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Victoria; ferry boats also run between Yau-ra Ti and Victoria and Hung-ham-where the principal docks of the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co. are situate-and Victoria.
Of the islands and islets in the waters of the Colony the most important is Stone cutter's Island, formerly known as Wong Chuen-chow. This is really a dependency of British Kowloon, being opposite to and about three-quarters of a mile from the north- western extremity of the peninsula. The island is an irregular ridge about a mile in length, and a little over a quarter of a mile broad. The Gunpowder Depôt is on the eastern end, near the wharf; the principal eminences are occupied by batteries more or less formidable, and no one is allowed to land without a permit. The Quarantine Station is also located here. After the great typhoon of September, 1874, two or three thousand bodies of the victims found afloat were interred on Stonecutter's Island. Attempts have been made to acclimatise rabbits on the island, but with indifferent success. Kellet's Island is a small rock near East Point, on which a fort formerly stood, but which has been replaced by a small magazine. Green Island, at the western entrance of the harbour, has been planted with trees and now justifies its name all the year round. A lighthouse has been placed on its south-western extremity. One Tree Island is a tiny rock near the entrance to Aberdeen. A Dynamite Depôt has been erected on it. Aplichau is a considerable island opposite Aberdeen, of which harbour it forms part, and has a populous fishing village on its northern shore facing Aberdeen. There appears to be considerable doubt whether the large island of Lamma, on the southern coast, is a dependency of the Colony, from which it is only about a mile distant in the narrowest part of the East Lamma Channel. It is sparsely populated by agriculturists and fishermen.
POPULATION, Garrison, and Defences.
The total population of the Colony, according to the census taken in May, 1891, numbered 221,441 compared with 160,402 in 1881, an increase of 61,039. The population is composed as follows:-European and American resident civil population, 4,195; mili- tary (British), 1,544; navy (British), 1,356; Police, 157; European and American crews of mercantile shipping in harbour, 764; foreign men-of-war in harbour, 453; temporary residents, 53; prisoners, 23. Total of Europeans and Americans, 8,545. Indians and others of Asiatic descent not Chinese, 1,206; Indian military, 215; Indian police, 224; crews of mercantile shipping in harbour, 252; prisoners, 4. Total British and Foreign community, 10,446. Total Chinese population, 210,995. Of the European and American population, 1,448 are British, 2,089 Portuguese, 208 German, 93 American, 89 French, 88 Spanish, 38 Italian, 31 Turkish, 26 Austrian, 26 Swedish, 16 Danish, and the rest of other nationalities. The population of the City of Victoria is about 144,300, that of Kowloon peninsula, 20,600. The remainder is distributed among the villages and the floating population.
The Garrison, according to the Estimates for 1891-92, consists of two batteries of Garrison Artillery, 253 of all ranks; one company of Royal Engineers, 159 of all ranks one battalion of Infantry, 1,038; four companies of Indian Artillery, one company of Colonial Engineers, and eight companies of Indian infantry, 1,507 of all ranks; 3 men of the Army Service Corps, 6 of the Ordnance Store, 3 of the Corps of Ordnance Artificers, 3 of the Corps of Armourers, and 17 of the Medical Staff Corps. Total of all ranks, 2,989. Nearly one half of this force was at the end of 1891, however, still on paper. The regiment of Indian infantry and a portion of the artillery have not yet arrived. A Volunteer Artillery Corps has existed for the past twelve years, but its effective strength is at present small.
The approaches to the harbour are now strongly fortified, the batteries consisting of well constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by three batteries on Stonecutter's Island and two forts on Belcher and Fly Points, from which a tremendous converging fire could be maintained, completely commanding the Sulphur Channel, Another small battery, on the hill above and west of Richmond Terrace, has a wide range of fire. The Ly-ee-moon Pass is defended by two forts, and if vessels survived that fire they would then have to face the batteries at North Point and Hungham, which completely command the eastern entrance. Another battery on the bluff at Tsim-tsa Tsui Kowloon, commands the whole of the centre of the harbour. The batteries are armed with the latest breech-loading ordnance.
In addition to the fortifications the Colony possesses a small squadron for harbour defence. This consists of the turret iron-clad Wiren, 2,750 tons, carrying 4 guns, the gunboats Esk and Tweed, each carrying 3 guns, and four torpedo boats. The crews of these vessels are borne in the receiving ship Victor Emanuel, a hulk moored opposite to the Cricket Ground, and which is also the headquarters of the Commodore and his staff. The Naval Yard is an extensive range of workshops and offices east of the Artillery