The increase in trade between China and the Europeans in the early decades of the nineteenth century led, not unsurprisingly, to an increase in attacks upon shipping by pirates in the South China Sea. One of the trade routes to Canton took the ships close to the islands of Lantau and Honk Kong which lie to the south of the Chinese mainland. It was on the largest of these two - Lantau - that the Quing authorities established a maritime basein 1832.

The Tung Chung Snocheng (Tung Chung Battalion City) was built in a small bay on the northern shores of Lantau Island, from where it could control the sea passage between Lantau and the mainland. As its name implies, it was designed as a fortified military base rather than as a regular fortress. Its high, open and undefended walls (the cannon were moved to the fort in 1918) were clearly not expected to withstand artillery attack.

The fort was seceded to Britain along with the other "New Territories" of Hong Kong in 1898.

A. The main gate which faces the sea

B. A view of the interior of the fort, showing part of the barrack square and the guard house above the main gate.

C. The terreplein on the front wall, with the side gate in the background.The guns are of Chinese manufacture and two are dated 1843 which makes them contemporary with the fort.

D. The rear wall of the fort runs up the side of a hill and was built without a terreplein or parapet.