1074
HONGKONG
POPULATION, GARRISON, AND DEFENCES
A census taken in May, 1911, showed the total population 453,793, consisting of 13,157 non-Chinese and 440,636 Ühinese, Chinese 383,344 constituted the land population. The boat popula (of whom 31,893 were in Victoria harbour). In the City of Victoria Chinese and 216,022 Chinese. The Peak population was returned and 1,749 Chinese. Compared with the returns made in 1906 a la population is shown, but it should be added that the census of 1911 when the population was temporarily inflated by an influx of prob from the mainland in consequence of political disturbances at Ca strength of the army stationed in the Colony is 4,500 and of the Na
The Garrison consists of three companies Royal Garrison Art Royal Engineers, one battalion of Infantry, Army Service Corps, 1 Corps, four Indian infantry battalions two in "North China and four companies native artillery and one local company native engin a Volunteer Corps consisting of one troop_of_Mounted Infan of Garrison Artillery, and one Company of Engineers. On the Sir Matthew Nathan, a Volunteer Reserve Association was forme of British residents over the age of 35.
The approaches to the harbour are strongly fortified, the ba well-constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected b h Stonecutters Island and two forts on Belcher and Fly Points, from converging fire could be maintained, completely commanding th Pine Wood battery, on the hill above and west of Richmond range of fire. The Ly-ee-mun Pass is defended by two forts side and another on Devil's Peak on the mainland, and if vesse they would then have to face the batteries at North Point an completely command the eastern entrance, Another battery on t Tsui, Kowloon, commands the whole of the centre of the harbour armed with the latest breech-loading ordnance. The Colony o military contribution fixed at 20 per cent, of the revenue.
In addition to the fortifications the Colony possesses a small so defence. This consists of the obsolete turret ironclad Wivern, 2,750 t and being used as a distilling ship, and six torpedo boats. The cre are borne in the receiving ship Tamar, which is also the h Commodore and his staff. The Naval Yard consists of a large dock of workshops and offices east of the Artillery Barracks, and the have another large establishment on the Kowloon side near to Yau
CLIMATE
As intimated in earlier paragraplis, Hongkong formerly enjoye notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garri grievously from malarial fevers, A great deal of the sickness of the Colony was believed to have been caused by excavat disturbing the disintegrated granite of which the soil of the isla and which appears to throw off malarious exhalations when uptur time, however, the Colony is one of the healthiest spots in the latitude. The influence of the young pine forests created b Department and the training of nullahs on the slopes have no doul checking malaria, and the attention latterly bestowed on sanit without its due effect. The general death rate per 1,000 in 1910 w Chinese community only (including the Army and Navy) as com 1909. Among the Chinese community the death rate was 22.50 per 21.08 in 1908.
The following table shows fifteen years' means of the ai values of the principal meteorological elements:--