RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1961 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/vd6724704 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch ORASHKB and author Vol. 1 (1961) ISSN 1991-7295 Besides the Governor and Shortrede, the first office-bearers included Major-General D'Aguilar, Peter Young the Colonial Surgeon, Mercer the Colonial Treasurer, John Bowring the Younger (of Jardines); and also Thomas Wade, the celebrated interpreter and Envoy to China, who later became famous as inventor of the Wade System of romanization of Chinese still in general use today, and, as Sir Thomas, was to become President of the Society in London in 1887. In his Inaugural Address as President, Sir John Davis stressed the importance of directing the Society's attention to practical projects and to natural history, geology and botany, as well as to literary pursuits, and suggested that he could get the sanction of the Colonial Office to the grant of a moderate piece of ground for a Botanical Garden. Sir John left the Colony in 1848; but, as the result of a stirring appeal by Mr. G. Gutzlaff, the missionary, at a meeting of the Society in August 1848, the project was approved, although it was not carried into effect until the governorship of Sir John Bowring (the younger John Bowring's father), and then the Garden was placed under Government control and not under that of the Society. During the twelve years of its life, the Society was dogged to some extent by the personal animosities prevalent in Hong Kong in the early days; but it flourished under the inspiration of Sir John Davis, and also for a time under Sir John Bowring, who enjoyed a European reputation as a scholar—as President he preferred to be called Dr. Bowring—and who animated the Society with his personal influence and by his contributions to its discussions. The Society had no permanent home of its own, but in 1849 it was granted by Sir S. G. Bonham a room in the Supreme Court building. It published six volumes of Transactions, the first in 1847 and the last in 1859. With the departure of Sir John Bowring in May 1859 and the death in the September following of the Branch's devoted Secretary—Dr. W. A. Harland, M.D.—the Society collapsed. The efforts of Dr. James Legge, as well as those of Sir Hercules Robinson, the new Governor, as President, of the Bishop of Victoria and of the Acting Chief Justice as Vice-Presidents and of Harry (later Sir Harry) S. Parkes were of no avail. The collapse of the Society came at an unfortunate time and deprived it of the prestige and momentum which it would have gained from the work of some of its famous members. Legge was on the eve of publishing his famous translation of the Chinese Classics, which could be printed and distributed only through the generosity of Joseph Jardine, and his successor Sir Robert Jardine, and of John Dent, the heads of the two largest merchant houses in the Colony. A little later, in 1865, T. W. Kingsmill had to resort to the aid of the Shanghai Branch for the publication of his studies on the geology of Hong Kong. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1961 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/vd6724704 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch RASHKB and author Vol. 1 (1961) ISSN 1991-7295 50 THE MORRISON LIBRARY AN EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY COLLECTION IN THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG DOROTHEA SCOTT. A.L.A. THE HISTORY The history of the Morrison Library goes back to 1806 when the members of the English Factory in Canton unanimously decided to establish a Library by subscription "comprising a moderate collection of works of acknowledged value and respectability; together with an annual contribution of all the most desirable new publications, which are at present, generally either not imported at all, or multiplied by unnecessary repetitions. . . It would be a library. . . far surpassing in extent, variety, and adaptation to general use, any collection that has hitherto been in possession of, or attempted to be formed by, any European in this country". The president of the select committee of members of the Factory granted a "very commodious" room for a library and by 1832 it contained 1600 different works in about 4000 volumes and a catalogue was published. The Library flourished until the withdrawal of the charter of the East India Company in 1834 and the break-up of the English factory. Just about this time, on the 1 August, 1834, occurred the death of the Rev. Robert Morrison, D.D., the first protestant missionary to China and well-known scholar. A circular dated 26 January, 1835 was distributed among the foreign residents in Canton and Macao suggesting the formation of the Morrison Education Society to carry on the work he had started and to be a "testimonial more enduring than marble or brass". The idea received considerable support, twenty-two signatures to the circular were obtained, the sum of $4,860 was subscribed and a provisional committee consisting of Sir George R. Robinson, bart., Messrs. William Jardine, David W. C. Olyphant, Lancelot Dent, John Robert Morrison (Robert Morrison's son who had succeeded his father as Chinese Secretary and Interpreter to His Majesty's Commission in China) and the Rev. E. C. Bridgman was formed to act until a general meeting of the subscribers in China could be convened to form a board of trustees. The Chinese Repository, a monthly magazine in English, had been founded in 1832 by Morrison and Bridgman. It gave its support to the foundation of the Society and in the number for June 1835, it published the details given above, saying, "We have been led to make these remarks by a desire to suggest to the ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1963 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/4m90m091v # ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY # HONG KONG BRANCH ## List of Members on the 9th April, 1963 ### Patron: His Excellency Sir Robert Black, G.C.M.G., O.B.E. ABRAHAM, R. D.* - 41, Island Road, Deep Water Bay, H.K. AIDE-DE-CAMP, The - Government House, Garden Road, H.K. ALLEYNE, Mrs. E. L. - University of Hong Kong, Pokfulum, H.K. ARMERDING, L. E.* - 11, Creasy Road, Jardine's Lookout, H.K. BADAMS, P. W. M. - c/o H.K. & Shanghai Bank, H.K. (Trustee) BAIRD, John W. - Ltd., Shell House, 6th Floor, H.K. BARD, Dr. S. M. - c/o Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., H.K. BARNETT, K. M. A. - University of Hong Kong, Pokfulum, H.K. BARON, D. W. B. - P. O. Box 248, H.K. BARR, John S. - 30 Severn Road, H.K. BARTON, Hon. H. D. M. - c/o Chung Chi College, Ma Liu Shui, N.T. BASHALL, Mrs. C. G. - Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., H.K. BASTO, Gerald De - c/o H.M. Prison, Stanley, H.K. BEDWELL, Miss E. - 604 Fu House, 7 Ice House Street, H.K. BENANZIO, Dr. M. - c/o H.K. Housing Authority, G.P.O. Bldg., Top Floor, H.K. BENHAM, Miss M. E. M. - c/o Italian Embassy, Djalan Diponegoro 47, Djakarta, Indonesia, BERTOVICH, Miss Ruth C. - Harcourt Health Centre, Morrison Hill Road, H.K. BERTUCCIOLI, Dr. G. - c/o The American Consulaic-General, 26 Garden Road, H.K. BIRNBAUM, Mrs. S. D. + - Italian Embassy, Tokyo, Japan. BLACK, D. - 7, Braga Circuit, Kowloon. BLACKMORE, M. - "Hacienda", Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland. BLUE, A. D. - Department of History, The University, H.K. BLUNDEN, Prof. E. C. - "Upper Woodburn", 19 Millig Street, Helensburgh, Scotland. BONSALL, G. W. - The University, Pokfulum, H.K. BORGEEST, G. - Flat 3, 94-D Pokfulum Road, H.K. P. O. Box 1058, H.K. * Life Member Please notify the Hon Secretary of any inaccuracy Page 165 Page 166 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1964 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/qz20zx09r 155 ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY HONG KONG BRANCH List of Members on the 30th April 1964 Patron: His Excellency Sir David Trench, K.C.M.G., M.C. Honorary Members: His Excellency Sir Robert Black, G.C.M.G., O.B.E. J. L. Cranmer-Byng, M.C., M.A. Dept. of History, University of Toronto, Sidney Smith Hall, Toronto 5, Canada. Members: ABRAHAM, R. D.* AIDE-DECAMP, The AKERS-JONES, D. ALLEYNE, Mrs. E. L. ANDERSON, H. M. Miss ARMERDING, L. E.* BADAMS, P. W. M. BAHR, Mrs. Kay BAIRD, J. W. BAKER, Mrs. Ann. BAKER, W. E. BARD, Dr. S. M. BARNETT, K. M. A. BARON, D. W. B. BARR, J. S. BARRY, Comdr. R. S. BASHALL, Mrs. C. G. BASTICK, Capt. W. G. BASTO, G. de 41, Island Road, Deep Water Bay, H.K. Government House, Garden Road, H.K. c/o District Office, Yuen Long, N.T. University of Hong Kong, Pokfulum, H.K. 14, Chater Hall, 1 Conduit Road, H.K. 11, Creasy Road, Jardine's Lookout, H.K. c/o H.K. & Shanghai Bank, H.K. (Trustee) Ltd. Shell House, 6th floor, H.K. 4. Abermor Court, May Road, H.K. c/o Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd. H.K. 23, Coombe Road, H.K. c/o The H.K. Electric Co., Ltd. P. O. Box 915, H.K. Hong Kong University, Pokfulum, H.K. P. O. Box 248, H.K. 30 Severn Road, H.K. Chung Chi College, Ma Liu Shui, N.T. c/o The Hong Kong Club, H.K. c/o H.M. Prison, Stanley, H.K. Camp Office, Victoria Barracks, H.K. BENANZIO, Dr. M. 604 Fu House, 7 Ice House Street, H.K. c/o Italian Embassy, Djalan Diponegoro 47, Djakarta, Indonesia, * Life Member Please notify the Hon. Secretary of any inaccuracy Page 180 Page 181 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1968 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/66833948d 206 GORDON, Hon. S. S.* GRANSDEN, J. H. GRANT, I. F. H. - GRANT, Mrs. I. F. H. GRAY, Miss Audrey M. - GREGORY, Prof. W. G. GRIFFITHS-OWEN, Miss M. GROVE, Mrs. Rosemary + - - + GUILLAUME, Baron P. de HADDOW, Dr. I. F. G. - - HAFFNER, C. HALE, Richard E. + HALL, Miss Joyce Messrs. Lowe, Bingham & Matthews, 22nd Floor, Prince's Building, H.K. Dept. of Modern Languages, The University, Pokfulum, H.K. c/o Jardine, Matheson & Co., Jardine House, H.K. As above. 9A Cameron House, 40 Magazine Rd., H.K. Dept. of Architecture, The University, Pokfulum, H.K. D-12, Bay Court, Repulse Bay, H.K. 10A Barbecue Gardens, 171 Milestone, Castle Peak Road, N.T. Flat 5, Abermor Court, May Road, H.K. New Territories Health Office, North Kowloon Magistracy, Taipo Road, Kowloon, Room 1002 Alexandra House, H.K. The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corpn., H.K. c/o Colonial Secretariat, Room 514, H.K. HALLWARD, Miss C. L. J. - St. Stephens Girls' College, Lyttelton Road, H.K. HANSON, Miss Katherine • HARDEN, Mrs. Guy T, Jr.* HARRISON, Prof. B. + H.K. J P. O. Box 1209, Porterville, California 93257, U.S.A. 15 Shek-O, H.K. Dept. of History, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada, HARTWELL, Sir Charles H. c/o Public Service Commission, Central Government Offices, H.K, HARTWELL, Lady · HAYDON, E. S. HAYES, J. W. + HAYIM, E. J.* HAYWARD, G, W. HEANEY, Robert S. HECHTEL, F. O, P. HENSMAN, Dr. Bertha - - As above. The Supreme Court, H.K. c/o Secretariat for Chinese Affairs, 10th floor, International Building, H.K. 41, Island Road, Deep Water Bay, H.K. British Embassy, Kastelsvej 38-40, Copenhagen. Deer Park, Greenwich, Conn., U.S.A. 10 Branksome Towers, May Road, H.K. Chung Chi College, Ma Liu Shui, N.T. * Life Member Please notify the Hon. Secretary of any inaccuracy ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1969 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/9g553n20d 20 T. C. CHENG authorities should look into the teaching of Chinese boys in English so as to increase the efficiency of the teaching of English. As a result, a Committee was appointed in 1917 "to enquire into the teaching of the English language to Chinese boys in Government schools, and to examine the question whether by a reduction in the number of other subjects more time can be devoted to such teaching". The Committee reported the same year, but did not recommend any changes in the school curriculum. However, they recommended (a) small classes, better buildings and better-paid teachers which would bring better results, and (b) the appointment of one English teacher to a maximum of 120 pupils. The Committee also advocated medical inspection of pupils in Government schools, as a result of which a system of medical examination was instituted the following year. In recognition of Lau's services towards his fellow-men in Hong Kong, the Chinese Government conferred upon him “The Order of the Excellent Crop, Third Class" in 1916. He died in 1922. There is a Chinese belief that “good deeds will be rewarded by bearing good offspring". This seems only too true in his case, for his eldest son, Lau Tak-po, founded the Hong Kong & Yaumati Ferry Company and his eldest grandson, Lau Chan-kwok, J.P. is now the Managing Director of the Company. When Sir Boshan Wei Yuk retired from the Legislative Council in 1917, he was succeeded by Ho Fook, younger half-brother of the late Sir Robert Hotung. He was another outstanding student of the Central School. In 1878 when the Governor, Sir John Pope Hennessy, attended his first Prize Giving at the Central School, Ho Fook, then in Class 2, received from him a prize in the form of a gold pencil case.23 He served in the Compradore's Department of Jardine, Matheson & Company and in 1900 was a founder of the Chinese Merchants Bureau. He remained in the Legislative Council for only four years and retired in 1921. Ho Fook was a generous benefactor of education. In 1917 he donated HK$50,000 to the University of Hong Kong for the erection and equipment of the School of Physiology. He also endowed prizes in all the faculties of the University. Like the Honourable Lau Chu-pak he produced some very fine offspring.24 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1970 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ww72j0241 the Society included the hierarchy of the Government, Military, Medical and Mercantile communities. In his Inaugural Address as President of the Hong Kong Branch, Sir John Davis stressed the importance of directing the Society's attention to practical projects and to natural history, geology and botany, as well as to literary pursuits, and suggested that he could get the sanction of the Colonial Office to the grant of a moderate piece of ground for a Botanical Garden. Sir John left the Colony in 1848; but, as the result of a stirring appeal by the Rev. C. Gutzlaff at a meeting of the Society in August 1848, the project was approved, although it was not carried into effect until the governorship of Sir John Bowring, and then the Garden was placed under Government control and not under that of the Society. The Society was fortunate in enjoying influential Government and press support, including that of the China Mail, and continued under Sir George Bonham who gave the Society a room in the old Supreme Court building to hold its meetings and to house its library. With the departure of Sir John Bowring in May 1859, and the death in the September following of the Branch's devoted Secretary, the Society collapsed. The efforts of Dr. James Legge, as well as those of Sir Hercules Robinson, the new Governor, as President, of the Bishop of Victoria and of the Acting Chief Justice as Vice-Presidents and of Harry (later Sir Harry) S. Parkes were of no avail. The collapse of the Society came at an unfortunate time and deprived it of the prestige and momentum which it would undoubtedly have gained from the work of some of its famous members. Legge was on the eve of publishing his famous translation of the Chinese Classics, which eventually appeared only through the generosity of Joseph Jardine (and his successor Sir Robert Jardine) and of John Dent, the heads of the two largest merchant houses in the Colony. A little later, in 1865, T. W. Kingsmill had to resort to the aid of the Shanghai Branch for the publication of his studies on the geology of Hong Kong. It was thus with a deep sense of responsibility, and also of duty, that it was decided to revive this Society in 1959 after the lapse of a century. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1981 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ff36bt18m 96 There is no slavery carried on." CARL T SMITH In commenting on the questions raised in Parliament the editor of the South China Morning Post said there could not be much harm in the traditional Chinese custom when throughout the eighty years of the Colony's history no steps had been taken to abolish it. The children in domestic service had the full protection of the law and there was no evidence that they were frequently ill-treated. What few cases are brought before the courts are sharply dealt with. He did admit that some reform might be needed, "to guarantee the child's rights and those of its parents", but any changes should only be introduced gradually and with the co-operation of the leading Chinese, "whose services have never been withheld in any case having for its aim the uplifting and enlightenment of the people".3 Reaction in Hong Kong -- Mass Meeting at Tai Ping Theatre – July 1921 The Chinese elite "establishment" in Hong Kong was disturbed by the discussion in Britain of one of their long established customs. They and the Hong Kong Government were also annoyed by a letter published in the correspondence column of all four English newspapers written by Mrs. Haselwood, the wife of a Commander in the Naval Dockyard. Her husband was officially warned that unless he stopped his wife from airing the question, he would be superseded and sent home. He refused to submit and was shortly sent home where he retired on half-pay. The Haselwoods, however, continued their campaign in Britain. When the Hong Kong Government was asked to explain Commander Haselwood's early termination of service in Hong Kong, it replied that the activities of his wife were "causing annoyance to the Chinese community". The leadership of the Chinese community was sufficiently aroused by the statements being made in the English press concerning the practice that it called a mass meeting to be held at the Tai Ping Theatre in July, 1921. The meeting was convened by the two Chinese representatives on the Legislative Council, the Hon. Ho Fook, brother of Sir Robert Ho Tung and one-time compradore of Jardine, Matheson and Co., and the Hon. Mr. Lau Chu-pak, compradore of Messrs. A. S. Watson and Co. Also particularly mentioned were S. W. Tso, a solicitor, Chow Shou-son, a Hong Kong-born former official of the Chinese Government who had extensive business interests in Hong Kong, and Chau Siu-ki, shipping and insurance magnate. The theatre was crowded with about three hundred including a ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1981 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ff36bt18m 104 CARL T SMITH to prevent mui tsai from seeing the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. The fourteen member committee composed equally of members from the Protection Society and the Anti Mui Tsai Society met with the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, Mr. Hallifax, to formulate suggestions for drafting a Bill for the abolition of the mui tsai system. In June 1922 their report was sent to London with a comment by the Governor that he did not think the suggestions were an altogether satisfactory solution. The members of the Committee representing the Anti Mui Tsai Society were: Mr. Joseph Mau-lam Wong (1897 - 1869), compradore of Messrs. A. S. Watson and Co. Mr. Charles Graham Anderson (1889 – 1949), a Eurasian, manager of the International Savings Society of Hong Kong, also newspaper reporter. Ngan Kwan-yu, Government vernacular teacher of the Gap Road School later Head-master, Congregational Church Primary School, Ladder Street. Hung To-fei ― Rev. Wong Oi Tong (1888 – 1941), for forty years pastor of the Rhenish Church, Bonham Road. Dr. T.P. Woo (1878-1941), medical practitioner. Dr. Yeung Shiu-chuen (1878 – 1950), dentist. All were members of Protestant Churches. The members of the committee representing the Society for the Protection of the Mui Tsai were: Mr. M. K. Lo (later Sir Man-kam Lo) (1893 - 1959), son of a compradore of Jardine, Matheson and Co. and son-in-law of Sir Robert Ho Tung. He was a solicitor. Mr. Tsun-nin Chau (1893 – 1971), son of a shipping and insurance magnate, Chau Shiu-ki. A cousin of Sir Sik-nin Chau. By profession a barrister. Mr. Wong Kwong-tin (1879 - 1936), son of a wealthy Chinese merchant. He was a Supreme Court Interpreter when young, later Manager and Director of Kai Tack Land Investment Co., Manager of China Specie Bank, Manager of Chinese Stock Exchange, etc. A Roman Catholic. Ip Lan-chuen (1865 ...), one of founders of Chinese ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v The area is bounded to the east by King's Road, to the west by Leighton Road, to the north by Tung Lo Wan Road, and to the south by Caroline Hill Road and Cotton Path. A prospectus for the new company was issued in August 1897, with J. J. Bell-Irving of Jardines as Chairman of the Board and a capital of $1,200,000. The mill began operation on 1 June 1899 with 12,000 spindles, with an anticipated full capacity of about 50,000 spindles. The company, however, was plagued by set-backs. It closed at the end of 1910. After a time, it was revived only to be forced to close again permanently in 1914, when its machinery was removed to Shanghai and the land and buildings sold for $400,000. The purchasers were the French Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. The Order had come to Hong Kong in 1848 and located in Wanchai, where they opened the "Asile de Sainte Enfance" to receive abandoned children. As the years passed, the Wanchai location became increasingly undesirable. In 1908 the Sisters opened a Hospital in Wong Nei Chung valley. In 1914, when they bought the cotton mill premises, they converted some of the mill buildings for their own purposes and later built new and more adequate accommodation for a convent, St. Paul's Convent School, an orphanage, a hospital, and a church. The same year that Keswick transferred IL 1018 to the cotton mill, he conveyed the remaining part of the valley to Sir Robert Jardine. In time, the land came into the possession of the Government, which used it as sites for the Hong Kong Stadium, the South China Stadium, and a recreation ground. On the Caroline Hill side of the valley was a large Chinese cemetery. Gravestones and other reminders of the cemetery can still be found among the trees and underbrush. Five trustees for the Japanese Community acquired a site in So Kon Po Valley in 1911 (Inland Lot 1879). The trustees transferred the site to the Japanese Benevolent Society in 1918. In 1920, the Benevolent Society was merged with the Japanese Education Society to form the Japanese Residents Association. A plot plan of the lot shows buildings that appear to be a temple. The lot is probably the same as that now occupied by the Hong Kong Buddhist Association School. ================================================================================