1938-08-08 — Page 6

6 THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPII, MONDAY, August 8, 1938.

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THE approaching centonary of this Colony three years hence seems pecu- liarly appropriate for delving into the half-forgotten history of an carlier day. The occasion is even more fitting on account of the phono- Hydraulic menal progress accomplished within the period of less than a century; for within some nine decades this Island which was once described as "an arid, thefotid, broiling spot" has been so marvellously transformed that it now

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Although Hongkong has been described time and again in either terms of the most cloying praise or of the most vitriolic abuse, scarcely any one has attempted to show "why Hongkong should not be a success," unless it was Mr. Charles Henry Sirr, an English barrister who came out to the Colony in 1844, and left it four years later was alleged to have bluntly stated, "to rather die a in disgust preferring, as he pauper in any other part of the world than to become wealthy and be compelled to leave his hones in Hongkong.”

Hongkong Telegraph.day estimates, however, he was sadly lacking in vision.

MONDAY, AUGUST H LAIN

BRITAIN AIR-RAID

CONSCIOUS

INAUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS

1t 1

ה!

these,

extent

und

western

paris

m

VALLEY OF DEATH

**Wongeletiong, of Happy Valley,

Eve waters meet

The

with

By T. PAUL GREGORY

The

uver

Those who complain of the high cost of living in the Colony will be

amazed that this was an identical ment. The rent ramp was even then

grievance in the first years of settle-

corded by more than one resident of

rently in existence; for it in re- that day that a "decent dwelling"

cost $150 Spanish Currency per month, whilst even a moderate alzed one was let at what was then regarded as an a month. "etiornious rental"--$60 Prices for foodstuffs, however, were

considered especially dear and were in the light of to-day's charges, much more expensive than even now, as

fur the most part. It we view them

for instance:

to

"English bacon, one Rupee to balf

a dollar per 1. Ham, from 1s to Za per lb.

une Rupee cheese. ('besture

half a dollar per b. Dutch cheese, 19/8d to 2s per . Hufler, 2 per f

Mutton, 18/6ct to 2s per ib.

"ABOMINABLE BEEF"

to

the

Is

Of course, Mr. Sirr was an inexact impressionist, and al- though he departed from here to experience what historians say was certainly a chequered career in the Government service in which might with more propriety be

In present illed the valley of death, 15 Ceylon, he was apparently honest in his convictions.

Like most picturesque part of the Island; The beef sold in the markets of be stated to cascade, sellets tash down from the the

Voloty WA. the East,

the and grey ne-worn cocks, meander

was and

price many others who have sojourned in this portion of

"abominable through The early either before or since, Mr. Sirr felt that it was his express duty am

is dear as that prevailing in to write a book detailing his impressions, and so accordingly he valley, ant

it England. Bread, too, was expensive, Trom fragments of although there were in existence, a published in London in 1849, a two volume work entitled "China theat

Character, Customs. and cock which acts an nature's dams or

number of bakeries which catered and the

Their Religion. Chinese:

lock. arturandate and accumulate, to the loent demand.

Wines and Manufactures,"

overflow and

opposing spirits, however, were much cheaper they dash down and in the harbour of Viclorin, within obstacles,

111 than they were at Home, and writers stream of white creamy foam. The of the day rather gloried in the fact; IN

of Hongkong in sight of our men of war description

"A road extends from the east to Chutes calfivate these barren rocks, for in view of the impalatable water To thon who profeas the doc-

The year that he sailed for more

The west point, the whole length of exrtying up earth to form terraces, and the lamentable lack of sanitation, especially

hurber and throughout the mantelng and irrigating the artifeind the trines of the "Prince of Pence" | hospitable

Juler of the vine and grain, th searrely con- whole

houses many

and rail, from which they procured paddy afforded, whether for good or ill, the interesting

nf excellence rter, wat the exquisite, bright beverage the piling up of armaments and

cevable that ou present ourishing commediosa dwellings, Godens, or or

and private whurved brilhant green of the growing paddy majority of the foreign community. the spectacle of two bloody wars colony

and as modern metropolis Warehouses,

Some of the author's statements, Government to the aged rocks; pleasing alike to in two hemispheres are far from should have had such inauspicious Ive been built by the merchants; presented a most beautiful contrast

with together alore-hpuses, barracks, an hospital, the artist or admirer of the hundworks areover, seem in the light of modern heartening.

It is apparent that beginnings

and a club house, all bear honourable of bounteous nature.--Alas! sickness conditions, almost improbable, as for every effort is being employed

to English perseverence, and death lurk amidst this picturesque example, when he says: "Hongkong is one that cluster of testimony

The extreme wenery; for the exhalations arising

"Animals as well as human beings to make people more and more londs, called by the Portuguese the industry, and enerity

of from the waters produce fever and

cannot endure the insalubrity of "war-minded." and

the conse

Ladrones, or Piratical Islands, and Custern

Victoria are composed uf Chinese ague, which too frequently terminate Hongkong: horses which are imported quences of this extensive propa- | un

a barren region, which although

from India, the Cape of Good Hope, eultivated ira the fin

parls runy

or Australla, are frequently, and gunda may be onerous

too often die, and the climate extreme. There is, however, in persevering industry by the Chinese

fatal peculiarly

thoroughbred Inhabitants, scarcely repays

The only living spite of all the constant en-

for his labour, DS streets and bazaars, where merchan- tally, and some Inhabitants attracted English dogs. agriculturalist deavour of certain nations to

thrive Ln this dise and curiosities essentially Chinese ay the beauty of the scenery, erected creatures which appear to defy the vegetation will not glurify war as an instrument of

kisalubrious colonial possession of are to be found, as well as those of some apparently desirable residences, climate, are vermin of every descrip- or manufacture. The suevessive inhabitants of cuch of tion; these thrive and multiply to the national policy, a very encourag- the British. A rocky sterile moun- European origin

are distributed them were seized with fever and died, ruin and destruction of every des- the Island, but Ch'ek-chu, a The goodly dwellings are now alt cription of property." ing note in the active prepara-tain rises from the shore, the height Some few villages

Nature lavers, too, will he shocked tions being planned and execut-of which is 1,000 to 2,000 feet at the military station on the southern side, deserted and falling into decay; doors

rank hinges, whilst ed by Britain to counter-act the level of the sea, on whose side the is the largest, the population of which and venetian blinds are dropping off to learn that "the cheerful note of dense a singing bird, in the full' enjoyment menace of threatened attack, town of Victoria is built, where houses does not amount to seventeen hun- their

of every variety of form have sprung dred. Sal-wan, a smaller village on tropical weeds are springing up in of existence, is never heard in Hong- No longer can she depend upon

the cutting acnsc of station and sanitorium for our troops, gardens;

as imprisoned pets, never glad the ings, Interspersed with detached and the native population of which does desolation and despair, which flickers car.

the before the mental vision of girt coast and her powerful fleet, enclosed villas, where lately revelled not amount to five hundred."

In short, this early resident of the but must anticipate the adventue

Happy Valley, inoreover, which is spectator, is overpowering, when he of an enemy from another quar-poisonous centipede. The Island has now so greatly favoured as a residen- Kazes on those tenantless dwellings. Colony was not only a convinced repute by the tlat district was in the early days The mind reverts to the occupants pessimist, but unfortunately, a most ter-the air. Consequently, been held in

ment if he were permitted to see for mock air raids of such a scale Chinese nation from time inmemorial, of the Colony a far from ideal locality, who arrived in this distant clime full pronounced "calamity howler." One

then a subject of remark. But let now?-Tenants of the cold as were carried out on Friday to one most unhealthy, and for being although its natural beauty was even of health and hape. Where are they could scarcely conceive his astonish the resort of pirates, thieves, and Mr. Sirr give his impressions and where no kindred dust commingles Himself the splendours of this great are most opportune; for now is

desperate characters of every des- then let us compare that populous with their own, their earthly remains commercial emporium as it is some devoured, by the disgusting ninety years subsequently from the

date that he wrote these lines: lund crab." the time to bring home to the cription; and when taken possession section as it is to-day with what it being

was at the time when he saw it;

"We deem it a duty that we owa people the lessons of modern of by us, the whole population was

our fellow man to speak honestly consisting warfare as exemplified by the under eight thousand,

and plainly of the insalubrity of China powerful bomber and its cargo principally of this described class; GRIN AND BEAR IT of death. It is not enough to and although many have left, still depend upon the despatches from the insecurity of property in Hong- Spain and China to arouse the kong is proverbial, and daring acts of piracy occur continually near to, population to consider for itself the necessity of adequate pro- tection if and when hostilities

China will be enhanced occur. That time will be too late; for in these days when hundred-fold, and in order to formidable with such cope there is an obvious disintegra-

weapons of offence, it is impera- tion of international morality, a

tive that adequate measures be possible enemy might not wait

taken. The splendid efforts for the formalitles of declaring that a state of war exists, but being expended by the British would actually send its fleet of Government in order to accom- bombing planes to deliver aplish this herculean task call for the highest praise. What is "knock-out blow" without warn- ing. Those who aver that such more, the initiation of such prac- tical demonstrations as mock air a contingency is improbable, need only to turn to the "unraids, "black outs," the training of anti-aircraft gun crews, and declared war" that has been raging in the Far East more the like will go a long way to than a year.

the natural boundary of her sen-up, with continuous ranges of build. the east, is also occupied as a military what had been Inid out as flower kong, and the liquid notes, except

venomous

serpent

ard the

♫

assure that in case of emer- gency, the population will react without fear of panic, and thus

It is an undisputed fact that all wars of the future will be nullify what to the enemy would fought largely in the air. The be the greatest desideratum-- prominent part played by the collapse of civilian morale.--- bomber squadrons in Spain and T.P.G.

grave,

By Lichty generaily, but especially of Hong-

"I said low bridge', very' distinctly, Lady! And now.my duty

is done!

UG

kong: for bad we but one sincere Irlend, who would have told us the honest truth concerning that charnel house Hongkong, not all the wealth of the East would have Jured hither, Many who have expended much capital in improvements upon the Island, endeavour, naturally possibly...but assuredly, knowing what they do of the unhealthiness of the Island, most unfairly, to in- ercase the number of colonists by | mis-representation—hence the local press, under their influence, never reveal one tithe of the deaths which

OCCUF.

"If any man; therefore, be a mind to visit China, for curiosity; let him turn his time and his money to better account. If any man be inclined to

It by the love of gain, lot him thinke that health is better than wealth; and if any unfortunate enlisted in either of Her Majesty's services bo com- pelled to come, by duty, just let him have a stout heart and ‘a lively faith In God's mercy,' which latter may spare him to curse the place, as it has done the writer of these few lines; and If, after his term of service here, he leaves it for a moro hospitable shore, after having ex- caped fevers and typhoons, he may any and think, to himself that vorlly Providence has watched over him." -Hongkong, Sept. 26, 1048.