HIS385H1 Lecture 4: “Chinese Community in Early Hong Kong”
Document Summary
Military occupation in 1841 until 1843 when is it was colonized. Lord palmerston, foreign secretary coined hong kong a barren rock with hardly a house not it . Hong kong was a british headquarters for trade, diplomacy and militia. Queen victoria hong kong charter of 1843 : serve as the constitution of hong kong until 1997 and the structure of hong kong government. Letters patent : crown colony title, constitutional structure of the colony. Royal instructions : outlined administrative system; assigned each part of the government a distinctive role. Governor (sir henry pottinger as 1st governor): simply a representative of the. British monarch as a responsibility; protect the interest of the british crown, not the interest of hong kong citizens. Administrator, trade superintendent, diplomat: highest ranking diplomat in east. Assisted by the executive council (exco): the cabinet. Governor"s appointments(appointed people prominent merchants that were not associated with the government to facilitate trade through laws)
