The coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Chui Apo and several other Chinese. Except Chui Apo, whose arrest was effected in Canton in February, 1851, and whose trial took place in March that year, no trace was ever found of the others, though it was surmised for a time that they, as well as the leader himself and his other associates, had perished in a conflict with one or more of Her Majesty's ships engaged in attacking a pirate fleet under the command of Chui Apo. Those arrested on suspicion were discharged.
The Government offered, by a first notification, a reward of £100 for apprehension of any one or more of the pirates guilty of the murder, and by a subsequent one £500 for the apprehension of Chui Apo and £100 for the apprehension of each and every one of the others named in the verdict of the Coroner's jury.
At Chui Apo's subsequent trial in 1851, he was found guilty only of manslaughter, and was sentenced to transportation for life: but expressed his wish for death instead of such a sentence; and hanged himself in his cell three weeks later. Thus closed a most tragic episode of Old Hongkong.
The body of Lieutenant Dwyer was never recovered.
The funeral of Captain Da Costa was attended by the Governor, the military and naval officers, including those of the U.S. Ship Preble, the Chief Justice, the American Consul; and a large number of the other inhabitants.
The affair was the chief sensation of Hongkong life for a long time, and was the subject no doubt of much discussion. It throws a light to-day on some of the aspects of early times in the Colony.
One of the most peculiar features of the early years of the Colony, when we consider its importance in world commerce to-day, was the refusal by many people apparently competent to judge to visualise any future for Hongkong. One of these was Mr. R. Montgomery Martin, in the early period a treasurer in the diplomatic department in China (including Hongkong) and a member of the local Legislative Council. He issued a report declaring that the island was a hopeless proposition in every way - condemning its climate, with almost voluminous quotations from contemporary opinion and health statistics; its native population, with further abstracts of crime to emphasise his point; and its unsuitable position. He advocated the abandonment of Hongkong in favour of Chusan.
Mr. Martin furnished his very lengthy and condemnatory report to the Governor, Sir John Davis, in July, 1844; but the Governor had actual faith in the Colony, and we read that the pessimistic treasurer was censured by Sir John. Time has, of course, proved the Governor right. Mr. Martin, however, probably smarting under the seeming injustice done to his erudite observations in all its profound, well-documented pessimism, repeated these "findings" in his two-volume work "China", which was published in 1847. I take in full only his comments on trade prospects - their utter variance from the facts of to-day might be noted.
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Page 156
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The coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Chui Apo and several other Chinese. Except Chui Apo, whose arrest was effected in Canton in February, 1851, and whose trial took place in March that year, no trace was ever found of the others, though it was surmised for a time that they, as well as the leader himself and his other associates, had perished in a conflict with one or more of Her Majesty's ships engaged in attacking a piráte fleet under the command of Chui Apo. Those arrested on suspicion were discharged.
The Government offered, by a first notification, a reward of £100 for apprehension of any one or more of the pirates guilty of the murder, and by a subsequent one £500 for the apprehension of Chui Apo and £100 for the apprehension of each and every one of the others named in the verdict of the Coroner's jury.
416
At Chui Apo's subsequent trial in 1851, he was found guilty only of manslaughter, and was sentenced to transportation for life: but expressed his wish for death instead of such a sentence; and hanged himself in his cell three weeks later. Thus closed a most tragic episode of Old Hongkong.
The body of Lieutenent Dwyer was never recovered.
J
The funeral of Captain Da Costa was attended by the Governor, the military and naval officers, including those of the U.S. Ship Preble, the Chief Justice, the American Consul; and a large number of the other inhabitants.
+
1
The affair was the chief sensation of Hongkong life for a long time, and was the subject no doubt of much discussion. It throws a light to-day on some of the aspects of early tines in the Colony.
One of the most peculiar features of the early years of the Colony, when we consider its importance in world commerce to-day, was the refusal by many people apparently competent to judge to visualise any future for Hongkong. One of these was Mr. R. Montgomery Martin, in the early period a treasurer in the diplomatic department in China (in- cluding Hongkong) and a member of the local Legislative Council. He issued a report declaring that the island was a hopeless proposition in everyway - condemning its climate, with almost voluminous quotations from contemporary opinion and health statistics; its native population, with farther abstracts of crime to emphasise his point; and its unsuitable position. He advocated the ababdonment of Hongkong in favour of Chusan.
Mr. Martin furnished his very lengthy and condermatory report to the Governor, ir John Davis, in July, 18444; but the Governor had actual faith in the Colony, and we fead that the pessimistic treasurer was censured by Sir John. Time has, of course, proved the Governor right. Mr. Martin, however, probably smarting under the seeming injustice done to his erudite observations in all its profound, well docu- mented pessimism, repeated these "findings" in his two- volume work ̧ "China", which was published in 1847. I take in full only his comments on trade prospects their utter variance from the facts of to-day might be noted.
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