Directory_and_Chronicle_1919 — Page 914

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HONGKONG

section, 89 miles in length, was completed at the end of September, 1911, when through railway communication was established. The year 1906 will be remembered in the history of the Colony by two calamitous events. On September 18tlı, a typhoon struck the Colony with terrific force and with such disastrous results as to give it rank as the worst typhoon that the Colony has ever experienced. The Observatory was able to give but very short notice of its approach. The typhoon lasted only two hours, and it was roughly estimated that in that'

short space of time 10,000 persons lost their lives in the vicinity of the Colony, while the damage done to shipping and property ashore ran into many millions of dollars. A list, admittedly incomplete, compiled by the Harbour Authorities, showed sunk or damaged 67 large vessels, 652 junks, 54 lighters, and 70 launches. No account is taken in this list of the hundreds of sampans which were sunk or battered to pieces against the sea walls. The Rt. Rev. J. C. Hoare, D.D., the Bishop of Victoria, was among those who lost their lives by this calamity. The second of the disasters referred to above occurred early on Sunday morning, October 14th, when the river steamer Hankow, while lying at her wharf, was completely gutted by a fire which developed with such extraordinary rapidity that over 100 Chinese passengers lost their lives in trying to escape. The majority of them were drowned; but many, who were probably first suffocated or trampled to death in the rush for the gangway, were victims of the flames. The Colony was visited by another typhoon of greater force on the night of July 27-28, 1908, but the Observatory gave timely warning of the approach, and shipping consequently did not suffer so badly as in the 1906 typhoon, but much more extensive damage was done to property ashore. The most serious shipping casualty was the foundering of the Yingking with a loss of some 424 lives. Arising out of these catastrophes there was an agitation for the provision of more adequate protection for small shipping than was afforded by the typhoon shelter at Causeway Bay, and, as a consequence, a new refuge was constructed at Mongkoktsui. This was completed in 1915. In the Spring of 1918 some 600 lives were lost in a fire which occurred during the race meeting at Happy Valley. The matsheds accommodating thousands of Chinese spectators collapsed and flames spread so rapidly that the people were burned to death before the eyes of their friends, who were powerless to render assistance.

Sir Matthew Nathan left the Colony in April, 1907, on promotion to the Governor- ship of Natal. His successor, Brigadier-General Sir Frederick Lugard, K.C.M.G., arrived on July 28th, 1907, the Hon. Mr. (now Sir) F. H. May having again administered the Government in the interval. Falling revenue, while costly public works were in progress, obliged the Government in 1909 to break away from the free-trade traditions of the port to the extent of imposing import duties on intoxicating liquors. Sir Frederick Lugard's chief monument in the Colony may be said to be the University. Mr. H. N. Mody generously offered to provide buildings at an estimated cost of $280,000, and Sir Frederick Lugard worked indefatigably to secure an endowment fund of a million and a quarter dollars. When this fund was in sight, in 1909, building operations were com- menced on a site in Bonham Road. Sir Frederick Lugard had the felicity of seeing the building opened in March, 1912, just before he left on promotion to become Governor of Nigeria. Mr. Mody received a knighthood in recognition of his benefactions to the Colony. Sir Henry May, K.C.M.G., was appointed to the Governorship of the Colony, and upon his arrival, on July 4th, a Chinese attempted his assassination almost as soon as he had landed, but happily the attempt was frustrated.

The following is a list of those who have administered the Government from the date on which the Island was erected into a Colony:-

1843. Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., G.c.B. 1844 Sir John Francis Davis, Bart., K.C.B. 1848 Samuel George Bonham, C.B. 1851 Major-General W. Jervois (Lt.-Governor) 1851 Sir S. George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B. 1852 John Bowring, LL.D. (Acting) 1853 Sir S. George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B. 1854 Sir John Bowring, Knt., LL.D. 1854 Lieut.-Colonel Wm. Caine (Lt.-Governor) 1855 Sir John Bowring, Knight, LL.D. 1859 Colonel Caine (Lieut.-Governor) 1859 Sir Hercules G. R. Robinson, Knight 1862 William Thomas Mercer (Acting) 1864 Sir Hercules G. R. Robinson, Knight 1865 William Thomas Mercer (Acting)

1866 Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, Knt., C.B. 1870 M-.j.Gl H. W. Whitfield (Lt.-Governor) 1871 Sir Richard G. MacDonnell, K.C.M.G., C.Ë. 1872 Sir Arthur E. Kennedy, к.C.M.G., C.B. 1875 John Gardiner Austin (Administrator) 1876 Sir Arthur E. Kennedy, K.C.M.G., C.B. 1877 Sir John Pope Hennessy, K.C.M.G. 1882 Wm. Hy. Marsh, c.M.G. (Administrator) 1883 Sir George Ferguson Bowen, o.c.M.G. 1885 Wm. Hy. Marsh, c.M.a. (Administrator) 1887 Mjr.-Gen. W. G. Cameron, c.B. (Adminis 1887 Sir George William Des Vœux, x.c.M.G. 1890, Francis Fleming, c... (Administrator) 1830 Sir George William Des Voeux, K.C.M.G. 1891 Mjr.-Gen. G. Digby Barker, c B. (Adm.)