New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
LIFE AT HONG KONG.
AN ENGLISH CITY IN THE ORIENT AND
IT'S IRREGULARITIES.
us LARGE CHINESE EUROPEAN
CHARACTERISTICS IN BUSINESS AND THE
FORM OF hMUSEnENTs


With Admiral Dewey at Manila and all pros
poets of a continued investment OF the Phihpplhe
Islands Hong Kong becomes an important point
IN the eyes Of the American people because II Is
the link which connects the Islands with the
rest OF the world. II Is the most eastern OF
British possessions and is about six hundred
miles from the point where the American squau-
ron under Admiral Dewey is no~ stationed.
The Chinese characters representing the name
of the island-IIeung- Kong-may be read to sig
nifty either Good Harbor or Fragrant Streams
The colony was ceded to Great Britain by the
Chinese Government IN 1911, and it has boon
governed by a British Legislative Council ever
since that time The Legislative Council Is
presided over by the Governor. and Is composed
of the officer commanding the troops the Colo
NAL Secretary, the Attorney General the Treas
urer the Director Of Public Works. the Iiarbor
Master, the Captain Superintendent Of Police
and six "unoffoial members" one OF whom IL
elected by the Chamber Of Commerce ana an
other by the Justice Of the Peace. The other
four. two OF whom are Chinese but British sub
1ects are appointed by the Government The
two Chinese who at present In the Counci!
are Ho Kai as doctor and barrister," and Vel
Yauk comprador or Chinese business manager,
of the Chartered Bank OF India. Australia and
China.
The island is abou, eleven miles long and from
two to five miles broad, and its circumference
= about twenty seven miles The natural prod
uets Of the colony few and unimportant
There " little land suitable for tillage, and
nothing Is grown but a little rice and some
vegetables near the outlying villages. The har
Dor Is described as one OF the finest in the world
having an area of ten square miles. 1t CON
IDS fa Of nc Of be
and the mainland, and IL inclosed all sides
BY lofty hills. The city OF Victoria Is mag
nincently situated. the houses. many Of them
hrge and handsome rising tier upon tier from
the waters edge 10 a height OF over four hundred
feet on the face Of the Peak. On the summit Of
The hills there Ilany beautiful residences
where the Europeans live.
people from England and America coming
from Japan and from China" said man who
lived in Hong Kong many years, feel that they
have reached home when they come to the
Island Before they leave their ship they see the
spires Of the English and other churches they
see English and American flags and Tommy
Atkins. and il Is nothing unusual 10 hear the
expression, Home again from new arrivals. al
though they are still ten thousand miles away
from their hear,hstones."
Tho European quarter occupies the middle Of
the city, but with the exception Of this limited
area almost all the low levels covered 10y a
dense mass Of Chinese shops and tcncments.
People who 40 there and expect to find an
English city soon realize their error. The total
population Of the colony is about 10000 which
according to the official figures compiled in Jan
uary, 1897. is composed az follows. Europeans
and Americans, other than Portuguese, 1868
Portuguese. 2,263 Indians, 1,3iS, Eurasians
X72; other races $50, and the rest Chinese.
Despite their numerical weakness the Euro
peans and Americans control the trade and
commerce OF the island. and the large and
beautiful shops in the Praya. the main street
~ owned and operated by them There are the