Old Hong Kong-3 — Page 167

NEWSPAPERS (Contd.)

Times,the last-named appearing in the Seventies. only the China Mail and Daily Press still exist.

Of that list

This preliminary survey merely covers the first thirty years of the Colony's history: the later period will be dealt with subsequently.

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20, 1845,

The China Mail was first issued on February appearing as a four-page weekly. The original editor and proprietor was Mr. Andrew Shortrede, and he seems to have been the only journalist "on the staff" that was long before the days of trained reporters, and material for publication was gathered by the editors themselves with the aid of correspondents and other contributors outside the office. An old directory gives the paper's address as Pottinger Street (the early issues themselves give no indication of location); and by the close of 1845 Mr. Shortrede was assisted by three Britons, a printing over- seer, a book-keeper and apparently a chief compositor, with seven Portuguese compositors. His overseer, Mr. Andrew Scott Disxon bought over the business in the Fifties, when there was a reorganisation, and the journal became a daily. It was now owned by "A Shortrede and Co." and published in Old Bailey Street. Mr. Andrew Wilson was editor in 1858, but at the close of 1860 we find Mr. Dixson editor and proprietor, with a larger staff, and as the paper was specialising in shipping a "marine reporter" had been engaged in the ;erson of Mr. Edward Haddock. There were now ten compositors, nine with Portuguese names.

By 1863 there had been a move, and the location of the publishing offices that year was 2, Wyndham Street, "behind the Club House". This was behind the old Hong Kong Club (which stood where the King's Theatre is now), and thus within a few yards of the present offices. The editor was now Mr. James Kemp, who the following year became the proprietor; and his marine reporter was Mr. J. Stimson, who died in 1864 was succeeded by Mr. C. Rode. In 1864, Mr. George Murray Bain joined the staff, and later became one of the paper's best known editors.

By this period of the Sisties the local newspapers had increased their number of pages, and their news columns had increased, both as regards number and variety and interest of contents.

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To revert to the Forties, the Friend of China having · apparently falled foul of the authorities, the China Mail was from its first issue made the vehicle of Government notifications. Across the top of the following front page appeared the following announcement:

"Government Notification. It is hereby notified that from and after the 20th. instant and until further orders, the "China Mail" is to be considered the Official Organ of all Government Notifications. By order, Frederick W. A. Bruce, Colonial Secretary. Victoria, Hong Kong, 13th. February, 1845."

That state of affairs, however, did not last for more than eight years. Yielding to a desire to criticise the authorities, the editor annoyed them sufficiently to move the Government to produce its own Gazette in 1853 (see 14-3-34). The contract for the publication of Government notifications in the China Mail ceased on September 21, 1853, and three days later, on September 24, the Hong Kong