The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-03-01

ciety. Washington. o. c.
Among all the far flung possessions
Of the British Empire, Hong Kong
might be called the gem. Many Brit
ishers look upon 1t as their local col
ony; and it is indeed city of super
latives. 1t is the pivot OF British COM
merce, naval power AMI influence in
the Far East. Travellers acclaim Its
terraced city the most beautiful in the
Far East; its deep, colnmOdious har-
Dor is one of the best In the world !;
and in the tonnage Of shipping entered
and cleared it is outranked-sincet the
World war reduced Hamburg's i'm
portance-only by New York. 1t is
the commercial gateway to the vast
era of southern China and the islands
to the south.
On the military side Hong Kong is
stronger than Gibraltar and is the
base Of one Of the most powerful feet
units in existence, the British Asiatic
squadron. Finally it is one of the
most prosperous communities to be
found either East or West.
Much Of Great Britain's pride in
Hong Kong arises from the fact that it
has been built from nothing in Just
four score years. In 1889 Hong Kong
was bare granite island, nominally
a part Of China, but inhabited only
ny a few thousand fishermen and
groups Of the pirates who made COM
MERGE off the Chinese coast a thing Of
hazard and uncertainty in those days.
When British merchants FLASHED with
the Chinese in Canton in 1889 and
found it necessary to leave that city,
they retired first to the Portuguese
settlement at Macao, seventy-five miles
down the Canton river. and then COM
pletely of the mainland to the rocky
island of Hong Kong. War followed
this commercial friction, and when
Great Britain emerged as the victor
in 1S41 she demanded. and the fol-
lowing year was given, outright title
to Hong Kong.
Despite the common idea, Hong
Kong Is not a city, but an island. It is
eleven miles long and from two to
hve miles wide with an area Of more
than thirty square miles. The civ
which to the popular mind constitutes
Hong Kong, Is officially named Vic.
toria for the queen who ruled in Bri.
tain during Its greatest growth. But
though the name Victoria Is used in
sfhciai documents and on some maps,
to most Of the islanders the big com.
munity Of halt = million souls IL
merely 1.-THE city"
Victoria and the matchless harbor
are on the inner side Of the island.
and as the ship approaches Hong
hong only the little developed sea.
ward side Is seen. In the distance II
seems little different, except for its
size, from the bare granite islands
among which it lies. As the steamer
draws near differences appear; patch.
es OF verdure are discerned; the line
OF highway stands out on the sides
OF Its towering hills. an occasions,
pane Of glass reflects a flash of light
rom among the trees. Yet there ia
little hint Of the presence of a ereot
city Of half million souls on the far
silt Of the island.
Has Wonderful Aarbor.
When the ship has nosed around
the end of the island ut the west or
through the narrow passage near tho
eastern end, the great harbor and citv
come into view. Due to two peninsulos
which extend from the mainland close
to the island and to the indeptstinns
OF the shore of tie island itself .ba
harbor, covering 10 to Is square miles
seems landlOcked. 1t has the annear
ance OF pond set down in a vost
irregular granite bowl. In this dow
naroor all the worlds nayies md =
large part Of the worlds combinod
merchant fleets might be anchnrea
without undue crowding. And thor
IN truth on slmost any day Of N.
year may be seen generous samn,a.
VI the naval or civil craft Of near,s
every maritime nation, while smn,,s
them move busily countless ohInaSs