138 Miscellaneous. 



Northern Coast, again, great difficulties are presented to a landing, as the 

 whole line is more or less composed of rugged lofty cliffs, having but 

 few accessible points : alarm posts here would alone be required, and the 

 presence of a few gun-boats in the harbour of Sin-kong would be 

 always sufficient to ensure the destruction of a Chinese flotilla, if a 

 cruizer were kept on the main coast to report its approach. By means 

 of a fort on a commanding hill, forming one of the arms of the bay of 

 Ting-hae, the anchorage is rendered perfectly secure, a command obtain- 

 ed over the town at a distance of only 900 yards, and the approaches 

 by the island swept in all directions, while a gun-boat or two would ef- 

 fectually prevent the entrance of Junks into the harbour by the W. 

 passage, which is not readily under the guns of the fort. In like manner 

 the E. and S. Coasts may be placed in a state of defence or alarm with- 

 out difficulty or expence of any magnitude ; and a garrison of 3000 men, 

 with a proper proportion of artillery, would amply suffice to keep pos- 

 session of the island against all the efforts that could be made against 

 it by the Chinese. As a residence for Europeans it is undeni- 

 ably most desirable ; with almost every article of luxury or necessity 

 for the table readily procurable, with a climate allowing many abso- 

 lutely cold months during the year, and the greater part of the remain- 

 der temperate and not oppressive, with the most lovely landscape 

 meeting the eye wherever it rests, with the advantages of healthful 

 exercise, including the great essential of sea-bathing, and many 

 others that need not be enumerated, it affords every promise of 

 becoming, in the course of time, and that a very short one, one 

 of the most popular, interesting, and salubrious stations offered to 

 H. M. Troops in the Eastern Colonies ; while as a place of trade 

 — should it be ever practicable so far. to overcome the prejudices and 

 fears of the Chinese, as to allow of our retention of it with a fair 

 prospect of the ports on the main being opened to us — its value is 

 undoubtedly great. 



A new system introduced into the towns and neighbourhood of our 

 posts, whereby the filthy and pestilence engendering accumulations now 

 existing would be got rid of, and cleanliness and drainage attended to, 

 airy barracks, attention to the water, and the care and fore-thought 

 which a wise Government would bestow, must ensure not only health, 

 but enjoyment and comfort to any troops stationed there, and very 

 speedily, by a proper administration of affairs in the island, convert it 

 into as flourishing a tract of land, and with as prosperous and content- 

 ed a population, as Singapore, or any island settlement now in our pos- 

 session. 



