[ { "id": 222943, "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": "CO129-015 - Others - 1845", "page_number": 152, "title": "CO129-015 - Others - 1845", "content_text": "Pages Police force, Police\n\nRemarks.\n\nThe expense trans...\n\nSuperintendent of Police and Magistrate for the entire force ought to be transferred to the head of their force.\n\nPage 2, Remarks\n\nNot Colony\n\nHarbor Master...\n\ndo them\n\n151\n\nto asa.\n\nMarine Magistrates deal with a large number of cases worth about £2000 during the year.\n\nCoroner & Superintendent of Police: The total amount invested in buildings liable to Assessment is supposed to be considerable. Many of these were constructed in the hope that Hongkong would become a Commercial Emporium. Now these ideas are proved to have been visionary. The value of these buildings will be considerably deteriorated; indeed, it is humored that some will be left untenanted. Estimating the assessable property as high as $800,000, at 8 percent per annum, this would yield £8000 a year, for which a large Police force may be maintained.\n\nTo determine whether a large Police force will prevent burglaries, robberies, and ransoms in Hongkong, past experience with the Cadet Ladrones in China shows that having numerous, almost untraceable, and indiscernible haunts in the surrounding islands and mainland will render property insecure in Hongkong. As incendiaries are at work, organizing in bands with firearms, it is very probable that life itself will be rendered insecure and constantly jeopardized.\n\nThe duties of the Harbour Master are now more onerous than ever, as the outlook is fraught with danger. The maintenance of an efficient Police force is essential. The duties of the Marine Magistrate ought, as in other Colonies, to be performed by the Naval and Magisterial Authorities. The present Harbour Master has worked hard for nearly four years and would make a useful Officer at the Cape, Hobart, or Adelaide; his Assistant is well acquainted with Hongkong and its neighborhood. With an efficient boat and crew, the charges might be reduced to a third of their present amount.\n\nPage information remains as is for the original scanned page delineation.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-015 - Others - 1845.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 224566, "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": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "page_number": 472, "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "content_text": "REPORT ON \n\nand I mind has been prepared for an investigation of Hong Kong; trust I may not be deemed presumptuous in having thus early formed my conclusions on the existing value and future prospects of the colony.\n\nIn Deep 20 Any 1/464 - Sapa vale\n\nInclosure in No. I.\n\nI have, &c.,\n\nR. M. MARTIN,\n\nColonial Treasurer.\n\nREPORT ON THE ISLAND OF HONG KONG.\n\nLocality-Hong Kong, which in the Chinese language signifies \"Red Harbour, \"(or \"Flowing Streams,\") is in north latitude 22° 16′ 27′′, east longitude 114° 14' 48\", distant about forty miles east of Macao. It forms one of a numerous but scattered group of lofty islands, in termed the \" 'Ladrones,\" which vary in size and height, but agree their arid and rugged features. The length of the island from east to west is about eight miles, with a breadth of two to four miles; it is separated from the main land of China by a strait, or inlet of the sea, varying in breadth from half a mile to three miles; one entrance, the Lymoon Pass, being less than a mile wide.\n\nPhysical Aspect. The island consists of a broken ridge, or “hogs-back,\" of mountainous hills running from W. N. W. to E. S. E., at an average height of about 1000 feet; but from this ridge and its spurs various conical mountains are elevated to the height of 1500 to 2000 The whole island, indeed, feet above the sea, and very precipitous.\n\nrises abruptly from the ocean, particularly on the north face; there are a few narrow vallies and deep ravines through which the sea occasionally bursts, or which serve as conduits for the mountain torrents; but on the north side of the island, especially where the town of Victoria is built, the rocky ridge approaches close to the harbour, and it was only by hewing through this ridge that a street or road could be made to connect the straggling town of Victoria, which stretches along the water edge for nearly four miles, although only comprising about fifty European houses, and several Chinese huts and bazaars. Here and there on the tops of some isolated hills, or along the precipitous slopes of the mountains, some houses have been constructed, but the rugged, broken, and abrupt precipices, and deep rocky ravines, will ever effectually prevent the formation, at Victoria, of any concentrated town adapted for mutual protection, cleanliness, and comfort. Hong Kong cannot be said to possess any vegetation: a few goats with difficulty find pasturage. After the heavy rains of May, June, July, August, and September, the hills assume somewhat of a greenish hue; but the whity-brown or red streaked ridges, with the scattered masses of black rocks, give a most uninviting and desolate aspect to the island, which is unrelieved by the adjacent main land, whose physical features are precisely similar to that of Hong Kong, the mountain-tops and sides presenting in many places a singular configuration and gloomy prospect.\n\nHONG KONG.\n\n3\n\nGeology-There is no igneous formation in Hong Kong. The island partakes of the same geological character as the whole coast of China, south of the Quesan group of islands. The structure may be briefly described as consisting of decomposed coarse granite, intermixed with strata of a red disintegrating sandstone, crumbling into a ferru-ginous-looking clay. Huge boulder-stones, which gunpowder will not blast, may be seen embedded in a stiff earth, or they are strewed over the tops and sides of the mountains. Gneiss and felspar are found in fragments, and there are indications of iron-stone.\n\nThat the granite is rotten, and passing, like dead animal and vegetable substances, into a putrescent state, is evidenced from the crumbling of the apparently solid rock beneath the touch, and from the noxious vapour or nitrogen which it yields when the sun strikes fervidly on it after rain. On examining the sites of houses in Victoria, whose foundations were being excavated in the sides of the hills, the strata appeared like a richly-prepared compost, emitting a fetid odour of the most sickening nature, and which, at night, must prove a deadly poison. This strata quickly absorbs any quantity of rain, which it returns to the surface in the nature of a pestiferous mineral gas*. The position of\n\n* Rotten Granite.--LYELL in his \"Principles of Geology,\" vol. i., p. 317, says→→→ \"The disintegration of granite is a striking feature of large districts in Auvergne, especially in the neighbourhood of Clermont. This decay was called by Dolomieu 'la Maladie du Granit,' and the rock may with propriety be said to have the rot, for it crumbles to pieces in the hand. The phenomenon may, without doubt, be ascribed to the continual disengagement of carbonic acid gas from numerous fissures.\" It is this gas which is evolved at the Grotto del Cane near Naples, and which is so pernicious to animal life. It is disengaged at Limagna d'Auvergne in France in large quantities; a lighted candle or other burning body is extinguished by the gas.\n\nWater materially aids, by its solvent power, the operation of carbonic acid gas in the decomposition of rocks. This gas is invisible, destitute of smell, much heavier than common air; owing to its specific gravity it may be poured from one vessel to another; may be collected over water which largely absorbs it, and is highly deleterious to animals. It is discharged from the surface of the water of some natural springs, and from narrow and deep vallies. Other gases are evolved from the earth. Dolomieu states that he ascertained the presence of sulphurous acid, muriatic acid, hepatic gas or sulphuretted hydrogen, and inflammable air or hydrogen, as well as carbonic acid. The most abundant of the gases extricated from the bowels of the earth, next to carbonic acid gas, is probably carburetted hydrogen, which is so rapidly destructive of life in coal mines. It is also sometimes emitted from the surface of the soil, or of springs and wells. M. De la Beche describes the manner in which the disintegration of rocks takes place, owing to the protracted action of atmospheric moisture.\n\nThe feldspar contained in granite is often easily decomposed. Some trap rocks, from the presence of feldspar, are liable to decomposition, as in some parts of Jamaica. The main composition of granite is quartz, feldspar, and mica, Some qualities of this primitive rock contains only feldspar and mica. This is generally the case in Hong Kong, where the feldspar is in large crystals looking like a quartzose gravel. The sound granite of Hong Kong is in isolated blocks. No drainage can ever render Hong Kong salubrious; and it is exceedingly desirable that this fallacy should be exploded, as the only effect is to drain money from the British treasury. If further proof be wanting of this, it is to be found in the following most valuable facts-adduced by Dr. Heyne, of the Madras Artillery, and which I did not see until after my report on the cause of sickness at Hong Kong was written, The remarks of Dr. Heyne ought to be carefully attended to in the formation of new colonies, sites of towns, garrison stations, encampments, &c.\n\nDr. Heyne observes that the ordinarily received opinions as to the vegetable\n\nB 2\n\nK\n\n465", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-018 - Others - 1846.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 224574, "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": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "page_number": 480, "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "content_text": "19 473\n\n18\n\nREPORT ON\n\nBrought forward\n\nDollars. 178,000\n\nValue of houses to be removed from Upper Bazaar and other places\n\n25,000\n\nDrainage of Woongnichung Valley\n\n7,000\n\nBriddle-path to Saiwan\n\n3,000\n\nNew church\n\n35,000\n\nGovernment house, with suitable offices, &c.\n\n70,000\n\nHouse for Judge\n\n24,000\n\nDitto for Advocate-General\n\n20,000\n\nDitto for Queen's Solicitor-General\n\n20,000\n\nDitto for Colonial Secretary\n\n20,000\n\nDitto for Chief Magistrate\n\n20,000\n\nDitto for Treasurer\n\n18,000\n\nHouse for Land Officer\n\n18,000\n\nDitto for Clerk of Colonial Council\n\n16,000\n\nDitto for Colonial Surgeon\n\n16,000\n\nDitto for Chaplain\n\n16,000\n\nRange of buildings for Advocate-General, Queen's Solicitor, &c., &c.\n\n100,000\n\nPrison, with house for gaoler, Hong Kong\n\n45,000\n\nDebtor's gaol, Hong Kong\n\n20,000\n\nHouse of Correction, Hong Kong\n\n15,000\n\nTwo Police Stations, north side of the island\n\n10,000\n\nTwo smaller ditto\n\n4,000\n\nPolice Station at Chuc Choo\n\n8,000\n\nDitto at Saiwan\n\n3,000\n\nDitto at Pok-fulum\n\n3,000\n\nKeeping in repair Chuc Choo road\n\n1,500\n\nContingencies of 5 per cent.\n\n35,775\n\nConsulate at Canton\n\n45,000\n\nTotal\n\n796,275\n\nThis is but a small portion of the contemplated expenditure; it does not include the formation of streets and roads in Hong Kong, which, on account of the mountainous nature of the island, would cost about 100,000l. sterling.\n\nIt does not include barracks, stores, forts, arsenals, dock-yards, wharfs, &c., all projected, and which would cost several millions sterling before they would be completed.\n\nIt is unnecessary to pursue this branch of the subject farther; sufficient has been said to show the absurd and ruinous projects which were entertained, and the utter failure of the colony in regard to the nature and extent of its population: notwithstanding the large sums of money expended, the Governor is now obliged to hire a residence which belongs to the late Deputy Governor Johnston. The Government offices are in a temporary building which is falling to pieces; the General commanding has hired an inn for his residence. There is only one small barrack in Victoria, and that has been recently erected; it is not possible to rent a decent house under 160 to 180 dollars per month, about 400l. sterling per annum.\n\nThe Church Service is conducted in a mat shed; the civil and military officers are glad to get a location or even a room in any spot on any terms; and the prices of living and of servants, &c., (see Documentary Appendix) are enormous: while the whole population of the island is entirely dependent for its daily supply of food on the Emperor of China's subjects on the main land of China.\n\nCommerce.-There is no trade of any noticeable extent in Hong Kong: vessels occasionally touch here on their way to Canton, or on their return thence, when laden and about to proceed to Europe for orders. Vessels also proceeding to or coming from the ports to the northward sometimes touch here, for instructions from the owners or consignees, but very few \"break bulk\" at Hong Kong. There is a considerable business done in opium. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co. have a large opium receiving-ship, the \"Homanjee Bomanjee,\" moored the whole year round in this harbour: Messrs. Dent and Co. have also a large vessel, the \"John Barry,\" for a similar purpose. These receiving-ships contain the opium brought from India, whence it is transshipped to smaller vessels, and sent up the coast. Messrs. McVicar, Burn, and Co., Fox, Rawson, and Co., and a few smaller houses, also deal to a limited extent in the opium trade, which requires a large ready-money capital. The smaller houses who have no vessels of their own consign opium to agents at the Consular ports, but it is kept on board the receiving-ships moored off or near those ports until the agents sell the opium to some Chinese broker-at Shanghai, for instance, who then receives an order for the delivery of the opium from the receiving-ship at Woosung.\n\nThere are no native junks trading here from the coast of China; there are none belonging to the port; and a few fishing and passage boats, which form a safe asylum for ladrones and vagabonds of every description, constitute the native craft of Hong Kong. Even if natural impediments did not exist to the establishment of a native coasting trade, the Articles 13, 14, and 16, in the Supplemental Treaty, would effectually prevent any Chinese junks resorting to Hong Kong. Not only are the junks prevented proceeding thither from any places but the five Consular ports, but they must also obtain special passports for a voyage to Hong Kong, and when arrived there the British Government are to act the part of spies for the Chinese Government, and to report every vessel, the name of her proprietor, the nature of her cargo, &c., to the authorities at Canton. It is now well understood what was the object of these clauses; no passes will be readily granted; and junks that might proceed to Hong Kong, would certainly be punished by the Chinese authorities, who are exceedingly jealous that anything should occur for the advantage of Hong Kong. These and other circumstances, together with the fear of pirates, the want of a Chinese commercial community, the dearness of provisions, and the absence or high price of any trading commodities, will be sufficient to prevent any coasting trade at Hong Kong.\n\nDr. Gutzlaff, whose knowledge of the Chinese character and proceedings is certainly unsurpassed, says, \"So long as the trade is mainly...\n\nPage 480\n\nPage 481", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-018 - Others - 1846.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 224622, "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": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "page_number": 528, "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "content_text": "128\n\nPOINTS FOR CONSIDERATION\n\n6. SUPREME COURT.\n\nAverage expense of salaries, contingencies, special disbursements, amounting to £8,500 or £10,000.\n\nThis establishment is upon a scale quite unsuited to a position like Hong Kong. Governor Davis said he expected the fees and fines would defray the charges of the department; they will not exceed £500 or £600 a-year.\n\nWith a few exceptions the civil and criminal business of the court has consisted of petty cases, which would be decided by the smallest bench of magistrates, or in many instances by a single police magistrate in England.\n\nThe formation of a bench of unpaid magistrates to act in ordinary criminal matters with the chief magistrate for chairman, and as a court of request for sums under £100 with the Colonial Secretary (a barrister) as chairman, would be an ample minor judicature for Hong Kong.\n\nThe Recorder at Singapore might have Hong Kong placed within his jurisdiction, and circuit made quarterly or half-yearly, as necessity arose, in the large monthly mail steam-packets.\n\nThe chief population at Singapore is Chinese.\n\nOur merchants in Canton have long been in the habit of settling their differences by arbitration.\n\n7. POLICE FORCE.\n\nPolice Superintendent, and Chief Magistrate, £9,000 to £10,000 a-year.\n\nA bench of unpaid magistrates, aided by the chief magistrate and Colonial Secretary would of course aid in supervising the police. The expense and management of this force ought to be transferred entirely to the inhabitants assessed to a police rate.\n\nIt is supposed there are 1,000,000 dollars invested in buildings liable to assessment. Many of these were constructed in the hope that Hong Kong would become a commercial emporium; and now that these ideas are proved to have been visionary, the value of this sunken property has been and will be considerably deteriorated; indeed it is rumoured that some houses will be left uninhabited.\n\nEstimating the assessable property so high as 800,000 dollars at 5 per cent., this would yield about £8,000 a-year, for which a large police may be maintained. Time, however, can alone determine whether any police will prevent burglary, robbery, and piracy in Hong Kong. Judging from past experience the countless ladrones of China having numerous and almost untraceable and inaccessible haunts on the surrounding islands and the main land, will ever render property insecure in Hong Kong; and now that incendiaries are at work, and they are organising in bands with fire-arms, it is very probable life itself will be held in constant jeopardy and alarm.\n\n8. HARBOUR-MASTER, AND MARINE MAGISTRATE DEPARTMENT. Average expense, about £2,000 a-year.\n\nSo long as there was a large fleet, with transports and other vessels rendezvous in Hong Kong during the war, the duties of this department were onerous and well performed. But now, when very few ships resort to Hong Kong, and the majority merely \"look in for orders,\" the maintenance of an establishment on this scale is unnecessary.\n\nThe duties of marine magistrate ought, as in other colonies, to be performed by the usual police and magisterial authority. The present harbour-master and marine magistrate has worked hard for nearly four years, and would make a useful officer at the Cape of Good Hope or Australia. His assistant is well acquainted with Hong Kong, Canton, and the neighbourhood, and if made harbour-master, with an efficient boat's crew, the charges might be reduced one-third their present amount.\n\n9. REGISTRAR GENERAL.\n\nEstablishment about £1,500 per annum. This department is perfectly unnecessary. The registration of the Chinese inhabitants is a measure of police, and by that department it ought to be performed. The yearly census of the fixed inhabitants may be made in one week by the police superintendent; registration has not checked in the slightest degree, the resort of all descriptions of lawless vagabonds, thieves, and pirates, from the contiguous main land; neither has it tended to aid in the discovery of criminals or of stolen property, notwithstanding the large expenditure for police.\n\nNo fee is levied on registration. This £1,500 a-year department ought not to have been created*.\n\n10. COLONIAL SURGEON.\n\nSalary £600, Contingencies, ordinary and extraordinary £200, Averaging per annum £800.\n\nThe diminution of the Government establishments would require the abolition of this office.\n\nThe present and late colonial surgeons at Hong Kong, dearly earned their salaries, visiting the numerous sick in a burning sun, and at all hours.\n\nThe former surgeon resigned from ill health, being unable to sustain the requisite labour in such a climate; the present excellent man is also much deteriorated in health, and deserves removal to some healthy colony.\n\n11. COLONIAL CHAPLAIN.\n\nSalary £700, Contingencies £50, Averaging per annum £750.\n\n* Within the last month this very department has been confirmed by the Secretary for the Colonies, and gazetted; although the above remarks have been in the Colonial Office for several months.-R. M. M. March 10, 1846.\n\n129\n\nOF GOVERNMENT.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-018 - Others - 1846.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 228150, "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": "CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848", "page_number": 454, "title": "CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848", "content_text": "# Appendix.\n\nReport on the Island of Hong Kong.\n\n# APPENDIX.\n\nPAPERS delivered in by R. Montgomery Martin, Esq., and referred to in his Evidence on 18 May 1847.\n\n(1.)\n\nREPORT on the Island of Hong Kong, by R. Montgomery Martin, Her Majesty's Treasurer for the Colonial and Consular Service in China, and a Member of Her Majesty's Council at Hong Kong. Transmitted to Governor Davis for Lord Stanley, 24 July 1844.\n\nLocality-Hong Kong, which in the Chinese language signifies Red Harbour, or Flowing Streams, is in north latitude 22° 16' 27\", east longitude 114° 14' 48\", distant about 40 miles east from Macao. It forms one of a numerous but scattered group of lofty islands termed the \"Ladrones,\" which vary in size and height, but agree in their arid and rugged features. The length of the island from east to west is about eight miles, with a breadth of two to four miles; it is separated from the main land of China by a strait or inlet of the sea, varying in breadth from half a mile to three miles; one entrance, the Lymoon Pass, being only about a quarter of a mile wide.\n\nPhysical Aspect. The island consists of a broken ridge or \"hog's back\" of mountainous bills running from W.N.W. to E.S.E. at an average height of about 1,000 feet; but from this ridge and its spurs various conical mountains are elevated to the height of 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the sea, and very precipitous. The whole island indeed rises abruptly from the ocean, particularly on the north face. There are a few narrow vallies and deep ravines through which the sea occasionally bursts, or which serve as conduits for the mountain torrents; but on the north side of the island, especially where the town of Victoria is built, the rocky ridge approaches close to the sea, and it was only by hewing through this ridge that a street or road could be made to connect the straggling town of Victoria, which stretches along the water edge for nearly four miles, although only comprising about 60 European houses and several Chinese huts and bazaars. Here and there, on the tops of some isolated hills or along the precipitous slopes of the mountains, some houses have been constructed, but the rugged, broken, and abrupt precipices and deep rocky ravines will ever effectually prevent the formation at Victoria of any concentrated town adapted for mutual protection, cleanliness, and comfort. Hong Kong cannot be said to possess any vegetation; a few goats with difficulty find pasturage. After the heavy rains of May, June, July, and August, the hills assume somewhat of a greenish hue, like a decayed Stilton cheese; but the whitey-brown or red-streaked ridges, with the scattered masses of black rocks, give a most uninviting and desolate aspect to the island, which is unrelieved by the adjacent main land, whose physical features are precisely similar to that of Hong Kong, the mountains' tops and sides presenting in many places the appearance of a negro streaked with leprosy.\n\nPage 12\n\nGeology.There is no igneous formation in Hong Kong; the island partakes of the same geological character as the whole south coast of China, excepting that it seems of older formation. The structure may be briefly described as consisting of decomposed coarse granite intermixed with strata of a red disintegrating sandstone crumbling into a stiff ferruginous-looking clay. Here and there huge boulder-stones, which gunpowder will not blast, may be seen imbedded in a stiff pudding earth, or they are strewed over the tops and sides of the mountains. Gneiss and felspar are found in fragments. That the granite is rotten, and passing like dead animal and vegetable substances into a putrescent state, is evidenced from the crumbling of the apparently solid rock beneath the touch, and from the noxious vapour or nitrogen which it yields when the sun strikes fervidly on it after rain. On examining the sites of houses in Victoria whose foundations were being excavated in the sides of the hills, the strata appeared like a richly prepared compost, emitting a fetid odour of the most sickening nature, and which at night must prove a deadly poison. This strata quickly absorbs any quantity of rain, which it returns to the surface in the nature of a pestiferous mineral gas. The position of the town of Victoria, which may be likened to the bottom of a crater with a lake, prevents the dissipation of this gas, while the geological formation favours the retention of a morbific poison on the surface, to be occasionally called into deadly activity. There is no extent of marsh on the island capable of generating miasm, but the heavy rains are annually washing large portions of the mountains through deep ravines into the bay, and thus continually exposing a fresh rotten surface to the sun's rays, and preserving a focus of disease which will finally become endemic. Vast quantities of the silt from the hills are being deposited along the shores of the harbour; owing to this circumstance, and to the rapid receding of the tides from this coast, the bay is becoming shoaler every day; the average depth is only four to five fathoms, except in the stream, where there is six to seven fathoms. In no great interval of time the harbour of Hong Kong will be too shoal in many places for large vessels.\n\nPage 13\n\nClimate. It is difficult to convey by thermometrical registers an accurate idea of the climate of any place. The range of the thermometer will not indicate the pressure of the atmosphere; the barometer in or near the tropics is of little utility as an index; the hygrometer imperfectly shows the quantity of rain which is in solution; while the height of the surrounding land, its configuration, the nature of the soil, the extent and quality of the vegetation, the exposure to the sea, and the prevailing winds, all influence what is comprised under the word \"Climate.\" In some respects the whole coast of China partakes of the climatic characteristics of the opposite coast of the American continents, particularly as regards the extremes of temperature, and its depressing influence on mental or bodily exertion.\n\nFor six months in the year, April to September, the heat varies from 80° to 90° F.; but occasionally during the other six months the heat is also very great, the thermometer having been known to stand at 80° F. on Christmas-day. The island being on the verge of the tropics, is subject to the extremes of the torrid and temperate zones. Even on the same day the range of mercury in the thermometer is very great, and the vicissitudes are exceedingly trying to the European constitution.\n\nBut neither the range from heat to cold, nor the quantity of moisture in the atmosphere, will adequately convey an idea of the effects that this climate is capable of producing on the human frame.\n\nDuring April and part of May, when the sun is approaching rapidly from the Equator, there is a dry, burning heat, with a cloudless sky; but towards the end of May, and throughout June, July, August, and part of September, the rain descends in torrents, with a force and continuance, such as I have never seen in India, Africa, Australasia, or any other part of the world. The clouds pour down one vast sheet of water, washing away hills and rocks, surrounding the island with deep ravines, and saturating the soft, porous, putrescent strata, to the extent of many feet, with daily renewed moisture. In the intervals of rain a nearly vertical sun acts with an intense evaporating power, and a noxious steam or vapour rises from the fetid soil, yielding a gas of a most sickly and deleterious nature, exactly such as I experienced on the coast of Africa in 1824, when I was seized with an \"earth fever,\" while in H. M. service, from the effects of which I, with great difficulty, recovered, but of which most of my brother officers perished. This morbific gas does not arise from vegetable or animal decomposition. There is none on the island of any extent. Decomposed mineral substances yield an aëriform poison, under some circumstances, of a but more deadly nature than either of the other kingdoms of nature. This gas does not rise more than a few feet from the earth; it slowly mingles with the surrounding atmosphere, and when not causing immediate illness produces a depressing effect on mind and body, which undermines and destroys the strongest constitutions.\n\nMilitary and naval men who have served in Africa and India feel the effects of the sun in Hong Kong in a manner never before experienced. Even at Macao, only 40 miles west of Hong Kong, Europeans may walk about the whole day in the month of July, when to do so at Hong Kong would be attended with almost certain death. Neither the Indian Sepoys, Malays, nor Chinese can endure the climate so well as Europeans, whose stamina they do not possess. The Chinese deem it a dangerous experiment to prolong their abode in the island beyond a certain time. They have ever viewed Hong Kong as injurious to health and fatal to life. The Europeans who survive a brief residence in this climate, generally get a lassitude of frame, and an irritability of fibre, which destroys the spring of existence. A malign influence operates on the system in a most distressing manner, which is not removed by a return to Europe; on the contrary, the sufferers frequently die in England soon after their arrival.\n\nDiseases and Mortality.-The prevailing disease of Hong Kong is a fever combining the character of the African and West India fevers. It was at first supposed to be epidemic, but it has now become endemic, and may be assumed to be the fixed malady of the island. Diarrhoea and dysentery form the next most immediately fatal class of diseases; but intermittent fever or ague destroys health gradually. Last year the strength per annum of European and native troops was 1,526, and the number who passed through the hospital in year amounted to 7,893; thus on an average, each man went through the hospital more than five times in the year. Of the diseases with which they were afflicted, 4,069 were fevers, 762 diarrhoeas, 497 dysenteries, and 180 were pulmonic complaints. The total number of deaths, out of 1,526 men, was 440, or 1 in 3¼. The fatal fever cases were 155; ditto, diarrhoea, 80; ditto, dysentery, 137. The destruction of life since our occupation of Hong Kong has been enormous. Last year the deaths among the troops in the island amounted to 1 in 3; at Chusan, to 1 in 29; and at Koolungsoo, to 1 in 12. Her Majesty's 98th Regiment lost at Hong Kong, in 21 months, 257 men by death. But in this and other regiments, it is not merely the deaths which indicate disease and a pernicious climate; it is the great number of men invalided, and constantly unfit for duty. One half the men of a company are frequently unable to attend the parade; out of 100 men there are sometimes not more than five or six men fit for duty.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 228153, "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": "CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848", "page_number": 457, "title": "CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848", "content_text": "# Appendix.\n\nBoard of Trade\n\nLE\n\n450\n\n[ 18 ]\n\nHouse for Queen's Solicitor-general · 20,000 dollars.\n\nReport on the Island of Hong Kong.\n\n \n Ditto, for Colonial Secretary\n 20,000\n \"\n 7\n \n \n Ditto, for Chief Magistrate\n 18,000\n \"\"\n 17\n \n \n Ditto, for Treasurer\n 18,000\n \n 11\n \n \n Ditto, for Land Officer\n 16,000\n \n \n \n \n Ditto, for Clerk of Colonial Council\n 16,000\n \"\"\n \n \n \n Ditto, for Colonial Surgeon\n 16,000\n \"\"\n \n \n \n Ditto, for Chaplain\n 16,000\n \"\"\n \n \n \n Range of building for Advocate-general, Queen's Solicitor, &c. &c.\n 100,000\n \"\n \n \n \n Prison, with house for gaoler, Hong Kong\n 45,000\n \n 29\n \n \n Debtors' gaol, Hong Kong\n -\n \n \"\n \n \n House of correction, Hong Kong\n 20,000\n \n 4,000\n \n \n Two police stations north side of island\n 15,000\n \"\n \"\n \n \n Two smaller ditto\n 10,000\n \"\"\n 8,000\n \n \n Police station at Chuck Choo\n 3,000\n \n 19\n \n \n at Saiwan\n 3,000\n \n -\n \n \n at Pok-foolum\n \n \n 3,000\n \n \n Keeping in repair Chuck Choo road\n 1,500\n \n \n \n \n Contingencies of 5 per cent.\n 35,775\n >>\n \"\n \n \n \n 715,500\n \n \n \n \n Consulate at Canton\n 45,000\n \"\n \n \n \n Total\n 796,275\n \n 35\n \n\nLand-office, Victoria,\n\n10 February 1844.\n\nA. F. Gordon,\n\nLand Officer.\n\nThis is but a small portion of the contemplated expenditure; it does not include the formation of streets and roads in Hong Kong, which (on account of the mountainous nature of the island) would cost about 100,000 sterling. It does not include barracks, stores, forts, arsenals, dockyards, wharfs, &c. all projected, and which would cost several millions sterling before they would be completed.\n\nIt is unnecessary to pursue this branch of the subject further; sufficient has been said to show the absurd and ruinous projects which were entertained, and the utter failure of the colony in regard to the nature and extent of its population. Notwithstanding the large sums of money expended, the Governor is now obliged to hire a residence which belongs to the late deputy governor, Mr. Johnston. The government offices are in a temporary building, which is falling to pieces. The General commanding has hired an inn for his residence. There is only one small barrack in Victoria, and that has been recently erected; it is not possible to rent a decent house under 150 to 180 dollars a month, about 400l. sterling per annum. The church service is conducted in a mat shed; the civil and military officers are glad to get a location, or even a room, in any spot, on any terms; and the prices of living and of servants, &c. (see Documentary Appendix) are enormous, while the whole population of the island is entirely dependent for its daily supply of food on the Emperor of China's subjects on the mainland of China.\n\n[ 19 ]\n\nCommerce.-There is no trade of any noticeable extent in Hong Kong. Vessels occasionally touch here on their way to Canton, or on their return from thence when laden and about to proceed to Europe for orders. Vessels also proceeding to or coming from the ports to the northward sometimes touch here for instructions from the owners or consignees, but very few break bulk at Hong Kong. There is a considerable business done in opium.\n\nMessrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. have a large opium receiving ship, the \"Homanjee Bomanjee,” moored the whole year round in this harbour; Messrs. Dent & Co. have also a large vessel, the \"John Barry,\" for a similar purpose. These receiving ships contain the opium brought from India, whence it is transhipped to smaller vessels and sent up the coast. Messrs. M'Vicar, Burn & Co.; Fox, Rawson & Co., and a few smaller houses, also deal to the extent of their means in the opium trade, which requires a large ready money capital. The smaller houses, who have no vessels of their own, consign opium to agents at the consular ports, but it is kept on board the receiving ships, moored off or near those ports, until the agents sell the opium to some Chinese broker, at Shanghai, for instance, who then receives an order for the delivery of the opium from the receiving ship at Woosung,\n\nThere are no native trading junks here from the coast of China; there are none belonging to the port, and a few fishing and passage boats, which form a safe asylum for Ladrones and vagabonds of every description, constitute the native craft of Hong Kong. Even if the natural impediments did not exist to the establishment of a native coasting trade, the articles 13, 14, and 16, in the Supplemental Treaty, would effectually prevent any Chinese junks resorting to Hong Kong. Not only are the junks prevented proceeding thither from any places but the five consular ports, but they must also obtain special passports for a voyage to Hong Kong, and when arrived there the British Government are to act the part of spies for the Chinese government, and to report every vessel, the name of her proprietor, the nature of her cargo, &c., to the authorities at Canton.\n\nIt is now well understood what was the object of these clauses; no passes will be readily granted, and junks that might proceed to Hong Kong would probably be punished by the Chinese authorities, who are exceedingly jealous that anything should occur for the advantage of Hong Kong. These and other circumstances, together with the fear of pirates, the want of a Chinese commercial community, the dearness of provisions, and the absence or high price of any trading commodities, will be sufficient to prevent any coasting trade at Hong Kong.\n\nDr. Gutzlaff, whose knowledge of the Chinese character and proceedings is certainly unsurpassed, says, \"So long as the trade is maintained in the respective ports on an excellent footing, no vessels will visit this colony to buy articles at the same price which they can more easily get nearer to them, nor will they bring goods to Hong Kong for which there is an advantageous market in their own neighbourhood. When ships find it more profitable to proceed direct to the northern ports, the chances of Hong Kong becoming an emporium are very trifling. Whatever native or foreign trade will be carried on here must be brought to the colony by adventitious circumstances, and will last or cease according to accident; for notwithstanding the excellent harbour, Hong Kong has nothing in its position or relationship to the other ports to concentrate commerce.'\n\nSince August 1841, Sir H. Pottinger has been issuing proclamations and regulations respecting commerce and shipping for their encouragement and protection. No duties of any kind whatever have been levied, no inquiries have been made as to the cargoes of vessels; ships might enter and depart at pleasure; but all in vain, commerce cannot be created where no materials for it exist.\n\nThe table in the Documentary Appendix shows the shipping which entered the harbour of Hong Kong for three years. It consisted principally of transports conveying troops, and vessels calling for orders or seeking freights. Ample trial has been given the place without any satisfactory result. Nearly four years' residence on, or occupation of the island, and an immense expenditure, has failed to produce any commercial operation. Every month the shipping entering the harbour are diminishing in number, and the imposition of a tonnage duty would, it is said, cause a still further decrease.\n\nThere does not appear the slightest probability that under any circumstances Hong Kong will ever become a place of trade. The island produces nothing whatever; its geographical position, either as regards the Chinese coast generally, or Canton in particular, is bad. For the trade of the coast of China it is too far to the southward of a territory which extends upwards of 2,000 miles, and if it were practicable to remove the foreign trade of Canton, the removal would be either to some of the open ports to the northward, in the neighbourhood of the tea districts, or to some island or place in the Canton River. Among other delusions that have been promulgated, is the allegation that Hong Kong is a protection to the British commerce at Canton, and especially to the tea trade. With reference to the latter, it should be remembered that the Chinese are as eager to sell us tea as we are to buy it; that the cessation of the trade would be a greater injury to them than to the British nation; that there was no difficulty in procuring tea during the war; that nothing would prevent the Chinese supplying our annual demand for tea, and, of course, receiving in return English manufactures. The tea trade is in fact as independent of Hong Kong as it would be of our occupation of the Sandwich Islands. Canton, however, has no intrinsic advantages to make it the seat of foreign commerce. So long as the Emperor restricted all foreigners to the most distant southerly port in the empire, tea, silk, or any other exportable produce was obliged to be conveyed thither, however distant the place of production or manufacture; but the case is now totally different, when the northern ports in the immediate vicinity of the tea and silk provinces are equally with Canton open to British commerce. Several vessels have already laden with tea for England in the northern ports; this may be increased, and the trade of Canton would then be proportionably diminished, thus rendering Hong Kong, (admitting for the sake of argument its reputed value as a protection to the trade of Canton) every year less and less useful to British interests in China. It is for the advantage of England that our trade with China be carried on with the northern ports. In the central districts of China, along the Yang-ze-kang and other great rivers and canals, the people are more civilized, more wealthy, and, now that they are becoming acquainted with the English, more disposed to friendly and commercial intercourse. By purchasing tea and silk near the place of production, the charges of land-carriage, &c., are avoided.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 269605, "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": "CO129-121 - Sir MacDonnell - 1867 [3-4]", "page_number": 227, "title": "CO129-121 - Sir MacDonnell - 1867 [3-4]", "content_text": ") \n\nCopy...) \n\nLighthouses.\n\n222\n\nFor the benefit of vessels coming from the southward, four localities offer certain advantages for the erection of a lighthouse.\n\nThey are: the Cap rock; the south-eastern part of the east Ladrones; Mweilan rocks or neighbourhood, and the north-east head of the Lema islands.\n\nI much prefer the position of the Cap rock to any of the others for the following reasons. 1st Because it is the most southern of the off-lying", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-121 - Sir MacDonnell - 1867 [3-4].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 275301, "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": "CO129-132 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [8-9]", "page_number": 521, "title": "CO129-132 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [8-9]", "content_text": "76.\n\n517 requisite Chinese official and informers and proceeded out on search for Instant the 24.\n\nthe Dunks named in atten Special report of Piracy P. 2. H. M. G. Bustard under taking On orders.\n\nthe same afternoon I examined the Dunks at the head of Deep Bay. next morning and early the visited the numerous creeks, which were inaccessible The proceeding day, from lowness of the tide.\n\nAt about noon I received the report of Piracy 1.3 with Steracy your order of the 24. instant attached by Inspector Baly of the Merrywing police I at once proceeded to sea and having duly examined Kentin Island anchored for the night in Mun harbour where I was informed the last junk had gone to Coulan.\n\n26. I searched the coast as far as Macao, where I anchored and communicated with the authorities. Here I received information of three piratical vessels having been seen at Long Ting Island & being near It Schus The former place I visited early this morning without result. I also visited the Ladrones.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-132 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [8-9].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 284153, "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": "CO129-149 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [1-4]", "page_number": 48, "title": "CO129-149 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [1-4]", "content_text": "47\n\nFor a moment that the system should be dispensed with altogether. As in the days of Horace \"Ut jugulent homines, surgunt de nocte latrones\" and no one can doubt that, were the safeguard afforded by Night Passes to be abandoned, it would be the signal for a rush to this Colony from the Mainland of numerous thieves and desperate characters whom the Government has only lately succeeded in keeping out of the place.\n\nIf the part of the city of Victoria which is inhabited by the Chinese had been originally enclosed, as are all the cities in China and divided by gates at intervals, there may would be much less difficulty in protecting the European Residents from Robberies in the Night; but be supposed the whole of Victoria being open and accessible by night to a Population of upwards of 100,000 Chinese of whom a vast number are turbulent and dangerous characters, some such system as that of Night Passes is indispensable.\n\nThe complaint made by the European Residents against Ordinance No 9 of 1889 referred principally to the necessity of filling up Blanks in the Passes when used, \"according to the turn of the case\", that is with the name of the Particular...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-149 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [1-4].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 295301, "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": "CO129-169 - Others - 1874", "page_number": 525, "title": "CO129-169 - Others - 1874", "content_text": "520 \n\nto send back to their own Island, \nby a German Vessel, the \"Cocran\"? \n\nIt appears that correspondence has been in contact with \nthe Governor of Hong Kong upon \nthis subject. \n\nIn this correspondence \nput forward on \nbehalf of Spain, - by \nthe Spanish Consul at Hong Kong, \nwas to exercise Sovereignty \nover \nthe whole of the Caroline & \nArchipelago, of \nwhich the Pelew \nIslands form a part. - \nthat \nArchipelago forming with the Ladrones and \nPhilippines, \na dependency of the \naccording to assertions \n\nI have to instruct you \nto furnish me with all the information \nyou can obtain", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-169 - Others - 1874.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 295311, "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": "CO129-169 - Others - 1874", "page_number": 535, "title": "CO129-169 - Others - 1874", "content_text": "No dependencies of Philippine Islands, and Bah... any vessel wishing to trade here must call first at one or other of the open Ports in the Philippine Islands, viz., Manila, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Cebu, Sual, Legaspi and Jolo, all of which are in the Philippine group. He also stated that the Ladrones or Marianne Islands are under the charge of a Governor who resides at Agaña, in the Ladrones.\n\nThe Spanish Consul remarked that on former grounds he asked that the supposed Caroline Islanders might be given up to him and be repatriated. This request the Governor refused to comply with, because there was not sufficient proof...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-169 - Others - 1874.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 297189, "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": "CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875", "page_number": 287, "title": "CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875", "content_text": "and politically speaking it has quite relations with them. It cannot then be termed a dependency of Spain.\n\nor Ladrones\n\nThe Marianas or extend from N. to S. 300 miles and are situated to the N. of the\n\nCarolines. The Chief island of this group\n\nand\n\nare\n\ncalled Guam\n\nand Saipan. The Marianas in reality form a dependency\n\nof the Philippines, being governed\n\n280\n\nby Spanish officials; there is\n\nalso a\n\nSpanish convict settlement\n\nin the island of Guam.\n\nFrom the foregoing remarks it will be observed, though Spain\n\nin reality exercises the rights of\n\nSovereignty over the Marianas\n\nor\n\nLadrones, that she exercises none whatever over the Carolines\n\nor the Pelews.\n\nI have not been able to\n\ndiscover the\n\ngrounds on which...\n\nPage 280 appears to be indicated but the text is cut off, however, based on the rule, the original line breaks and page numbering are preserved as much as possible.\n\n***%25 « is likely an OCR error or artifact and is left as is because there is no clear correction.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 297190, "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": "CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875", "page_number": 288, "title": "CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875", "content_text": "\"are based on the pretensions of Spain over the Caroline Archipelago, but I conclude they followed as a consequence of the Papal Bull of 1493, which granted to the King of Spain all lands west and south of a line drawn from the Arctic to the Antarctic poles, one hundred leagues west of the Azores.\n\nThis act, which in the present day could hardly be cited as a justification for a claim to territory, might also be seen as a proof of the validity of a claim to the Caroline Islands, as holding the Ladrones Group, which is tied to the Carolines.\n\nIt is thought advisable by the Spanish State to lay claim to all these islands to the south of the same, so as to prevent any other Power or Colony from seeking to establish itself in those parts.\n\nOn reference to the chart, it will be noticed that sailing vessels running between Australia and ...\n\n... strong.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-172 - Public Offices & Others - 1875.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 329147, "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": "CO129-222 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [7-10]", "page_number": 407, "title": "CO129-222 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [7-10]", "content_text": "403\n\nThe murder of the Captain, under the circumstances detailed in the enclosed extract from the \"Daily Press\" Oct 19th 1885, a leading local journal.\n\nDirectly this outrage was reported to me, I placed myself in communication with Admiral Sir W. Dowell, Commanding Her Majesty's Naval Forces on this Station, who lost no time in despatching the \"Midge\" gunboat in pursuit of the Pirates. I also addressed the English Consul at Canton, (Mr. Gardner), requesting him to urge the Viceroy to rigorous action, which he (the Viceroy) has promised.\n\n3.\n\nIt is well known that this part of the coast of China formerly swarmed with Pirates. Indeed the group of Islands to which Wongkong belongs is named by the early Portuguese Navigators the Ladrones, or Pirates Isles. But of late years Piracy had been kept in check by the cruisers of Great Britain and of other European...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-222 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [7-10].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 335251, "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": "CO129-234 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Des Voeus - 1887 [9-12]", "page_number": 533, "title": "CO129-234 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Des Voeus - 1887 [9-12]", "content_text": "# THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE. PROGRESS OF HONGKONG.\n\nHer Majesty's Jubilee is one of those events that not only appeal to popular feeling but compel those reflectively inclined to study the changes during the past fifty years. It is not a time merely of state processions, of the pomp and circumstance of a Royal thanksgiving, of official odes of Jubilate ! and Io! Triumphe, but it is also a time of sober exlculation and comparison, so as to estimate what progress has been made.\n\nTo the August Lady herself the occasion, though not standing alone in the annals of her house, is of course, one of the highest moment and of liveliest satisfaction, and may be deemed by her as the crowning event of her long and well-spent life. And there is not the slightest doubt that this is also a feeling in which many of her subjects share, hence the desire to see the occasion worthily celebrated and permanently commemorated.\n\nOf the long list of English Queens, some of them may strike us with a sense of greater grandeur and dignity, a result due perhaps more to tradition and false historical perspective than to literal accuracy; some may have possessed stronger qualities of will and intellect, of wider culture, of more learning; others may have had greater personal attractions, or may be surrounded by a halo of chivalry and romance with which their misfortunes, merited or unmerited, and unrivalled beauty may have invested them, but there is no Queen in that long roll who has so entirely absorbed the enthusiastic and respectful affection of all her subjects as VICTORIA—and that only by the simple charm of true womanliness and pure goodness of heart.\n\nIn the Greater England over the sea, she is equally honoured by the descendants of the Cavaliers that founded Virginia, by the sons of the men of the old faith that founded Maryland, by the posterity of the Puritans that planted the tree of Democracy on Plymouth Rock, or by the pushing frontiersman of the West. In all her relations she has been eminently English; a loving wife, an affectionate mother, a typical English matron; and in times of trial, a self-possessed, courageous English woman—in brief, a model Queen of England!\n\nAmong contemporary Queens, our Queen stands on a pedestal apart. The late Pope, Pius IX., no mean judge of human nature, and in this respect not likely to be a biased judge, considered that she was incomparably the best of them all. \"She stood,\" he said, \"on a pedestal apart.\" In her political life, amidst the ever-changing vicissitudes of English party Government, her conduct has been above suspicion. She would not be a woman if she had not preferences towards this statesman or towards that, but, in her constitutional relationship towards all parties she has maintained the dignified attitude of An English constitutional sovereign.\n\nThe popularity and sympathy she won by her youth and natural grace of manner fifty years ago, she still retains, and that by her clear insight into the needs and aims of her people. Her reign has been an eventful one; it has been marked by many political struggles, and in these, no one has taken greater interest than the Queen herself, who has recognized throughout them all that special characteristic of Englishmen—\"to win reforms by Agitation, what others attempt by Revolution.\"\n\nTempting as the subject is to review the progress, material and scientific, commercial and political, of the Empire during the half century, we consider it more to our purpose to indicate what has been accomplished in the Far East during that time than to review the reign generally. Great as have been the strides of advancement in the West, we have not been lagging so very far behind in the East, retarded though we have been by the inertness of an old and partially fossilised civilization.\n\nChina fifty years ago was a very different country from the China of to-day. So different indeed, that unless a special study is made of the period in question, it is simply a sheer impossibility for the great majority of the residents here to realize the deplorable state in which affairs were then, to understand the helpless and hopeless position with regard to comfort, safety, and personal rights, in which the Jardine, Mathesons, the Dents, the Gibbs, Livingstons, the Turners, the Russells then carried on business in Canton.\n\nAs a description, however curtailed, of things as they were, these will bring into greater relief the points of differences and make a more effective contrast, and we shall, instead of going into long rows of figures and tables, adopt this method.\n\nIt is a mistake to think that Hongkong fifty years ago, was not thought of. The anxieties and annoyances of life at Canton had become so great that the conviction had entered the minds of the merchants, that nothing short of the possession of an island off the Coast of China, independent of the Chinese Government, could give the necessary security to life and property. Formosa, Chusan, Namoa, the Bonin Islands, and Hongkong were all suggested as more or less suitable.\n\nSurveys were made among the Ladrones, of which Hongkong is one, and we find so far back as the time of the Queen's Accession, an anonymous writer, supposed to be the then head of a firm now intimately connected with the history and prosperity of this Colony, suggesting that Hongkong should be the island selected.\n\nAfter describing the physical features and advantages as they are known to all of us, its beautiful, deep, landlocked harbour and clear springs of water, he becomes prophetic or is it the utterance of an oft-repeated prayer while writhing under a sense of official injustice? And says: \"If the lion's paw is to be put down in any part of China, let it be on Hongkong. Let the lion, under his guarantee, declare it a free port, and in ten years it will be the most considerable mart East of the Cape.\"\n\nIt is worth while, in passing, to note what this Canton merchant of half a century ago thought were the conditions of the success of Hongkong and to remind our local Conscript Fathers of the duty of handing them down intact and unimpaired to our successors.\n\nLife in the Old Factories had very little in common with the comparatively pleasant life that foreigners now enjoy in China. Home life was conspicuous by its absence. Foreigners in Canton were a community of mercantile monks, for the Government officials, ignorant of the refining influences of ladies' society, rigidly proscribed them and sternly banished them to Macao.\n\nThe site itself was insalubrious, and at low water, when the foreshore and neighbouring creeks were dry, smelled most abominably. The vilest rowdies inhabited the houses surrounding the factories, and the factory-site itself, if we mistake not, was not greater than the area of the base of the Great Pyramid. These were only minor evils. The residents, cooped up within their factories, were treated like so many denizens of a zoological garden. There they might amuse themselves as much as they liked so long as they made no uproar, as the officials...\n\nPage 527", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-234 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Des Voeus - 1887 [9-12].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 369427, "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": 15, "title": "CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898", "content_text": "# THE BATTLE OF SULPHUR CHANNEL.\n\n10 -\n\nthe attack he was about to make with Commodore Dolland had been in constant communication with the General, who now expected a diversion by the Navy, and as no other attacks had been developed, prepared to take the offensive and assault with all his reserves.\n\nAs a fact, the fast Russian steamer Harbarovsk, of 905 tons, Capt. Kitaeff, with 750 men of the Nerchitinsk regiment aboard, accompanied by the Torpedo Destroyers Borgo and Revel, under Lt.-Commanders Ptachimoskey and Troyaa, had, passing well to the Westward of the Little Ladrones, suddenly appeared off the Chinese Customs Station at Chung Chow in the Macao Passage.\n\nThe Commodore was playing whist aboard the Victor Emanuel at 11.10 p.m., when Mackie's letter was delivered to him. De Horsey of the Plover, his own Commander (Naylor) and Barlyou Cellairs, his torpedo lieutenant, were of the party. The Wivern had only the week before had her half-yearly commission and cruise, so she was coaled, but her provisions and ammunition had been returned into store.\n\nLanding a hundred and fifty soldiers, they took possession of the Station and seized the two armed Customs launches, the Chop Sing and Hai Kwan. The Chop Sing was sent to cruise off Green Island, where, even if she had been observed, she would be recognized as a Customs launch and would excite no suspicion—it being the usual cruising ground for watching for opium smugglers from the Colony.\n\nNaylor and his ship's company were at once sent off to the Wivern, off the Torpedo Depot, to get up steam, and seamen and stokers from the Plover sent to man the Tweed. Lt. Flumer was sent down to the town to get hold of any large launches that had steam up (fires being out in the Dockyard boats) to tow the Wivern and Tweed across to the Man-of-War anchorage to facilitate putting their ammunition on board. Brice-Prowne, the Lieutenant of Marines, was ordered to parade his men and proceed to the scene of action. The Plover's Marines were to join his party. Cellairs and his two torpedo gunners (Smith and Tanyard), as well as the Gunner of the Victor (Larka), proceeded to the Torpedo Depot.\n\nProceeding with all despatch, the Harbarovsk and two Destroyers, going North of Lantao, stopped at 9.30 p.m. off Cap-sui-moon. That station was also seized and held, with two hundred men; the two armed launches Kose Shui and Fun Say being taken possession of. Pushing on to Chin Wan Bay, the Destroyers ran alongside and captured the Feihoo, Chinese Revenue Cruiser, whilst the Harbarovsk went in as close as the water allowed, and with the aid of native boats quickly landed 300 men to cut the land lines and patrol the short strip to Tolo Harbour.\n\nHaving dropped her men, the Harbarovsk, accompanied by the Feihoo, the Revel, and Kow Shui, proceeded for Green Island about midnight, sweeping well round to the Westward. The Fan Son was left at Cap-sui-moon to bring to everything that passed. The crews of all the junks, boats, etc., there being landed on the island, the vessels were scuttled. The Borgo, as soon as the Feihoo had been seized, proceeded just full speed up the River, and about 15 miles above Deep Bay ran alongside the Fatshan (Capt. Dick) and Powan (Capt. Goggin) and captured them.\n\n11 -\n\nLeaving prize crews on board, the Pasig and Tai On were similarly seized, about two miles farther up. Leaving her prizes with orders to follow as fast as they could, the Borgo returned at her utmost speed to rejoin her consorts at the rendezvous off Green Island.\n\nA third Destroyer, the Soeaborg (Lt.-Comr. Chriptovitch), had accompanied the large troopers, keeping about a mile to the eastward, and so had not been seen and reported by Meugena and Hazeland. This vessel had seized the armed Custom's launch Kaipan Lu off Stanley, and with her had remained patrolling the mouth of Deep Water Bay to cover the troopers. Each transport had moreover carried two second-class torpedo boats, which had been hoisted out before a troop-boat was lowered.\n\nMajor Findley, R.E., as soon as he had sent arms and ammunition up by tram for the Engineers at Mount Austin, betook himself to his station in the West, and as soon as steam could be raised in the Solent, with Tundall and Standardman, and several passenger launches, was busy laying mines. Mugent, Johnson, and Rabber, with the Miner, and other launches, had gone to their stations at Lyeemun and Stonecutters, and were similarly employed.\n\nThe Harbour was ablaze with lights. Steam had been got up for the dynamos, and the search-lights were playing in all directions. The merchant ships were all getting up steam; before, however, they could move, Lieut.-Commdr. De Horsey, and Sub-Lt. Dayley, with a first sufficient force, were sent round all the foreign vessels by the Commodore's orders to disable their engines by taking off their eccentric straps. The sailing ships had neither crews on board nor sails bent.\n\nIt not being known yet what nation or nations were making this treacherous attack on us, the Commodore swore all should suffer alike. British vessels, under the directions of the Queen's Harbour Master Staff Commander Jones, and the Master Attendant of the Yard (Commander Harnot Enderson), were being moored in tiers in Wanchai, as close in as the depth of water would allow. Nine German, one Swede, and two Chinese, three Japanese, and two Norwegian steamers were left at their moorings. Neither Frenchmen nor Danes were in the port. The native craft were making over to Sam Shui Po as fast as they could.\n\nNo launches were allowed to leave, all being requisitioned for Naval and Military use. Naylor was ready to start by 2 a.m. in the Wivern, with Flumer in the Tweed, Cellairs in a launch, with two second-class torpedo boats broad on each bow, about a quarter of a mile off and a cable apart.\n\nThe Feihoo lay with a kedge down about a mile S.S.W. covered by Green Island from Stonecutters, with the Borgo on her starboard, and Revel on her port quarter well aft and almost astern, and two second-class torpedo boats at anchor as close as they could get to the rocks under Mount Davis, just round S. and E. of the range-finding staff.\n\n14 -", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 404881, "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": "CO129-334 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [5-7]", "page_number": 76, "title": "CO129-334 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [5-7]", "content_text": "## ASIE 1,000,000° \n-De-Min Bang \n0 Fizy.. \ntw Galbia \nBoi-Ling Chan \nAt Pasg Chand \nJAD Shan Tchao \n· Tam Cirith jeng İHBmard Merwins \nCablo Pältarnatique de thony Kway & that they - $72. Libros, Comp Anonfion des Foregraphes d'Australe et de Com \nBatu du Morit \nCherial du Milieu \nBlace to Sad \nChenal iz Sreet; \n\n## 20-ZHONG TRAKULI \nDestinė, hélagraví in publisi parla Sizvire géographique de l'Armée. \nStoleranz Chung-Tehoven \nTriu \n\n## CANTON \ntable Poligraphique de Harry-time une con St Augnies (Saign) #10 Kilom, tomy ? hugarion was gre \nHa Pacaveir \nFcbelle de 1.400.000. \n\n\"DE MACAO Thing \nflex Grupo dîme-Hom \nÇÃO G-KONG \nlong-kluxy # Fabuan i \nLadrones Charest Cantan \nNAD Koen \nBlang dawny- \nPo Check \nBate de Ring Mini\" \n\nہو اور اگر نیکی ہیں اور \nHung Ang \nThey attack Thick \n1:4 Envei-Yang \nKing-Ficheiro | Foto-Tisbewa \nHeart the \nParla K-Trou Chan \nCha-em \nFringay lle 24 114 \nLan-Fa Chat \nHeau-The Feng-Choo, \n•Toung Chen Duke This \nFout-Yan Chan BL \nWhin tige \n•Heat-Scharfo Tary \n-Ning Dung K-40% \nbe-The Fatiming (Forte BullsEs \nPetra Branca 200 [Tai-Sing-Chari). \n\nCable Tistegraphique de Hong-bing a tharry K03 Blom. Compts The \nCuble de quatre The Wond \nde Bag-liny Bor-Ion 174 Reton Compte Anglus der Topher of Australie et de Orin \nCable, Todpretique to Bang King at Cap. Borinco (the them) tisur. Comp Anglais des Telégray \n\n## BARD STANFOREL \nGECCA 16 Tam KG. \n1, Lauđen, W.G \nWe Maker aut that Whampoa \nHoang hon", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-334 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [5-7].txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 555201, "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": "CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938", "page_number": 51, "title": "CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938", "content_text": "## 2. \nThe cruiser was steaming at full speed towards **BLACK POINT**, where she was struck on the starboard side below the bridge by a ricochet shell.\n\n## 9. \nThe cruiser then swung onto the beach at **YUNG LUNG WAN (British Territory)**, where the 2 anchors were dropped and the crew abandoned the ship at 14.35 hours; the Captain taking with him the log book.\n\n## 10. \nThe firing continued the whole time the cruiser was manoeuvring, 4 or 5 shots being fired after the cruiser had beached.\n\n## 11. \nAfter the beaching of the cruiser, the destroyer proceeded to close in and lay to about 1 1/2 miles from the beach.\n\n## 12. \nOn shore, the crew took to the hills, where Captain **COOK** gave instructions to the 1st Officer, boatswain, and two ratings to remain in the vicinity, while he and the remaining party proceeded to the south of **BLACK POINT**, and finally, at 17.30 hours, the Captain arrived at Castle Peak Police station and phoned the Commissioner of Customs.\n\n## 13. \nIn all, 15 or 20 shells were fired at the cruiser from either a 4\" or 4.7\" gun; two unexploded shells being found on the beach outside the **NING YEUNG** shop and later taken away by Naval authorities after the vicinity had been photographed by Police.\n\n## 14. \nFrom the hillside, the 1st Officer, boatswain, and villagers saw the destroyer lower two motor boats with armed sailors who boarded the cruiser and also landed at **YUNG LUNG WAN**.\n\n## 15. \nThe sailors were then observed to enter the shop and houses in the vicinity and took away with them a number of chickens belonging to an old woman named **CHUNG WAN**.\n\n## 16. \nAt about 20.00 hours, the Chief Officer saw the Japanese destroyer steaming in a southerly direction towards Ladrones, and about 20 minutes later, he also observed the Customs Cruiser proceeding under her own steam in the...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 555206, "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": "CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938", "page_number": 56, "title": "CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938", "content_text": "- 2. \n56\n\nand then returned to the warship. I then observed a number of Chinese males from the shore boarding our boat and I then saw they were looting it. I could see them removing our personal effects, and clothing etc. I then told my boatswain and seamen to remove their uniforms and I also concealed my uniform gold braid and buttons. As the motor boats approached our ship, they fired a few rounds from a machine gun in the direction of the ship. \n\nWe then went down to the beach and asked the Chinese to stop looting, but when they saw us coming they ran away. There was some ship's property on the shore and I picked up a pair of our binoculars. At that moment I saw two motor boats full of men in uniform leaving the Japanese warship and sail towards our ship. The boatswain, seamen and I then retreated to the hillside. \n\nThe motor boats tied up alongside our ship and I then observed the Customs ensign being lowered from the gaff and a Japanese flag hoisted. I then observed a number of the uniformed Japanese landing on the beach. They searched round the beach and I saw them entering the large white shop on the beach. There were about 20 Japanese who landed. They were in blue winter uniform. \n\nI then instructed the boatswain and two seamen to accompany me further inland as I feared the Japanese would make a wider search. I was then unable to see what was taking place on the beach. We then met another party of our crew and we all kept watch to seaward. It was then about 18.30 hours. At about 20.00 hours I could see the Japanese warship steaming southwards towards the LADRONES. About ten minutes later I saw our ship sailing in the same direction under her own steam. She was in \"flashing\" communication with the Japanese warship. The warship and our ship were then lost to sight. I had noticed previously through the binoculars that the Japanese warship was No.23. She was not flying the Japanese flag. \n\nAbout half an hour later No. 3 Hong Kong Police, Police Launch came in sight and I signalled to it with an electric torch. The launch anchored, sent a boat ashore, and all our crew (with the exception of those who had accompanied the Commander) were taken", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560243, "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": "CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938", "page_number": 13, "title": "CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938", "content_text": "13.\n\n10. The firing continued the whole time the cruiser was manoeuvring, 4 or 5 shots being fired after the cruiser had beached.\n\n11. After the beaching of the cruiser the destroyer proceeded to close in and lay to about 1 mile from the beach.\n\n12. On shore the crew took to the hills, where Captain COOK gave instructions to the 1st officer, boatswain, and two ratings to remain in the vicinity, while he and the remaining party proceeded to the south of BLACK POINT, and finally at 17.30 hours the Captain arrived at Castle Peak Police Station and phoned to the Commissioner of Customs.\n\n15. In all 15 or 20 shells were fired at the cruiser from either a 4 or 4.7 gun, two unexploded shells being found on the beach outside the NING YEUNG shop and later taken away by Naval Authorities after the vicinity had been photographed by Police.\n\n14. From the hillside the 1st Officer, boatswain and villagers saw the destroyer lower two motor boats with armed sailors who boarded the cruiser and also landed at YUNG LUNG WAN.\n\n15. The sailors were then observed to enter the shop and houses and the vicinity, and took away with them a number of chickens belonging to an old woman named CHUNG WAN.\n\n16. At about 20.00 hours the Chief Officer saw the Japanese destroyer steaming in a southerly direction towards Ladrones and about 20 minutes later he also observed the Customs Cruiser proceeding under her own steam in the same direction.\n\nThe destroyer and the cruiser were in \"flashing\" communication to one another.\n\n17. About...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560373, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 14, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "No.172(155/TOJ/58)\n\nBritish Embassy,\n\nTokyo.\n\n21st October 1938.\n\n \n\n14\n\nYour Excellency,\n\nIn my Note No. 96 of the 8th July I had the honour to furnish to His Excellency General Ugaki certain details in connexion with alleged piracy and murder on a Hong Kong fishing junk by Japanese sailors in the vicinity of the Ladrones Islands on the 3rd May 1938, and I further informed His Excellency that I would in due course present a claim in respect of the damages to British lives and property resulting from that attack.\n\n2.\n\nI have now the honour to present to Your Excellency a statement of this claim, which amounts in all to Hong Kong $11,872.50, and I shall be grateful if the Japanese Government will be so good as to give the claim their early and favourable consideration.\n\nI avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.\n\nHis Excellency\n\nMr. Nachiro Arita,\n\nH.I.J.M. Minister for Foreign Affairs.\n\n(sgd) F. L. CRAIGIE.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560392, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 33, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "No. 95(305/70/38).\n\nCopy to Foreign Office,\n\nGong Kong\n\nBritish Embassy,\n\nTokyo.\n\n8th July, 1938.\n\nYour Excellency,\n\nI communicated informally to His Excellency the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs on the 17th June copies of statements and medical reports which had been laid before the Governor of Hong Kong in connexion with alleged piracy and murder on a Hong Kong fishing junk by Japanese sailors in the vicinity of the Ladrones Islands at no great distance from Hong Kong territorial waters at about 10.0 a.m. on the 3rd May, 1938.\n\n2. The junk in question was a Hong Kong registered fishing Junk No. 291 H.K., details of which were included in the documents which I left with Mr. Horinouchi. The allegations in these documents may be summarised as follows: on the morning of the 3rd May last this junk, carrying 40 persons (the majority of whom were Hong Kong born Chinese), including women and children, was stated to have been boarded by armed Japanese in motor-boats which had been lowered from a Japanese warship: the hands of the people on board the Junk were stated to have been tied behind their backs: most of the men, women and children were killed and other women ill-treated; and the junk then set on fire and abandoned.\n\n3. Although the details of the case have not been sifted,\n\nHis Excellency General Kazushige Ugaki,\n\nH.E. Minister for Foreign Affairs.\n\nPage 32\n\n \n(No further text on this page)\n\n \n\nThe changes made include:\n1. Standardizing the formatting to HTML as requested.\n2. Correcting \"Gang Kong\" to \"Gong Kong\" (likely a typo or OCR error).\n3. Correcting \"Ledrones\" to \"Ladrones\" (correct spelling of the island name).\n4. Correcting \"the rd Key\" to \"the 3rd May\" (correcting date reference to match the rest of the document).\n5. Correcting \"fmk\" to \"junk\" (correcting OCR error).\n6. Correcting \"incl:ided\" to \"included\" (correcting OCR error).\n7. Correcting \"'r.\" to \"Mr.\" (correcting OCR error for title).\n8. Correcting \"who\" to \"whom\" (correcting grammatical error).\n9. Correcting \"bnaka\" to \"backs\" (correcting OCR error).\n10. Correcting \"111-treated\" to \"ill-treated\" (correcting OCR error).\n11. Correcting \"H. T...\" to \"H.E.\" (correcting abbreviation for \"His Excellency\").\n12. Ensuring that the file reference \"No. 95(305/70/38)\" is formatted without spaces inside parentheses.\n13. Preserving the \"Page 32\" notation as per the instructions for page numbering.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560398, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 39, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "XXX CONFIDENTIAL\n\nAIR MAIL\n\nCopies to:- The Commodore, Hong Kong\n(for Commander-in-Chief, China Station)\nB.E. Tokyo No.21.\nB.E. Shanghai No.12.\n\nGOVERNMENT HOUSE,\nHONG KONG.\n18th May, 1938.\n\nSir,\n\n38\n\nCopy w/orig. enclo to FO\nw/out enclo to\n100\nAM\nAdmy\nJ\n\nI have the honour to forward for your information the accompanying copies of statements and medical reports in connection with an alleged piracy, murder, and rape on a Hong Kong fishing junk, registered number 291 H.W., by Japanese sailors in the vicinity of the Ladrones Islands in Chinese waters at no great distance from the waters of this Colony about 10 a.m. on the 3rd of May, 1938. Inquiries leave no doubt that this junk was built at Shaukiwan in this Colony in 1935, and that the majority of the persons on board at the time of the alleged outrage were Hong Kong-born Chinese with their fishing base at the local village of Shaukiwan.\n\n2.\n\n3.\n\nThis Government has received a very large number of reports of sinkings of fishing junks in Chinese waters by Japanese agency during the recent hostilities, but the brutality of the present case is beyond the ordinary.\n\n4.\n\nIt will, of course, be realised that, unlike the outrage reported in my secret despatch of the 10th of November, 1937, no attempt has been made in this case to sift the evidence by judicial methods.\n\nTHE RIGHT HONOURABLE\nMALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,\n&c.,\n&c.,\n&c.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560402, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 43, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "42\n\nCHEUNG SHAP NG, 12 years,\n\nDetective Office,\n\nWater Police Station.\n\nKowloon.\n\n5th May, 1938.\n\nI am a Fokien on board Fishing Junk No. 291 H.W.,\n\nResiding on board,\n\nBorn at Shaukiwan, Hong Kong,\n\nStates:-\n\nI have no birth certificate.\n\nI have an uncle named\n\nCHEUNG YIU KAM aged about 70 years, living above the HOP CHAN Fruit\n\nshop, Main Street, Shaukiwan, who can prove my Hong Kong birth.\n\nThe master of the junk is CHEUNG CHIK LIN, aged about 63 years.\n\nHe was also born at Shaukiwan.\n\nI have worked for one year on this junk, which is over\n\n1000 piculs in capacity. At 09.00 hours on 27.4.38, the junk left\n\nShaukiwan on a fishing trip. On board there were 23 males including\n\nthe master and myself, 7 children and 10 females, making a total of\n\n40 persons.\n\nWe had two old cannons and about 10 lbs of shot which\n\nwere all kept in the hold.\n\nAfter leaving Shaukiwan we sailed to a spot in Chinese\n\nWaters a long way south-west of Waglan where we fished until 18.00\n\nhours on 2.5.38. It was our intention then to return to Shaukiwan\n\nwith our catch, but as the wind was against us and a typhoon was\n\napproaching, we sailed down to MAN SHAN (Great Ladrones) to take\n\nshelter. We could not take shelter at Aberdeen or any other place\n\non the south side of Hong Kong because the wind was against us.\n\nWe reached MAN SHAN at 10.00 hours on 3.5.38, and when about to\n\nanchor we noticed a warship about two miles away near Macao. We\n\ndecided to sail away, and attempted to proceed towards Hong Kong, but\n\na little later we noticed two motor boats being lowered from the war-\n\nship. These two boats overtook us. There were about ten Japanese\n\nin each boat dressed in Khaki uniform and armed with short swords,", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560408, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 49, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "Detective Office,\n\nWater Police Station,\n\nKowloon,\n\n5th May, 1938.\n\n48\n\nFAN YING 33 years,\n\nMaster of Fishing Junk No.495 H.V.,\n\nResiding on board,\n\nNative of Shaukiwan, Hong Kong,\n\nStates:-\n\nOn my boat. There are altogether over 30 persons living on my boat.\n\nOn 29.4.38, I left Shaukiwan to go fishing. I fished in the vicinity of Waglan until 3.5.38, when the typhoon blew me down as far as GAP ROCK which I recognised by the Lighthouse there. Then the wind abated, I took a course back to Hong Kong via the Ladrones. At about 11.00 hours on 5.5.38 (erroneous, should be 4.5.38 or more likely 3.5.38 is wrong and it is actually 4.5.38 or 5.5.38 is the date of arrival and the event happened before), I was sailing near MAN SHAN (Ladrone Group) when I saw a junk in the distance, which appeared to be in distress. Approaching it, I found it had been on fire. I noticed someone signalling to us. I went alongside and on the deck, saw two Chinese females who displayed wounds to me. They told me they had been attacked by Japanese. They were both very exhausted. I made a search to see if there were any more people on board and in the hold, I saw a heap of more than 10 corpses. There were those of a male child, a female, and two women. All these bodies bore wounds, but I cannot say whether they were caused by bullets or knives. I then took the two women on board my boat. They lay down and did not speak. I continued to Hong Kong. I reached Green Island at 17.00 hours on 5.5.38 where I engaged a launch to tow me. I then took the two women to the Water Police Station.\n\nAmongst ...\n\nAbout a quarter of an hour after I had rescued the two women, I saw a Japanese warship in the distance, but it ...\n\nHowever, to follow the exact instructions given and output only HTML using for paragraphs (and \n only if absolutely necessary), the corrected version is:\n\nDetective Office,\n\nWater Police Station,\n\nKowloon,\n\n5th May, 1938.\n\n48\n\nFAN YING 33 years,\n\nMaster of Fishing Junk No.495 H.V.,\n\nResiding on board,\n\nNative of Shaukiwan, Hong Kong,\n\nStates:-\n\nOn my boat. There are altogether over 30 persons living on my boat.\n\nOn 29.4.38, I left Shaukiwan to go fishing. I fished in the vicinity of Waglan until 3.5.38, when the typhoon blew me down as far as GAP ROCK which I recognised by the Lighthouse there. Then the wind abated, I took a course back to Hong Kong via the Ladrones. At about 11.00 hours on 5.5.38, I was sailing near MAN SHAN (Ladrone Group) when I saw a junk in the distance, which appeared to be in distress. Approaching it, I found it had been on fire. I noticed someone signalling to us. I went alongside and on the deck, saw two Chinese females who displayed wounds to me. They told me they had been attacked by Japanese. They were both very exhausted. I made a search to see if there were any more people on board and in the hold, I saw a heap of more than 10 corpses. There were those of a male child, a female, and two women. All these bodies bore wounds, but I cannot say whether they were caused by bullets or knives. I then took the two women on board my boat. They lay down and did not speak. I continued to Hong Kong. I reached Green Island at 17.00 hours on 5.5.38 where I engaged a launch to tow me. I then took the two women to the Water Police Station.\n\nAmongst ...\n\nAbout a quarter of an hour after I had rescued the two women, I saw a Japanese warship in the distance, but it...\n\nLet's adjust according to the date mentioned (1.5.38) which seems to be a typo given the context (should be around 4 or 5 May or an error in the date), and directly output the corrected HTML:\n\nDetective Office,\n\nWater Police Station,\n\nKowloon,\n\n5th May, 1938.\n\n48\n\nFAN YING 33 years,\n\nMaster of Fishing Junk No.495 H.V.,\n\nResiding on board,\n\nNative of Shaukiwan, Hong Kong,\n\nStates:-\n\nOn my boat. There are altogether over 30 persons living on my boat.\n\nOn 29.4.38, I left Shaukiwan to go fishing. I fished in the vicinity of Waglan until 3.5.38, when the typhoon blew me down as far as GAP ROCK which I recognised by the Lighthouse there. Then the wind abated, I took a course back to Hong Kong via the Ladrones. At about 11.00 hours on 4.5.38, I was sailing near MAN SHAN (Ladrone Group) when I saw a junk in the distance, which appeared to be in distress. Approaching it, I found it had been on fire. I noticed someone signalling to us. I went alongside and on the deck, saw two Chinese females who displayed wounds to me. They told me they had been attacked by Japanese. They were both very exhausted. I made a search to see if there were any more people on board and in the hold, I saw a heap of more than 10 corpses. There were those of a male child, a female, and two women. All these bodies bore wounds, but I cannot say whether they were caused by bullets or knives. I then took the two women on board my boat. They lay down and did not speak. I continued to Hong Kong. I reached Green Island at 17.00 hours on 5.5.38 where I engaged a launch to tow me. I then took the two women to the Water Police Station.\n\nAmongst...\n\nAbout a quarter of an hour after I had rescued the two women, I saw a Japanese warship in the distance, but it...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 560417, "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": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "page_number": 58, "title": "CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938", "content_text": "Detective Office,\n\nWater Police Station,\n\nKowloon,\n\n10th May, 1938.\n\n57\n\nSHEK KWU LO, 10 years,\n\nFisherman on board Fishing Junk No.495 H.V.,\n\nResiding on board,\n\nNative of Shaukiwan, Hongkong,\n\n+\n\nStates :-\n\nFor three years I have been working on the above junk.\n\nThe master is FAN YING. There are over twenty persons living on board.\n\nAt about 13.00 hours on 4.5.38, the junk was sailing off MAN SHAN (Great Ladrones) when we saw a junk burning in the distance. It had a net hoisted indicating assistance was needed. The master altered course and approached it. When some distance away, we lowered a sampan and the master, two fokis named WONG CHEUNG TAI and HO SHAP, and I went alongside. I did not board the junk, but two women could be seen on deck and calling \"Save life\". Only the master, FAN YING, boarded the junk and took the two women onto our sampan. This junk had been on fire. The two women had wounds and were very exhausted.\n\nWhen my master came back on the sampan, he told us there were many dead bodies on the burnt junk. We took the two women to Hongkong, which was reached the following afternoon (5.5.38). My master took them ashore there.\n\n(sd.) Chas. Mottram.\n\nP.S.A.105.\n\n10.5.38.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 561215, "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": "CO129-571-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attacks on the south; fall of Canton and Hankow and visit to... 6-10-1938 - 5-1-1939", "page_number": 214, "title": "CO129-571-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attacks on the south; fall of Canton and Hankow and visit to... 6-10-1938 - 5-1-1939", "content_text": "## \n\nOn certain occasions only, and the former approach and leave Hong Kong by Gap Rock on passage South of Hong Kong as far as circumstances permit as a result of Japanese representations that their bases in area of Ladrones should be avoided to prevent incidents.\n\nAs regards Canton, arrangements are in progress to establish a line of communication with Japanese in case it becomes necessary to inform them of positions and movements of British Ships in river as is now done on Yangtse.\n\nWith reference to H.M. Ambassador Shanghai Tel. 1474 to Foreign Office, the suggestion that Japanese Naval Authorities should be kept informed of the movements of British Warships and Merchant Vessels is in my opinion impracticable and unnecessary.\n\n| Distribution List |\n| --- |\n| 1st Lord |\n| 1st S.L. |\n| 2nd S.L. |\n| 3rd S.L. |\n| 4th S.L. |\n| 5th S.L. |\n| D.C.N.S. |\n| A.C.N.S. |\n| PARL.SEC. |\n| CIVIL LORD |\n| SEC. |\n| NAVAL SEC. |\n| EBD |\n| P.A.S.(S) |\n| D.N.I.(6) |\n| M.(10) |\n| M.35 |\n| M.34 |\n| D. of P.(3) |\n| D.S.D.9 |\n| N.I.D.8(3) |\n| Hydrog. |\n| Trade Division(3) |\n| D.N.A.D. |\n| Movts |\n| O.D.(3) |\n\nForeign Office) To be sent by M. Branch\nWar Office\nAir Ministry\n`1627/17` \n214", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-571-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attacks on the south; fall of Canton and Hankow and visit to... 6-10-1938 - 5-1-1939.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 565701, "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": "CO129-578-12 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping 10-1-1939 - 17-11-1939", "page_number": 105, "title": "CO129-578-12 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping 10-1-1939 - 17-11-1939", "content_text": "8 \n\n105 \n\nJunks were in fact set on fire in the position 22° 25′ 48′′ north latitude and 115° 51' east longitude. But the wind and tide during the afternoon in question could not have carried those junks from the position north of Lingting Island in a south-easterly direction towards British territorial waters, i.e., towards the position where the junks described in the British note were found.\n\nThere is thus no conflicting evidence, but it is clear that the junks found by the British police officer were not those referred to in the Japanese note, as there was incontrovertible evidence of these junks having also been set on fire by Japanese. And as they could only have drifted to the point eventually reached from a point inside British territorial waters, it is evident that an incident not referred to by the Japanese Government had occurred inside British territorial waters.\n\nHis Majesty's Ambassador, in his note of the 27th April, set out these conclusions in detail and requested reconsideration of the whole matter. In another note of the same date, His Majesty's Ambassador presented a claim for compensation which, in view of the expense involved by the necessity for taking special measures to protect British territorial waters, was assessed at Hongkong $13,000.\n\nNo reply has been received to either of these notes.\n\n## AS IV.\n\nPiracy, Murder, etc., committed by Japanese sailors on a Junk from Hongkong in the vicinity of the Ladrones on the 3rd May, 1938.\n\nOn the morning of the 3rd May, 1938, junk No.291 HW, carrying forty persons, the majority of whom were Hongkong-born Chinese, including women and children, was stated to have been boarded by armed Japanese in motor boats which had been lowered from a Japanese warship; the hands of the people on board...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-578-12 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping 10-1-1939 - 17-11-1939.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 600567, "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": "CO129-629-5 Purchase of the Law and Sayer picture collection by the Government of Hong Kong 1-6-1951 - 31-12-1951", "page_number": 77, "title": "CO129-629-5 Purchase of the Law and Sayer picture collection by the Government of Hong Kong 1-6-1951 - 31-12-1951", "content_text": "32.\n\n33.\n\n159\n\n34. 35.\n\n36. 37.\n\n38.\n\n39.\n\n40.\n\nxi.\n\nxii.\n\n2\n\nVictoria looking west from the garden of the Hon. John Walter Hulme, Chief Justice.\n\nWyndham Street from the Post Office.\n\nHong Kong KHINA; Cte Andrasi del. J. Laurens lith. (a view of Wellington Street).\n\nLa Chine et les Chinois, by AUGUSTE BORGET: folio volume containing 32 lithographs in colour of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Macao, Canton and the Broadway. Published 1842. (Includes Hong Kong i. Bay and island of Hong Kong; ii. Hong Kong bay and village square; iii. Kowloon Bay; iv. Bamboo aqueduct island of Hong Kong; v. Grave and village between Hong Kong and Kowloon bay. Macao i. The great temple interior; ii. ditto facade; iii. ditto chapel of; iv. General view; v. from the open sea. vi. inner port; dwellings of the poor; vii. Portuguese church and Chinese street. viii. old temple near the barrier. ix. Chinese camp and wall separating the island and peninsula. Canton 1. European Factories etc, etc.)\n\nThe same uncoloured.\n\n(Missing plates 18 and 24).\n\nOperations in the Canton River in April 1847: set of folio lithographs ten in colour and one uncoloured litho'd by T. PICKEN from drawings by Lieut. MARTIN 1848:\n\ni. Title with view of the bay of Hong Kong.\n\nii.\n\niii.\n\nForts and batteries of the Bocca Tigris.\n\nMajor General D'Aguilar taking possession of the Anung-hoy batteries.\n\niv. The staked barrier.\n\nV.\n\nvi.\n\nvii. viii.\n\nix.\n\nX.\n\nxi.\n\nForts and batteries of the staked barrier.\n\nFrench Folly fort city of Canton.\n\nBritish and foreign factories at Canton.\n\nFrench Folly fort blown up.\n\nBritish factory at Canton.\n\nThe return to Hong Kong.\n\n(uncoloured) Sketch of the river Chu Kiang.\n\nThe same uncoloured.\n\nPortraits of the chiefs at the British factory in Canton coloured lithograph: (apparently by the same hands as Nos. 35, and 36).\n\nCapture of Amoy on 26th August 1841: set of three coloured aquatints drawn by Lieut. R.B. CRAWFORD engraved by H. PAPPRILL: 1st. Sept. 1842.\n\nMacao passage Canton river coloured litho by G. R. WEST: (companion to No. 29).\n\nSix coloured facsimiles of folio size of watercolour drawings by E. HILDEBRANDT in 1863; German prints:\n\n76\n\n41.\n\n42.\n\n43. 44.\n\ni.\n\nMacao sing song.\n\nMacao China. (Praya Grande)\n\nii. Macao 1863.\n\niii.\n\niv. Hong Kong pirate Street. (Gilman's bazaar)\n\nV.\n\nvi.\n\nHong Kong Queen's Road.\n\nChina Ladrones: (View from the Peak Hong Kong showing Dumbell Island etc, etc.).\n\nHong Kong as seen from the anchorage: drawn by Lieut. L.G. HEATH of H.M.S. IRIS 1846; pub. by Hydrographic Office. (Three sheets steel engraving coloured forming a complete panorama).\n\nH.M.S. PLOVER and YOUNG HEBE in Hong Kong 1842; uncoloured lithograph.\n\nHappy Valley Hong Kong: coloured litho; folio size.\n\nMiscellaneous woodcuts:\n\ni.\n\nThe harbour of Hong Kong (1856)\n\nii. Hong Kong central portion of the town of Victoria; (1857)\n\nVictoria Hong Kong Queen's Road west. (1857)\n\niii.\n\niv.\n\nvi.\n\n'Eaglet' and 'Auckland's boats destroying mandarin's junk at Toon Chung: (1857): ('Toon Chung' is Tung Chung on Lan T'ao Island). Blowing up the Chinese commodore's junk at Toon Chung. Attack on Chinese junk at Torn Chung.\n\nvii. Shop of the Chinese baker E Sing at Victoria Hong Kong (1857).\n\nPedder's Hill and Harbour-master's house Hong Kong (1857)\n\nviii.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-629-5 Purchase of the Law and Sayer picture collection by the Government of Hong Kong 1-6-1951 - 31-12-1951.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 } ]