CHATER, sir Paul ( Continuation )
time to time swept the harbour ? It could not be done ! It seems that the original builders lost heart at the disaster they had met, and abandoned the scheme as impracticable.
No-one seemed to want them. No-one was prepared to risk capital in trying again. Sir Paul, ever on the look-out for some new enterprise, decided to take the risk. He needed no backers; he needed none. He would risk his own money. He induced the Government to put the land up for sale at auction and bought it in.
He met no opposition. He then entered into an agreement with the Government to build the sea-wall at his expense, and there he began to erect his wharves and godowns. His success astounded those who had lost faith in the possibility of such a thing. Typhoons came; they tore through the waters of the harbour, wrenching ships from their anchorages, swamping fragile sampans and doing other sundry damage and destruction, but Sir Paul's venture stood.
In 1888 those who had ridiculed the idea began to take interest in it. Then it was that an amalgamation between Sir Paul's interests and Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Company who had established godowns at West Point, was brought about.
Sir Paul Chater was interested in other similar enterprises. In 1887 he originated the Praya reclamation scheme which gave the Colony what is now Connaught Road, and that tract of reclaimed land on which for long stood Hongkong's finest blocks of office buildings, the pride of the Colony and the admiration of all visitors to the Far East.
The daring scheme was entirely his own. He submitted it to the Government and, while it was not looked on with much favour, the Governor offered to submit it to the Secretary of State. Sir Paul, undiscouraged, declared that he would go on with the project himself. This he did.
After conferring with the Colonial Secretary and the Crown agents and others, the scheme was finally carried through; the land, which was made at a cost of $2.17 a foot, selling for $25. He then erected, in the opening years of this century, the Queen's Building and Prince's Building, and floated the Land Company which erected King's Building, York Building, St. George's Building, the Alexandra Building, the former King Edward Hotel premises, the building now occupied by the Hotel Cecil and others.
In more recent years Sir Paul joined in further similar schemes, one of the most notable being the Praya East reclamation, completed during the past decade.
The narrative of other enterprises in which Sir Paul was prominently associated would cover nearly every local endeavour, public utility concerns, organised food supplies, industrial development, advancement in religious or educational work - with them all was he associated. In the New Territories he was one of those who refused to be dismayed by the poor results of mineral prospecting, and fostered mining enterprises which, though...
CHATER, sir Paul ( Continuation )
time to time swept the harbour ? It could not be done ! It seems that the original builders lost heart at the disaster they had met, and abandoned the scheme as impracticable.
No-
The land rights had reverted to the Government. one seemed to want them. No-one was prepared to risk capi- tal in trying again. Sir Paul, ever on the look-out for some new enterprise, decided tot ake the risk. backers; he needed none. He would risk his own money. He induced the Government to put the land up for sale at auction and bought it in.
He met no
125
He then entered into an agreement with the Government to build the sea-wall at his expense, and there he began to erect his wharves and godowns. His success astounded those who had lost faith in the possibility of such a thing. Typhoons came; they tore through the waters of the harbour, wrenching ships from their anchorages, swamping fragile sampans and doing other sundry damage and destruction, but Sir Paul's venture stood. In 1888 those who had ridiculed the idea began to take interest in it. Then it was that an amalgamation between Sir Paul's interests and Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Company who had established godowns at West Point, was brought about
Sir Paul Chater was interested in other similar enter-i prises. In 1887 he originated the Praya reclamation scheme which gave the Colony what is now Connaught Road, and that tract of reclaimed land on which for long stood Hongkong's finest blocks ofoffice buildings the pride of the Colony and the admiration of all visitors to the Far East. The daring scheme was entirely his own. He submitted it to the Government and, while it was not looked on with much favour, the Governor offered to submit it to the Secretary of State. Sir Paul, undiscouraged, declared that he would go on with the project himself. This he did.
After his conferring with the Colonail Secretary and the Crown agents and others, the scheme was finally carried chrough; the land, which was made at a cost of $2.17 a foot, selling for $25. He then erected, in the opening years, of this century, the Queen's Building and Prince's Building, and floated the Land Company which erected King's Building York Building, St. George's Building, the Alexandra Building, the former King Edward Hotel premises, the building now occupied by the Hotel Cecil and others.
In more recent years Sir Paul joined in further simi- lar schemes one of the most notable being the Praya East reclamation, completed during the past decade.
The narrative of other enterprises in which Sir Paul was
Public prominent would cover nearly every local endeavour. utility concerns, organised food supplies, industrial develop- ment, advancement in religious or educational work with them all was he associated. In the New Territories he was one of those who refused to be dismayed by the poor results of mineral prospecting, and fostered mining enterprises which, though
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