Yser, says a cablegram, has been decorated with the Order of King Leopold. What's that, a rubber medal?\n\nThe entrance of Portugal into the conflict somehow reminds us of the By assisting old man Noah's elephant up the ark's gangplank.\n\nIt seems about time now for the employment of a couple of real tropical agriculturists in the bureau. Why not give Prautch and Lyons a show? Governor-General Harrison has made it pretty evident to everyone in the islands that he has some backbone and wants to do the right thing. He should compel the agricultural bureau to stop wasting its funds and commence to get results.\n\n## Portugal And The War\n\nThe resignation of the Portuguese cabinet was first announced on December 6th, 1914.\n\n...according to a dispatch received here from Lisbon, as stated in an official cablegram received by the German Consul here; but the same was not acknowledged and accepted by Reuter until January 26th, 1915, when he announced the fact in a cablegram dated London, January 25th.\n\nAnd there are still people who declare that the German news-service - official as well as unofficial--is badly informed and brings only faked news.\n\nThere has been so much talk about Portugal being on the brink of war against Germany and of sending an army to the aid of the allies, but we never heard anything of the accomplished fact.\n\nNow this wonder is cleared up.\n\nIt was on the Spanish mail between Hongkong and Singapore; on board were some Portuguese officers heading home from Macau. They were a miserable-looking lot. Their sadness caused the compassion of their fellow-passengers. One of these, a Spanish merchant, asking them for the reason of their sadness, whether or not they did not like to go to war, received this answer: \"We are longing for the war as we are soldiers, but say, isn't it a pity, thrice we sent a declaration of war to Germany but never even a confirmation of receipt.\"\n\nGermany has more to do than to acknowledge little Portugal's war-declarations!\n\n## Advertisements\n\n### THE CARNIVAL NEEDS That Ten Pesos YOU NEED A LITTLE FUN\n\n**RICHTER'S DRY GOODS STORE**\n114-116 ESCOLTA\n\n| Corsets | Description |\n|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| AMERICAN LADY | The Corset that braces, buoys up woman and beautifies the modern through the active hours... |\n| MADAME LYRA | ...soft, light and pliant- yielding to every demand of the wearer. |\n\n**E. E. ELSER INSURANCE**\nFIRE, LIFE, ACCIDENT\nGeneral Agent\nNew York Life Insurance Co.\nKneedler Bldg.\nPHONE 129\n\n**MANILA GARAGE**\nAUTOMOBILES FOR HIRE\nTel. 1004\n665 NOZALEDA\nJOHN CANSON, Proprietor\n\n**DINE AT THE GAS KITCHEN**\n168 ESCOLTA\n(AT YOUR SERVICE)\n\n**Manila Foundry and Machine Works**\n(Successors to Ges. Y. Taylor Machine Shops)\nManufacturers and Dealers in Machinery and Supplies. Brass and Iron Castings\nRepair Work A Specialty\n500 to 520 Reiss Regents\nTel. 8543, P. O. Box 1055\nCable Address: \"MACHINIST\"\nCodes: Western Union, A. B. C. 5th Edition", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-420 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [1-2].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 455901, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12]", "page_number": 67, "title": "CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12]", "content_text": "Page 100\n\n...\n\nThe text appears to be a jumbled mix of OCR errors and nonsensical text. Let's focus on the identifiable parts.\n\nFor Cong may hov 2 1915 HONG KONG 56942 REC C.O 65 56942 REG 10 DEC 15 Form's trading in song trong.\n\n2. State; that W. & Backbones in form. the Gost that John Gray & no Glasgor Last previous Paper.\n\n76.0 37.2 Lous 16 Dec '15 And Conf. 20 Jan 16, 44016 1872 eir John C Jiven by mistake, instead of John Adelphi St. + Commercial Read: Glasgow C 7 with respe Copy & Std. with was & their With of amy 7th Sept (H4.0. /4/16241) rack whether to the ] (or bith larger was long ingt a to the constitution the prin R13/14/11 atoner\n\nNext subsequent Paper. 160 1812 (J 3401-b.) Wo. 14242–12. 26.000. 7/15. D & S.\n\nPage 101\n\nIt seems the original text is a historical document, possibly related to trade or correspondence, with references to specific dates, names, and locations. The OCR output is severely corrupted, making it difficult to decipher the original content.\n\nLet's reformat the identifiable parts using Markdown:\n\n## For Cong may hov 2 1915\n### HONG KONG\n56942 REC \nC.O 65 \n56942 REG 10 DEC 15\n\n## Form's trading in song trong\n2. State; that W. & Backbones in form. the Gost that John Gray & no Glasgor \nLast previous Paper. \n76.0 \n37.2 \nLous 16 Dec '15 \nAnd Conf. 20 Jan 16, \n44016 \n1872 \neir John C \nJiven by mistake, instead of John \nAdelphi St. + Commercial Read: Glasgow \nC 7 with respe \nCopy & Std. with \nwas \n& their With of \namy \n7th Sept (H4.0. /4/16241) \nrack whether to the ] (or bith larger was long ingt a to the constitution the prin \nR13/14/11 atoner\n\n## Next subsequent Paper\n160 \n1812 \n(J 3401-b.) \nWo. 14242–12. \n26.000. \n7/15. \nD & S.\n\nHowever, to follow the instructions precisely and output only HTML using `` for paragraphs, the reformatted text will be:\n\nFor Cong may hov 2 1915\n\nHONG KONG\n\n56942 REC\nC.O 65\n56942 REG 10 DEC 15\n\nForm's trading in song trong.\n\n2. State; that W. & Backbones in form. the Gost that John Gray & no Glasgor\nLast previous Paper.\n76.0\n37.2\nLous 16 Dec '15\nAnd Conf. 20 Jan 16,\n44016\n1872\neir John C\nJiven by mistake, instead of John\nAdelphi St. + Commercial Read: Glasgow\nC 7 with respe\nCopy & Std. with\nwas\n& their With of\namy\n7th Sept (H4.0./4/16241)\nrack whether to the ] (or bith larger was long ingt a to the constitution the prin\nR13/14/11 atoner\n\nNext subsequent Paper.\n\n160\n1812\n(J3401-b.)\nWo. 14242–12.\n26.000.\n7/15.\nD & S.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 469752, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917", "page_number": 626, "title": "CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917", "content_text": "18\n\nIn the last year under review, the following countries were the principal consumers:—\n\nUnited States\n\nUnited Kingdom\n\nBritish India\n\nHong Kong\n\nAustralasia\n\nChina\n\n£\n\n272,000\n\n25,000\n\n38,000\n\n25,000\n\n42,000\n\n36,000\n\nThe manufacture of cigars is the sole manufacturing industry of the Philippines. Up to the end of 1880, the manufacture of cigars was a monopoly of the Spanish Government. After January 1st, 1881, private factories were established, all of them at first being Spanish. German enterprise began in 1883 when the \"El Oriente\" Factory was founded, and has since extended to two or three other well-known concerns, including the \"Alhambra.\" There are only two British-owned cigar factories in Manila, neither of them being of great importance.\n\nPosition of the Chinese. The total number of Chinese in the islands is not more than 50,000 to 60,000, but the wholesale trade, both domestic and foreign, is controlled by them, and they occupy, under American rule, a status little below that of the whites. By the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1902, their immigration was forbidden in accordance with the expressed desire of the Filipinos, who knew full well that the industrious Chinese coolie would lower wages and force them into activity for an existence. This policy of exclusion, while in accordance with the expressed American policy of \"the Philippines for the Filipinos,\" has nevertheless seriously retarded the economic development of the country. The native Filipinos, largely of Malay descent, have inherited the supine, indolent characteristics of their progenitors, and are of very little value as labourers. The more active portion of the community comprises the \"Mestizos,\" or half-breeds, descended from Spanish or Chinese fathers and native mothers. They are more intelligent and energetic than the Filipinos, but their general character is evasive and vacillating. The Chinese merchant is the backbone of the trading community, and it is to be regretted that he is not present in greater numbers.\n\nThe exclusion of the Chinese, the indolence and scarcity of efficient native labour, and the somewhat prodigal expenditure of the average American citizen, have caused a very considerable rise in the cost of living since the American occupation. Wages have increased enormously, and this fact has reacted adversely on the energy of the Filipinos, and labour is scarcer than ever. It is the settled opinion of competent observers throughout the Far East that no investment in mines or agriculture in the islands will be of any great value until the introduction of Chinese labour is not only permitted but encouraged. Should their exclusion remain in force beyond the present generation, there is little doubt that it will have a marked adverse effect on the activity of the people.\n\nBritish Activity in the Islands. Although the ratio of the trade of the islands with the United Kingdom, as compared with the United States, has rapidly declined since the American occupation, and particularly since the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909, the actual transaction of the foreign commerce still remains largely in the hands of those powerful and old-established British houses whose foundation dates from the times of the Spanish régime. The three most powerful British firms in the Philippines are:-\n\nKer & Co., of Manila, Iloilo and Cebu (Ker, Bolton & Co., 7, East India Avenue, E.C.).\n\nSmith, Bell & Co., Ltd., Iloilo and Cebu (Smith, Wood & Co., 3 & 4, Lime Street Square, E.C.).\n\nW. F. Stevenson & Co., Ltd., Iloilo and Cebu (W. F. Stevenson & Co., 40, Trinity Square, E.C.).\n\nThe above-mentioned houses are the largest shippers of hemp and sugar from the islands, and also transact a large share of the trade in imports and the general agency business.\n\nMessrs. Forbes, Munn & Co., Ltd., of Manila, Iloilo and Cebu, and 167, Gresham House, Old Broad Street, E.C., are mainly concerned with the trade in imported manufactures, notably cotton piece goods and yarns, hardware and metals.\n\n49\n\nMessrs. Findlay, Richardson & Co., Ltd., of Manila, Iloilo, and 34, West George Street, Glasgow, specialise on imports of textiles, machinery and hardware, and also manage the Findlay-Millar Timber Company, the Findlay-Millar Steamship Company, and the Kolambugan Lumber and Development Company.\n\nMessrs. Wise & Co., Ltd., of Manila and Iloilo, and of 8, Gore Street, Piccadilly, Manchester, confine their attentions to the import trade in cotton piece goods and miscellaneous sundries, and also hold the agency for one of the cigar factories.\n\nMessrs. Warner Barnes & Co., Ltd., of Manila, Iloilo, and Cebu (London agents, Messrs. Ledward, Bibby & Co., 10, Mincing Lane, E.C.), are also largely interested in the import trade, and can safely be recommended to British exporters.\n\nBranches of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, are established at Manila, Iloilo, and Cebu. Among other British interests may be counted the Manila Railway Co. (1906), Ltd., with its London office at 9, New Broad Street. This company obtains a considerable proportion of its supplies of material and rolling stock from the United Kingdom.\n\nGerman Competition.--It will be remarked, from the statistics on page 43, that the trade in German manufactures has increased steadily during the past five years or so, and this may be attributed to the influx of German merchants into the islands of late years. The competition of local German firms is to be found principally in the import trade, there being only one German house of any importance engaged in the produce business. The principal German houses in Manila are:-\n\nMessrs. Behn, Meyer & Co. (also at Iloilo and Cebu).\n\nFroehlich & Kuttner (also at Iloilo and Cebu).\n\nGermann & Co. (also at Iloilo).\n\nSchmidt & Ziegler.\n\nSchulz & Co.\n\nStruckmann & Co.\n\nViegelmann & Co. (also at Iloilo).\n\nThese and other houses have conducted a general business, and have distributed British, German and American productions.\n\nThe principal German goods imported were:-\n\n(a) Soft Goods.-Haberdashery, socks, underwear, plush, velvets, &c.\n\n(b) Hardware. Electrical supplies, machinery, hardware, metals and chemicals.\n\nAs regards heavy machinery, involving long credits, support was frequently given by the manufacturers in Germany, financed by German home banks. This procedure has not been followed by either British or American manufacturers. Were British manufacturers to adopt this plan in the case of, say, sugar centrals, they would no doubt be in a better position to secure orders, but it is essential that they should be represented on the spot by technical experts to advise foreign native buyers, to supervise erection, and to estimate possible risks. There is almost certain to be a development in sugar machinery in the future, but it is clear that the erection of plant, payment for which depends largely upon the result of the crops, is attended by great risk of delay in recovering the outlay, and for this reason, the British exchange banks have not considered it advisable to make advances for such business.\n\nIn Manila, as elsewhere throughout the world, German merchants, notably Behn, Meyer & Co., have deliberately extended the terms of credit granted in the import trade. The result has, undoubtedly, been a considerable extension in the volume of the business done, but there is no doubt whatever that, in dealing with Chinese and Orientals generally (who are gamblers to a man), the system is unsound, dangerous, and a direct encouragement to overtrading. Those in favour of the system frequently assert that it pays in the long run, but only those firms with ample resources can afford to weather stormy times, and the significant fact remains that those firms which employ their own funds are not, as a rule, those which grant long credits. German houses control the management of two or three of the most important cigar factories in Manila, and also export leaf tobacco in considerable quantities to Germany, Spain and Austria. (The total export of this article in 1913 reached a total of 400,000l., of which 300,000l. was taken by Spain.) There are several German retail stores in Manila, some of which are controlled by the large import firms. The Germans also virtually monopolised the retail drug trade, but since the war, a British pharmacy has been started with local capital.\n\nA 2687\n\nG\n\n621", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 487390, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5]", "page_number": 364, "title": "CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5]", "content_text": "# The Humble Petition of the Undersigned Chinese Firms and Merchants of the State of North Borneo\n\nTo **The Court of Directors** of the State of North Borneo.\n\nSHEWETH as follows:-\n\n1. Your petitioners are Chinese Firms and Merchants resident in the State of North Borneo.\n\n2. Some of your petitioners have been so resident for the past 40 years and can recall the time when the State of North Borneo was first opened up as a country under British Protection. It was in August, 1882 that a public notice to the Chinese was printed in the **Hongkong Daily Press** by Sir Walter Medhurst on behalf of the British North Borneo Company giving a history of the acquisition of the country, explaining the plan and intention of the British North Borneo Company with regard to emigrants and settlers from China, and appealing to the Chinese to settle in the territory in question.\n\n3. In response to this appeal and in reliance upon the Charter granted by Her late Gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria, to the British North Borneo Company, and upon the traditional fairness and justice of British Administration, the Chinese first began to settle and have continued in increasing number to settle in British North Borneo.\n\n4. Your petitioners do not propose to go into the history of the part taken and being taken by the Chinese settlers in helping to develop the country generally, but to confine themselves to a short statement of the development of the timber business which is the subject-matter of this petition. It may, however, be mentioned here that, at the present time, the Chinese Community in North Borneo are, as it were, the backbone of the country,\n\nPage 357", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 487407, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5]", "page_number": 381, "title": "CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5]", "content_text": "# The Court of Directors \n## of the State of North Borneo,\n\n### The Humble Petition of the Undersigned Chinese Firms and Merchants of the State of North Borneo,\n\nSHEWETH as follows:-\n\n1. Your petitioners are Chinese Firms and Merchants resident in the State of North Borneo.\n\n2. Some of your petitioners have been so resident for the past 40 years and can recall the time when the State of North Borneo was first opened up as a country under British Protection. It was in August, 1882 that a public notice to the Chinese was printed in the Hongkong Daily Press by Sir Walter Medhurst on behalf of the British North Borneo Company giving a history of the acquisition of the country, explaining the plan and intention of the British North Borneo Company with regard to emigrants and settlers from China, and appealing to the Chinese to settle in the territory in question.\n\n3. In response to this appeal and in reliance upon the Charter granted by Her late Gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria, to the British North Borneo Company, and upon the traditional fairness and justice of British Administration, the Chinese first began to settle and have continued in increasing number to settle in British North Borneo.\n\n4. Your petitioners do not propose to go into the history of the part taken and being taken by the Chinese settlers in helping to develop the country generally, but to confine themselves to a short statement of the development of the timber business which is the subject-matter of this petition. It may, however, be mentioned here that, at the present time, the Chinese Community in North Borneo are, as it were, the backbone of the country,\n\nPage 1 \nPage 374", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-467 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1921 [1-5].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 492745, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12]", "page_number": 98, "title": "CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12]", "content_text": "For 174744\n\n97\n\nSuperintendent of Police. This arrangement will permit one of the Deputy Superintendents to organize and take complete charge of the Detective Sub-Department of the Police which he has hitherto only generally controlled in addition to his other duties.\n\n4.\n\nSir R. E. Stubbs in his telegram of the 12th April (vide also your despatch No.117 of the 21st April) asked for a number of European Police to strengthen that branch of the Force, and two of these have already arrived.\n\n5. It is hoped that the addition to the local Police Force of a number of Northern Chinese from the Weihaiwei Police now in process of arrangement will considerably strengthen the Force, by providing a non-local backbone which may be expected to be proof against intimidation. These men will replace Indian Police should there be a falling off in recruits as seems not improbable judging by what is happening in India. For the moment, however, recruiting of Indians is good, but the type of recruit has fallen off in a very marked degree since recruiting re-opened in 1919 after the conclusion of the war.\n\n6. The information department of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs consists of a body of men known as the District Watchmen Force, and the situation as regards this body of men is somewhat delicate. After much consideration, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs recommends, and I concur with his recommendation, that no action should be taken in this respect by way of reorganization for the following reasons.\n\nThe Force is paid almost entirely by voluntary subscriptions, and is managed by the District Watchmen Committee composed of prominent local Chinese, who represent the subscribers. Enquiry and action would necessarily be a matter for the Committee, which shows the greatest reluctance to carry the subject any further. Action \"by order\"", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 495124, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7]", "page_number": 143, "title": "CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7]", "content_text": "MINUTES \n\nI told him that \n\nthis \n\nwas so, though I did \n\nsay \n\nthat \n\nAme sigli's \n\nMINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN \n\nON THIS \n\nSIDE. \n\nNo 186. \n\n34395 \n\n141 \n\nproposal and be less \n\nbeneficial to him. I said \n\nhat \n\nmutil the fo was \n\nGotthis the \n\num alla \n\ninyl & I cod. not give \n\nhain \n\nam \n\nwiducation of form wh, the recognition \n\nwd. take. * \n\nHe urged that full \n\nconso wo. be given to \n\nthe facts lithat his predecessor \n\nfastslicat \n\nand not retire until 5 \n\nyou after the naval reking age x \n\nhat promotion had accordingly been held \n\nup (He was careful to \n\nSay \n\nthat before we ill-will \n\ntoward in Chapman, for \n\nwhom he expressed \n\nadmuiation & \n\nbring \n\naffectin) \n\n(2) that be is the first \n\nto utive aft that entra no. he awarded \n\nThe derisim \n\nfor profesinial Qualifications. (I do not \n\nto that he refer) ? Put by. \n\n17. P 2019 At once \n\n★ He asked when a decisim \n\nAnd, be reached him about thes \n\n* & ba \n\nand \n\nfOctober. \n\nFor Br96 \n\nInclosure 1. \n\nMy Lord Duke, \n\nRe \n\n(R. 12 U \n\nGOVERNMENT HOUSE, \n\nRECE HONGKONG. 26th May, 1923.\n\nانال 12 \n\nOOL OFFIC \n\nWith reference to my despatch No.85 of the \n\n5th of March, I have the honour to forward the enclosed paper of particulars of the pension of Mr. T. L. Perkins, Director of Public Works, \n\n2. \n\nThe pension calculated in accordance with the rules applicable to the case amounts to £539. 13. 2 a year and I have no hesitation in saying that this sum is an entirely inadequate retiring allowance for an officer who has rendered such admirable service to the Colony. The work done by the Public Works Department, especially in the matter of roads and reclamations, during recent years has been remarkable both in quantity and in quality and the comments which have been made to me by numerous visitors from other countries justify me in saying that the improve- ments which have been effected in the Colony do credit to the British Empire. This satisfactory position is due very largely to Mr. Perkins, who has for years past been rightly regarded as the backbone of the department. \n\n3. \n\nMy sense of the value of his services both as an Engineer and as head of a department is such that I should have confidently invited Your Grace to approve the grant to him of a special pension on the ground of \n\nTHE RIGHT HONOURABLE \n\nTHE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, K.G., \n\n80.. \n\n80.. \n\nextraordinary \n\nTC.U. D. NO. FIJ", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 495130, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7]", "page_number": 149, "title": "CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7]", "content_text": "Enclosure 3.\n\n147\n\nExtract from the report of the proceedings of the Legislative Council 10th May, 1923.\n\nHONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL\n\nTributes to the Retiring D.P.W.\n\nTHE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS - Your Excellency, hon. members of the Council, I desire to thank this meeting for associating themselves with the very graceful words you have spoken about me. I regret to say that this is the last time the Hon. Director of Public Works will attend our meeting. Mr. Perkins has served in this Colony for approximately 20 years. He was appointed originally, I think, in 1904 as executive engineer and established a reputation which he has pre-served and added to throughout his career.\n\nI appreciate the great kindness and consideration I have received from you and the Council all my life. The work of the last year or two has been tremendously heavy. The war put things back and the work has been the backbone of the Department. It is known to all of us that for years past Perkins has been exceptional, but I wish to place on record, Sir, that whenever I have approached you, or any member of this Council, with any request for assistance or help of any kind it has always been given to me to the fullest extent.\n\nCircumstances have sometimes pressed him to do so because I am aware that the reason for his retirement is owing to ill-health brought about by the great amount of work he has done during several years past. The work Mr. Perkins has done for the Colony is very visible and his name will be associated with many great and important works.\n\nIn leaving the Colony, I withdraw from what has been the greatest interest of my life. I have spent here the years which are fullest in a man's life, and they have been particularly full with me. I have seen the Colony grow into what I have come to feel is one of the finest cities in the Far East, and I have been particularly happy in the work here and the cordial co-operation of the Council.\n\nI have had nothing but cordial assistance; all criticism seems to have been forgotten. I part with Mr. Perkins with the greatest regret which, I feel sure, will be shared by every member of this Council and everyone who has been brought into contact with him.\n\nI am sure you will join with me in wishing him a speedy restoration to health and long enjoyment of the retirement which he has earned by many years of devoted public service.\n\nHON. MR. POLLOCK - On behalf of the Unofficial members I desire to say that we associate ourselves entirely with the terms with which your Excellency has referred to the distinguished service and hard work on behalf of the Colony by the Director of Public Works.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-480 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [4-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 502077, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925", "page_number": 324, "title": "CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925", "content_text": "314\n\nThis work. On the other hand, Dr. Lavington Hart, who has kindly consented to second this Resolution and who is qualified to speak on this subject with a good deal more weight than I can myself, will tell you in a few minutes of the intense propaganda which has been carried on amongst members of parliament at home to get our Government to commit themselves definitely to allocate the funds to educational purposes alone. This is what we must set our faces against. Why should we follow blindly the action taken by the United States years ago when different conditions were obtaining in this country? Why should we disregard the crying need of the masses in China for subsistence, before we concentrate all our resources on educating them? Education is the most dangerous tool in the hands of politicians and you all know what kind of propaganda is being instilled in the minds of Young China of to-day through the innocent medium of foreign educational institutions.\n\nLet us profit by the lessons of the past and remember the silent suffering masses, the farmers of China. It is these who always will be the backbone of this country and it is not until their daily struggle for existence is made easier that they will be able to take their place in the political councils of their country.\n\nAs far as I can make out, the Chinese advice which has been sought so far, has been almost entirely confined to Chinese educationalists. Surely, the opinions of others, with a wider and more practical outlook, should also be taken into account. As a prominent Chinese, whom I was speaking to yesterday, said, \"The Boxer Indemnity was exacted not only from the students but from all the lower classes as well. If your Government wishes to remit this indemnity, why not let the lower classes benefit too, especially as they too suffered and paid as a result of the Boxer uprising?\"\n\nIn the history of our race our traditional policy has always stood for sound common sense, so do let us be practical. The International Famine Relief Association has shown us what could be achieved in China by means of a revolving fund, with which work is undertaken on a loan basis and the repaid funds reemployed where need is greatest. It is not up to us definitely to advocate and decide here to-day in what proportion and to what definite purpose the Indemnity Fund should be used. I trust this will be left in the hands of a thoroughly representative Anglo-Chinese Committee whose members will be able to give all their time and thought to this purpose.\n\n1\n\nBut what we want is to prevent the bill from going through Parliament with the avowed purpose of applying the funds to education alone.\n\nI feel confident that our appeal to H. M. Government will not be ignored.\n\nGentlemen, in asking you to support this Resolution, I am doing so in the hope that with the funds available after the educational needs already advocated have been fully met, Britain may do something to help in the most practical way the people of this great country. (Loud applause.)\n\nDr. Lavington Hart, M.A. Cantab., D.Sc., London (Principal of Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College) then seconded the resolution. In the course of an eloquent speech he said:-\n\nIf I am entitled in my quality as Honorary Member of the Chamber to take part in this discussion, I would ask to be allowed to second the Resolution, and I do so as an Educationalist, and a convinced Educationalist. I confess that I have great sympathy with those Members of British Chambers of Commerce who are still convinced that the best service that Great Britain can render to China is through education. For we must recognise that there are other avenues of approach between peoples than those of Finance and Commerce; that indeed of all such ways of intercourse the old honoured highway of Thought, Ideas, Investigation and Knowledge still lies if not prominent, yet pre-eminent.\n\nIf any one of us will give himself the trouble to discover what it is that has made our Nation great and helped to spread its influence to such an extent that it has become the model to others in matters of self-government, liberty, just and equal treatment of other races, he will be forced to the conclusion that it is not only through its unrivalled commerce, not simply through the intervention of Machinery, but through the introduction of those high ideals and thoughts, and the inter-penetration of its own ideals of justice and fair dealing that the British Empire is what it is to-day, and can influence the rest of the world.\n\nIt is mentality that Counts.\n\nOr if he begins to enquire into the state of this country and asks what China lacks to-day, the answer must be not in the first instance, Machinery or methods of communication, not even in the last analysis the means of livelihood, but Men. When these are forthcoming China's needs will be met, its vast resources will be tapped, and foreign assistance no longer be required.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 504639, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12]", "page_number": 508, "title": "CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12]", "content_text": "4\n\nof air forces based on Hong Kong, but here there was doubt as to whether the construction of an air base at Hong Kong was permissible under article 19 of the Washington Naval Treaty; and, in any case, the provision of an aerodrome presented difficulty owing to the absence of any suitable site. Given sufficient time for preparation, the necessary troops and the acquiescence of the other foreign Powers, it might be possible to capture Canton.\n\nOur Canton policy, therefore, from the outset, had to be guided by two considerations (a) assistance from other foreign Powers would be at the best half-hearted, and (b) isolated military action was almost out of the question. We had to adopt a policy of inaction. This seems to have surprised the Canton Government. At least, according to the \"Morning Post\" of the 26th January, 1926:—\n\nImmediately after the Shameen shooting incidents, when ill-feeling was at its highest, the Canton Government expected to be attacked, and have now admitted they had made all plans to retire into the country, leaving the city in occupation of foreign troops. They would then have raised the banner of hatred from north to south and embroiled every nation in the quarrel. This scheme, which probably emanated from Soviet influence, was foiled by our inaction.\n\nHowever, on learning that the Cantonese were strengthening the forts at the mouth of the river, His Majesty's Admiralty despatched the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Hermes to Hong Kong, so as to make sure that communications with Shameen could not be interrupted. H.M.S. Hermes arrived at Hong Kong on the 10th August.\n\n44\n\nThe question of Soviet support to anti-British agitations in China generally, and in Canton in particular, had at once received the careful attention of the Foreign Office. There can be no doubt whatever that both the Third Communist International and the Soviet Government are deeply implicated in the agitation in China, that they have supported such agitation with large supplies of money, arms and munitions, and that they have deliberately directed this agitation in an anti-British channel. The question of counter-action to be taken by ourselves at Moscow in order to secure a cessation of these activities was fully investigated at the end of June.\n\nIt was then decided that diplomatic action (e.g., withdrawal of recognition from Russia) could not be taken on the sole initiative of His Majesty's Government, though we would be ready to consider any initiative from Japan, the United States of America or France on these lines. Our general feeling (see Annex I) was that Bolshevism was its own most effective enemy and would eventually discredit itself in China, as it has done elsewhere. To launch a general attack against the Bolsheviks would exaggerate the importance of their enmity and thus would help to prolong their influence.\n\nMeanwhile, at the beginning of July, the new Canton Government was formed. It consisted chiefly of Kuomintang elements, and it opened its career with a grandiloquent manifesto, announcing that Canton had been under the economic and political domination of Hong Kong, but that a new era of independence and municipal improvement was at hand (see Annex X). It was not until August that the extremists gained complete control at Canton, and throughout July an eventual settlement seemed not impossible. The boycott of \"imperialist\" goods and shipping continued, with great loss, especially to the colony of Hong Kong. In August steps were taken to confine the boycott to British and Japanese goods only.\n\nOn the 13th August, His Majesty's consul-general at Canton telegraphed (Canton telegram No. 10) that three new \"Navigation Rules\" had been published by the Canton Government:\n\n1. Steamers of any nationality except British and Japanese are allowed to ply between various ports provided they do not call at Hong Kong.\n\n2. On entering ports, all vessels must be subject to inspection of labour pickets of the anti-Imperialist Union.\n\n3. Exports of food-stuffs and raw materials prohibited.\n\nGovernment consisted of Hsu Chung-chih (Minister of War); Hu Han-min (Minister for Foreign Affairs); Liao Chung-k'ai (Minister of Finance); George Hau-chien (Minister of Justice). Besides the Government, a regular committee for general affairs was elected consisting of Wang Ching-wei, Hsu Chung-chih, Tan Yen-kai, Hu Han-min and Lin Sen. Liao Chung-k'ai (a violent Communist) was assassinated towards the end of August; and, shortly after Liao's death, Hu Han-min found Canton too hot for him and left on a political mission to Moscow. C. C. Wu has been (and is) head of the municipality, but he assists in the direction of foreign affairs in co-operation with Borodin.\n\nSir J. Jamieson has recently (Canton telegram No. 5 of the 2nd February, 1926) paid an unexpected tribute to this extreme Kuomintang Government, as \"the best Kwangtung has ever had.\"\n\n5\n\nHis Majesty's consul-general suggested that the maritime treaty Powers thus dictated to should immediately institute a blockade at the entrance to the river, which could easily be effected. On the 16th August, the Commodore at Hong Kong telegraphed that a blockade would prevent the importation of munitions of war which had been arriving freely in Canton lately (mostly from Russian sources) and might bring about the overthrow of Bolshevik elements at Canton through popular indignation or otherwise force an issue (Canton telegram No. 11). About the same time, the French Government were suggesting a naval demonstration at Canton.\n\nOn the 20th August, His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking telegraphed (Peking telegram No. 322) that as the \"Navigation Rules\" affected all Powers having ships plying to Canton, he suggested that co-operation of all the Powers concerned would be advisable if the blockade were decided on. At the same time, he did not feel that such an action was either necessary or advisable, or that it would bring about the downfall of the Communist Canton Government. He added that in the opinion of His Majesty's consul-general nothing short of abrogation of the treaties would placate the local Government and end the strike.\n\nOn the 22nd August, the Foreign Office suggested to Peking (telegram to Peking No. 214) the following course of action which should be taken jointly by the Powers: That the attention of the Chinese Government should be drawn to the unjustifiable regulations issued by the Canton authorities in breach of treaty rights, together with a warning that, unless the Chinese Government could secure their withdrawal within a specified time limit, the Powers would be obliged to take further measures; but it was also suggested that if this action further united the Chinese against us, the game might not be worth the candle.\n\nHis Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires replied (Peking telegram No. 329) that according to the Japanese consul at Canton the \"Navigation Rules\" had been issued merely for effect and were not intended to be enforced, and that consequently neither the Japanese Minister nor himself were making any formal protest at present to the Chinese Government, who, besides, professed ignorance of the whole matter. Further, the Japanese Minister had expressed some apprehension at newspaper reports as to the intransigent attitude of His Majesty's Government. His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires expressed his opinion that British business circles were inclined to take too alarmist and exaggerated a view of the whole matter, which did not seem to have developed far enough for so drastic a step as a blockade. In any case, he said, Japanese co-operation was essential, since their shipping was bracketed with ours, and American co-operation highly desirable. He considered that isolated British action would be fatal, and that a joint warning by the British, American and Japanese Governments, with as many others as would join, would certainly be beneficial if it became necessary.\n\n4\n\nAt the same time, His Majesty's consul-general at Canton reported that the Canton Government had informed him that they had neither published nor approved the \"Navigation Rules\" (Canton telegram No. 16). Technically, this may be true, as it has since become manifest that the rules are published and enforced by the strike committees; but at that date (the end of August) the standing and power of the strike committees were by no means so clear as they are now. In any case, the Japanese assurance that these rules were published merely for effect has not turned out to be true—except perhaps as regards Japanese shipping. The rules are the backbone of the anti-British boycott, and have been most strenuously enforced.\n\nMeanwhile, the Foreign Office had received a series of appeals from British firms and from such representative bodies as the China Association and the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, asking for \"action\" as regards Canton. The Colonial Office enquired as to our attitude, and passed on strongly-worded resolutions from the Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, which demanded an immediate ultimatum to Canton followed by strong action. Both British and Chinese interests at Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Government itself impressed upon us that they were threatened with immediate ruin. These enquiries were answered on the following lines:\n\n\"Mr. Chamberlain doubts whether a blockade would do more than provide anti-British propaganda in Canton and the rest of China, but any more drastic action than a blockade he is certain would have a most unfortunate reaction. It must be remembered, too, that we are bound by the Washington China Treaty to full and friendly communication with other Powers concerned before taking any steps affecting the sovereignty and independence of China. Any\n\n497", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 506652, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-498-8 Canton situation- speeches made by members of the Canton Government- and visit of the Fraternity... 13-1-1926 - 13-1-1926", "page_number": 5, "title": "CO129-498-8 Canton situation- speeches made by members of the Canton Government- and visit of the Fraternity... 13-1-1926 - 13-1-1926", "content_text": "and to force an early settlement by closing down \ntheir businesses. The rumour is attributed to the \nparty: and I regret to state that there appears to be some possibility of an attempt to take action on \nthe lines of the rumour. The attempt, if made, \nwill be very difficult to combat, as in the \naverage Chinese merchant backbone is sadly to seek, and the tendency weakly to follow a strong lead is almost irresistible: the chance of being conspicuous is to be avoided at any cost. \nHowever, I am taking such measures as can be devised, through the medium of the District Watchmen's \nCommittee and loyal Chinese, to counter the \nattack in its early stages.\n\nI have the honour to be, \nSir, \nYour most obedient humble servant, \nE. men X \nGovernor &c.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-498-8 Canton situation- speeches made by members of the Canton Government- and visit of the Fraternity... 13-1-1926 - 13-1-1926.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 508550, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926", "page_number": 144, "title": "CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926", "content_text": "## 38. \n43. Now at last the Japanese Government defined its policy concerning the new taxes with precision in a telegram received by the Japanese Minister at Peking on the 11th December and communicated by him to Mr. O'Malloy. The Japanese Government considered that we must refrain from unnecessarily irritating the Chinese regional authorities or from resorting to force against them, no matter whether they belonged to the North or the South. We should, however, only invite their contempt if in the endeavour to maintain a neutral attitude we allowed ourselves carelessly to discard our treaty-rights and the privileges which form the backbone of our international relationship with China. We should, therefore, maintain these treaties in a clear and unmistakable manner and, when treaties were violated, lodge protests which, even though ineffective, would at least reserve the rights of the Powers for the future and have a certain moral effect on the minds of the Chinese people. If we were to accede to illegal taxation imposed by Chinese regional authorities, they would assuredly impose further illegal taxation of a more serious nature, whenever they found themselves in need of military or other funds. Moreover, the demand for the immediate grant of the surtaxes could not be regarded as the unanimous desire of the Chinese people as a whole. It was even pointed out in Chinese circles that such an increase of surtaxes, if effected at the wrong time or in the wrong manner, would only help to prolong civil strife in China. The immediate unconditional grant of the Washington surtaxes would be tantamount to increasing the military funds both of the southern and the northern \n\nPage 148", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 509537, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-502-8 China- general situation 27-4-1927 - 15-9-1927", "page_number": 40, "title": "CO129-502-8 China- general situation 27-4-1927 - 15-9-1927", "content_text": "## 8 - 44\n\nThey ordered from America $200,000,000 worth of banknotes for the Central Government Bank in Nanking, and they had to pay $1,600,000 in U.S. currency for printing these notes alone! It is not likely that all this enormous number of banknotes will be issued, for the Bank is not likely to last long. No bank whose sole object is to find money for military expenditure (such as that of this Central Bank) can gain the confidence of the people.\n\nMembers of the Nanking and the Hankow Governments.\n\n## 23. \nThere is nothing to choose between the men in the Hankow Government and those in the Nanking Government. Sun Fo, Wong Ching-wei, Hu Han-min, Koo Ying-fan and even Mrs. Sun Yat-sen are all of the same nature. Is not Sun Fo the son of Sun Yat-sen? Is not Sung Ching-ning the widow of Sun Yat-sen? Was not Wong Ching-wei one of the most trusted followers of Sun Yat-sen? How is it that these three persons find themselves in the Wuhan camp, while two other equally trusted followers of Sun, Hu Han-min and Chiang Kai-shek, are in the opposite camp? The answer is, because they each and all work for self-interest, for power and gain. Such people, no matter how closely they may be working together for a time, are bound to fall out in the end.\n\n-- Eugene Chen.\n\n## 24. \nEugene Chen has given his soul to Borodin. He is incapable of original or creative thoughts, but simply talks \"to order\". He can talk and write, perhaps a little better than anyone else, if there is someone behind him to coach him what to say or write. He has no backbone; the backbone that he has occasionally shown was a prop furnished from behind by someone else.\n\nPage 40 \nPage 41", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-502-8 China- general situation 27-4-1927 - 15-9-1927.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 512779, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928", "page_number": 124, "title": "CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928", "content_text": "132\n\n18\n\nand 17 sub-divisions, a fleet command with 3 main and 10 sub-commands, 4 independent inspectorates with 16 main and 37 sub-command and administrative centres, and a dockyard and arsenal with 14 main departments. \"This artificially swollen super-organisation is conducted and steered by an Admiral, 3 Vice-Admirals, 10 Rear-Admirals, 180 Captains, 827 other officers and paymasters, 335 higher officials and 2,795 subordinate officials.\"\n\nThe guns, munitions, etc., demand extraordinary amounts, for which there is no satisfactory explanation.\n\nThe sums to be spent on experiments, £500,000, are out of all proportion to the requirements of the Navy, particularly the amounts to be allocated in connection with the design of Diesel engines. \"These experiments may be very interesting to certain gentlemen in the Navy, but it would be better to leave them to our industrial concerns. We have insufficient means to experiment for the benefit of other Navies.\"\n\nThe amounts proposed for new construction are, it is stated, phantastically high. For the construction of replacement ships £200 per ton is proposed (excluding, of course, armament). Before the war the cost of warships per ton was the same as that for luxury steamers; now it is to be four times greater. The estimated cost of armour shows an even greater increase on the pre-war standard. The 35,000 ton Nelson is understood to have cost £7,000,000. With this we must compare the estimated cost, £4,000,000 for the 10,000 ton replacement ship now demanded, a vessel which even a layman will immediately realise will not represent an appreciable fraction of the fighting value of the Nelson.”\n\n\"\n\nThe attack in the Berliner Tageblatt produced a lengthy official reply from the head of the Estimates Section of the Marine Office, in which the main points in the article were either evaded or stated to be inaccurate. There was no real explanation of the very high estimates for new construction, though the absence of competitive tendering owing to treaty limitation on the number of armament firms makes armour definitely more expensive in Germany than elsewhere.\n\nThe official reply is, however, interesting in its references to future policy:-\n\n<\n\nNow let us turn to the last and most important point—the construction of new ships. As is known, the replacement of the completely out-of-date cruisers and torpedo boats is in full swing. One cruiser, the Emden is finished; the Karlsruhe and the Königsberg will follow in the budget year 1928; later cruiser 'D' about 1930; and then cruiser 'E' about 1931. That provides for five cruisers. This number must suffice for us, whether we like it or not, as crews cannot be provided for more than this number. As regards torpedo boats, 12 are being replaced by new construction, and the remaining 12 are being thoroughly overhauled and brought up to date. Four of the new vessels are completed, and the others will follow in 1928 and 1929.\n\n19\n\nNow as regards the battleships. The six battleships, together with the two reserve vessels which the Peace Treaty allows us are completely obsolete and worn out. They have already well passed the accepted 20 years age limit, and the oldest, even if a replacement ship were laid down to-day, would be 30 years old before its withdrawal from service.\n\n\"(\n\n*\n\n*\n\n*\n\nThe absence of battleships would rob the German fighting forces of its backbone. It is difficult publicly to discuss the operative tasks of a war fleet so that the lay mind can appreciate their importance; for the purpose of this article it will perhaps be sufficient to state that sea warfare concerns itself fundamentally with one object only—the oversea trade and sea communications of the enemy. Modern sea warfare endeavours with every means to paralyse the enemy's commerce and to blockade his ways of communication. That signifies for Germany—who should still have the most unpleasant recollections of the effects of a war blockade, and 75 per cent. of whose foreign trade is at present conducted by sea—direct starvation and subjugation to foreign will, even in the case of a comparatively weak opponent, if she does not preserve her means of defending her own sea trade and sea communications. Cruisers alone are not sufficient for this purpose. Larger vessels with heavy armament and good speed are required, ships which are able to repulse light enemy forces and give cruisers and other lighter war craft sufficient support to enable them to carry out their tasks of convoying merchant ships and transport vessels. Further, the provision of a serviceable, if small, fleet is a vital necessity for the preservation of neutrality. Sufficient proof of this should be given by a glance at the sea equipment of other second and third rate Powers, and at our own historical experiences of 1914-18 and 1864.\n\nIn addition, although it may not generally be realised, the German coast from Schleswig-Holstein to the Oder is completely unprotected. It offers, but for a strong floating defence, the most vulnerable points of attack. Connections with East Prussia in times of strife can only be secured by sea, and then only if powerful ships are at our disposal. This system of defence will collapse with the elimination of our battleships, if their replacement is not attended to.\n\n\"The designs of the Marineleitung avoid the construction of miniature battleships, with the inadequate displacement allowed us, and provide for a type of vessel which is heavily armed, moderately armoured and fast enough to escape from stronger forces. The Marineleitung believes it has evolved something really serviceable in its proposed designs, something which fully complies with the above requirements, and which will doubtless find due recognition, just as the cruiser replacements have done, in foreign countries.\n\nThe cost of the new vessels, which for want of a better name have been designated Armoured ships\" (Panzerschiffe), has\n\n66\n\n133", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 535845, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-541-5 Harbour Light dues- proposed amendments 11-8-1932 - 22-5-1933", "page_number": 39, "title": "CO129-541-5 Harbour Light dues- proposed amendments 11-8-1932 - 22-5-1933", "content_text": "The comparison with Manila is scarcely apposite as the authorities there have undertaken large harbour schemes and wharf development.\n\nEND\n\nThe system of compound fees admittedly penalises the occasional callers, but it is submitted that the regular trader deserves more consideration than the occasional caller. It is the regular companies who, whether cargo is plentiful or scarce, maintain regular services from the Port and provide the backbone of the Colony's revenue by the trade which they render possible.\n\nIt is accepted by the Government of China and Japan and by other Governments that a system of compounded fees is equitable and we see no reason why the Hong Kong Government should accept the view that the interests of occasional callers should be given prior consideration to those of the regular companies.\n\nMy Committee earnestly expresses the hope that on reconsideration the Government will agree to (a) a reduction in Light Dues, or (b) the introduction of a system of compounded fees.\n\nI have the honour to be,\n\nSir,\n\nYour obedient Servant,\n\n(Sgd) M.F. Key,\n\nSecretary.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-541-5 Harbour Light dues- proposed amendments 11-8-1932 - 22-5-1933.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 544910, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-548-1 Annual reports from various government departments 3-4-1934 - 11-6-1935", "page_number": 216, "title": "CO129-548-1 Annual reports from various government departments 3-4-1934 - 11-6-1935", "content_text": "## 3.\n\nIllicit Distilleries gave considerable trouble during the year. Two very active centres of illicit distilling were discovered, one in the tiny village of Tai Pak and the adjoining ravines in the Northern part of Lantao Island facing Hong Kong, the other by the efforts of the Police in and near the village of Wong Toi Sha near Kam Tin in the Northern part of the New Territory.\n\nNear Tai Pak no fewer than twelve illicit stills were found at various times, of which all except one were in ravines concealed behind rocks and brushwood. Special boilers had been built up beside streams and rather primitive methods adopted for condensing the spirit; fermenting material was concealed amongst the brushwood in the vicinity of the stills. The persons implicated escaped over the hills in all except one case when an arrest was made by a Police launch. This centre was most persistent in their efforts to work illicit stills, and it required several visits both by the Police and Revenue launches to break it up. From enquiries made it appeared that the spirit made was disposed of to the adjacent islands of Pingchow and Cheung Chow, and that the workers came from Yuenlong by junk and brought their own materials with them. Search of the huts in the vicinity failed to discover any yeast or sugar, or an excess stock of rice. A mixture of rice and sugar was chiefly used, giving a strong fermentation.\n\nAt Wong Toi Sha the Police had great difficulty in locating the stills; if the still was located it would not be in the same place as the fermenting material, or the supply of yeast and red rice used for fermenting. The still head of the usual country type made of earthenware was possibly in some cases hired out to anyone who fermented material which required distilling. Careful search failed to find the number of stills corresponding to the number of illicit distilleries found. This group were making genuine rice spirit. The Police were successful in obtaining several convictions as the result of all-night work.\n\n## 4.\nThe Brewery at Sham Tseng, New Territories, operated by the Hong Kong Brewers and Distillers, Ltd., commenced placing beer on the market in July. The product is of a Pilsener type brewed and matured at a low temperature.\n\nAt first brewing was conducted in bond, but as this was found inconvenient to the working of the brewery, an arrangement was made by which duty was paid weekly on all brewings which took place during the 9th preceding week. This arrangement has been found to work well in practice.\n\n## 5.\nIt is impossible in the case of spirituous liquors and spirits of wine used largely for compounding scents and medicines to make any comparison with the figures for 1932, since the rates of duty were changed twice during that year. On the whole it appears that the reduction in duty was in no way counterbalanced by increased consumption. The perfume factories found their export trade with the South Seas very much curtailed by the trade depression existing, while import into China was rendered impossible by the tariff. Two Hong Kong companies worked all their Chinese trade through bottling establishments in Canton. Little skill is required in mixing the artificial perfumes and essential oils imported from abroad with Java spirits of wine, hence the business as carried on is practically a bottling business and does not require much plant or skilled labour, so that it can easily be removed within the Chinese tariff wall without much outlay.\n\n## II. TOBACCO.\n\n## 6.\nThe total consumption of tobacco of all kinds for all purposes showed a decrease of 778,541 pounds, and the net amount of duty collected a decrease of $556,282. A system of Empire preference in respect of both unmanufactured and manufactured tobacco was introduced. Partly as a result of this the imports of cheap cigarettes of Chinese manufacture decreased considerably.\n\n## 7.\nTrade in manufactured tobacco with the South Seas was very poor throughout the year, and manufacturers of Chinese tobacco for export suffered severely.\n\n## 8.\nSmuggling of Chinese smoking tobacco was very prevalent. Over 12,000 pounds were seized by the Police and this department, a very small proportion unfortunately of that which escaped paying duty. Here again the crews of river steamers were the chief smugglers, and some smuggled tobacco was discovered on every river steamer visited by a rummage party. Difficulties of search were increased by the fact that much was concealed amongst the cargo where it could rarely be discovered by the rummage party with the time at their disposal. It appears probable that something like 200 pounds finds its way ashore from river steamers alone without paying duty every day. In one case the spare boiler of a river steamer was found stuffed full of Chinese tobacco in small packets already tied up in bundles convenient for taking ashore.\n\n## 9.\nThe figure given in the estimates of tobacco revenue, namely $4,600,000 proved to be excessive in view of the trade depression and the appreciation of the dollar. The cheap cigarette locally manufactured is the backbone of the Tobacco revenue and the sale rapidly decreases with any fall in the barometer of trade.\n\n## III. MOTOR SPIRIT.\n\n## 10.\nThe duty collected on motor spirit showed a slight decrease. The general opinion seems to be that little increase in the number of motor vehicles can be expected in the future.\n\nPage 275", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-548-1 Annual reports from various government departments 3-4-1934 - 11-6-1935.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 552264, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-559-13 Sir A. Caldecott- visit to Canton 13-9-1936 - 26-11-1936", "page_number": 39, "title": "CO129-559-13 Sir A. Caldecott- visit to Canton 13-9-1936 - 26-11-1936", "content_text": "## In conclusion the General apologised for not being able to visit personally more Chinese merchants to get their views. He took the opportunity of saying good-bye to the merchants, hoping that one day they could visit him in Canton, where they could have more time to exchange views. He thanked the Chamber and all its members for the excellent entertainment.\n\n## Aeroplane Donors Thanked\n\nIn a speech the Mayor, Mr. Tseng Yang-fu, said that for many years he had been away from Canton serving the Central Government in Nanking. For this reason he had little chance of visiting Hongkong, and to meet such a distinguished gathering of the Chinese business leaders was a great pleasure to him.\n\n\"As explained by General Huang just now,\" said the Mayor, “to pay an official call on His Excellency the Governor, Sir Andrew Caldecott, is the first reason of the visit of the Canton officials, while secondly the officials also want to meet the overseas Chinese here.\n\n\"On behalf of the National Government I wish to thank all Chinese in Hongkong for their generous donation and unselfishness in contributing half a million dollars for the aeroplane fund in connection with Marshal Chiang Kai-shek's birthday. Such a good spirit is comparable to that of even the most patriotic peoples of the European and American countries to-day.\n\n\"Although Hongkong and Canton are on a different footing, actually the closest of relations exist between the two cities. If we can bring prosperity to both, the people in the two places will be directly benefited. For this reason there is every necessity for commercial and economic co-operation between Canton and Hongkong.\n\n\"As most of the Chinese residents in Hongkong are Cantonese, Canton serves as a backbone to them. Consequently a bad Government in Canton will not only disappoint the Cantonese in Hongkong but will have other detrimental effects on this Colony as a whole. The present Government in Canton is determined to carry out its readjustment programme to the fullest extent, so that prosperity will be brought not only to Canton but to both cities. If any future opportunity should arise, the Canton Municipal Government will be most willing to receive any constructive advice which may be given by the Hongkong Chinese.\"\n\n## Other Chinese Receptions\n\nAt the Hotel Cecil at nine o'clock yesterday morning representatives of 280 local Chinese organisations, including trade and labour associations and schools, gave a reception in honour of the visiting Canton officials. The meeting was presided over by Mr. Tang Chi-ching, who delivered the speech of welcome on behalf of the 280 organisations of Hongkong and Kowloon. The Chairman stressed the point that in cementing better relations between Hongkong and Canton they would increase the prosperity of the two leading cities of South China.\n\nAnother speech was made by Mr. Li Sing-kui (Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce).\n\nThe happy function came to a conclusion after General Huang Mu-sung had replied thanking the hosts for their excellent entertainment.\n\n## A Cordial Welcome\n\nLater in the morning, at 11 o'clock, another Chinese reception, given by a number of local commercial, educational, medical, religious and sports associations, was held in the Kam Ling Restaurant, at West Point. The reception was presided over by Mr. Ip Hau-chuen.\n\nAt this reception General Huang Mu-sung said that the Chinese Government was determined to push on with the new life movement in Kwangtung, as shown by the rigid suppression of gambling, opium smoking and the miscellaneous and unpopular taxes. This would relieve the financial burden of the people and would permit them to proceed with the rehabilitation work. In short, it was the hope of the Canton Government to push ahead the reorganisation of Kwangtung, making the province a model province of China. He said that there was great hope for a speedy recovery if the overseas Chinese continued to give support to the Government whenever they could.\n\nThe Mayor of Canton, Mr. Tseng Yang-fu, said that he was greatly impressed by the enthusiasm shown in the many entertainments which had been given in their honour.\n\n## TRADE DELEGATION\n\n### Big Party of Businessmen Arrive from Canton\n\nBusiness men of Hongkong and Canton were enabled to fraternise at length when, in connection with the goodwill visit of His Excellency the Provincial Chairman of the Kwangtung Provincial Government, and the Mayor of Canton, a party of Chinese business and financial representatives arrived from Canton yesterday morning.\n\nThe visitors were headed by Mr. Ho Tsap-ping, (Chairman, Kwangtung Provincial Chamber of Commerce), and included: Mr. Chow Dien-pong, (Chairman, Canton Chamber of Commerce), Mr. Chen Yu-chien, (Chairman, Canton Bankers Association), Mr. Li Lu-chao, (Director, Canton-Kowloon Railway), Dr. Chien Shu-fan (Lawyer), Mr. Kiang Ying-chi, (Manager, Canton Municipal Bank), Mr. Loo Im-min, (Manager, China State Bank, Canton), Mr. Chan Lim-chung, (Chinese Manager, Hongkong & Shanghai Bank, Canton), Mr. Tsai Chang, Manager, (Sun Company), Mr. Chung Ping-fung, (Manager, General Bank), Mr. W. J. Wen, (Manager, Bank of Communications), Mr. Yiu Pak-loong, (Director, Department of Navigation), Mr. Tang Ying-wa, (Manager, China Merchants Steam Navigation Co.), Mr. Lo Ting-yu, (Director, Weaving Factory), Mr. Shen Tsiao-chiu, (Secretary General, K.T. Provincial Kwokmantang Headquarters), Mr. Wilfred Ling, (Municipal Government Planning Committee).\n\nThe party was received in the Jacobean Room of the Hongkong Hotel by members of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, and light refreshments were served while introductions were exchanged.\n\n| Name | Affiliation |\n| --- | --- |\n| The Hon. Mr. Stanley H. Dodwell | Messrs. Dodwell & Co., Ltd. |\n| The Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson | Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd. |\n| The Hon. Mr. M. T. Johnson | Messrs. Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Co. |\n| Mr. G. Miskin | Messrs. Gilman & Co., Ltd. |\n| Mr. P. S. Cassidy | Messrs. J. D. Hutchison & Co. |\n| Mr. J. R. Masson | Messrs. Butterfield & Swire |\n| Mr. T. A. Mitchell | Messrs. W. R. Loxley & Co., (China) Ltd. |\n| Mr. K. S. Morrison | Messrs. Reiss, Bradley & Co., Ltd. |\n| Mr. G. W. Sewell | Federation of British Industries, Ltd. |\n| Mr. W. Shewan | Messrs. Shewan, Tomes & Co., Ltd. |\n| Major V. E. Duclos | Canadian Trade Commissioner |\n| Mr. G. C. Pelham | H.M. Trade Commissioner |\n| Mr. A. Brearley | The Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China |\n| Mr. J. W. Platt | The Asiatic Petroleum Co., (S.C.) Ltd. |\n| Mr. J. H. Jessen | Messrs. Jebsen & Co. |\n| Mr. A. B. Raworth | General Electric Co., Ltd. |\n| Mr. H. Owen Hughes | Messrs. Harry Wicking & Co., Ltd. |\n| Mr. A. K. Mackenzie | Messrs. Harry Wicking & Co., Ltd. |\n| Mr. R. D. Gillespie | The Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd. |\n| Mr. F. Stafford Smith | The British-American Tobacco Co., Ltd. |\n\nFrom the Jacobean Room, members of the party went to the St. Francis Hotel where they were received by members of the Chinese business community, while others were shown round the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building by the Chief Manager, Mr. V. M. Grayburn.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-559-13 Sir A. Caldecott- visit to Canton 13-9-1936 - 26-11-1936.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 557198, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-567-1 Education Department 8-6-1938 - 3-2-1939", "page_number": 37, "title": "CO129-567-1 Education Department 8-6-1938 - 3-2-1939", "content_text": "10\n\nIt may be objected that this is very ambitious, and would require very much more expense than is at present incurred.\n\nThe reply is that, while a proper Teachers' College is the ideal, even under present circumstances much could be done through a revision and improvement of the courses given through the Evening Institute. The cost might be met\n\n(a) by a subsidy from Government. Such a subsidy would be money well spent; or\n\n(b) by a curtailment of Government Secondary Education and the application of the money thus saved towards the improvement of Primary Education; and\n\n(c) by a modest scheme of scholarships, to be held for one or two years at Chinese Universities. These might, in the long run, prove of very great value.\n\nThis suggestion of Teachers' Scholarships at Chinese Universities deserves even more thought when one comes to consider the second class of Vernacular Teacher mentioned above, i.e., Vernacular Teachers fitted to teach language, literature and history in the higher classes of Secondary Schools.\n\nIt is hardly an exaggeration to say that Hong Kong does not produce, and makes no attempt to produce men of this calibre. It is the general experience that it is almost impossible to procure a thoroughly competent Vernacular Teacher for the top classes in Hong Kong Secondary Schools, and doubly difficult to secure such a man trained in Hong Kong. The demand for this kind of man is not large; still, such men are employed, and should, therefore, be trained in the Colony.\n\nThese highly qualified Teachers should know English—no educated man in any country is satisfied to know only one language. This would enable them to receive their specifically pedagogical training with other Teachers in Hong Kong. Here also it would be of great value if a modest scholarship scheme made it possible for them to complete their Chinese education at a Chinese University.\n\nStudent Teachers.\n\nA \"Student Teacher\" in the wording of the Grant Code is one\n\n\"who is studying at one of the Teachers' Classes at the Technical (now Evening) Institute\" At present these Teachers' Classes are open only to such students as have already passed the Matriculation or School Leaving (Class 1) Certificate Examination.\n\nWe wish to record at once our conviction that these Teachers' Classes should NOT be open to young men and women who have merely finished their School Certificate (Class 2) Examination.\n\nWe consider that the future Teachers of the Colony should have AT LEAST one year's further schooling after Class 2, independent of their specifically professional training.\n\nThese Student Teachers play a very large part in the educational system of the Colony. They are for the most part very painstaking, very willing and very industrious. They do admirable work in the lower classes. Indeed, supplemented by a stiffening of European and/or Graduate Teachers, we consider that they form a more efficient staff for the lower half of the Secondary School than a staff of Europeans or of Graduates. We sincerely hope that nothing will be done to discourage Teachers of this type; but that, on the contrary, steps will be taken to assist them in every way.\n\nWe should be glad to see much of the money spent, or proposed to be spent on the training of Graduate Teachers, diverted to the better training of these Student Teachers, because:\n\n11\n\n(a) they form the backbone of the Teaching Staffs of the Grant-in-Aid Schools, which are more numerous than Government Schools, and which show, on the basis of examination results, an equal proficiency with Government Schools;\n\n(b) the salaries as scaled for Graduate Teachers make the employment of such, at least in big numbers, from a financial point of view, out of the question for non-Government Schools.\n\nHence the Student Teacher is a very important factor in the educational life of the Colony.\n\nA Teachers' Training College, financed by Government very largely, if not entirely, may not be an immediate possibility, but it is in that direction that our efforts should tend. It must be remembered, however, that this is a very poor country, and if longer training is to be demanded of our Teachers, the expense must be largely met by Government.\n\nThere is, however, at the moment no Teachers' Training College, and we must be content with the Evening Institute.\n\nUnder actual conditions as they now exist we wish to make the following remarks:-\n\n(a) The courses as provided are not satisfactory.\n\n(b) There should be more LANGUAGE training, both oral and written, and much less CLASSICAL LITERATURE,\n\nWe regard the present syllabus, by which three Plays of Shakespeare and one modern novel are covered in three years as entirely unsuitable. We think that young Teachers should be required to read intelligently and attentively at least one modern book per month and should be examined on these.\n\n(c) They should get much training in composition work.\n\n(d) They should be drilled in the taking of notes.\n\n(e) They should be encouraged to practise impromptu speaking.\n\n(f) Special stress should be laid on correct pronunciation—PRACTICAL PHONETICS showing lip and mouth formation in pronouncing vowels and consonants the difference between long and short vowels—the avoidance of staccato reading and other forms of oral work.\n\nThe aim should be not to produce literatures, but to assure that the language is accurately and thoroughly known.\n\n(g) Less Hygiene, as that is now incorporated in the Class 2 syllabus.\n\n(h) A modified course in Psychology. The course as now offered seems to contain little more than Behaviourism, and to omit all study of the will, etc.\n\nWe think that the courses in Method—and indeed, in most other subjects also—would gain, were they entrusted to older and more experienced Teachers, preferably from Grant-in-Aid Schools. It is but reasonable to assume that those who are going to employ these young Teachers afterwards will be more likely than others to work hard for them during their training.\n\nWe think that the present hours and the present method of using teachers make an impossible demand both upon the students and professors. Both have already done a day's work, and cannot possibly be at their best during the Evening Courses,\n\nWe consider that the Evening Institute should have its own staff of men, who are free to devote their whole time to that work.\n\n38", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-567-1 Education Department 8-6-1938 - 3-2-1939.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 568628, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940", "page_number": 13, "title": "CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940", "content_text": "15\n\n6\n\nconvenient excuse for those and there are a number of them-who desire to retain the old vices of the Administration. In spite of this, it is, I think, certain that the effect of the Japanese aggression and its extreme brutality of method has been to rally the entire nation, apart from the puppets, behind the Generalissimo and to make it easier for him and those who think like him to get rid of the evil traditions of the past. A typical case is the opium traffic in Szechuan, which was extremely bad a year or two ago, and which now, by the patient and persistent work which the Generalissimo, in his office of Governor of Szechuan, has performed, has nearly been done away with.\n\n21. The other important aspect of the Chinese character in the present situation is its infinite capacity for patient resistance, suffering and cheerful resilience under difficulties which would entirely overwhelm other peoples. The quite incredible bestiality of the Japanese bombing in practically every open town in China has to be seen to be believed. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded by bombs and burnt by fires started by the bombing. The Chinese quite deliberately do not jeopardise their own scanty supply of aircraft by attempting to defend these towns, as they consider they can better afford to lose a few hundred thousand civilians than even a few precious aero-planes, which are kept for the defence of the key points of industry. This action by the Japanese has not in the least destroyed the morale of the Chinese defence. Indeed, it has almost certainly increased it and made the Chinese more determined to fight to the end. When cities or parts of them are destroyed the inhabitants patiently proceed with their work in a perfectly fatalistic way, and do not even show any violent or excessive bitterness against the Japanese. It is almost disconcerting the way they go off into peals of laughter when recounting some of the Japanese exploits, out of which they manage, as out of everything, to extract humour.\n\n22. This attitude is apt to make them so careless of consequences that they fail to take the steps open to them to protect their vital points of economic and transport importance. A typical case is the Haiphong Railway, the bridges of which have never been adequately protected by anti-aircraft guns of any type. It is true that they have very few such guns available, but there is no doubt that more could have been done in the way of protection before the bombing took place. I understand that the French Ambassador gave the Chinese specific warning that the bridges should be protected some six months before the first bombing, but nothing was done. I, myself, discussed this matter with General Lung, the Governor of Yunnan, who is the responsible authority, and he assured me that everything possible would be done, but shortly after fresh bombing took place where there was no protection. It is fair to say that there are many points of danger on the railway, such as the bridges over steep, narrow gorges, and it may be that the supply of guns was not available, though the general opinion seems to be that something more effective might have been done. Now at last a more efficient anti-aircraft service has been placed on the railway, but much valuable time has been lost. I had a similar experience as regards a very important alcohol factory about 100 miles from Chengtu which was wholly unprotected and placed in a very exposed spot. When I discussed this matter with the Acting Governor of Szechuan at Chengtu, he assured me that the planes from Chengtu could give the protection. This was obviously impracticable, owing to distance and the scarcity of planes. He will no doubt wait hopefully until the factory is bombed before taking steps to protect it.\n\n23. It must also be remembered that the industrially effective free China is now situated in the extreme west, an area which till a short time ago was only reached (with the exception of a city like Chungking on a navigable river) by pack ponies or chairs. Places like Paoshan or Talifu in Yunnan or Lanchow and Suchow in Kansu are to-day exactly as they were 1,000 years ago.\n\nin a sense only nominally a part of China, and was, in effect, almost as independent as Tibet. Szechuan, which is the backbone of resistance in China to-day, was slightly more developed so far as Chungking and Chengtu were concerned, but beyond these two cities it was entirely untouched by any modern ideas. The north-western provinces were even less accessible by reason of the long winter snows and the extremely mountainous nature of the country. What is being attempted is to convert these very backward agrarian and mountainous areas into an industrial base for Chinese resistance to Japan. There are very many millions of refugees from the east who have come back to these areas, especially those who were skilled in various crafts and manufactures. In addition, considerable quantities of machinery of all kinds have been brought back by river, road or railway, often being carried by man-power. This body of labour and management and the machinery salvaged from the eastern factories has made the problem less difficult, as it means that a great deal of machinery and labour is available which would otherwise be lacking. But the fundamental difficulty remains of the industrialisation of a backward area, while at the same time a major war is being carried on,\n\nMen as\n\n24. The one inexhaustible asset of China is her man-power. labourers and as beasts of burden have accomplished feats which would be unthinkable in any other country. Driving up the Burma Road, which was completed in just under twelve months and is probably one of the longest mountain roads in the world, one is aghast at the achievement of the builders, who had no single mechanical device to assist them in their task-not even a steam-roller. Thousands of bridges and culverts were built, tens of thousands of tons of rock cut down and removed by hand, and millions of cubic feet of earth must have been shifted. The building was done by unpaid labour, and the labourers even supplied their own food. When it is remembered that some 100 miles are in an area infested with mosquitoes whose bite is often fatal within twenty-four hours, it will be realised what a superhuman task this was. This spring they have a force of 72,000 paid labourers repairing the road, putting in permanent stone bridges and some 3,000 permanent culverts to prevent wash-outs during the wet season. The Chinese, too, are the most wonderful improvisers. They can do almost anything with bamboo poles and a sufficient number of coolies. They will even carry a locomotive along a road or pick a bridge out of a river into which it has fallen. At such work they are not only efficient, but extremely quick.\n\n25. It is this great reserve of patiently working man-power (and woman- and child-power too) that gives one the feeling that China is unconquerable despite all the difficulties in her administration and any other drawbacks of the Chinese character.\n\n26. There is one other factor which is universally observed and commented upon by foreigners and by the younger Chinese themselves. Politeness is an essential foundation of the Chinese character, and no official will be so rude as to disagree openly with any suggestion put forward. The ready and grateful acceptance of these is apt to mislead people into the belief that something will be done about the suggestion when there is no such intention whatsoever. Not only so, but the Chinese themselves are great planners, in the sense that they are always putting forward and agreeing to extensive plans of all kinds, and very many of them remain nothing but plans and never reach the stage of execution. Having planned something they sit back satisfied. This is partly due to an inherent incapacity to exert themselves unduly in a positive direction, and perhaps even more because the carrying out of each and every plan offers innumerable opportunities for sabotage on the basis of \"squeeze or 'face,'\" and the attitude of mind and effort that are required to drive through such difficulties are not part of the normal Chinese character. At present, with the existing Executive Yuan and the Ministers, there are too many of the old type in power and in the Administration to permit the representatives of the New China to have their way. As one of the younger Chinese administrators remarked to me: \"Though I am a peaceful man and do not as a rule approve of violence or of shooting individuals, there will have to be a great many more shootings in China before the difficulty is overcome.\" So far shootings of individuals have been practically limited to military personalities who have made grave blunders or acted traitorously, or to political opponents such as the Communists at the instigation of the Kuomintang in the more remote provinces, but some drastic form of action is required (not shooting, I trust) if the Administration is to cope adequately with its problems.\n\nMilitary Position.\n\n27. It is extremely difficult to appreciate the full significance of the military situation in China without the assistance of detailed maps showing the disposition of the various forces. I was fortunate enough to be shown about the middle of January by General Ho, the War Minister, and his Chief of Staff all the latest and most confidential maps of the Chinese staff, giving the exact position as it\n\n16", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 568659, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940", "page_number": 44, "title": "CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940", "content_text": "6\n\nconvenient excuse for those and there are a number of them-who desire to retain the old vices of the Administration. In spite of this, it is, I think, certain that the effect of the Japanese aggression and its extreme brutality of method has been to rally the entire nation, apart from the puppets, behind the Generalissimo and to make it easier for him and those who think like him to get rid of the evil traditions of the past. A typical case is the opium traffic in Szechuan, which was extremely bad a year or two ago, and which now, by the patient and persistent work which the Generalissimo, in his office of Governor of Szechuan, has performed, has nearly been done away with.\n\n21. The other important aspect of the Chinese character in the present situation is its infinite capacity for patient resistance, suffering and cheerful resilience under difficulties which would entirely overwhelm other peoples. The quite incredible bestiality of the Japanese bombing in practically every open town in China has to be seen to be believed. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded by bombs and burnt by fires started by the bombing. The Chinese quite deliberately do not jeopardise their own scanty supply of aircraft by attempting to defend these towns, as they consider they can better afford to lose a few hundred thousand civilians than even a few precious aeroplanes, which are kept for the defence of the key points of industry. This action by the Japanese has not in the least destroyed the morale of the Chinese defence. Indeed, it has almost certainly increased it and made the Chinese more determined to fight to the end. When cities or parts of them are destroyed the inhabitants patiently proceed with their work in a perfectly fatalistic way, and do not even show any violent or excessive bitterness against the Japanese. It is almost disconcerting the way they go off into peals of laughter when recounting some of the Japanese exploits, out of which they manage, as out of everything, to extract humour.\n\n22. This attitude is apt to make them so careless of consequences that they fail to take the steps open to them to protect their vital points of economic and transport importance. A typical case is the Haiphong Railway, the bridges of which have never been adequately protected by anti-aircraft guns of any type. It is true that they have very few such guns available, but there is no doubt that more could have been done in the way of protection before the bombing took place. I understand that the French Ambassador gave the Chinese specific warning that the bridges should be protected some six months before the first bombing, but nothing was done. I, myself, discussed this matter with General Lung, the Governor of Yunnan, who is the responsible authority, and he assured me that everything possible would be done, but shortly after a fresh bombing took place where there was no protection. It is fair to say that there are many points of danger on the railway, such as the bridges over steep, narrow gorges, and it may be that the supply of guns was not available, though the general opinion seems to be that something more effective might have been done. Now at last a more efficient anti-aircraft service has been placed on the railway, but much valuable time has been lost. I had a similar experience as regards a very important alcohol factory about 100 miles from Chengtu which was wholly unprotected and placed in a very exposed spot. When I discussed this matter with the Acting Governor of Szechuan at Chengtu, he assured me that the planes from Chengtu could give the protection. This was obviously impracticable, owing to distance and the scarcity of planes. He will no doubt wait hopefully until the factory is bombed before taking steps to protect it.\n\n23. It must also be remembered that the industrially effective free China is now situated in the extreme west, an area which till a short time ago was only reached (with the exception of a city like Chungking on a navigable river) by pack ponies or chairs. Places like Paoshan or Talifu in Yunnan or Lanchow and Suchow in Kansu are to-day exactly as they were 1,000 years ago. Yunnan was in a sense only nominally a part of China, and was, in effect, almost as independent as Tibet. Szechuan, which is the backbone of resistance in China to-day, was slightly more developed so far as Chungking and Chengtu were concerned, but beyond these two cities it was entirely untouched by any modern ideas. The north-western provinces were even less accessible by reason of the long winter snows and the extremely mountainous nature of the country. What is being attempted is to convert these very backward agrarian and mountainous areas into an industrial base for Chinese resistance to Japan. There are very many millions of refugees from the east who have come back to these areas, especially those who were skilled in various crafts and manufactures. In addition, considerable quantities of machinery of all kinds have been brought back by river, road or railway, often being carried by man-power. This body of labour and management and the machinery salvaged from the eastern factories has made the problem less difficult, as it means that a great deal of machinery and labour is available which would otherwise be lacking. But the fundamental difficulty remains of the industrialisation of a backward area, while at the same time a major war is being carried on.\n\n7\n\nMen as labourers and as beasts of burden have accomplished feats which would be unthinkable in any other country. Driving up the Burma Road, which was completed in just under twelve months and is probably one of the longest mountain roads in the world, one is aghast at the achievement of the builders, who had no single mechanical device to assist them in their task-not even a steam-roller. Thousands of bridges and culverts were built, tens of thousands of tons of rock cut down and removed by hand, and millions of cubic feet of earth must have been shifted. The building was done by unpaid labour, and the labourers even supplied their own food. When it is remembered that some 100 miles are in an area infested with mosquitoes whose bite is often fatal within twenty-four hours, it will be realised what a superhuman task this was. This spring they have a force of 72,000 paid labourers repairing the road, putting in permanent stone bridges and some 3,000 permanent culverts to prevent wash-outs during the wet season. The Chinese, too, are the most wonderful improvisers. They can do almost anything with bamboo poles and a sufficient number of coolies. They will even carry a locomotive along a road or pick a bridge out of a river into which it has fallen. At such work they are not only efficient, but extremely quick.\n\n25. It is this great reserve of patiently working man-power (and woman- and child-power too) that gives one the feeling that China is unconquerable despite all the difficulties in her administration and any other drawbacks of the Chinese character.\n\n* 5\n\n26. There is one other factor which is universally observed and commented upon by foreigners and by the younger Chinese themselves. Politeness is an essential foundation of the Chinese character, and no official will be so rude as to disagree openly with any suggestion put forward. The ready and grateful acceptance of these is apt to mislead people into the belief that something will be done about the suggestion when there is no such intention whatsoever. Not only so, but the Chinese themselves are great planners, in the sense that they are always putting forward and agreeing to extensive plans of all kinds, and very many of them remain nothing but plans and never reach the stage of execution. Having planned something they sit back satisfied. This is partly due to an inherent incapacity to exert themselves unduly in a positive direction, and perhaps even more because the carrying out of each and every plan offers innumerable opportunities for sabotage on the basis of \"squeeze or face,\" and the attitude of mind and effort that are required to drive through such difficulties are not part of the normal Chinese character. At present, with the existing Executive Yuan and the Ministers, there are too many of the old type in power and in the Administration to permit the representatives of the New China to have their way. As one of the younger Chinese administrators remarked to me: \"Though I am a peaceful man and do not as a rule approve of violence or of shooting individuals, there will have to be a great many more shootings in China before the difficulty is overcome.\" So far shootings of individuals have been practically limited to military personalities who have made grave blunders or acted traitorously, or to political opponents such as the Communists at the instigation of the Kuomintang in the more remote provinces, but some drastic form of action is required (not shooting, I trust) if the Administration is to cope adequately with its problems.\n\nMilitary Position.\n\n27. It is extremely difficult to appreciate the full significance of the military situation in China without the assistance of detailed maps showing the disposition of the various forces. I was fortunate enough to be shown about the middle of January by General Ho, the War Minister, and his Chief of Staff all the latest and most confidential maps of the Chinese staff, giving the exact position as it\n\n65", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-582-22 Visit of Sir Stafford Cripps to China 13-12-1939 - 4-7-1940.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 568722, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-582-3 Proposed reorganisation of government printing arrangements 12-5-1939 - 8-11-1939", "page_number": 31, "title": "CO129-582-3 Proposed reorganisation of government printing arrangements 12-5-1939 - 8-11-1939", "content_text": "- 2 \n\n - \n\n 41 \n\n GOVERNMENT HOUSE, \n\n HONG KONG. \n\n main sections and the carrying on of printing in the Gaol \n\n have caused inconvenience from time to time, and the possible \n\n concentration of all printing in a single Government printery \n\n has been discussed on several occasions. \n\n 4. The matter has now become urgent as a result of \n\n changes which are taking place in the Prison affecting the \n\n treatment of long-term prisoners, who have previously been \n\n the backbone of the printing staff, but whose availability can \n\n no longer be guaranteed. There is also no doubt that the \n\n machinery installed in the Prison at considerable expense is \n\n not being used to anything like its full capacity, while the \n\n Commissioner of Prisons would prefer to see prisoners engaged \n\n on some other kind of labour. It is, therefore, agreed in principle that the printing work should be removed from the \n\n Prison and in that event, it is clearly desirable that it should \n\n be amalgamated in some way with the work now undertaken by \n\n Messrs. Noronha. \n\n 5. \n\n Such amalgamation could take place in any of three \n\n ways: by discontinuing our contract with Noronha and \n\n concentrating everything at the Government Printery; by \n\n entering into a contract with Noronha to do the whole of our \n\n 2 \n\n 217", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-582-3 Proposed reorganisation of government printing arrangements 12-5-1939 - 8-11-1939.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 571161, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-586-10 War Taxation- secondment of income tax officials and recruitment of tax assessors 4-3-1940 - 24-4-1940", "page_number": 23, "title": "CO129-586-10 War Taxation- secondment of income tax officials and recruitment of tax assessors 4-3-1940 - 24-4-1940", "content_text": "## C. O.\n\n1. Membina 1873 \n\n19/3/49 \n\nMr. martui \nMr. Sir A. Burns. \nMr. G. L. M. Clauson. \nMr. C. J. Jeffries. \nMr. A. J. Dawe. \nSir J. Shuckburgh. \nPermt. U.S. of S. \nParly. U.S. of S. \nSecretary of State. \n\nDRAFT. Cous. \n\n1. W. Bradford, Esq. (Board Room, Inland Revenue, Amerat House) \n\nbopy of Isotract fr. Thues of 873 (oz) \n\n54002/40 HK. M \n\nto be. Martin's sig. had to be drifted, the Government have introduced Salaries & Wages and taxation of business and corporation profits.\n\n## FURTHER ACTION.\n\nPros Branch \n\nDear Bradford,\n\nReferring to your letter no `520002/1/39` of the 25th Jan 40, we have now received further particulars of the H. Kong proposals for the raising of additional revenue for the year ending with 31st March 1940.\n\nAlthough income tax was the backbone, and you have advised the Board of Inland Revenue that the services of an assessor's office would be welcome after the war, we are informed that an officer from the staff would be preferred and sent, and, as an officer is then of special disgrace, we should be most grateful if you could see your way to arrange now for the selection and secondment of a suitable officer with the terms previously mentioned viz:- home pay, plus overseas pay, plus an inclusive allowance, at the rate of £150 p.a., for a term of one year in the first instance, but renewable.\n\n4282-150) Wt. 38815-61 10,000 12/39 T.S. 695 \n5444-150) Wt. 45767-68 30,000 2/40 T.S. 695 \n\n20 MAR \n20 \nref. \n23 \n20 *buch 40. \nto the corres.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-586-10 War Taxation- secondment of income tax officials and recruitment of tax assessors 4-3-1940 - 24-4-1940.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 577290, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-591-18 Liberation of Hong Kong- arrangements for Japanese surrender 15-8-1945 - 19-4-1946", "page_number": 48, "title": "CO129-591-18 Liberation of Hong Kong- arrangements for Japanese surrender 15-8-1945 - 19-4-1946", "content_text": "DISTRIBUTION OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO BE LIMITED TO THOSE OFFICERS WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH ITS CONTENTS\n\nTOP SECRET\n\nIN\n\nWARNING: This is an unparaphrased version of a secret cypher or confidential code message, and the text must first be paraphrased* if it is essential to communicate it to persons outside British or Allied Government Services.\n\n(*NOTE: Messages shown as having been sent in a One-Time Pad: \"O.T.P.\" are excepted from this rule.)\n\n121302Z September\n\nFROM: C. in C. Hong Kong DATE: 13.9.45\n\nRECD: 0935\n\nC.C.M. NAV. F.O. SEC. BY W/T\n\nADDRESSED: Admiralty.\n\nINFO:\n\nC. in C. Brit. Pac. Fleet C.T.F. 111 S.A.C.S.E.A., C. in C. E.I.\n\nSEPS\n\na\n\n4144/45\n\n(3.\n\nIMPORTANT\n\nFor Chiefs of Staff. Para.(1) First elements of ARMOUR force arrived yesterday and are disembarking now. They will be used to clear up the new territories and to reinforce parties landed from ships and R.A.F. personnel from SHIELD force in VICTORIA and KOWLOON until after new currency is well established when it is hoped they will be able to take over some of the duties now carried out by naval and R.A.F. personnel. It will however be necessary to draw on the latter to a considerable extent until a police force is established or further elements of 36th Division arrive.\n\nPara. (2). Construction engineers of the R.A.F. are the main backbone of the essential services of the colony such as supply of electric power, water, and telephones, but every effort is being made to press on with the construction of the new airfield.\n\nPara. (3). MacDougall takes over from Gimson today when temporary administration will be dissolved and Military Administration takes over fully.\n\non 54744/45 (R204).\n\nPara.(4) Issue of new currency deferred to Friday 14th September.\n\nPara.5. About 4000 Japanese already in Shamshuipo camp, each man having been stripped and searched before entering. One other rank committed harikari with a razor blade and 4 died of heat exhaustion.\n\nPara.6. It is hoped to have transmitting station at Stonecutters in operation and an A.C.H.Q. set up on 21st September.\n\nPara.7. Colombo C.C.O. pass to S.A.C.S.E.A. and C. in C. E. I.\n\nAdvance copy 1st 8.L.(2)\n\n121302Z\n\nCirculation overleaf.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-591-18 Liberation of Hong Kong- arrangements for Japanese surrender 15-8-1945 - 19-4-1946.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 580940, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946", "page_number": 95, "title": "CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946", "content_text": "## Efforts to Accumulate Journal Issues\n\nEfforts will have been made, and can, I think, be regarded as satisfactory, to accumulate issues of journals from late 1941 to the present time.\n\n## Library Updates\n\n### Medical Libraries\nThe Medical Libraries are well supplied with journals. The war period issues are now being collected and, generally speaking, the position may be regarded as satisfactory.\n\n### Engineering\nAgain, journals form the backbone, but there is a good supply of modern reference books.\n\n### Hankow Library\nThe Hankow Library is a collection of modern books in French and English on China, Chinese History, antiquities, and art. We believe it to be more complete within its scope than any like collection. The Japanese took away a certain number of books dealing with the geography of the Pacific and the Islands, which we hope to recover.\n\n1 \nD. J. S.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 580942, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946", "page_number": 97, "title": "CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946", "content_text": "## 97\n\nand Imperial History. entirely without. Reprints of documents we are almost \n\nGeneral \n\nIn Economics, there is a satisfactory supply both of modern studies and of journals. This is the least unsatisfactory branch of the Library, though a good deal is needed in Politics (especially modern American and European studies).\n\nIn other Modern languages, the Library is weak. There is an indifferent library in standard French literature, and in Portuguese, wherein there should be an attempt at much greater completeness in view of the local importance of the language and of Portuguese studies generally. Geography is only now finding its way into the Far East. What books and maps we have are relatively modern, but here again expansion is of great importance, especially in the literature of regional surveys.\n\n### Education \n\nIn Psychology and in the literature of Education, the Library is not very extensive but it is good so far as it goes. The supply of books on Eastern Philosophy, India, and Buddhism is better than on Western, but again there is a lack of journals.\n\n### Science Libraries\n\nLibraries in Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology have all the standard journals in English, French, and German, and can, I think, be regarded as satisfactory. Efforts will have to be made to accumulate issues of journals from late 1941 to the present time.\n\n### Medical Libraries\n\nThe Medical Libraries are well supplied with journals. The war period issues are now being collected, and, generally speaking, the position may be regarded as satisfactory.\n\n### Engineering\n\nAgain, journals form the backbone, but there is a good supply of modern reference books.\n\nThe Hankow Library is a collection of modern books in French and English on China, Chinese history, antiquities, and art. We believe it to be more complete within its...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 582109, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-594-9 Membership of Legislative and Executive Councils 31-12-1945 - 14-1-1947", "page_number": 153, "title": "CO129-594-9 Membership of Legislative and Executive Councils 31-12-1945 - 14-1-1947", "content_text": "## CONFIDENTIAL\n\n151\n\nMy dear Gent,\n\nThe immediate prospect of the restoration of civil government has brought to the forefront the question of the position of the so-called \"prominent Chinese\".\n\nYou will recollect that Sir Robert Kotewall, Li Tse Fong, Sir Shouson Chow and M.K. Lo were members of either the Executive or the Legislative Councils. During the Japanese occupation Kotewall and Li served on the Representative Council and Sir Shouson and Lo served on the Advisory Council.\n\nOther well-known Chinese served on the District Watch and other big Committees also served on the Advisory Council during the occupation.\n\nTwo others, namely T. N. Chau (a good man) and Li Shu Fan (a most undesirable person) kept off the Japanese Councils, though both were on our Councils.\n\n2. When we returned to Hong Kong these individuals were found to be in high favour at Government House and they formed the backbone of the group of V.I.P's at all functions.\n\nThis position continued up to the time of my leaving, save that the C-in-C had told Kotewall that he should take no part in public life.\n\nG.E.J. Gent, Esq., C.M.G., D.S.O., O.B.E., \nM.C.\n\nColonial Office, \nDowning Street, \nLondon, S.W.1.\n\nPage 186\nColonial Office, \n28, Grosvenor Street, London, W.1. \n31st December, 1945.\n\n**COLONIAL OFFICE** \n**19 JAN 1946**", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-594-9 Membership of Legislative and Executive Councils 31-12-1945 - 14-1-1947.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 592927, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949", "page_number": 58, "title": "CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949", "content_text": "-10-\n\nThese form a fine backbone to Kowloon, whose boldness of conception is marred by the side streets entering at every block and continuous frontages (a treatment normal to the period); conditions might eventually be improved for through traffic. Lying between the northern extension of this strip town and the Railway is the agricultural area of Kep Shek Mu, which if possible should preserve its character.\n\n39 On the Eastern side of Kowloon Bay, there is an opportunity for a large industrial and shipping frontage, with additional piers (the rail connection will be dealt with later). Here the Oil Storage is located.\n\n40 \n\nThe Northern harbour frontage from Belcher Bay to Sau Ki Wan requires detailed study, particularly with regard to the depth of the coastal industrial strip.\n\n57 \n\nA clear break is, of course, essential from the Yau Ma Tei Pier (or further west) to the beginning of Gloucester Road. The only sites for Noxious industry are at the extreme west at Belcher Bay - for the Slaughterhouse only - at North Point, and at the extreme East for a small fish curing area at Sau Ki Wan. This latter is the same type of special area allowed for Aberdeen and its island.\n\nIt will be seen from the above brief description that, with the exception of a narrow strip of harbour frontage, including the ship repairing at Tai Koo, on Hong Kong Island, the large and continuous industrial areas of various types are all located at Kowloon: they will thus provide the workplaces for the increased population of half a million which can be placed there.\n\n42 \n\nThe Light Industrial zones (which approximate to the 'Domestic' workshops under the Tenements) should take into consideration (a) their relation to the surrounding Residential areas, (b) provision for loading and other requirements of Industry, (c) the avoidance of obstruction of traffic on main roads. If these conditions are observed, there is no objection to a wide distribution of these industrial zones, so as to minimise the distance between home and work. And they will allow regulations to be imposed prohibiting any further conversion of houses into partial factories.\n\n43 \n\nTo sum up, there should be four broad types of Industrial location.\n\n(a) Noxious\n(b) Intermediate\n(c) Light\n(d) Home or domestic\n\nOf these, (a) should have no houses whatever within the zone: (b) should be in properly planned 'Trading Estates' in which a limited number of houses may be allowed: (c) will require individual decisions on each site in relation to traffic and houses. The Lands Department must beware of snatching quick profits through leasing factory sites without regard to surrounding conditions.\n\n6. Roads.\n\n44 \n\nThe existing roads of Hong Kong are sharply divided according to hillside and level ground. The latter is exclusively gridiron in pattern; the former a free landscape treatment dictated by contours; there has", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 592928, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949", "page_number": 59, "title": "CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949", "content_text": "## -11- \n\n58 \n\nA \n\nHowever, there has been some attempt, as is so frequent elsewhere, to apply gridiron planning to irregular sites. At the same time, there has been a tendency to start levelling rocky ground to produce a level site for a piece of gridiron layout. This has led at times to most expensive site works, through insufficient study of the geological formation, the decomposed granite being irregular in its appearance. \n\n45 \n\nThe layout of level ground has been dominated by the Gridiron mentality; indeed, when once roadmakers and property developers are inoculated with this pattern, it is extremely difficult to throw it off. Squared plots on level ground are so simple and effective for leasing and building (especially with standardised Chinese tenements) that they appear inevitable (as has happened with millions of acres in U.S.A.). But this method, in which crossroads occur merely as boundaries of blocks or as coverage for sewers and stormwater, is directly at variance with traffic requirements which seek to canalise main routes and avoid cross currents. Nor does the gridiron reflect any of the changing emphasis of community grouping. The main backbone through roads of the Island, Des Voeux, Queens, Hennessy, and the much finer Nathan Road of Kowloon are rendered ineffective as main traffic routes by reason of these cross roads and the continuous riparian frontages. \n\nThe Hillside roads in Hong Kong Island display an exuberance of construction that is quite astonishing: there appears to have been no limit to the length of road in relation to buildings or through traffic. There was apparently in the past no charge for road making made to the developer. In the future (and a considerable amount of new hillside development is to be anticipated for larger houses), it is recommended that the developers roughly form the roads, which are then to be made up by the Government and charged to the developers: they will then be maintained by the P.W.D. Alternatively, when it is intended to encourage development (and by individual housebuilders), it may be worth while for the Government to form and make up the roads and then lease off individual plots at 'Developed estate' values. In no case in the future should the Government make miles of expensive hillside roads leading to a single house or to a small group of bungalows by the seashore. \n\nRoad improvements in a closely built-up area, such as the coastal strip of Hong Kong and the tip of Kowloon, are not easy to get carried out: major proposals, indeed, are dependent upon two external changes which it will be assumed are to take place: the removal of the Naval Dockyard in Hong Kong and the alteration to the Railway in Kowloon. \n\nThe urbanised part of Hong Kong consists of one long ribbon through which passes traffic to and fro: there are insignificant traffic exits at each end - Kennedy Town and Sau Ki Wan - and two intermediate exits over the mountain barrier at Garden Road and Stubbs Road (branching as they get higher up). There is a short length on the level, between the Naval Yard and the Barracks, where the whole of this urban ebb and flow passes along a single road. If the Naval Yard and Barracks were removed, this bottle-neck could be relieved by duplication: but the solution is not an easy one, as the Business Town Centre would wish to extend over any area that is freed, and it would not, consequently, be helpful to cut the area up with traffic routes.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-614-3 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 4-1-1948 - 10-1-1949.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 592975, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-614-4 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 18-1-1949 - 19-5-1950", "page_number": 33, "title": "CO129-614-4 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 18-1-1949 - 19-5-1950", "content_text": "# 10 INDUSTRIAL LOCATION AND ZONING\n\n35. A considerable amount of zoning for industry has already been carried out, there being three major groups (a) Noxious (b) Intermediate (c) Light Industry. In the main this zoning has followed existing trends and has sought to confine what is already there rather than to direct development. A large scale scheme of harbour reclamation, the proposal to rebuild and enlarge certain harbour works, and finally the possible full development of land for residential purposes in Kowloon, with the proposed reduction of population in Hong Kong Island, call for a revision of these industrial zones.\n\n36. In a number of places additional and more detailed surveys are required in order to find out how far industrialisation of certain areas has gone - this applies to the long strip behind Connaught Road; East Point near Causeway Bay and the Ma Tau Kok area on the east in Kowloon. One or two areas which have been already zoned for industry, under the proposed conditions might well revert to residential, but without attempting to remove existing industries: an example of this is the area immediately south of the old Kowloon City. It is proposed to zone a very large area from Shek Shan northwards, including Ma Tau Kok as a Trading Estate, which should be given positive encouragement; this would become the major industrial zone in this part of Kowloon (but the noxious area should be eliminated, including ultimately the Cement Works). This links up with Tai Wan and Hung Hom and will be one of the most important shipping and industrial zones in the Colony.\n\n37. On the western side of the Kowloon peninsula much readjustment of the existing industrial zoning is necessary, owing to the proposed alteration of the coast line. From Lai Chi Kok there is an intermediate industry frontage as far south as Prince Edward Road, with a residential hinterland. The present noxious zone at Tai Kok Tsui should not extend eastwards of Tong Mi Road. The filled-in Typhoon anchorage could be zoned for light industry and commercial use, but the existing noxious zone eastwards should be eliminated. The Kowloon wharves, as already mentioned, may be supplemented with new enclosing piers.\n\n38. The long strip town on either side of Nathan Road is a mixed zone, predominantly commercial and residential: its continuation northwards is by Cheung Sha Wan Road. These roads form a fine backbone to Kowloon, whose boldness of conception is marred by the side streets entering at every block and continuous frontages (a treatment normal to the period). Conditions might eventually be improved for through traffic.\n\n39. On the eastern side of Kowloon Bay there is an opportunity for a large industrial and shipping frontage, with additional piers (the rail connection will be dealt with later). Here the oil storage is located.\n\n40. The Island harbour frontage from Belcher's Bay to Shaukiwan requires detailed study, particularly with regard to the depth of the coastal industrial strip. A clear break is of course essential from the Yau Ma Ti Pier (or further west) to the beginning of Gloucester Road. The only three sites for noxious industry are at the extreme west at Belcher's Bay - for the slaughterhouse only - at North Point, and at the extreme east for a small fish curing area at Shaukiwan. This latter is the same type of special area allowed for at Aberdeen and its island.\n\n41. It will be seen from the above brief description, that with the exception of a narrow strip of harbour frontage, including the ship repairing yard at Taikoo, on Hong Kong Island, the large and continuous industrial areas of various types are all located in Kowloon: they will thus provide work places for the increased population of half a million which can be placed there.\n\n## 11\n\n42. Consideration of the light industrial zones (which approximate to the domestic workshops on the ground floors of tenements) should include (a) their relation to the surrounding residential areas (b) provision for loading and other requirements of industry (c) the avoidance of obstruction of traffic on main roads. If these conditions are observed, there is no objection to a wide distribution of these industrial zones, so as to minimise the distance between home and work. And they will allow regulations to be imposed prohibiting any further conversion of houses into partial factories.\n\n43. To sum up, there should be four broad types of industrial location.\n| Type | Description |\n| --- | --- |\n| (a) Noxious | should have no houses whatever within the zone |\n| (b) Intermediate | should be in properly planned Trading Estates in which a limited number of houses may be allowed |\n| (c) Light | will require individual decisions on each site in relation to traffic and houses |\n| (d) Home or domestic | |\n\nThe Lands Department must beware of snatching quick profits through leasing factory sites without regard to surrounding conditions.\n\n# 6 ROADS\n\n44. The existing roads of Hong Kong are sharply divided according to hillside and level ground. Roads on the latter are exclusively gridiron in pattern; on the former a free landscape treatment is dictated by contours. There has however been some attempt, as is so frequent elsewhere, to apply gridiron planning to irregular sites. At the same time there has been a tendency to start levelling rocky ground to produce a level site for a piece of gridiron layout. This has led at times to most expensive site works, through insufficient study of the geological formation, the decomposed granite being irregular in its appearance.\n\n45. The layout of level ground has been dominated by the \"gridiron mentality\"; indeed when once roadmakers and property developers are inoculated with this pattern, it is extremely difficult to throw off. Squared plots on level ground are so simple and effective for leasing and building (especially with standardised Chinese tenements) that they appear inevitable, as has happened with millions of acres in U.S.A. But this method in which crossroads occur merely as boundaries of blocks or as coverage for sewers and stormwater is directly at variance with traffic requirements which seek to canalise main routes and avoid cross currents. Nor does the gridiron reflect any of the changing emphasis of community grouping. The main backbone of through roads on the Island, Des Voeux, Queens, Hennessy and the much finer Nathan Road of Kowloon, are rendered ineffective as main traffic routes by reason of these cross roads and the continuous riparian frontages.\n\n46. The hillside roads in Hong Kong Island display an exuberance of construction that is quite astonishing - there appears to have been no limit to the length of road in relation to buildings or through traffic and there was apparently in the past no charge for road-making made to the developer. In the future (and a considerable amount of new hillside development is to be anticipated for larger houses), it is recommended that the developers roughly form the roads, which are then to be made up by the Government and charged to the developers: they will then be maintained by the P.W.D. Alternatively, when it is intended to encourage development (and by \n\n## 37", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-614-4 Visit of Sir Patrick Abercrombie to advise on town planning 18-1-1949 - 19-5-1950.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 593631, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-615-6 Royal Institute of International Affairs- paper on future of Hong Kong 30-12-1947 - 8-1-1948", "page_number": 10, "title": "CO129-615-6 Royal Institute of International Affairs- paper on future of Hong Kong 30-12-1947 - 8-1-1948", "content_text": "## qualifications of AMICE and the rest.\n\nBut before there can be hope of such a process, it will clearly be necessary to examine the elementary basis; and here Hong Kong can provide a small exemplar which might well be worth the careful study of China's educational advisers. The Junior Technical School does not aim at turning out mere engineering apprentices. Under its exceptionally gifted headmaster, it provides a good general education, partly literary, but with a pronounced bias towards extreme mathematical accuracy.\n\nIn the matter of education generally, it is unlikely that China can be greatly influenced by the practical experience of Hong Kong, in view of the sharp discrimination between those schools for Chinese boys and girls in which the medium of instruction is English and the \"vernacular\" schools with teaching in Chinese. In the former, there were some local assistants, but the backbone of the system, both in the Government's \"provided\" schools and in the independent schools (largely missionary) which drew a Grant-in-Aid from the Government, was provided by graduates from the United Kingdom with special educational qualifications; and these can hardly be of interest in the present context, still...\n\nPage 10 \nPage 11", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-615-6 Royal Institute of International Affairs- paper on future of Hong Kong 30-12-1947 - 8-1-1948.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 598185, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-625-5 Hong Kong University- establishment fund 1-3-1950 - 31-1-1951", "page_number": 4, "title": "CO129-625-5 Hong Kong University- establishment fund 1-3-1950 - 31-1-1951", "content_text": "the reasons for this recommendation are given in paragraph 9(c) of the report and at 'X' of Mr. Adams' minute of 18/10/50 above. If it is assumed therefore that £250,000 given by H.M.G. would be invested at 3%, we should have a yield of £8,750 p.a.\n\nThis would leave about £36,000 to be raised otherwise and if it were agreed that money for the endowment fund, other than any given by H.M.G., could be invested in local utilities (at 12%) a further sum of £300,000 would suffice to produce the requisite recurrent income. If of this the Hong Kong Government contributed £250,000 the very modest sum of only £50,000 would be left to be collected under 3(iii) and (iv) above. A further possible compromise between security and high yield would be for both Government grants (i.e. £500,000) to be invested at 3% outside the Colony - yielding £17,500 p.a. and for attempts to be made to raise under 3(iii) and (iv) above the £230,000 needed, if invested at 12%, to produce the remaining £27,500 p.a.\n\n5. The above discussion is of necessity somewhat hypothetical at the present stage as we still do not know whether the endowment fund can rely on two contributions of £250,000 each under 3(i) and (ii). Moreover, we cannot make much further progress towards definiteness until we do know these Governmental contributions will provide the backbone of and initial stimulus for any endowment fund. In the savingram at (3) opposite, we asked Hong Kong for their views on the suggestion that they should signify their willingness to contribute £250,000 to the endowment fund before we approached the Treasury asking for like assistance. In (4) opposite, whilst hoping that it would prove possible to make such a contribution, the Governor preferred to wait until later in the financial year before finally deciding. We are not therefore yet in a good position to go to the Treasury asking for £250,000 for the endowment fund and shall not be until we have Hong Kong's views on their part in the fund.\n\n6. Meanwhile, we have the question put to us in paragraph 2 of (4) opposite to reply to. Hong Kong have no doubt come to the conclusion that £1.3 million is far too much for them to raise even with help from H.M.G. (and it seems to me that this is probably true). They have therefore looked around for higher yields than 3% and appear to have decided that there is no sense in trying to raise £1.3 million when £500,000 would meet their needs admirably at the 12% yield offered by the local utilities. Particularly must it seem unnecessary to raise £1.3 million when the only apparent advantage offered by this course over investing £500,000 in local utilities is the rather doubtful one of having some income for University purposes when, if catastrophe should hit the Colony, there would be no University to apply the money to. In other words, if the University and the utilities sink or swim together, then there seems no sense in refraining from accepting the utilities' 12%.\n\n7. Mr. Adams has, however, argued against this view in his minute above. We cannot plan for the University on the assumption that a catastrophe for the Colony and University means an end of the Colony and University. Patently, if these were our views, it would be insane to sink money in the University for capital development. We must therefore ensure as far as possible that the University is able to weather any storm and from the financial point of view, as the I.U.C. report suggests and Mr. Adams re-emphasises in his minute above, in order to achieve this, it is essential that the University should be able to count on an income whatever the circumstances. To achieve this, it is necessary for some further money to be invested outside Hong Kong. The question is how much.\n\n8. ...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-625-5 Hong Kong University- establishment fund 1-3-1950 - 31-1-1951.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 } ]