27.
+36
4--08
It is intended to publish the remainder of these old views in the course of the next few days: they are of a special value now, for much of the historian's references to old Hongkong would be robbed of realism had Mr. Bruce not happened along with his artistic genius and well-conceived industry.
To-day we have another of the series of pictures by Mr. Bruce of Old Hongkong. This time it is a scene out in the countryside, being Saiwan Bay, so little changed from its present appearance - except for the absence of the buildings seen in the middle distance that it is easy to visualise the scene, and locate the spot where the artist must have taken up his position.
Even the old pathway is in the same distance where it is to-day, leading down to the bay. We see part of the peninsula (practically an island at high tide) where the Boy Scouts now have a training camp, and in the foreground are the figures of two Chinese. The small animal grazing is a goat, suggesting a former pastoral pursuit in the locality; and there is a small group of cows in the middle distance.
The picture - which is hand coloured in the original - is on the whole a beautiful scene, and must rank as one of the picturesque of those which Bruce produced. It is a pity the reduction in size and loss of exquisite detail necessary in newspaper reproduction has partly robbed the view of its marvellous beauty: the more one looks at it the more one realised that Bruce was worthy to rank with the first sight of artists, while the craftsman who drew the picture for the lithograph must not be forgotten. The productions are among the best that the British lithographers have ever turned out. But perhaps I digress.
Of considerable importance is the inclusion in the picture of a group of buildings where stands to-day, the site being now largely a Chinese cemetery. These buildings are obviously barracks, and thus Bruce has definitely fixed for us the location of the first substantial barracks built out at Saiwan. The military were later quartered higher up the hillside, which is to the left of the artist's position. The old premises on the top of the hill can still be seen nowadays, while the new barracks, of course, are nearby, and constitute the quarters of the troops manning the Lyemun batteries.
There are several references to the original stationing of a small garrison at this part of the island. In one of the earliest chronicles of the times, mention is made of the building of barracks in this locality: most of the substantial military quarters were built in 1843-44, including the premises still standing in the middle of the city, such as Murray Barracks; so we can conclude that the erections shown in this old view had gone up approximately three years before Bruce made his sketch.
The inscription on the original lithograph is, "View of Sai-Wan looking East, 29th November 1846."
There are several references about that time, in the old chronicles, to the unhealthiness of the extremity of the island, and we can assure that the buildings shown here were not very long afterwards demolished, and the soldiers moved to considerably higher ground. There is little data on the barracks of the period, and I cannot
Page 145
Page 146
27.
+36
4--08
It is intended to publish the remainder of these old views in the course of the next few days: they are of a special value now, for much of the historian's references to old Hongkong would be robbed of realism had lir. Bruce not happened along with his artistic genius and well- conceived industry.
To-day we have another of the series of pictures
by lir. Bruce of Old Hongkong. This time it is a scene out in the countryside, being Saiwan Bay, so little changed from its present appearance - except for the absence of the buildings seen in the middle distance that it is easy to visualise the scene, and locate the spot where the artist must have taken up his position.
1
Even the old pathway is in the same distance where it is to-day, leading down to the bay. We see part of the peninsula (practically an island at high tide) where the Boy Scouts now have a training camp, and in the fore- ground are the figures of two Chinese, The small animal grazing is a goat, suggesting a former pastoral pursuit in the locality; and there is a small group of cows in the middle distance.
The picture - which is hand coloured in the original is on the whole a beautiful scene, and must rank as one of the picturesque of those which Bruce produced. It is a pity the reduction in size and loss of exquisite detail necessary in newspaper reproduction has partly robbed the view of its marvellous beauty: the more one looks at it the more one realised that Bruce was worthy to rank with the first sight of artists, while the craftsman who drew the picture for the lithograph must not be forgotten. The productions are among the best that the British lithographers have ever turned out. But perhaps I digress.
;
Of considerable importance is the inclusion in the picture of a group of buildings where stands to-day, the site being now largely a Chinese cemetery. These buildings are obviously barracks, and thus Bruce has definitely fixed for us the location of the first substantial barracks built out at Saiwan. The military were later quartered higher up the hillside, which is to the left of the artist's position. The old premises on the top of the hill can still be seen nowadays, while the new barracks, of course, are nearby, and constitute the quarters of the troops manning the Lyemun batteries.
There are several references to the original stationing of a small garrison at this part of the island. In one of the earliest chronicles of the times, mention is made of the building of barracks in this locality: most of the substantial military quarters were built in 1843-44, including the premises still standing in the middle of the city, such as Murray Barracks; so we can conclude that the erections shown in this old view had gone up approximately three years before Bruce made his sketch.
The inscription on the original lithograph is, "View of Sai-Wan looking East, 29th November 1846."
There are several references about that time, in the old chronicles, to the unhealthiness of the extremity of the island, .and we can assure that the buildings shown here were not very long afterwards demolished, and the soldiers moved to considerably higher ground. There is little data on the barracks of the period, and I cannot
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