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CHAPTER I.
There is direct cable communication from Hong Kong to Macao, Saigon, Labuan, Manila, and Foochow; these cables land in Tai-howan Bay. Also to Amoy; this latter cable lands in Deep Water Bay.
There are also the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration's land lines to various parts of China.
Recent information on cable communications can be obtained from the "Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Cable Communications," His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1902; and the various telegraph companies' handbooks.
General Character of Hong Kong and Kowloon.
11. A reference to the maps in this Scheme, and to a small scale chart of the vicinity of Hong Kong, will show better than any verbal description the peculiar position of Hong Kong, lying at the southern end of an indented peninsula, between which and the island itself are the famed harbour and roads.
Hong Kong harbour is about 8 miles long, from the eastern entrance at Lyemun to Green Island, on which is a lighthouse for the western entrance.
The whole of the south side is formed by the Island of Hong Kong; the north side is part of the mainland of China, now leased to the British Government. On the west
are the islands of Stonecutters, Chung-Hue, and Green Island.
Near the centre of the north shore, the peninsula of Kowloon divides the harbour into three main portions: the western, west of Kowloon; the central, between Kowloon and the Island of Hong Kong; and the eastern, east of the peninsula.
The western portion forms the principal commercial harbour. The most important establishments on its shores, along the mainland, are the Cosmopolitan Docks, owned by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company, at Tai-Kok-Tsui, and the Naval Torpedo Depôt and coal store at Yaumati. The city of Victoria stretches along its southern boundary, and exhibits along its sea front a succession of important factories, warehouses, and shops, and, continuing eastwards, forms also the southern boundary of the central harbour.
12. Nearly the whole of the water area in the western portion is allotted to permanent moorings, so arranged as to leave well-defined channels through the masses of shipping which are always present in this part of the harbour.
In the centre portion the important establishments are the Hong Kong and Whampoa Company's Docks at Hunghom, on the mainland, and the Naval Dockyard and Military Establishments in Victoria. The greater portion of the water area is allotted for permanent moorings for His Majesty's ships.
The eastern portion is much less used, mainly because the north shore was, until recently, under the Chinese Government; but important docks are in hand at Quarry Bay, and an extension over this area may be expected at an early date.
13. The only important establishment not included in the harbour are the docks at Aberdeen.
14. The rise and fall of tide is very irregular, but the average may be taken at 6 feet between high and low spring tides.
15. The harbour can be entered from either end. At the east end the only entrance is through the Lyemun Pass, about 400 yards wide in its narrowest part and 900 yards long. The depth in the pass at low water is 20 fathoms, the minimum depth in the approaches outside the pass is 6 fathoms, and there is also at least this depth of water from inside the pass to the naval anchorage and the west side of the harbour. The approaches to this entrance are marked by lights on the Waglan Rocks and at Cape Collinson.
The channel is used nearly always by His Majesty's ships, and may be considered the main entrance to Hong Kong harbour. High ground exists on both sides of the pass, which are occupied by batteries, and the conditions are very favourable for defence.
16. The main gun defences are Gough and Pottinger batteries on the north side, and Lyemun Redoubt and Sywan Battery on the south side.
There are batteries on the south side at Pak-Sha-Wan and at the south-west
corner.
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