Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 239

NOTICES OF HONGKONG.

ACCORDING to the terms laid down in the Royal Charter, the island of Hongkong and its dependencies are situated detween lat. 22° 9′ and 22° 21′ N., and in long 114° 18′ east from the meridian of Greenwick. The island formerly belonged to

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Sin'án

hien, the district of Sin'án, or Sanón. It lies opposite to Kiú-lung or Kanlung, on the main, the extreme southern point of which is Tsien-shá tsui, or Tsimshá tsui. The name Hiáng-kiáng or HONGKONG "Fragrant Streams," is the proper name of one of the small streams on the south side of the island, and by foreigners has been given to the whole island. Its waters have been surveyed by sir Edward Belcher, and a chart drawn delineating the exact shape of the entire coast. Were the neck of land that lies south of Chikchü cut off and transferred to the bay of Táitám, so as to fill it up, the shape of the island would then be like a right-angled triangle, the right angle being at the northeast; the northern and eastern sides of the island, the one eight miles and the other five, would form the base and perpendicular of the triangle ; and a third line, stretching from the northwest to the southeast, would make the hypotenuse. The sailing distance round the island is twenty-six and eighty-five hundredths (26,8%) miles; but if one should follow the line of coast, the distance would be increased one third or one half. The longest line from the northwest to the south- east is nine miles. The whole of the island consists of hills and ridges, intersected by many valleys and dells, abounding with springs and rivulets of excellent water.

The following are the principal places known to the Chinese, on and near the island. We give their own characters, and the sounds in both the common language and in the Canton Dialect.

2. 上海

Ngáng tau Phán, Tháng Wan,

1. TH TH 2 Lê

Ngáng-táu shán. Sheung tán,

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