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RESIDENCE ON THE HEIGHTS AND THE MILITARY ACQUISITION OF VICTORIA PEAK.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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shut off by overshadowing hills from the eastern breeze and the morning sun are, other things being equal, less healthy than those in which the contrary condition prevails. Dr. DOBERCK in one of his reports wrote: Hongkong is situated within the region of the north-east trade, which "further out in the Pacific reigns supreme "all the year round, but under the influence "of the Asiatic continent an annual varia "tion of the direction of the wind originates. During the winter the direction of the monsoon coincides with that of the trade, and we find
that during seven "months of the year (from September to "March inclusive) the mean direction of "the wind is from east or north of east..
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Mount Austin Hotel The purchase of the by the War Office and the prospective acquisition of the whole of Victoria Peak for military purposes materially limits the residential area available for the civilian community in the Hill District. There can, however, be no doubt as to the wisdom dis- played by the military authorities in this matter. Not only does Victoria Peak afford the healthiest site for barracks that could be" found in the whole colony, but it is also the most advantageons military position, ad- mitting of the troops being speedily brought into action either on the north or south side of the island as circumstances might require. It is probable, therefore, that in course of time the bulk of the garrison will be located there, communication with the town being faci- litated by another Peak tramway, constructed and operated by the military for military use only, as the capacity of the existing tramway is insufficient for the conveyance of troops in addition to the ordinary traffic. The expenditure incurred in the purchase of Mount Austin Hotel and to be incurred in the purchase of other property in the immediate neighbourhood will presumably be divided between the Imperial Government and the colony in the proportion of two- thirds by the former and one-third by the latter, in accordance with the principle laid down in the Secretary of State's despatch on barrack services dated 3rd April, 1895. That division applied specifically to an annexed schedule of barrack services set down as re- quired at that time, but it will no doubt be extended to the present case.
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[June 3, 1897,
either as curtains or as trimmings of dress. "In either form it is quite a novelty in “Chinese household, and though here and there a few purchasers may be found among those that imitate foreign style, the "time is far distant when there will be a purely Chinese demand for Nottingham lace
Mr. TRATMAN, of Chungking,
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who has perhaps a more observant eye for details of ladies dress, conveys rather a different impression. This gentleman writes as follows:-"The fashion of trimming
native female costume with lace, which so prevalent in Shanghai, has not yet "shown itself to any great extent in these "far-off regions, but signs are not wanting "that a change in this respect may be looked "for. Hitherto the import has been so
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"Dnring the other five months the direction is south of east, but the easterly direction predominates over the westerly except during one month, August, when the "direction is south by west." Hence. the importance of selecting for dwelling houses sites that are open to the easterly breeze. The question of exposure to the morning sun is probably scarcely less, im- portant. Any one looking down from the Peak in the early morning will see parts of the town standing out in a bright and clear atmosphere, while the parts in shadow re- main clothed in a thick mist. As the latter are those in which fever is more or less pre- valent it is reasonable to suppose that the morning mist may be the cause,
" There is
THE LACE TRADE IN CHINA.
no difference in the soil that could account for the western district being less healthy than the eastern, and we are there- fore driven to seek the explanation in the aspect, which, as we have seen, accounts for the longer or shorter duration of the morn- ing mist. If the same principle be applied Leaving the financial aspect of the questo Magazine Gap the unhealthiness of soufe tion for future consideration, however, we of the houses there will be completely ac are for the moment more particularly con- counted for. In building either at the cerned with the effect of the change on the Peak or on the lower levels therefore an European community living at the Peak eastern aspect ought to be sought for. during the summer months or all the year round. The Mount Austin Hotel remains available for the present season, but next season, when the establishment is closed, there will be a largely increased demand for house accommodation elsewhere in the Hill District, of which landlords will no doubt take advantage by materially ad- vancing rents, which are already high, the accommodation being insufficient even for present requirements. And unfortunately all or nearly all of the more accessible sites are already occupied. True there are new sites to be found by going further afield, but the time occupied in getting to them and the trouble and expense of chair coolies render them under present conditions practically unavailable. Here the Govern- ment might very well step in and afford relief by means of improved road com- munication. If the proposed road from Plantation Road Station to Magazine Gap were made the latter district would be much more largely used for residence, and if in addition to this the road proposed by General BLACK from Wanchai Gap to Wongneichong Gap were carried out a large number of very eligible building sites would be opened up.
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A prejudice against Magazine Gap exists on account of the fever which has prevailed in some of the houses there, but on the other hand houses may be found in the locality which are amongst the healthiest in the colony, and the crest and northern slope of the hill are entirely beyond suspicion. The ma laria which seems to haunt some of the other houses is perhaps difficult to account for, but it may be laid down as an axiom that houses in Hongkong which are
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insignificant that it has been thrown "into the Sundries unenumerated' and "statistics are not forthcoming, but this year (1896) a separate heading has "been opened for it, and up to date the im- port has amounted to some 4,500 taels "(declared value at Shanghai, say: £700.) This, however, will probably represent the "import for the whole year, as the article "is only brought in in the spring for sum- mer wear, No official note of origin is "obtainable here, but I am informed by the "native merchants that all the lace imported
into Chungking is made in Japan, "Almost all the lace imported is made of silk, a small quantity coming in being of "cotton. About three-fourths of the total 'import is black in colour. The average price of silk lace as sold in retail in the shops is 60 cash a Chinese foot, which "works out to about 11d. an English foot,
some reduction being made on large. quantities. Cotton lace fetches half this price. As to the labels, I should judge from their appearance that they are more or less exact reproductions of the wrappers "of English manufacturers, the name of the "firm being omitted. This is a common
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practice in Japan." Mr. HOLLAND, of Ichang, also notes the new fashion. “With regard to lace and hosiery," he says, "the former is much used by well-to-do Chinese ladies, though the fashion is quite a new one, dating not more than two or "three years back. As with piece goods, the local demand, which is small, is entirely met from Shanghai. The favourite style ." of lace is black, of about 1 to 2 inches in *width, and it must be borne in mind that "the question of colour is very important in "China. After black, which is a long way "first in favour, violet, and perhaps some "shades of grey, would be saleable." I need hardly add that the lace used is all cotton lace, silk being beyond the means of all except the few very rich natives, and it is. "doubtful if even they would buy silk." The information contained in the above extracts is certainly interesting and ought to prove useful to people in the trade, and the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce is to be congratulated on having directed the inquiries of the Consuls into a particular channel concerning a matter on which in- formation was desired. It is not likely that large fortunes will be made out of the lace trade in China, in the near future at all events, but any addition to the existing lines of imports, however small, is to be welcomed.
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It is generally supposed that fashions of dress change in China only with changes of the dynasty. The craving for novelty exists, however, to some extent amongst the Chinese as amongst other races, a proof of which is to be found in a newly born taste for lace for the trimming of ladies' dresses. This is as yet in its infancy and so little known that the mention of it will probably strike most foreign residents with some surprise. It is, however, referred to in a Foreign Office paper just issued. In January, 1896, the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce addressed Lord SALISBURY stating that they had had under con- sideration the question of improving and increasing the trade of that town and district with China and requesting that Her Majesty's Consuls and Vice-Consuls might be instructed to obtain particulars of the textile goods supplied or required in their respective districts, more par- ticularly as to lace and hosiery. Replies have been received from Amoy Canton, Chefoo, Chungking, Foechow, Hankow, Ichaug, Ningpo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tamsui, and have been published. As to lace, most of the Consuls report that its use is unknown amongst the Chinese and that there is no demand for it except amongst the foreign communities.
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Mr. JAMIESON, of Shanghai, does not seem to appreciate the importance of the demand that, according to
of the other Consuls, has set in at that port. There is little or no demand for lace among Chinese," says Mr. JAMIESON, | our contemporary.
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The Japan Gazette, which predicts that foreign residence in Japan will be almost impossible when the new treaties come into force, and, in particular, that foreign newspaper enterprise is doomed, is preparing for the sad prospect by! enlarging itself from a four-page to a six-page paper, owing to the encroachment of advertise- ments on its news columns. We congratulate
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