Directory_and_Chronicle_1904 — Page 1172

HONGKONG

407

Bonham Road, which has a plain little chapel attached (in which services according to the Lutheran creed are held), the Baxter Vernacular School, the Victoria Female Home and Orphanage, &c. St. Paul's College, situated between Pedder's Hill and Glenealy Ravine, was erected in 1850, and was originally founded for the purpose of giving a theological training to young Chinese and others intended for the ministry of the Anglican Church, but is now an ordinary school. A small chapel is attached. The college is the residence of the Bishop of Victoria, who is its warden.

The Protestant, Roman Catholic, Parsee, Jewish, and Mahomedan Cemeteries occupy sites in Wong-nai Chung Valley, and are kept in good order. The Protestant Cemetery is almost a rival to the Public Gardens, being charmingly situated and admirably laid out with fountain, flower berls, and ornamental shrubs. The principal Chinese cemetery is on the slopes of Mount Davis, near the Pokfoluin Road, and is dismally bare and injudiciously crowded.

A project for constructing electric tramways to run through the City of Victoria from Belcher's Bay to East Point and Happy Valley, and thence on to the village of Shaukiwan is nearly completed and the trams will be running this year. A cable tram- way has since 1888 given access to the Peak, and is worked with great success, both financially and otherwise. The City terminus of this interesting little line is at St. John's Place.

INSTITUTIONS

There are several Clubs in the Colony. The principal are the Hongkong Club on the New Praya, the Club Germania in Kennedy Road, and the Club Lusitano in Shelley Street. The Hongkong Club is a handsome building replete with every modern comfort; a large annexe was completed in 1902. The Club Germania is now housed in a fine new building on Kennedy Road. The Peak Club is now domiciled in a new and pretty building completed in 1903, at Plunkett Gap, and possesses Tennis lawns on land adjoining. There are also the Victoria Recreation Club, which possesses Bath and Boat houses and Gymnasium, at Kowloon, a Cricket Club, & Football Club, a Polo Club, a Golf Club, a Hockey Club, a Rifle Association, and a Yacht Club. The Ladies' Recreation Club have several prettily laid out tennis courts and a pavilion in their grounds on the Peak Road.

The

The Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce have a room in the City Hall, and meet annually. The Committee form its executive, and the Chamber is frequently asked by the Government for its opinion on questions affecting commerce. There is a branch here of the China Association, with its separate Committee. Freemasons' Hall, erected in 1865, is situated in Zetland Street, and belongs to the parent lodge, the Zetland. The Sailors' Home occupies a site at West Point, and there is a Mission to Seamen. The British Mercantile Marine Officers Association and the Institution of Marine Engineers have been formed and watch over the interests of those professions. This institution has premises in Des Voeux Road. The Hongkong Benevolent Society does good work among the indigent waifs occasionally cast destitute on the Colony. Among other institutions is the St. Andrew's Society, primarily established to ensure the fitting celebration of the anniversary of Scotland's patron saint whose memory is annually honoured by a Ball.

The annual races are held at the latter end of February, under the auspices of the Hongkong Jockey Club, on the Race Course in Wong-nai Chung Valley at the east end of the town, a beautiful spot enclosed by fir-clad hills. On this occasion the whole colony makes holiday, and the stands and course are crowded with one of the most motley collections of humanity to be seen in any part of the world. Gymkhanas also take place monthly during the summer. A regatta is held in December in the harbour, but it does not evoke the same enthusiasm as the races. Athletic Sports are also got up every year by the residents and the garrison, and occasionally swimming matches and boat races take place. There is an Amateur Dramatic Club, the members of which give several performances in the City Hall Theatre during the season. There are two large Chinese Theatres, where the Chinese drama is pretty constantly on view. The Tung Hing Theatre, which was only completed and opened in 1892, is a fine building constructed on modern principles, and with special regard to the safety of the auditors.

There are four daily papers published in English: the Hongkong Daily Press, and the South China Morning Post which appear in the morning, the China Mail and the Hongkong Telegraph, issued in the evening. There are three weekly papers, the Hongkong Weekly Press and China Overland Trade Report, the Overland China Mail, and the South China Weekly Post. The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Straits Settlements, &c., appears annually, published at the Daily Press office. The

·

1

: