Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/194

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TWENTIETH CENTURY IMPRESSIONS OF HONGKONG, SHANGHAI, ETC.

of the Tung Wah Hospital, of the District Watchmen's Committee, and of several other public institutions. He subscribed largely to the building of a bridge near his native town and the raising of the adjacent river bank to prevent the river from overflowing at flood time and damaging the property of the agriculturists of the district. The construction of the river walls involved an expenditure of something like 100,000 dollars, but the whole of the improvement was carried out free of cost to the locality. About the beginning of the reign of the Emperor Tung Chi several thousand people took passage on board a foreign-owned vessel bound for California. While on the voyage a storm was encountered and the ship struck a rock. When this sad news was telegraphed to Hongkong Mr. Li Sing at once chartered a steamer, loaded her with provisions, and despatched her to the wreck. All the shipwrecked people were saved and brought back to China. This cost Mr. Li Sing tens of thousands of dollars. In the same reign Mr. Li Sing founded a company called the Wa Hop Company, which laid a telegraph cable from Hongkong to Canton. This was afterwards purchased by the Chinese Government, and formed the first telegraph line laid in the province of Kwangtung. Mr. Li Sing was the first Chinese gentleman to form a fire or marine insurance company in Hongkong. The Tseoung On Fire Insurance Company and the On Tai Marine Insurance Company owed their formation to him. Most of the sons of Mr. Li Sing are British subjects, and the firm of Li Brothers, which now manages a large portion of the estate, is composed of Mr. Li Po Lung (sometimes known as Li Wai Tong), who lives at Medway House, Kennedy Road; Mr. Li Po Yung (known also as Li Tsz Ming), of Richmond House. Robinson Road; and Mr. Li Po Chun, or Li Tsz Hi, who resides in Caine Road. Mr. Li Po Lung was lately one of the directors of the Tung Wah Hospital, and has shown, and still takes, a great interest in the public affairs of the Colony. He has travelled a good deal in China and Japan, is highly educated, and has a sound knowledge of English. Mr. Li Po Yung, or Li Tsz Ming, sixth son of the late Mr. Li Sing, was born on April 20, 1881. He is a British subject by birth, and takes great interest in public affairs. In 1897, when he was seventeen years of age, he travelled in the north of China, visiting Shanghai, Tientsin, Chefoo, Peking, and other cities and ports. He was married in Canton in the following year, and has two children, a daughter and a son, born in 1903 and 1905 respectively. Well educated in Chinese, he has also a fair knowledge of English. He is taking care of his patrimony, and employs a part of his leisure in translating English books into Chinese. He is also a member of the editorial staff of a Chinese magazine. Slow to make a promise, he is careful to keep his word, like his late father. Mr. Li Po Chun, otherwise Li Tsz Hi, the eighth, or youngest son of the late Mr. Li Sing, was born on August 15, 1887, and is also a British subject. From his father he inherited a considerable amount of property. He is careful to keep up the traditions of the family, and, as a keen business man, is very like his father. In the year 1903, when he was seventeen years of age, he travelled in Japan and saw the Exhibition that was held there in that year. At the age of eighteen he married Miss Wong, a lady of many accomplishments and of thrifty habits, who was well able to look after his domestic affairs for him. At the age of twenty-one he was blessed with a daughter. Mr. Li Po Chun is a deep-thinking man, persevering, courageous and discreet. He is liberal-minded and always ready to make sacrifices for the benefit of others. A great deal of his time is devoted to the study of both Chinese and English literature. All three brothers are recognised as men who have done, and are willing still to do, much in the public service.

THE RESIDENCE OF MR. CHEUNG TSEUNG CHE, CAINE ROAD.

MR. CHEUNG TSEUNG CHE comes from a family which has lived in Hongkong for four generations. He was born in the Colony, educated at Chinese schools, and now holds a prominent place both in the public and commercial life of the community. Some thirty-five years ago, in partnership with his brother, he established the well-known ship-chandling business of Messrs. Robert Jack & Co., which is one of the largest of its kind in the Colony. The firm occupy extensive premises at No. 41, Connaught Road, overlooking the harbour. Mr. Cheung Hoi having died some years ago, Mr. Cheung Tseung Che is now the sole manager. Among other important contracts which Messrs. Robert Jack & Co. hold is one for supplying the Empress (Canadian Pacific Railway) line of steamers, and they do a considerable trade as general shippers and coal merchants. Mr. Cheung Tseung Che is a director of the French line of steamers running to Canton, and has a variety of other interests in the Colony. He is a member of the Tung Wah Hospital Committee, and follows the progress and development of that institution with the closest interest. His eldest son, Cheung U Kow, gives him great assistance in the management of the business. Their private residence. No. 53, Caine Road, was formerly occupied by Sir Paul Chater, and is one of the finest in the island.

MR. GOH LI HING, who is also known in Hongkong as Mr. Ng Li Hing, is an old resident of the Colony, and one of the leaders of the Fokienese community. Leaving his home in Fokien early in life, he spent many years in travel, and was connected with mercantile houses in Java, Sumatra, and the Straits Settlements. He has now been away from his native province for upwards of half a century, and during the last thirty years has resided in Hongkong, where he has attained to an influential position as head of the well-known and old-established firm of Goh Guan Hin, No, 64, Bonham Strand West, which carries on a large business as general merchants and importers. Mr. Ng Li Hing is also chairman of the financial company known as the Hongkong and Manila Yuen Shing Exchange and Trading Company, Ltd., which has branches at Manila, Singapore, Shanghai, Amoy, and Penang; he is the proprietor of a newly established brewery at Wongneichung; and he is connected with numerous other enterprises in the Colony. He bears his part in public movements, and has served on the committees of the Tung Wah Hospital, and the Po Leung Kuk. To the hospital he recently presented a large piece of valuable land at Kowloon, to be used as a cemetery for the Fokienese community. Of his family, one son, Mr. Ng Kai Sui, is at present studying in London, while his grandsons are either students or agriculturists. The other members of his family live with him at his beautiful residence in Caine Road.

MR. TSANG KING.—There are few men more widely known than Mr. Tsang King in the business circles of the Colony. He came to Hongkong some forty-five years ago, from Canton, and for the last thirty-six years has been engaged here as a contractor. He frequently employs as many as five thousand men, and has erected a large number of important buildings. Amongst these are the Hongkong Rope Factory; the Government Civil Hospital; the Asylum; Sir Paul Chater's