Possession Point
Encyclopedia
Possession Point is a former point of land
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...

 on the northwestern coast of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

 in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, before land reclamation
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...

 moved the coast further north.

History

The area is where Commodore James Bremer
James Bremer
Sir James John Gordon Bremer, KCB, KCH , was a British Royal Navy officer. He served in the Napoleonic Wars, First Anglo-Burmese War, and First Anglo-Chinese War. In China, he served twice as commander-in-chief of British forces.Born in Portsea, England, Bremer joined the Royal Navy in 1794...

, commander-in-chief of the British forces in China, took formal possession of Hong Kong on 26 January 1841. Captain Edward Belcher
Edward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, KCB , was a British naval officer and explorer. He was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. His wife, Diana Jolliffe, was the stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood.-Early life:...

, who surveyed the island in 1841, wrote: "We landed on Monday, the 26th, at fifteen minutes past eight, and being the bona fide first possessors, her Majesty's health was drank with three cheers on Possession Mount." Accompanied by officers of the naval squadron, Bremer took formal possession, under a feu de joie
Feu de joie
A feu de joie is a rifle salute, described as a "running fire of guns", on occasions of public rejoicing of nation and/or ruling dynasty. It can also mean a bonfire lit in a public place as a token of joy....

 from the Royal Marines and a royal salute from the men-of-war ships. The area came to be known as Possession Point. It was kept an open space, and used for recreation by the local Chinese, who called it Tai Tat Tei. It was developed in the 1980s and formed into a hotel and commercial complex, which is the site of the Hong Kong – Macau Ferry Terminal.

The point has now disappeared from the coastline, but Possession Street
Possession Street
Possession Street is a street in Sheung Wan, from Queen's Road West to Hollywood Road, on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The street marks the boundary of Queen's Road West and Queen's Road Central....

 and the sudden turn of Queen's Road West
Queen's Road
Queen's Road is the first road in Hong Kong built by the Government of Hong Kong between 1841 and 1843, spanning across Victoria City from Shek Tong Tsui to Wan Chai...

 reveals its original location. In maps of the 1980s and before, Hollywood Road Park
Hollywood Road Park
Hollywood Road Park is an urban public park in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.The park is built in Chinese architectural style and is surrounded by buildings nearby.-History:...

 is marked as Possession Point. This marks the original site which, owing to land reclamation, is no longer located on the coast.

The Chinese name, 水坑口 (Shui Hang Hau), means the mouth of water trench, reflecting the mouth of a stream from Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. The mountain is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island...

.

External links

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