The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-26
A VIEW OF HoNG-KoNa.
Some of the Features of the Port
Where the Plague Is Raging.
From the New York Tribune.


From the New York Tribune.
In view of the fact that the plague nav
kill Hong-Kong as great mart of COM
merce, its history is Interesting. Hong
Kong, or, as it is properly spelled in Chi
nese, Hiag- Kiang, which means the place
of sweet streams, is the most important
British possession on the eastern coast of
Asia. 1t is an island situated off the
southeast coast of China, on the east side
of the estuary of the Canton river. 1t Is
thirty. eight miles east of Macao and sew
enty-tve miles southeast of Canton II is
one OF small cluster of Islands called the
Ladrones, and came into the possession OF
the British in lS4l. 1t is now regular
British colony. it is the prize that Eng
land gained from her war with the Chi
nese, known as the opium war, and is of
immense Importance to her from a mill
tary and commercial standpoint
The townris situated at the northwest
extremity of the island and the Euro
pean portion is laid out in fine, wide
streets and terraces, rising up TO the
mountains, which tower above the harbor
The harbOr is most excellent one. with
deep water everywhere, and is capable of
shelterlng large fleets. Whe whole island
is mountainous The Chinese portion of
Hong-kong is, and always has been, in
fI0QllS0
have devoted themselves to the SANTA
ton of their own part of the CITY They
have made only spasmodic attempts to
put the Chinese quarter In a condition in
which it would not breed pestilence. The
Chinese town has been for years-in fact.
always since it was founded-whai 1t is
TO day, most dangerous palgue-spot. It
is from this Chinese quarter that the
plague first sprang, and from it 10 now
IN n n G. M
town.
In nearly every country upon which
England has placed her hand she has i'm
mediately gone TO work to force the ma
tives to he moderately clean and to i'm
prove the sanitary condition Of the native
quarters, whether the natives liked it or
not. Such an attempt could not have
been made in Hong Kong, or if it was
made the Chinese were found such diff
cult subjects TO deal with in that respect
that the English gave it up.
IN THE ENGLISH TOWN.
The city of Hong Kong is officially
known as Victoria, and, including The
Chinese town, extends for three miles
along the harbor The English portion is
lighted with gas and supplied with water
from the reservoir in the mountains
There are public gardens and massive
sea wall, along which the main thorough
Iare runs. Before the English settled
Hong Kong it had acquired the name of
an extremely unhealthy place. OF late
years, however, it has been found that
mortality is high only in certain seasons
Of the year. There is peculiar malaria
III Hong Kong, which according tossnme
authorities, is thrown off from the de-
composed rocks that have been baked by
a strong sun during the day. The change
from the heat and rain in the summer to
The temperature Of the cool season pro
duces for some reason a peculiar kidney
disease. 0'
The southern coast Of the island Of
Hong-hong is deeply indented with bays.
mere are two bold peninsulas extending
for several miles into the sea. and form
ing two capacious natural harbors-a