A PAGE FROM KOWLOON HISTORY (cont.)
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in the moment of his Coronation; but thanks to God's mercy, we hope he has recovered and will live to rule us for many years" (Applause).
His Excellency then walked over to where a spade had been already placed in the ground and cut out a square piece of the turf, which he cast into a two-wheeled barrow standing near.
The conclusion of the ceremony was marked by His Excellency turning the barrow over and throwing out the sod, and when the accompanying applause had subsided, he said: "This is the first sod of the King's Park, and I ask you all to give three cheers for His Majesty King Edward the Seventh."
The cheers were given with a will, His Excellency leading off with helmet in hand.
At the invitation of the Chief Justice, Lady Gascoigne then performed the ceremony of planting a small tree to commemorate the occasion. The tree was suspended from a bamboo tripod and was lowered into the hole formed in the ground by the unloosing of a white cord retaining it in its place. The ceremony, like the one preceding, was loudly cheered, and was gracefully marked by the presentation to Lady Gascoigne by the youngest Miss Goodman of a handsome basket of flowers.
According to a story published in the Friend of China on July 18, 1846, it was by no means safe for Europeans residing in Hongkong to visit Kowloon (then spelt Cowloon). A daring gang of robbers lived on the other side of the harbour and regarded visitors from Hongkong as heavenly victims. One European from Hongkong was held up in broad daylight and robbed of his valuable watch. The Mandarins apparently had some system of maintaining law and order, for the watch was recovered and returned to its owner. The robbers were apprehended and, we may reasonably presume, punished.
Another European had a much more unnerving experience. For his own protection, he was carrying a fowling piece, but this did not deter a party of ruffians who set upon him with the intention of taking his gun. One of the robbers grasped the barrel, but the European pulled the trigger. The terrific explosion and the sight of one of the gang bleeding on the roadside struck terror into the hearts of the robbers, and they worried the European no more.
DEVELOPMENT OF KOWLOON
Apart from the great progress made in the New Territories, mentioned in this series the other day, there is the remarkable development of the Kowloon peninsula since the beginning of the present century. The actual development of Kowloon commenced in the Sixties: as we have seen in previous articles, the allocation of garden lots, and then building sites, with the construction of a few roads and the inauguration of a regular ferry service by launch, came within a few years of the area being ceded to Britain. In the earliest development of Kowloon as a residential suburb, the Portuguese had a great deal to do.
Looking at the place to-day, with its many new buildings, big hotels, shops, theatres, and so forth, it already forms a striking contrast with a mere ten years back. But the amazing development of the peninsula may truly be said to date from a little over thirty years ago, when the electrical works, projected railway, and growth of population set on foot several progressive changes, which have their ultimate development in today's many signs of progress.
Let us then revert to those earlier years and see what the newspaper press of the time had to say about the growth of Kowloon as already becoming apparent.
In the S.C.M. Post of December 23, 1904, we find the following:
"Some of the older residents in the Colony point with pride to the growth of Hongkong, and recall with considerable pleasure the time when
A PAGE FROM KOWLOON HISTORY (cont.)
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in the moment of his Coronation; but thanks to God's mercy, we hope he has recovered and will live to rule us for many years" (Applause).
His Excellency then walked over to where a spade has been already placed in the ground and cut out a square piece of the turf which he The conclusion of the cast into a two-wheeled barrow standing near. ceremony was marked by His Excellency turning the barrow over and throw- ing out the sod, and when the accompanying applause has subsided he said: "This is the first sod of the King's Park, and I ask you all to give three cheers for His Majesty King Edward the Seventh,"
The cheers were given with a will, His Excellency leading off with helmet in hand.
At the invitation of the Chief Justice, Lady Gascoigne then per- formed the ceremony of planting a small tree to commenorate the occasion. The tree was suspended from a bamboo tripod, and was lowered into the hole formed in the ground by the unloosing of a white cord retaining it in its place, The ceremony, like the one preceding, was loudly cheered, and was gracefully marked by the presentation to Lady Gascoigne by the youngest Miss Goodman of a handsome basket of flowers.
According to a story published in the Friend of China on July 18, 1846, it was by no means safe for Europeans residing in Hongkong to visit Kowloon (then spelt Cowloon). A daring gang of robbers lived on the other side of the harbour and regarded visitors from Hongkong as heavenly victims. One European from Hongkong was held up in broad day- light and robbed of his valuable watch. The Mandarins apparently had some system of maintaining law and order for the watch was recovered and returned to its owner. The robbers were apprehended and, we may reasonably presume, punished..
Another European had a much more unnerving experience. For his own protection, he was carrying a fowling piece, but this did not deter a party of ruffians who set upon him with the intention of taking his gun. One of the robbers grasped the barrel but the European pulled the trigger. The terrific explosion and the sight of one of the gang bleed- ing on the roadside struck terror into the hearts of the robbers and they worried the European no more.
DEVELOPMENT OF KOWLOON 1
T
Apart from the great progress made in the New Territories, men- tioned in this series the other day, there is the remarkable develop- ment of the Kowloon peninsula since the beginning of the present century. The actual development of Kowloon commenced in the Sixties: as we have seen in previous articles, the allocation of garden lots, and then building sites, with the construction of a few roads and the inauguration of a regular ferry service by launch, came within a few years of the area being ceded to Britain. In the earliest development of Kowloon as a resi- dential suburb the Portuguese had a great deal to do.
Looking at the place to-day, with its many new buildings, big hotels, shops, theatres, and so forth, it already forms a striking contrast with a mere ten years back. But the amazing development of the peninsula may truly be said to date from a little over thirty years ago, when the elec- trical works, projected railway, and growth of population, set on foot several progressive changes which have their ultimate development in to- day's many signs of progress.
Let us then revert to those earlier years and see what the news- paper press of the time had to say about the growth of Kowloon as already becoming apparent.
In the S.C.M. Post of December 23, 1904, we find the following:
"Some of the older residents in the Colony point with pride to the growth of Hongkong, and recall with considerable pleasure the time when
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