Why is Magazine Island called “Magazine Island”?
Located west of Ap Lei Chau, above the East Lamma Channel, there is a small island with a mysterious circular arched building on top. You may often see it in your daily life without knowing its purpose. Perhaps friends who enjoy fishing or fishermen might know that this small island is called “Magazine Island.” It also has other names such as “Aiu Fish Island” and “Pork Stria Island.” In the early days of Hong Kong’s establishment, the British referred to it as “TREE ISLAND” or “ONE TREE ISLAND,” as it was said that there were very few trees on the island, with only one tree standing, hence the name.
But why is the small island called “Magazine Island,” its most well-known name? In the past, the island used to store gunpowder, and the mysterious building on the island was a magazine for storing gunpowder, hence the name “Magazine Island.” There are rumors that the magazine used to be where fishermen stored fish bombs, but this cannot be verified, and it wouldn’t be surprising if fishermen later occupied it. Where did the magazine come from? With numerous islands in Hong Kong, why was it chosen to be located here?
From “One Tree Island” to “Magazine Island”
In Sir Edward Belcher’s 1841 map of Hong Kong, the island known as Magazine Island was initially labeled as “TREE ISLAND.” Subsequent maps changed this to “ONE TREE ISLAND.” It wasn’t until the 1923 map of Hong Kong that the names “Magazine or Tree I.” appeared together, even though the magazine had been established earlier.
As early as 1886, Nobel’s Explosives Company had plans to establish a magazine in Hong Kong for convenient storage during trade. In June of the same year, the Hong Kong government informed Nobel that “One Tree Island” was the only suitable location for a magazine. By April 1887, Nobel opposed using “One Tree Island” and requested to lease a small island east of Green Island, opposite Morrison Hill, known as Little Green Island, to ensure the magazine would be within the British military zone. In July of the same year, Nobel’s agent, Mr. Harris, visited Hong Kong to inspect suitable locations for the magazine. He suggested two other places to the government, one in Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island and another on Shau Kei Wan Road. Despite being within the military zones, both locations were close to residential areas, leading the government to reject them due to safety concerns.
Mr. Harris then inspected “One Tree Island” and found it suitable for the magazine, leading Nobel to accept the government’s arrangement. Although the military expressed concerns over the importance of having the magazine within the military zone, the government’s decision remained unchanged. On October 1, Nobel and the government signed a 10-year lease agreement, with an annual rent of 100 dollars. In case the government terminated the lease prematurely or chose not to renew it, Nobel would receive a six-month notice and compensation of up to 1,000 dollars to cover construction costs on the island.
Thus, “One Tree Island” transformed into “Magazine Island,” becoming the largest privately operated magazine in Hong Kong at the time.
Renewal of Lease for Magazine Island
In 1898, Nobel expressed interest in renewing the lease for Magazine Island and applied to the Hong Kong government through Jardine, Matheson & Co. (hereinafter referred to as “Jardine”) to extend the lease agreement for another 10 years starting from October 1, 1897. On May 6 of the same year, the Hong Kong government replied that they were willing to renew the lease with Nobel, but the annual rent would increase from $100 to $1200. On May 18, Jardine responded to the government, expressing surprise at the rent increase and detailing the operational expenses on Magazine Island at that time, such as staff, police costs, maintenance, insurance, and the presence of Indian guards on the island, resulting in a deficit of $41–30 per month. They also mentioned that Nobel had closed their magazine in Shanghai in 1897 and warned that if the government insisted on increasing the rent to $1200, Nobel might similarly close their facility in Hong Kong, affecting the government’s gunpowder trade. On May 27, the government requested Jardine to provide the average monthly value of various explosives stored on the island from April 30, 1896, to April 30, 1898, and to separate Nobel’s goods from those of other companies for calculation purposes. Jardine submitted the value of goods and a statement for the specified period to the government on June 9. After reviewing the submissions, the government informed Jardine on June 16 that the annual rent would remain at $100 until September 30, 1898, but future rent and lease terms would be the main topics of negotiation between the government and Jardine as the government believed that the stored goods on the island did not correspond proportionally with the rent.
On September 1, the government proposed reducing the rent from $1200 to $600 per year to Jardine. Jardine replied on September 5, stating that a decision on whether to renew the lease for the island would be made after Nobel’s representative, Mr. John Harris, arrived in Hong Kong. On September 18, the government requested Jardine to respond by September 30 at the latest, but the response received was that Nobel’s representative had not yet arrived in Hong Kong. On September 28, Jardine informed the government that another representative of Nobel, Mr. William Waters, would be arriving in Hong Kong on the following day aboard the “Changsha” departing from Australia to handle the lease renewal matters.
On October 3, after a visit by Nobel’s representatives to Hong Kong, Jardine presented five reasons to the government through Jardine against increasing the rent: 1) The government attracted Nobel to invest heavily in construction and expand its business based on the original lease conditions. 2) The original lease did not specify or imply such a significant increase in rent, and if the possibility of a rent increase had been stated initially, Nobel might not have established the magazine. 3) The income from the magazine was similar to that of ten years prior, and from an income perspective, the government had no reason to increase the rent. 4) If the rent were increased as mentioned in the letter dated May 18, Nobel would incur significant losses, leading to the closure of operations and rendering the island an asset from which the government could not derive any income. 5) If the government renewed the lease under the same terms as the previous lease, Nobel would continue to provide good service as before.
On October 10, Jardine received the government’s response that the rent would remain at $600 per year, with the option to choose a lease term of 3, 5, or 10 years. The following day, Jardine replied to the government, reluctantly accepting the rent requirement and requesting permission to renew their existing lease for a period of three years under the modified terms. They also sought to retain the option to extend the lease to ten years if desired upon expiration. On the 13th of the month, the government agreed to Jardine’s requests as outlined above.
“Magazine Island” Replaced, Returning to a Tranquil Small Island
In 1908, discussions within the Hong Kong government began regarding the continued leasing of Magazine Island. They assessed the current stock of gunpowder on the island, which had significantly increased compared to ten years prior. A substantial portion of the stored gunpowder belonged to Nobel, giving them an unfair trade advantage over other companies in the gunpowder trade as they did not have to pay storage fees for their gunpowder stored on the island. The government shifted its stance on the location of the magazine twenty years prior, accepting military input to establish the magazine within military defense zones.
By February 1906, the government had already set up a government magazine on Green Island and believed that having both Magazine Island and Green Island magazines simultaneously storing gunpowder would create competition. On July 3, 1908, the Hong Kong government officially notified Jardine that they would not renew the lease for Magazine Island, even if they were willing to increase the rent from an annual fee of $600 to a monthly fee of $250. Consequently, Jardine proposed to the government to rent a portion of the warehouses in the Green Island magazine for a monthly fee of $250, initially for one year with an option for annual renewal, which the government eventually agreed to.
On October 31 of the same year, Nobel formally vacated Magazine Island, returning the small island to a state of tranquility and decline. While Magazine Island had lost its original function and become a deserted island only frequented by fishermen, the name “Magazine Island” had already been etched into people’s hearts, becoming a historical imprint.
P.S. The content above has been translated from Chinese to English by an AI.