1939-02-04 — Page 9

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A CENTURY OF ADMINISTRATION IN HONGKONG: GOVERNORS WHO HAVE GUIDED

THE HISTORY of Hongkong is well illustrated in the succession of its Governors, and especially of those in the last century; for it was during this period that the most rapid progress was made, and the Colony itself rose to the poai- tion of the highest importance. What is more, the story of the various gubernatorial regimes on these shores constitutes an epoch in the annals of colonial administration, which

will re- main forever as one of the most remarkable chapters in the his- tory of Britain's imperial policy.

SIR HENRY POTTINGER Nol reckoning Captain Charles Elliot, who was in charge for only a few months, the first of Hongkong's Governors was Sir Henry Pottinger. To his enterprise and foresight the greatness of the modern Colony owes much; for in less than Qree years he had achieved the miracle of trans- bafren rock thio the

of a flourishing community, What was more, he turned his nt- tention every phase of the infant Colony's problems.

and was Moses, it remaritable combination of

builder, law-giver, and ad

ministrator.

like

Sir Henry's departure from Houg kong in June, 1844, was probably Owing to the

fact thin while the Home Government recognised that he was a military genius, it discounted his abilities as Guvernor, and felt that the man for that post should be

n Chinese scholar so that he might reconcile the Chinese inhabitants to the novelties of foreign rule.

SIR JOHN DAVIS

Thus, it was decided to replace him by an official who was an "old China hand," and l his way some-

SIR HENRY POTTINGER

thing of a sinologue-Sir John Davis, the Chief Superintendent of Trade of the former East India

Company's "Iactory" at Canton.

Notwithstanding his immense re- putation

as one who knew the East, the cholec was particularly un- fortunate;

for he was a man who wa ruthlessly aristocratie in his point of view, and therefore in no position to Judge the public mind, or administer to the needs and desires of the com- whole. Indeed, Sir munity as John's long service as the head of the East India Company's hong had rendered him totally unsympathetic to the wishes of the ordinary traders,

L

SIR JOHN DAVIS

the settlers of carly Hongkong. His administration was therefore a series of faux pas which resulted in alarm- ing not only the European residents but also the Chinese whom he

wus supposed to conciliate.

One example

of Sir John's ignorance or disregard

of his subjects Is Illustrated In the

Ordinance pussed on August 21, 1844, designed to control the influx into the Colony of undesirable

aliens, adventurers, etc. However laudabic the intention of the Icg slation, it was from the first regarded with the ut most dismay and even consternation on the part of the settlers, who rose up In wrathful indignution

"feeling

that their personal self-respect, their national honour, their individual ilberty were being trampled under- foot even more ruthlessly then in the days of the

bondage in Con-

ton.

The European

residents assem- bled and in the first public meeting ever held in Hongkong prepared petition to the Governor on October 28, 1044. Meanwhile, the Chinese populace took alarm and in protest #general strike two days later, as paralysing and effective in its way as that of 1922, which sidents still remo

with any- remember thing

but happy

feelings. disastrous state of affairs was recti- fed by the Governor backing down, and the unfortunate Ordinance was modified and emasculated that it no longer offended the sensibilities of the local community.

The man

marlinet ideas of Sir John Davis, however, continued to offend the settlers, and the general consensus of opinion at the time was "what might have been a happy and flourishing Colony was a Hell on earth."

so

SIR JOHN BONHAM

and to him fell the unenviable task of righting all the inistakes of his pre- decessor, and the restoration of harmonious relationship between the i residents of the Colony and The colonial administration. This proved to be a herculean task, but Sir George proved to be so diplomalle that he became as well liked ns His pre- decessor way hated.

Sir George Bonham especially dis- Unguished himself by his genuine Interest in the prisoners convicted by the local Courts. He personally re- viewed the sentences of each, and if he thought there was any indication of bla or injustice whatsoever, he forthwith exercised his prerogative to alter the judicial verdiet.

.

·by·

T. Paul

GREGORY

although his methods have been con- demned by later Governors, notably Sir John Pope Hennessy, as cruel and even heartless, they were effective in condition which was remedying a

the

SIR JOHN BOWRING This humaniturion administrator was followed in April 1854 by per- haps the most learned man who has ever been on these shores-Sir John Bowring Few men have been more truly versatile than this Hongkong Governor; for he was not only "anto economist of reputation, a merit (some of his hymas being still incorporated in Church hymnaries), a profound scholar, a literary genfus, but also a linguist of remarkable able talent

speaking, it is said, no Irss

languages." twenty personality, however, was too much of a savant to be popular with the hard-boiled community of that day, consisting of merchants, sailors, nd- venturers, beachcombers, and ne'er- do-wells. Consequently, we find that his administration was in its way even mare unpopular than that of Sir John Davis, and his efforts to

th

SIR JOHN BONHAM

OUR DESTINIES

estimated that nearly 100,000 left during 1894, and a quarter of that number two years later at the time of the second visitation.

SIR HENRY BLAKE

by another popular Governor-Sir Sir William Robinson was followed Henry Arthur Blake. His sympathy

the, eightles-when the Home Rule ngitation was at its height-there- fore thought of himself more as an Irish patriot than as an English colonial administrator. He hind. morcover, the spirit of a reformer, and as might be expected, he was not any lou popular in Hongkong. especially when he saw need for the institution of changes in the penal system of the Colony. Whereas, Sir with and interest in the Chinese re- Richard Graves MacDonnell had be-sidents of the Colony won him their lleved in

to reduce severe penalties crime, Governor Hennessy decided that the provisions on the Statute Books were much too harsh, and were therefore in need of con

consider alling. Hongkong and, since conviction that the remedy of crime

He able revision.. was firm in his

by accomplished 10 work for the

criminal, rather than by Imposing severe punish- ments. The publie min of

did not take kindly to

Governor's radical ideas, but regardless of opposition, Sir John gained most of his points, and his views on the treatment of prisoners have been largely accepted and corporated in subsequent legis-

The

it.

how..

of Sir Hercules Robinson, become

more than

ever the rendezvous DC the criminal classes of Chinese from the malniond. A crime was 44 ኒግ of enormous proportims had set in, and it required Governor MacDonnell's uncompromising spirit to cope with After he had successfully curbed the crime wave, he turned his attention

Ure suppression

of licensed the police force. poet of cambling and the reorganisation of ever, did not prove to be as satisfac- tory as he had hoped; for as soon as the licensed system was abolished, gambling at once broke out in the form of illicit groups, which from the way they were spread Colony were exceedingly difficult to the over defect, and even more so, to control. The reorganisation of the police was more successful, and resulted in bringing the force into line with similar bodies at Horne, with the con- on the part of its members. sequent raising of probity and morale arduous nature of his inbours in the Colony, however, proved a serious strain on the Governor's constitution. and he left Hongkong in impaired health.

Such

The

more

The

in

SIR ARTHUR KENNEDY fis succes sur was Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, who arrived in the Colony On April 16, 1872. He Was much

liberal his sentiments than his predeces- sur, and did not altogether approve of the harsh polley adopted by Sir Richard to suppress crime. What he thought should have been done, was to institute prison reform, and this policy is inter carried out by Sir John Pope Hennessy. Sir Arthur, however, knew his public, and realis ed that the chances of enforcing a complete overhaul of penal problems was, under the circumstances, ex- ceedingly slight, nevertheless he did all that was humanly possible.

The greatest accomplishment of his regime was to complete the policy of conelllation which had been be This conciliate the Chinese inhabitants

gun by Sir John Davis forty years were about as widely misunderstood of the Chinese community to Gov- before by inviting the representatives by the foreign community.

ernment House,

discuss their pro- atlitude of the settlers was perhaps blems with him. At time, this

the natural; for Sir John Bowring, al- was regarded as on extremely bold though he was an undoubted scholar, step, but subsequent events proved was a "wash-out" as an administrator, the wisdom of the policy; for by this and permitted the most scandalous one act alone he did more to foster state of corruption, graft and infamy tolerance and mutual self-respect, to exist in official circles, so that the than had been accomplished by the Colony became a synonym for mal-

cfforts of previous administrators. administration the world over. How- It is not too much to say, that the ever, well-intentioned he had been, splendid spirit of co-operation which the

of his sojourn, went good

now exists between the Chinese and entirely over-shadowed by the evlis

Sir John Davis was succeeded in

and these constituted the majority of March 1848 by Sir George Bonham,

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of a triumvirate of Individuals who were tampering with justice and milking the Colony to the utmost of their ability. In fact, these men so besmirched the name of Hongkong that the regime of Sir John Bowring became Infamous in British colonial history.

hla

SIR HERCULES ROBINSON

The next Governor WIS Sir Hereules Robinsort, who was express- ly sent out from Hone to correct the evlis accruing from the regime of predecessor. Although he was per haps not exactly flattered by his nomination as the successor to Sir Jolin Bowring, he was not a man to be appalled at the magnitude of his task; ho began by setting up monumental Civil Service Abuses Enquiry that knocked the wind out of the sails of the coterie of grafters who

were prostituting their oflees for 1 the Fake

of lining their

The residents

Their pockets. were delighted i the

courageous attitude of such a lender. and the years of his administration saw the Colony advance by leaps and bounds.

SIR JOHN HENNESSY

foreign communities in the Colony.

SIR JOHN HENNESSY

was best

c of the

kation.

the

en-

George

SIR GEORGE BOWEN

Ferguson Bowen was alo Irish, and

The next Governor, Sir

he continued in office un 1087. His career in the Colony was especi- ally noted for the intense struggle waged by the now potent reforming element of the community against the formidable forces of organised vice. The Governor's personal at- titude towards prostitution is not very clear, but the reformers were successful, and the erstwhile licensed

SIR WILLIAM DES VOEUX

SIR WILLIAM ROBINSON

lasting esteem. During his regime, like that of his predecessor, Hong- kong experienced some epochal events. An exceptionally important event in the history of the Far East occurred in 1899; for in that year a Convenilon WIS signed with the Chinese Government for the exten-

sion of British control on the main- land by which some 360 square miles of land and water were leased to the Crown

for a

a period

of 09

yeurs, Another important occurrence which assumed cataclysmic proportions was

the Boxer Rebellion of 1000, which proved a very trying time for the Cetony, as it became the

baso

whence troops from many lands were despatcher! to

North China. The confidence and general morale of the public were strengthened immensely by the sane judgment of Sir Henry, who was unperturbed by the unti- foreign agitation of the misguided Boxers and their supporters at the Imperini Court.

SIR MATTHEW NATHAN

on

The successor to Sir Henry Blake was that able Jewish administrator -Sir Matthew Nathan, the only Governor of his race who has so far served in Hongkong. His arrival in the Calony on July 20, 1994, was the "red light district" was suppressed, to be almost immediately followed mencement of a regime which saw the further enhancement of the by an equally Insidious menace of Colony's greatness. The work

brothels in sections of the city the Kowloon-Cunton Railway-long sly where nene had been before. The delayed in initiation and construc- brazca

street-walker became for a tlon-was finally begun, and Sir time an unpleasant aspect of night Matthew's name will ever be asso- life, until outraged public decency clated with this road of steel which restored the older

which older system mained in vogue until quite recent years, when another generation of reformers attempted to solve the problem of this ancient evil by the same means as that so unsuccessfully followed in the 'eighties.

rest

IC-

SIR WILLIAM DES VOEUX His successor, Sir William Des Voeux, was a man noted for his honesty, sincerity, and earnestness the ideal combination of virtues for a colonial administrator. His carcer in Hongkong, however, was greatly handicapped by ill health, and he was forced to leave before the com- pletion of his term of office. During his brief sojourn, he conducted the ceremony of the Peak

which did much for the

future greatness of the Colony, as it opened The Peak-the healthiest scellon of the Island-to residents and thus removed the principal dis- advantages due to ellmatle condition which existed in the settlement's past.

SIR WILLIAM ROBINSON

His departure in March, 1890, was followed by the arrival of one of the most popular Governors of the last century-Gir William Robinson. The seven years of his administra- tion saw Hongkong a Colony arrived at its full maturity, and Victoria a metropolis with a population which had grown from naught to over 380,- 000,

Was not some of

The community felt the is due in no small measure to the deepest regret when he left for Home efforts of this for-seeing Governor of on March 15, 1005; for it realised Hongkong's past. that with his departure. Hongkong had lost not only an efficient ruler, but also a well foved friend,

His successor was Sir John Pope| SIR RICHARD MACDONNELL tennessy, who arrived in the Colony on April 22, 1877. Although he has Sir Hercules Robinson was succeed been styled the Irish Governor" he ed by another energetic administrator was not the only son of the Emerald Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell. Inle to occupy the gubernatorial He was so conscientious, arm, and chair. In fact, more than half of the most serious financial de- business-like in Bin gubernatorial Hongkong's administrators have been policy tint, he endeared himself to Irishmen; Sir John Pope Hennay the public. The high-lights of his was perhaps more conscious of his bdministration, contred upon his Irish blood than the others. He re- efforts at crime suppression, and presented the typical Irish liberal of

without incident. Indeed,

His regime, however, the weldillest events in local annals occurred during his sojourn, ranging

experienced, to pression that the Colony has ever dread bubonic plague which for a outbreak~~of the

time caused great interruption to of lade numbers for s export trade and a lampornrizeRodia)

CZEISS

IKON

has been aptly called "the Hongkong Railway Terminus of the Trans- Siberian Grand Trunk Line connect- ing East and West."

SIR FREDERICK LUGARD

Upon Governor Nathan being un- expectedly transferred to the Gov- ernorship of Natul in April 1807, was succeeded by Sir Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, who arrived in the Colony, on July 28, 1007. Sir Frederick proved himself to be an administrator of great

tenacity of purpose, devoted to the duties and the responsibilities of his high posi- tion. He was no idler In once, but an Empire. Builder of wide experi ence. He realised that one of the 'crying needs of the growing world port was the creation of advanced educational facilities, and the splen- did Hongkong University remains as a monument to his foresight and en- terprise.

SIR HENRY MAY

Succeeding Sir Frederick Lugard was another brilliant administrator -Sir Francis Henry Muy. His career was perhaps unique; for he was a man who had spent over thirty years in the Colony, rising from a Cadet in the Foreign Service to the position of Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief of Hongkong. Dur- lug is long sojourn In the Colony, he had lied almost every adminis trative post in the local Government,

SIR MATTHEW NATHAN

and had gained a fund of experience which served him well as a colonial administrator. His regime of seven years was noted for steady progress, and as a "wartime" Governor, us far-sighted polley created a feeling of

(Continued on Page 3.)

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