He handed over charge to Major-General Cameron, who officiated until Sir William G. des Voeux, the new Governor, arrived in the October following. The next four years, during which this official held office, though not particularly eventful, were fruitful of useful work. Amongst other improvements the praya reclamation scheme was carried out. Besides contributing materially to the attractions and conveniences of the city the project added 57 acres to the available land of the island at a point where space was greatly needed. The execution of the work was the more welcomed as it synchronised with a period of remarkable expansion in Hongkong. So rapid indeed was the increase of population that some of the most difficult problems of the administration were connected with the housing of the people, who were crowding into the already congested districts of the city. Sir William des Voeux, dealing with the subject in his report for 1888, spoke of relief having to be sought by the opening up of the interior of the island by tramways, and with prophetic vision he foreshadowed a time when the whole of the island would be covered with dwellings or manufactories. In the same report Sir William des Voeux drew an interesting comparison between the Hongkong of that period and the island as it was before the occupation. In place of "a bare rock with a fisherman's hut here and there, as the only sign of habitation, and a great sea basin only very rarely disturbed by a passing keel," was "a city of closely-built houses, stretching for some four miles along the island shore, and rising tier over tier, up the slopes of the mountain, those on the upper levels interspersed with abundant foliage; while, on the opposite peninsula of Kowloon .… and along the whole seaboard, are numerous houses, together with docks, great warehouses, and other evidences of a large and thriving population. Again, the silent and deserted basin has become a harbour, so covered with shipping that even if a visitor has been round the whole world, he could never before have seen so much in a single coup d'œil. At anchor or moving are some forty to fifty ocean steamers, including ships of war, large European and American sailing vessels, and hundreds of sea-going junks; while in the space intervening and around, are many thousand boats, for the most part human habitations, with steam launches rushing in all directions." This picture of a prosperous Hongkong was not a bit over-coloured at the time it was painted, but after Sir William des Voeux had retired, in May, 1891, a period of depression and public misfortune set in, which left its mark on the record of the Colony. First there was commercial trouble, the product of overspeculation and uncertain exchange, and then, in 1894, loomed up that ghastly spectre of the plague, which unhappily, has never yet been completely exorcised from the island. The history of the epidemic, or series of epidemics, which have afflicted the inhabitants is told elsewhere. It is only necessary to say here that the visitations called forth the highest administrative and scientific skill and that though, in the fight, the authorities have had some disappointing checks, they have brought about an enormous improvement in the condition of the Colony. The heaviest and most notable work in connection with the epidemics occurred during the governorship of Sir William Robinson, who arrived in the Colony on December 10, 1891, and who served continuously until February 1, 1898. But it was left to the administration of his successor, Sir Henry Blake, to apply the chief remedies which were recommended by two sanitary experts, Mr. Osbert Chadwick and Dr. Simpson, who were specially sent out from England for the purpose of investigating the matter. The term of office of Sir Matthew Nathan, who followed Sir Henry Blake in the governorship, was, unfortunately, not free from serious plague troubles. His administration, however, will always be memorable from the fact that it covered the period of the memorable typhoon of September 18, 1904—a catastrophe of appalling, and as far as Hongkong is concerned, unprecedented magnitude. Over ten thousand lives were lost in the disaster, and property to the value of many millions of dollars was destroyed. Amongst the victims was the Right Rev. J. C. Hoare, D.D., Bishop of Victoria, who was drowned in the harbour. Another event, of more cheerful import, which marked Sir Matthew's term of service, was the inauguration of the Kowloon-Canton railway scheme—an enterprise which, when completed, as it will be, it is expected, in 1910, will bring Hongkong into direct land communication with the great markets of Southern China. After a busy and useful administration Sir Matthew Nathan handed over the reins of office to his successor, Brigadier-General Sir F. D. Lugard, in April, 1907.
(From "Thirty Years of Colonial Government."
By Mr. Stanley L. Poole.Macmillan & Co.)
CHAPTER XVIII.
The War between China and Japan—Intervention of Russia, Germany, and France—German Occupation of Kiaochau—Russian Occupation of Port Arthur—The British at Weihaiwei—Railway Concessions—The Boxer Rising—The Siege of the Legations at Peking—The International Expedition—The Peace Protocol—The Russo-Japanese War—Conclusion.
In recent years the general course of Chinese history has been prolific of dramatic surprises and events of the deepest international import. The story of this memorable period is too fresh to need more than brief recapitulation here. A convenient starting point is the war waged by Japan on China in 1894. That struggle arose over a dispute as to the government of Korea. Disturbances having occurred at Seoul, the Korean capital, Japan and China sent troops for the protection of their respective subjects. Afterwards the Japanese Government put forward a scheme for the execution of reforms under the joint supervision of the two powers, but China declined to entertain the proposals on the ground that her traditional policy was not to interfere in the internal affairs of a vassal state. The refusal led to strained relations between the two Governments and finally, after a series of incidents, to actual warfare. Japan was triumphant on both sea and land. Her army, commanded by Field Marshal Count
