1939-03-07 — Page 30

THE HONGKONG, TELEGRAPH, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1939.

Life Begins at 8:01

ONDON DRY GIK

STELLA AME BOYTILAN

Kurparked by

A. 3. WATSON À CO. L

in Aguon For Sang Kingint kan De

BURNETT'S

CELEBRATED.

LONDON

DRY GIN

“Puts in the right spirit”

you

Sole Agents:-A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.

MOUTRIE PIANOS

REALLY EXPERT OPINION

IS UNANIMOUS IN ITS CHOICE OF THE "MOUTRIE" FOR MODERN HOMES

AND MODERN PEOPLE. '

ETTER ABAN DON Hongkong! forthwith than

66 Borthwith "B

the British

HONGKONG HAS BEEN WAIT have it continue to be a INC FOR SUCH A CAR FOR liability to YEARS! WAIT AND SEE THE Crown.” STUDEBAKER CHAMPION due to arrive in Hongkong about 15th April.

30 MILES TO THE GALLON OF GASOLINE

110 inch wheel base-Easy to park.

These are strange words: to-day, but less than ninety years ago they were the war-cry of a militant group in England who were deter-

dron award wint of view I

the coloniion of Fujian

amounted to 1 in 870 Majesty's '98th Regiment lost at Hongkong, in 21 months, 257 men by death, sugg ments, it is not merely the deatha which indicate disease and a per- nicious climate; it is the great number, of men Invalided, and constantly unfit for duty. One half the men of a company are frequently unable to attend parade; out of 100 men there are

unfortunate obep tint lem been tusen.But in this and other regi- regard to cur position in China. Ma ocompation of such a qzsebed spat, hus brought great discruit upon us.

--Parliamentary Report, Mufch, 1947.

THIS WAS OLD HONGKONG

mined to

force public brought great discredit opinion to realise that this us."

85 miles per hour with excel- lent top gear performance...

was the only rational course.

They even carried their agita-

THE IDEAL CAR FOR HONGKONG.

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HONGKONG HOTEL

Stubbs Rd.

GARAGE

Phones: 27778/9

The

Hongkong Telegraph. Sung to the tune of "Hall Colum-

bia," it had as its chorus the following malediction:

The

Upson

"These morbific gases do not sometimes not more than five or arise from vegetable or animal alx fit for duty.!! decomposition, as the island does

not possess the one or the othur.

S IF NOT content with this! tion to Parliament, and the THOSE IN favour of retaining "But decomposed mineral A damning summary of Holig- the island as a Colony were substances yield an aeriform kong, its enemies sought to Independent front wheel sus- House of Commons in the early accustomed to quote the words polson, .under some circum-

part of the year 1847 was seri. of Sir John Francis Davis, the stances of a more deadly nature local climate.

paint a further picture of the pension,

Said an ox-army- ously invited to consider the second Governor of Hongkong, than those produced by either oflicer during the 'forties: abandonment of the island, be- who said: "Mark my words, of the other kingdoms of nature. cause it was causing positive in- gentlemen, Hongkong will some

"Military and naval men who jury to Britain.

"This gas does not rise more have served in Africa and India, day be the Carthage of the

than a few feet from the earth: feel the effects of the sun in The agitation voiced by the East."

it slowly mingles with the sur Hongkong in a manner never be- anti-Hongkong group was echoed

Colony's enemies at rounding atmosphere, and, when fore experienced. by the efforts of song-writers, Home, however, gave these pro- not causing immediate illness, "Even at Macao, only 10 miles who brought into existence a phetic words the veritable produces a depressing effect on west of Hongkong, Europeans number of ribald airs lampoon- "horse-laugh", and guffawed in mind and body, which under- may walk about the whole day ing "the barren rock 'way out in reply:

mines and destroys the strong in the month of July, when to that if Chiney," predicting

"Of course, Sir John Davis is est constitution."

do so at Hongkong would be at- Hongkong were not abandoned, an old China hand... he's been

tended with almost certain * then Heaven would see to it that out in the East so long that the

death... it turned out to be of no earthly tropical sun. has affected THE REPORT of the Surveyor- "The Chinese deem it a dan advantage to the possessor. his head. He ought to know General to the Home Govern- gerous experiment to prolong One of these ditties, strange- better in any case, it is ment on August 25, 1848 was their abode in the island beyond ly enough, was written by a impossible to raise revenue from likewise held up as eloquent tos- a certain time. They have ever pirate convict in Victoria Gaol. such a place.

timony to the effect that Hong- viewed Hongkong as Injurious "The endeavour to squeeze as kong as a Colony was a dis- to health and fatal to life.

"The Europeans who survivo much as possible out of a poor astrous experiment.

a brief residence in this climate, settlement struggling

neces- This official was quoted 11H sarily causes irritation.

saying: "The number of inter- generally get a lassitude of an irritability of "How is one going to raise a ments has been so great (in the frame, and revenue when there is not one European graveyard at Wan- fibre, which destroys the spring A blessing 'twill be to each respectable Chinese inhabitant chai, which was abandoned in of existence. A malign in- in the island, and never has the sixties) that the enclosure fluence operates on the system nation

all been? Indeed, no respectable is almost full, and the hill be in a most distressing manner, Chinese will live at Hongkong." hind it so rocky that it is im- which is not removed by a re- possible to dig into it, therefore turn to Europe; on the contrary, *

ere long it will be necessary to the sufferers frequently die in nerable from the air, and the IT SEEMS absurd to modern wisdom of the present methods of renders that there were

HO IN ORDER to force the issue, provide another place. But it England soon after their arri-

will be difficult to select another val," dealing with defence from alr at-many people so rabidly opposed the clique of malcontents in cemetery, on account of the tuck is seriously open to question. to possession of the Colony. England, who were determined rocky and uneven nature of the

An exhibition which is to open

However, that was apparently that the Government should be island."

FATE, however, decreed that the Colony which was once at the Peninsula Hotel to-morrow the normal state in the late made to rectify its "mistake" in

60 widely and thoroughly will not lessen the disquiet that has forties and early 'fifties, and regard to the selection of Hong-

maligned should be retained as a been Ltd.

Himmering in the public some of those afflicted with kong, would quote statements

the dis

British possession, and that the mind. Experience in A city "Hongkongphobia" attained for from those who had been out

gruntled element in obvi- quondam straggling settlement less than a hundred miles away a time considerable notoriety here, when the Colony was ous glee, "if they can't find an- of Victoria, built along Queen's Chater, Road,

from this Colony has shown that in and a large following.

founded, and they singled out other spot to bury in, would it Road, should

expand, and be- thickly populated areas deep shel- Imagine some one nowadays the climate to prove their case, not be the best thing for Gov- come the vast city that it is to- ters are the only certain defence making a statement such as this

The following is a description ernment to adopt our policy day, thereby fulfilling the ardent ngainst bombs. Where deep shel-nment the Colony in which we of the rainy season of Hong- and abandon the blessed place hopes of its founders, who so kong, taken from the pen of a

THE NEW "MINIATURE" FITS INTO THE SMALLER HOME WITHOUT

EITHER DWARFING THE REST

THE FURNISHINGS OR ITSELF LOOKING A "MINIATURE"

OF

AND IN USE IT IS A BIG PIANO;

"RESONANT. IN TONE" "RESPONSIVE IN TOUCH"

CALL AND INSPECT THIS NEW MODEL

Co.,

S. MOUTRIE &

York Building

DON'T FAIL TO SEE

WARRENS' A. R. P.

MODELS & EQUIPMENT

AT THE

A. R. P.

EXHIBITION

AT THE

PENINSULA HOTEL

C. E. WARREN & CO., LTD.

St. George's Building

Hongkong.

Count the "TELEGRAPHS“

everywhere

Wyndham St., Hongkong

'Phone 26615 March 7, 1939

We Must have Them

HONGKONG, by an accident of

ters

geography, is peculiarly vul-

"Some day p'raps earthquakes, her foundation

Will shake to its deep base in the sea

When she's crush'i to Eternity."

23 2 47

*

"CEE,"

chortled

☆

are not used, as in

China, live:

fervently declared that. "some casualties have been henvy. In Spain, and particularly Barcelona, of my life to the investigation of 1844:

"Besides," they added, as they day, Hongkong would contain a "I have devoted twenty years man who left the Colony in lock, stock, and barrel.'

solemnly shook their heads, "the population equal to that of an- where subterranean shelters were the Colonica of England," said

towards the end of destruction of life since our cient Rome, and, moreover, constructed, casualties were re-Mr. Robert Montgomery Martin, May, and throughout June, July, occupation of Hongkong has would be the Tyre of the Fay duced to almost nil and the danger H. M. Treasurer for the Colonial and August, and part of Sep- been so enormous, of pante was eliminated.

and Consular Service in China, tember, the rain descends in tor--"Last year (1843) the deaths- Hongkong's geographical position speaking in March 1847 to the rents, with a force of continu-

East."

makes this Colony the most vulner-Parliamentary Committee of the ance, such as is never seen in among the troops in the island T. Paul Gregory

of British Empire] House

ONE-EYED

able part of the

Commons.

Australasia, or "An India, Africa, In the event of war in the Pacific examination of Hongkong in its any other part of the world.

The clouds pour down one Involving Britain. But our topo- most favourable aspect, induces

vast sheet of water, washing graphy makes it possible for us to me to entertain the opinion... purchase comparative immunity for that Hongkong will never be away hills and rocks, surround almost the entire population at a come a commercial depot; that ing the island with deep ravines, fraction of the cost to cities which it is unsuitable for a Colony by and saturating the soft, porous, hook, line and sinker. have no hills into which tunnels reason of its rocky site and bar- putrescent strata, to the extent

can be burrowed.

I

SWALLOWMED the bait...!

SAM By N. B. W.

AM'S excellent English, coupled demeanour. with his general

Our initial encounter occurred ren structure, and incapable of of many feet, with dally renewed when exercising a yapping producing food for one day for moisture.

terrier on the waste ground Hongkong has been too near its inhabitants; ... and from "In the intervals of rain, a backing the flats, to aerial warfare to delude itself every point of view I consider nearly vertical aun acts with an

There he was. 'sploshing about that the existing Air Raid precau- the selection of Hongkong as the intense evaporative power, and bare-footed in the dirty puddled

clad, bluc with tions are by any means adequate. most unfortunate step that has a noxious steam or vapour arises mire, scantily We have seen a succession of vast been taken with regard to our from the foetid soil, yielding cold and misery in the drizzling icy rain of a Hongkong February at and intensive air bombardments position in China. The occupa- gases of a most sickly and de- worst, the blustering wind even in his pitiable and insuficient rage, seemed to point to possibilities shocking and devastating in their tion of such a wretched spot has terious nature

sweeps that dreary, seemingly end for redemption from his apperent. less, road searching into every woes. effcct less than a hundred miles

cravice of even my comparatively At the time needing a house-Coally from our own city; we have had

I pondered upon the feasibility. of living men and women torn and

One bleary eye regarded me with creating for one at least a far, far- mangled even in our own territory.

what I took to be, anxious entreaty; better work, cramly giving no the other was roughly swathed in thought to what might be Sam's own Our weakness lies in our un-

filthy cotton, his fleshless paw-grasp-ideas of aggrandisement. educated population, and our

Ing a bottle of lotion.

Eventually I took him upstairs, enemy's advantage will surely ile in attempting to smash the moralo of those people. Only one thing can prevent any threat to that morale and that is the knowledge by. the masses that real security lies : our Colony.

Given thai-deep shelters can give it: shallow makeshifts certainly Gunnot-there is no reason why Hongkong should not be as safe as eilles a thousand miles further from the

of

Besides, confjet. common humanity and the need to prolect

even our humblest citizen from unnecessary shock and suffer- ing dictate that we should adopt the most effective method of defence.

scent

The Only Way

FOR

י

OR THE thickly populated, vul- nerable areas the deep shelter is the only safe defence. In Hongkong we are fortunate that, we can dig horizontally into mountain-sides. in- stend of vertically into the bowels of the earth for shelter.

Government is calling for thous sands of volunteers to man the vari bus passive defence forces that are being formed in this Colony, Volun- teers should demand, as a cuid pro quo, that Government seriously take into hand this question of tunnels, in order to give safeguards for worden and children that all the auxiliary fire-fighters, decontamination"-squads; auxiliary nurses and other vohmlary organisations will not be able to pro-

GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

well-clothed anatomy,

A graying, bent old figure, he told showed him round (sleeping quar- me In almost faultless Englah that ters, etc..) and foolishly disregarded he had been tallor, that failing the scowls of the already existing eyesight had lost him his job, and domestle.

could I do this or could I do that?

Given $10, he was shooed out to

I did that, whereby I seemed to get a bath "chop-chop" and decently tave provided myself with a pen-it himself out,

loner but not for life os Uing turned out.

SAM MADE it his business to dis-

eover the hours of my going out and my coming-in, and stationed himself at the entrance to the Gats

And 'ten cents became his daily portion:

No doubt the sequel has been fore- seen. Sam lavanted. Wonder at the mentality which could spurn de- cent security in favour of a squnili and miserable semi-existence was mingled with despondency at my failure in "playing God" and the breakdown at my fancled talent in. the devination of character. My

And I could but smile ruefully at It was (unworthily but naturally) some comfort to me later on that his the "Of course!" and the "I told you. damaged eye was really a genuine sol" attitudes of my obviously, more

diwerning friends, affiction."

I sent him to hospital, whence he returned cleanly and expertly band-

of

SERIES small-hour burglaries aged and hugging a new bottle of incensed the occupants of the medicament.

blocke, scarcely a tenant who had not.

Where he ilved between the haunt-suffered. MAN WARN

ing of my doorstep I had no idea. It was patent that the Intruder The first Inkling of things being entered via the flat roof, a tour of rather other than they seemed nap-inspection revealing, neatlystowed pened one day when I caught, alght away beneath the water-tanks, an of Sam (on the bther side, of the admirably complete equipment ef. Harbour) much better trim and good, stout ship's, roping a comfort

hanced

in animated, not to say, bollgerent ablo, well-made awing sentema conversation with a mob of not too shipshape and Bristol fashion prepossessing-looking Individuals This paraphernalia was. not of the coolle or beggne type, and over to the pollco the nightly dificult to place. However, my perviallations continued. ceptive faculties. Veing mill dormant, A further tour, unearthe I procured through a kindly-hearted replaced apparatus. Probably Chinese mediçal - frietid <a. felterior ed during the day to ber tale admisión to un efficientlyä adminilos | në gishti,

V

*(Continued:on Parti

tored hospital-love's Labour:3563"se “Omcinis, questioned:

will appears”

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