Vue générale de Hong Kong et de son port. On repère au premier plan quelques bâtiments bien connus : au centre, les Murray Barracks (美利兵房) ; juste à gauche, le Parade Ground et devant, gazonné, le Cricket Ground ; encore à gauche, la cathédrale Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste de Hong Kong (聖約翰座堂) ; devant cette dernière, le bâtiment de l'ancienne mission française de Hong Kong (前法國外方傳道會大樓) puis l'ancien hôtel de ville (舊香港大會堂) ; à gauche de ce dernier, le dôme du bâtiment de la HSBC (滙豐總行大廈). Cette photographie a peut-être été prise en 1885 ou 1886 : c'est en effet le deuxième bâtiment de la HSBC que l'on aperçoit ici (achevé en 1886), mais auquel il semble manquer le petit dôme surplombant l'entrée côté mer ; des échafaudages sont également a priori visibles sur l'un de ses côtés. Les travaux de construction sont donc peut-être toujours en cours au moment de la prise de vue. Le tirage de cette photographie est quant à lui peut-être postérieur si Dumoulin l'a acheté lors de ses voyages entre 1888 et 1897.
General view of Hong Kong and its port. We can see some well-known buildings in the foreground: in the center, the Murray Barracks (美利兵房); just to the left, the Parade Ground and in front, grassy, the Cricket Ground; again on the left, the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist of Hong Kong (聖約翰座堂); in front of the latter, the building of the former French mission of Hong Kong (前法國外方傳道會大樓) then the old city hall (舊香港大會堂); to the left of the latter, the dome of the HSBC building (滙豐總行大廈). This photograph was perhaps taken in 1885 or 1886: it is in fact the second HSBC building that we see here (completed in 1886), but which seems to be missing the small dome overlooking the entrance on the sea side ; scaffolding is also visible on one of its sides. Construction work may therefore still be underway at the time of the photo. The print of this photograph is perhaps later if Dumoulin bought it during his travels between 1888 and 1897.
Source: Fonds ASEMI, Université Côte d'Azur, see https://humazur.univ-cotedazur.fr/s/humazur/ark:/17103/c0np
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On the Kowloon side, one can…
On the Kowloon side, one can spot the Former Marine Police HQ [1884- ] and the Time-ball tower (1st generation) [1885- ].
The hulks HMS Meanee and HMS Victor Emmanuel can also be seen.
1885-1891
Klaus notes the Time-ball tower (1st generation) [1885- ] is visible, so the photo was taken no earlier than 1885.
However there is no sign of Sharp & Co.'s building, Kowloon Point [1891-1912] or Knutsford Terrace [1891-????], so it must have been taken no later than 1891.
Do any other clues narrow down the dates?
What is that very visible…
What is that very visible stripe on the escarpment between the Royal Naval Depot and the coal sheds on the western side of the Kowloon peninsula? Is it the same thing as the strip on Signal Hill as discussed here? If so it predates it by over 40 years.