CITY HALL 2.
He regarded the flight of the Foreign Community from Macao to the shelter of this harbour previous to its cession to Great Britain...... as constituting the true epoch of its birth. Since then it had been rapidly educated up to the standard of modern enlightenment. The House of Jardine had instructed it in the Electric Telegraph, a very miniature toy as yet. It had subsequently learned to use Gas, and hereafter when there would be a difficulty from the throng of passengers in obtaining a cab at the Kowloon and Canton Railway, he should regard Hongkong as having graduated, and taken its position amongst advanced and adult communities. (Laughter.) At the same time he did not expect to remain here long enough to assist at the opening of that Railway, although by the way he had a strong inducement to pass the remainder of his days here, having recently invested the funds necessary to constitute him a life member of the Rifle Association (Laughter). They had, however, already witnessed many stirring and important epochs in their history, and could count upwards of two millions of tons of Foreign shipping entering and leaving yearly their magnificent harbour, independent of thousands of native craft frequenting their waters and which, he was happy to say, despite all prophecies to the contrary, were now as numerous as ever, (Hear, hear). In fact Hongkong had become the indispensable turning corner of the great commerce of the East, and its position must continue to centralise in itself the most important lines of traffic, round China whether to the West or the North.
The above concludes that part of the speech which is given to-day. I shall proceed to comment on the portions which have been italicised.
It might be noted, incidentally, that the parade ground mentioned is the cricket ground of to-day.
First of all, it is interesting to find the location of the foundation stone; it lies under the corner of that section of the building (still standing) opposite the Supreme Court and Cricket Club. The suggestion in the speech that this stone had been laid permanently indicates pardonable failure to envision the city's subsequent big changes. His Excellency, be it noted, had unostentatiously walked down from Government House to the site.
That he could almost see the old Sailor's Home (opened in 1863, see 28-11-33), to the westward, and the seamen's Hospital (now the R.N. Hospital, vide 9-10-33) to the east, is explained by the fact that the Governor was then standing close to the water's edge, prior to the big reclamations and erection of large intervening buildings.
Page 176
CITY HALL 2.
He regarded the flight of the Foreign Community from Macao to the shelter of this harbour previous to its cession to Great Britain...... as constituting the true epoch of its birth. Since then it had been repidly educated up to the standard of modern enlightenment. The Houseof Jardine had instructed it in the Electric Telegraph, a very miniature toy as yet. It had subsequently learned to use Gas, and hereafter when there would be a difficulty from the throng of passengers in obtaining a cab at the Kowloon and Canton Railway, he should regard Hongkong as having gratuated, and taken its position amongst advanced and adult communities. (Laughter.) At the same time he did not expect to remain here lång enough to assist at the opening of that Railway, although by the way he had a strong inducement tp pass the remainder of his days here, having recently invested the funds necessary to constitute him a life member of the Rifle Association (Laughter). They had, however, already witnessed many stirring and important apochs in their history, and could count upwards of two millions of tons of Foreign shipping entering and leaving yearly their magnificent harbour, independent of thousands of native craft frewuenting their waters and which, he was happy to say, despite all prophecies to the contrary, were now as numerous as ever, (Hear, hear). In fact Hongkong had become the indispensă- ble turning corner of the great commerce of the East, and its postion must continue to centralise in itself the most important lines of traffic, round China whether to the West or the North.
The above confludes that part of the speech which is given to-day. I shall proceed to comment on the portions which have been italicised.
It might be noted, incidentally, that the parade ground mentioned is the cricket ground of to-day.
First of all, it is interesting to find the location of the foundation stone; it lies under the corner of that section of the building (still standing) opposite the Supreme Court and Cricket Club. The suggestion in the speech that this stone had been laid permanently indicates pardonable failure to envision the city's subsequent big changes. His Excellency, be it noted, had unostentatiously walked down from Government House to the site.
That he could almost see the old Sailor's Home (opened in 1863, see 28-11-33), to the westward, and the seamen's Hoppital (now the R.N. Hospital, vide 9-10-33) to the east, is explained by the fact that the Governor was then standing close to the water's edge, prior to the big reclamations and erection of large intervening buildings.
176
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