178
SHANGHAI
Pootung. Of these 2,068 were males, 1,227 females, and 1,389 children, against 1,086 males, 296 females, and 291 children in 1876; and 1,775 males, 1,011 females and 887 children, in 1885. The fluctuations in the foreign population have been very remarkable. Between 1870 and 1880 the number of adult males decreased, while in the next five years it increased by over fifty per cent. In the nine years, 1876 to 1885, the whole foreign population more than doubled, but in the next five years it showed an increase of only 148, of whom 144 were children. The increase has been greatest in Hongkew, where the population is five times what it was in 1876, whereas that of the British Settlement is less than in 1885. The foreign population of the French Concession on the same day of 1895 was 190 males, 78 females, and 162 children, a total of 430 against 444 in 1890. A curious fact is that of children under fifteen only 26 were males while 136 were females. The proportion of different nationalities in all the settlements was in 1895, 2,002 British, 741 Portuguese, 399 German and Austrian, 357 American, 281 French, 154 Spanish, 89 Danish, 88 Italian, 82 Swedish and Norwegian, 31 Russian, 111 of various other European nationalities, 322 Eurasians, 268 Japanese, 127 Indians, and 62 Manilamen and other Asiatics. While the adult foreign male population had increased only 613 per cent. since the census of 1870, the number of women had been multiplied six and of children nine times. The calculated foreign population in 1898 was 5,240. These figures do not include the population afloat, which at the date of the last census was 1,306, against 1,009 in 1890 and 893 in 1885. Although the Chinese have no right of residence within the Foreign Settlement, and indeed were expressly prohibited by the original Land Regulations, some twenty thousand sought refuge within the bound- aries from the rebels in 1854, and when the city was besieged by the Taipings in 1860- there were, it is said, at least five hundred thousand natives within the Settlements. As they found some amenities from "squeezing" when under the protection of foreig- ners, and foreigners themselves being able to obtain a much higher rental for their land, and finding native house property a very profitable investment, no opposition was made to their residence. In 1870 there were in the three Settlements 75,047; in 1880, 107,812; in 1890, 168,129. The numbers by the last census (June, 1895) were, in the British Settlement 116,204, in Hongkew 103,102, in Foreign Hongs in both Settlements 6,991, villages and huts within the limits 8,429, in shipping and boats 6,209, total 240,995; an increase of 433 per cent. in five years. The calculated native population in 1898 was 317,000. The native population of the French Concession on the same date in 1895 was 45,758, against 34,722 in 1890, and the boat population about 6,000; say a total for the three Settlements and afloat of about 293,000, more than half of whom are adult males. The population is estimated to have increased at the rate of twenty per cent. annually since the date of last census, notwithstanding that rents have risen from thirty to sixty and in some cases even one hundred per cent., and that provisions and cost of living generally both of natives and foreigners has greatly increased. The majority are immigrants from other provinces who followed in the wake of foreigners attracted by the high wages paid to skilled and unskilled labour required for the many industries. The population of the native city is supposed to be about 125,000. The large congregation of natives in the Settlements and the outlying roads is kept in admirable order by a Police force of 90 Europeans, 153 Indians, and 550 natives for the north of the Yang-king- pang and 42 Europeans and 71 natives for the French Concession, or about one constable for every 600 inhabitants. As the natives have to be tried by their own authorities, and bribery doubtless works its effects in Shanghai as elsewhere in China, the difficulties of organizing and efficiently working such a small force are considerable. In few places are life and property more secure. In August, 1899, the Captain Superintendent stated that twenty-four hours had passed without one defaulter being reported, a unique police experience for any city of its population in the world.
CLIMATE
The climate of Shanghai is generally allowed to be fairly healthy. The death rate amongst foreigners ashore and afloat during the past two decades has ranged from 16.4 per thousand (in 1897) to 30.8 per thousand (in 1881). The rate in 1898, was 16.7 per thousand. Partial outbreaks of cholera have occurred at intervals, but the larger proportion of the cases were among the ships in harbour. The highest recorded number of deaths from this cause among foreigners was 32, in 1890. Of these, 11 were amongst residents. In 1892, 1893, 1894, 1897 and 1898 there were no deaths from cholera among foreign residents. There were 20 deaths in 1895, 11 of residents, and 10 in 1896, 3 of residents, from this disease. The highest number of