HONGKONG.
7
Across the harbour is the dependency of British Kowloon. This Peninsula was ceded to Great Britain in 1861. It has an area of four square miles, and has latterly made considerable progress. Yau-ma Ti, the principal village, has increased in popula- tion, and bids fair to some day become an important town. A number of Europeau houses, a hotel, and a club have been erected and numerous gardens laid out at Tsim-tsa Tsui. A fine praya, with a massive grauite wall, has been constructed at Tsim- tsa Tsui, and an extensive range of godowns has been built and fine wharves made, for discharging cargo and coaling. An Observatory is situated on Mount Elgin; and a large and handsome Police Station for the Water Police occupies an eminence just above the new praya.
In front of this Station is a Time Ball, which is dropped
daily. Steam ferries ply regularly between Kowloon and Victoria.
The total population of the Colony of Hongkong, according to the census of 1881, was 160,402, showing an increase of 21,258 since 1876, when the preceding census was taken. The total population of the city of Victoria was returned at 141,494; that of Kowloon at 9,021; of Shau-ki Wan 3,274; of Aberdeen 1,305; and Stanley 829. The rest of the population is distributed among the smaller villages and the boat population other than in Victoria harbour. The total British and foreign population numbered 7,990; but the residents proper are returned at 3,040, the former figures including the naval an military establisuments, police, shipping in harbour, and temporary residents. The Indians and others of mixed blood numbered 1,722. The present population is estimated at 200,000.
1
Hongkong formerly enjoyed a most unenviable notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garrisoned here undoubtedly suffered severely. A great deal of the sickness in the early days of the Colony was caused by excavating and other- wise disturbing the disintegrated granite of which the soil of the island mainly con- sists, and which appears to throw off malarious exhalations when upturned. Åt the present time, however, the Colony is one of the healthiest spots in the world in the same latitude. New sanitary regulations are being inaugurated. The annual death rate per 1,000 for the whole population in 1888 was 31.72, for the British and foreign population 23.28. The annual average rainfall is about 80 inches, while the average
annual range of the thermometer is from 43 deg, to 89 deg.
The finances of the Colony have for several years gone on improving, and the estimated revenue for 1890 is $1,884,943, or including premium on land sales $2,184,943, and the ordinary expenditure $1,452,727.
Hongkong is a free port, and there is no official return of the imports and exports compiled, but the value of its trade is estimated at about £40,000,000 per annum. During the year 1888 the following tonnage entered and cleared with cargoes:-
NATIONALITY
American
Austrian
British
Chinese
CLEARED
Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons.
79,210... 60... 95,927 21,466... 10... 21,468 2, 61 3,216,223... 2,379... 3,025,111 139... 176,525
NATIONALITY
ENTERED
OLRARED
Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons.
693... 617,190... 590... 613,317
ENTERED
German
49... 10...
152... 194,630...
Hawaiian
2...
2,266...
3... 2,819
15...
25,437...
16...
23,500
Italian
Japanese
37...
51,704...
3...
3,045
Norwegian
98...
35,224...
26... 21,162
81...
28... 70... 134,945.....
32,258... 35,893...
77...
21...
69...
30,297 28,990 133,828
Russian ....................................
8... 11,705...
5...
9,965
Siamese Spanish
8... 4,149
8...
4,149
83...
16,569...
32...
17,881
Chinese Junks... 13,961... 1,160,751... 16,722... 1,478,014
Danish Dutch..................
French
A total of 17,750 vessels, of 5,671,425 tons entered, and 20,159 vessels, of 5,586,148 tons cleared with cargoes. There also entered in ballast 10,029 vessels, of 728,985 tons, and there cleared 7,210 vessels with 723,826 tons. The total arrivals show an increase as compared with the previous year of 33,572 tons.
The trade chiefly consists in opium, cotton, sugar, salt, flour, oil, cotton and wool- len goods, metals, earthenware, amber, ivory, sandalwood, betel, vegetables, granite, &c., &c. The bulk of the European trade of China and Japan passes through this port.
Hongkong possesses unrivalled steam communication. The P. & O. S. N. Co. and the M. M. Co. convey the European mail weekly, the Norddeutscher Lloyd Co. maintain a regular montbly mail service between Bremen and Hongkong, the P. M. S. S. Co. and the O. & O. S. S. Čo. maintain a mail service with San Francisco, the Canadian Pacific S. S. Co. a regular mail service with Vancouver, B.C., and the E. & A. S. S. Co., the Gibb Line, and the C. N. Co. keep up a frequent but irregular service with the Australian