Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/280



OR many years Hongkong has been the headquarters of the China Squadron, which has been gradually reduced since 1902, all the battleships being withdrawn in 1905. This change became possible after the Russo-Japanese War, when in view of the fact that Japan undertook to a large extent the duties formerly performed by the British fleet, the need for the maintenance of such a strong British squadron in these waters ceased to exist. It is, perhaps, needless to say that this retrenchment was not at all popular with Britishers in the Far East.

The squadron in Far Eastern waters includes at the time of writing six armoured or protected cruisers, six attached ships, ten river gunboats, seven torpedo-boat destroyers, and two vessels of the surveying service. Of the river boats, three patrol the waters of the West River, Canton, and the remainder are stationed on the upper and lower reaches of the Yangts/.e-Kiang. There are always one or two of the smaller cruisers at Shanghai, which the vessels of larger draught cannot reach. The Tamar, a vessel of the older type, has been fitted up at Hongkong to receive relief crews and provide quarters for them until they can be alUx.'ated to the different warships to which they are to be attached, and her white- painted hull is quite a conspicuous feature in the harbour. The Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Fleet is Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Hedworfh Lambton. K.C.V.O., C.B.. who arrived in the Colony on March 20. 1908, relieving Admiral the Hon. Sir Arthur W. Moore. His flagship is the Kin^ Alfred, but when he has occasion to visit places where the flagship cannot go he hoists his flag on his yacht, the Alacrity.

The business of the fleet is to show the British flag, and to carry out tiring and rifle exercise. Heavy gun practice is usually held in Mirs Bay. while the naval rifle-range is situated on Stonecutter's Island. The China Squadron has achieved distinction for its remarkable shooting. In 1907 the King Alfred headed the shooting list of the fleet with a world's record, while the squadron itself headed the shooting list for the British Navy.

The work of coaling, provisioning, docking, and fitting out the different vessels in readiness for commission necessitates the upkeep of a large establishment, and only recently the Xaval Yard at Hongkong has been greatly extended. Soon after the Colony was ceded to Great Britain, part of the work of the Land Committee appointed in 1842 was to fix the extent of the ground to be reserved for the use of the naval authorities. Extensions were made from time to time, and eventually practically the whole of the stores and workshops were concentrated upon a site on the East Praya. In 1901 by far the largest extension was begun, but before detailing the nature of the scheme it is necessary to mention that when the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Com- pany extended their premises at Kowloon. they were subsidised by the Admiralty to the extent of ;f20,ooo per annum for the u,se of No. 1 Dock, commonly known as the "Admiralty Dock." priority of entrance for British warships being thus secured. For some years the Admiralty under this arrangement enjoyed facilities which they could nowhere else procure in the East. In 1901. as the term for which the subsidy was granted was drawing to a close, the Admiralty decided upon the erection of their own d<x;k premises in Hongkong, and the work, designed to be completed in 1904 5, is still in progress. The delay has been due to the difficulties experienced by the con- tractors in obtaining a foundation. The scheme grew, through successive Naval Acts, from a moderate proposal, involving the expenditure of ;£340.ooo, to one estimated to cost ;£i, 275,000. The final scheme provided for the increase, by reclamation, of the area of the dockyard from 4I to 39 acres ; the construction of a tidal basin of i) acres in extent, with a depth of 30 feet at low-water tides, and a total length of wharfage of 2.900 feet ; the building of a dry dock, 550 feet in length on the keel blocks, 95 feet wide at the entrance, and 30 feet over the sill at low spring tides ; and the erection of extensive workshops. The dockyard lies on the Hongkong side of the harbour. The people of the Colony were very adverse to the drx;k being on the island, and a protest was made to the Home Government in which a site on the Kowloon side was suggested. The main objection raised was that the water front, which the public desired to be continuous from one end of the city of Victoria to the other, would be interrupted. There was also the objection to having the smoke and noise of a dock- yard so close to the centre of a very busy city ; and it was pointed out that Kowloon offered even greater advantages. The pro- test, however, was of no avail. It is expected that the new dock will be in use during 1909. In addition to the extensive premises on the island, there is a torpedo depot at Kowloon.

Commodore Robert H. S. Stokes. K.N., has charge of all the naval establishments in Hongkong, and when the Admiral is away from Hongkong he acts as senior officer of the southern portion of the station, and is responsible for any ships that may be in the harbour. He resides on board the Tamar, where comfortable quarters are also provided for his secretary and other members of his staff. He has a summer residence on the Peak, where he hoists his Hag during the hot weather that prevails from June to November.

The China station has the reputation of being a fairly healthy one, the transfer of the squadron to Weihaiwei in the summer months making a change from which both officers and men derive considerable benefit. There is a large and well-equipped Naval Hospital, situated on Mount Shadwell, in the Wanchai district of Hongkong ; and at Yokohama there is also a hospital, which, though less valuable than in the days prior to the abolition of extra-territoriality, is still used when the squadron is cruising in Northern waters.

The comfort and well-being of the men is attended to in every possible way. They have a flourishing canteen at East Praya, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Institute is much frequented by them, and in course of time a branch of the Seamen's Institute will be established in the Colony. For out-door sports they have a splendid recreation ground at Happy Valley. The principal sporting event of the year is the Fleet Regatta, which is held during the visit north.