Although on the British side there were no casualties from the armed demonstration which certain bodies of Chinese offered against the hoisting of the British fug in the Kowloon extension, and the loss on the rebels' side as the result of the return fire—artillery and rifle—is vaguely described as "very heavy" without any statistics, the incident evidently caused considerable excitement in Hongkong, and but for the energy of the military and civil authorities might have had more serious results. The trouble became critical on Saturday, the 15th of April, when Captain Superintendent May, and 18 men, of whom only two were Buropeans, the others being Indian reached Taipohu, where the British flag w: to be hoisted and were making their way to the site of the destroyed matsheds. According to the Hongkong Daily Press, ut about two o'clock in the afternoon they noticed about a thousand men coming from over the hills, yelling and shouting and waving banners, and subsequently opening fire on the police. For two hours the police held Weir ground slave, foetunately escaping unhurt, though their position could hardly hare been more exposed than-it was. They only fired when the enemy got too presumptuous and appeared like rushing them. About four o'clock Captain Berger and a hundred men of the Hongkong Regiment were seen on the crest of a hill, and. observing the uncomfortable position of the police curie to their assistance with a run. Daring the next two hours several volleys were fired, and though they had the effect of making the rebels keep a respectful distance they still hovered about the adjoining heights and every now and then fired their guns, of which they had several. At six o'clock Gaptain Long arrived in the Fame and assumed command. Seeing that there was no other way of dislodging the enemy it was decided to shell his position. The Fame accordingly opened and throw several shells into the village of Taipohu and towards the enemy, several of whom were killed. Then Captain Long gave the onlor to charge and the men went forward with arrish. On seeing them coming the enemy at once made themselves scarce, and when our men got up to where they had been they were faraway. The enemy were found to have made a complete series of trenches on a position which overlooked the site of the flagstaff. On Saturday evening some 500 men of the Hongkong Regiment went over to the assistance of their comrades, but they found all quiet, and there was no stirring on the part of the enemy the whole of Sunday.
On His Excellency the Gorernor hearing of the disturbance be at once resolved that the flag should be hoisted forthwith instead of waiting until Monday. Accordingly ELE. Major-General Gascoigne and_ the Hon. J. A. Stewart-Lockhart and Commodore Powell left in H.MLS. Brisk. They reached Taipohu about two o'clock on Sunday. The Major-General sent word that he wanted the Hongkong Regiment to parade as quickly as possible and to form three sides of a square on what is now known as Flagstaff Hill—that is, the hill on which the police quarters had been erected and on which preparations for the hoist of the flag had been made, The fiaystatt had been erected in the carly morning. On the Major-General, the Hon. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart, and Commodore Powell reaching the top of Flagstaff Hill they found the Hongkong Regiment forming three sides of a square, with their guns in the contre. As the Major-General arrived the troops presented arms, and he ordered them to shoulder. Then' Mr. Lockhart, who wore his fall official uniform, hoisted the flag; the troops presented arms; and the guns fired a salute, the Fume and the Brisk doing the same. After this Mr.
Lockhart read the convention and Her Majesty's Order in Council, this terminate ing proceedings.
On Sunday morning, the 16th a deputation from the Extension waited upon lis Excellency at Government House and on behalf of themselves and others of Her Majesty's new subjects handed to him a! blackwood box, with a Chinese inscription on the lid, the interpretation being, The country's tranquillity and the people's hap-jines. The box contained a couple of silk British flags, one being intended for use at the ceremony, after which it was to! become the property of His Excellency, and the other to be forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen.
The deputation expressd their deep regret at the disturbances which had taken plice in the new territory, and said that they were all due to the Triad Societi the members of which had been terrorizing villages for mouths past, and compel-them ts disburse large sums of money.
A second flag-hoisting ceremony took place on Monday, the 17th, quite as unexpectedly as the former. This time the site was opposite the Custom House outside Kowloon city, Lady Blake, the wife of the Governor, performing the ceremony. The spot where the ceremony was per. formed is a small open space in front of the Foreign Customs Station, only a few yards from the beach. In the background is the Customs building, facing the sea, and on the right, or south side of the "square" is the granite wall of a very Inpidated old fort, which is protected by an equally useless lot of cannon, On th north side are several of the gambling houses for which the city is notorious. The flagstaff stands in the angle formed by the Custom House and the wall of the fort and the yellow flag of China could be seen floating in the breeze for the Inst time on that spot.
A guard of honour, consisting of about a hundred men of the Hongkong Regiment, was on the jetty at three o'clock await the arrival of H.E. the Governor and part and at 3.15 4 detachment of a dozen Indian Police arrived and took up a position in the square. The Chinese flag was then hauled down, and shortly afterwards the Governor's launch Victoria arrived at the jetty with His Excellency the Governor, Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G., Lady Blake, Miss Blake, and others. The party, preceded by the guard of honour, walked up to the square and took up a position round the flagstaff, the soldiers falling in line, two. deep, front of the wall of the old fort.
After His Excellency had exchanged a few words of greeting with the elders who were present, the Union Jack, tightly tied up in a small roll, was hoisted, and at 3.35 exactly Lady 'Blake pulled' the cord, the flag unfurled, the party raised their hats, and the Sikhs presented arms. The Governor's interpreter then read an address to the people, explaining that the territory was now British and the people British subjects, dwelling on the be-benign character of British rule, and wishing the people prosperity and happiness.
Printed copies of this address were then distributed amongst the crowd, who eagerly seized them and waved them in the air.
A wild rush was then made on the sin: party at the flagstaff, but with no e intent, as it was caused by Lady Blake di tributing a quantity of silver coin among the children who had gathered round. A furious but good-natured scramble at once occurred, and Her Ladyship and the others went inside the fort and finished the distribution there. The women, babies, and children were all the recipients of a few silver coins, and a great many happy and smiling faces were to be seen as one result of the British occupation. One little lad was seen with two ten-cent pieces carefully wrapped up in a copy of the address—a very appropriate combination.
By Tuesday all was reported quiet. The disorderly spirits had evidently got tired of their work, from which they were gaining nothing and no doubt thought it safer to content themselves with roving about and plundering here and there.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.