Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 1064

HONGKONG

89)

Of the islands and islets in the waters of the Colony (exclusive of the above acquisitions) the most important is Stonecutter's Island, formerly known as Wong Chune-chow, opposite to and about three-quarters of a mile from the north-western extremity of the Kowloon peninsula. The island is an irregular ridge about a mile in length, and a little over a quarter of a mile broad. The Gunpowder Depôt ́is on the eastern end, near the wharf; the principal eminences are occupied by batteries more or less formidable, and no one is allowed to land without a permit. The Quarantine Sta- tion is also located here. After the great typhoon of September, 1874, two or three thousand bodies of the victims found afloat were interred on Stonecutter's Island. Kellet's Island is a small rock near East Point, on which a fort formerly stood, but which has been replaced by a small magazine. Green Island, at the western entrance of the harbour, has been planted with trees and now justifies its name all the year round. A lighthouse has been placed on its south-western extremity. One Tree Island is a tiny rock near the entrance to Aberdeen. A Dynamite Depôt has been erected on it. Aplichau, a considerable island opposite Aberdeen, of which harbour it forms part, has a populous fishing village on its northern shore facing Aberdeen. Lantao and Lamma Islands were brought under British jurisdiction by the Kowloon Convention of 1898. The former has a considerably larger area than Hongkong, but both this island and Lamma are sparsely populated by agriculturists and fishermen.

POPULATION, GARRISON, AND DEFENCES

The total population of the Colony, according to the census taken in January, 1901 numbered 283,975, compared with 221,441 in May, 1891, and 160,402 in 1881. The resident civil population was composed as follows:-Europeans and Americans other than Portuguese 3,860, Portuguese 1,956, Indians 1,453; Eurasians 267, other races 903, Chinese 274,543. The mercantile marine numbered 2,181, of whom 1,002 were British and Foreign and 1,180 Chinese. The Chinese floating population numbered 40,100. The army numbered 7,640, and the Navy 5,597. Of the resident population and mercantile marine 3,007 were natives of the British Isles, 351 Americans, 103 French, 445 German, 165 Jewish, and 126 Spanish, the balance being spread over various other nationalities. The population of Victoria was 181,918, and that of the New Territory 102,254. The estimated population of the Colony exclusive of the New Territory in 1904 was 361,200 of whom 13,106 were Europeans and Whites, including Portuguese and the Army and Navy, but not including the Indian troops who were numbered among the 5,791 Africans, East Indians and Malays in the Colony. The Chinese numbered 342,306, a large increase since the census was taken.

The Garrison consists of three companies Royal Garrison Artillery, 740; one company Royal Engineers, 207; one battalion of Infantry, 858; Army Service Corps, 31; Royal Army Medical Corps, 62; four Indian infantry battalions-two in Nortli China and two at Hongkong-and the Chinese regiment at Wei-hai-wei; four companies native artillery and one local company native engineers, 4,769, details 41; total ‍6,720. There is also a Volunteer Corps consisting of one troop of Mounted Infantry, two companies of Garrison Artillery, and one Company of Engineers. On the initiative of H. E. Sir Matthew Nathan, a Volunteer Reserve Association was formed in 1904 composed of British residents over the age of 35.

The approaches to the harbour are strongly fortified, the batteries consisting of well-constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by three batteries on Stonecutters' Island and two forts on Belcher and Fly Points, from which a tremendous -converging fire could be maintained, completely commanding the Sulphur Channel. Another small battery, on the hill above and west of Richmond Terrace, has a wide range of tire. The Ly-ee-mùn Pass is defended by two forts on the Hongkong side and another on Devil's Peak on the mainland, and if vessels survived that fire they would then have to face the batteries at North Point and Hunghom which completely command the eastern entrance. Another battery on the bluff at Tsim-tsa Tsui, Kowloon, commands the whole of the centre of the harbour. The batteries are armed with the latest breech-loading ordnance.

In addition to the fortifications the Colony possesses a small squadron for harbour defence. This consists of the obsolete turret ironclad Hivern, 2,750 tons, now dismantled and being used as a distilling ship, and six torpedo boats. The crews of these vessels are borne in the receiving ship Tamar, which is also the headquarters of the Commodore and his staff. The Naval Yard is an extensive range of workshops and offices east of the Artillery Barracks, and the Naval Authorities have another large establishment on the Kowloon side near to Yau-ma-Ti.