and Mr. E. Carpmael, a cadet of the Colonial service. Dr. H. Hickin is medical officer for the island, and Dr. W. Muat for the mainland. The Rev. A. E. Burne, of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, who lives at Port Edward, is the resident Chaplain, and conducts the usual services at St. John's Church. The staff also includes three inspectors of police, and a financial secretary, who has charge of the Government accounts.
The annual report for 1906 states: "The headman system has been reorganised. The Territory has been divided into 26 districts, each district containing an average of 12 villages. To each district a district headman has been appointed who receives a small salary from the Government, and who is able to help the magistrates and district officer in the discharge of their duties by acting, when necessary, as an intermediary between them and the village headman, and by keeping them informed generally regarding the affairs of the Territory." This system saves labour and is inexpensive—a matter of the first importance in the case of a Colony that is not yet self-supporting. It remains to be seen whether it will be a success. It may be objected that the Chinaman in an official position is not infrequently dishonest, and that the villager engaged in a lawsuit will probably find it necessary to give way to "squeeze pidgin"—a well-established custom in the Chinese official world—before he can get justice done, or secure his end.
That the rendition of Weihaiwei to China will shortly take place, is a rumour that periodically goes the round of the newspapers. As often as not it may be traced to Chinese sources, the wish being father to the thought. Almost as often the rumour receives formal and official contradiction. Still, the wording of the Convention granting the lease of the territory to Great Britain, "for so long a period as Port Arthur remains in the occupation of Russia," is, as events have turned out, most unfortunate. Insecurity of tenure has created a state of stagnation. As an instance of official cynicism and indifference on the part of a central government towards a distant possession, it would not be easy to quote one that equals the reply of Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to a recent petition from the dependency. The petitioners—many of whom, relying on official assurances, have invested capital in land and houses—asked if there was to be any compensation to property holders in the event of the rumoured rendition taking place. His lordship replied that His Majesty's Government did not feel called upon to discuss hypothetical questions, and in any case, there would be no compensation! This announcement has put an effectual check upon development. Given security of tenure, Weihaiwei, with its splendid climate, its fine harbour—considered by many to be the best on the China coast north of Hongkong—its favourable situation at the mouth of the Pechili Gulf in the direct line of steamers passing north and south, would rapidly develop under the British flag and become a "second Hongkong."
LIU-KUNG-TAO.
The island of Liu-kung, the naval station of Weihaiwei, is about 2½ miles long, and three-quarters of a mile in greatest breadth. It has a backbone of low hills, the highest being Centurion Hill (five hundred feet), from the summit of which approaching ships are signalled and the weather forecasts from Siccawei Observatory are indicated.
Situated almost east and west, with its western extremity less than a mile from the mainland, the island serves to form a splendid natural harbour capable of anchoring a large fleet, and it has been of incalculable value to the British China Squadron. It was used during the Boxer rising of 1900 as a supply and hospital base for both the naval and military forces.
The small dockyard is capable of replenishing depleted stocks of coal, water, provisions, and stores for His Majesty's ships, as well as of executing fairly large repairs to machinery. Connected with the yard there is a distillery and an iron pier six hundred feet long.
The Squadron usually arrives in May, and remains in the vicinity until October. During this period full advantage is taken of the excellent facilities for naval exercises. The time is passed pleasantly and profitably in big gun firing, torpedo running, and tactics afloat; in landing parties, field gun practice, firing at the two rifle ranges; and in indulgence in the customary British sports.
The Island is policed by a European inspector and 14 Chinese constables, furnished by the Colonial Government. The Island Guard consists of 36 Marines under a Lieutenant, in addition to which all the Naval ratings and Admiralty employes are supplied with arms, making a total of about eighty rifles for emergencies. Including the guard and a few Naval men, the British population does not exceed 120. Of natives there are about 1,200, and they find employment in the dockyard, shops, and hongs; and in cultivating the terraced hill-sides.
His Honour the Commissioner and Naval Executive Officer of the Island exercise a dual control on behalf of the Colonial Government and the Admiralty respectively. Apart from the residences of officials, and small naval and marine barracks, which were formerly old Chinese houses, the only buildings of importance are the United Service Club for officers, the Naval Warrant Officers' Club, and the large group of buildings at one time the Chinese Naval Reception Yamen, and now serving as the Royal Naval Canteen. The Queen's Hall, included in this last group, is capable of seating five hundred persons, and is used as a church, theatre, gymnasium, boxing-saloon, and ball-room. A special building, however, is being erected for divine worship. The naval hospital has accommodation for forty patients.
The street names are neither very appropriate nor euphonious. For instance, Fleet Street divides two coal yards, and Bond Street is flanked by dead walls. Other names include Shoe Lane, Drain Street, Thick Street, Short Street, Weak Street, Blank Lane, &c.
There are on the island two football and two cricket grounds, as well as racquet courts, innumerable tennis courts, and a fine golf course. The mile stretch of sandy beach on the south side affords fine bathing, and if the Home Government would arrange for the retention of a little colony, development would rapidly follow and Weihaiwei would stand almost unrivalled in the East as a summer resort.
WEIHAIWEI SCHOOL.
This school was founded in 1901 and provides a sound education on English boarding-school lines for the sons of those who make their homes in the Far East. Hitherto it has been the practice of those parents who desire to give their sons a valuable education to send them to England—often at a very tender age—and thus to deprive them of parental oversight and home influences at that stage in life when, perhaps, they are most needed. Boys can now receive at Weihaiwei School at least a preparatory education, and the hardship and the evils of long separation from home and parents may be materially lessened, if not altogether obviated. The standard of education aimed at is that of the average grammar school in England, and the educational results, as tested by public examinations, have been highly satisfactory. The health record of the school is particularly good, and the scholars have been peculiarly immune from the infectious sickness so common in English schools. This is due in part, no doubt, to the excellent climatic and sanitary conditions that prevail at Weihaiwei.
The new school house was ready for occupation in 1904, and provides accommodation for 40 boarders. At present it contains 36 pupils. The premises occupy an excellent situation on the northern shore of the harbour, and are effectually sheltered in winter from the northerly gales by a range of hills immediately behind the school. In addition to the usual school games, boating and sea-bathing are popular recreations. There is also a cadet corps of 16 members in connection with the school.
The staff consists of Mr. Herbert L. Beer, L.C.P., the headmaster, and Mr. Owen Lloyd Jones; and of Mrs. H. L. Beer and Mrs. E. Hamblin (matron) in the domestic department.
D. CLARK & CO.
Messrs. D. Clark & Co. first established themselves on Weihaiwei Island in 1898, and have since made considerable developments in their business along widely divergent lines. They have now a large general mercantile business, and are naval and military contractors. They have held the naval contract for nine years, undertaking practically the whole of the supply of the British Fleet, when stationed at Weihaiwei for the summer. The firm are proprietors of two hotels—one on the Island, with accommodation for 30 guests, and the other on the mainland; they have established two post offices—one on the Island and the other on the mainland; they carry on an aerated water factory, with a capacity for 1,500 dozen bottles a day; and they have a steam bakery, with a capacity of 1,000 lbs. of bread an hour. Even this formidable list does not exhaust their activities, for they are coal merchants and shipowners, and supply from their own gardens large quantities of fruit, both for local consumption and for export. Their head offices are situated on the Island, and they have extensive stores and godowns on the Island and on the mainland.
Mr. D. Clark, the founder of the business is one of the oldest and best known residents of Weihaiwei. He combines with a keen business instinct a large measure of practical philanthropy, for he was instrumental in establishing the free school, supported by the firm, for the instruction of Chinese boys in the English language.
