920
HONGKONG
and offices east of the Artillery Barracks, and the Naval Authorities have another large establishment on the Kowloon side near to Yaumati.
CLIMATE
As intimated in earlier paragraphs, Hongkong formerly possessed a most unenviable notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garrisoned here suffered grievously from malarial fevers. At the present time, however, the Colony is one of the healthiest spots in the world in the same latitude. The influence of the young pine forests created by the Afforestation Department and the training of nullahs on the slopes have no doubt been beneficial in checking malaria, and the attention latterly bestowed on sanitation has not been without its due effect. The number of deaths from malaria during the past five years were: 1921, 332; 1922, 454; 1923, 674; 1924, 707; 1925, 702. The last number represents 0.89 per thousand of population. The general death-rate per 1,000 in 1925 was 19.05 (21.75 in 1924). Among the Chinese community. the death-rate was 19.12 per 1,000, compared with 21.9 in 1924. Amongst the non- Chinese civilian community the death-rate per 1,000 was 14.6 as against 15.06 in 1924.
Four successive years of comparative drought, 1898-1901, led to the assumption that the rainfall of Hongkong was decreasing. But such is not the case; the mean annual rainfall for the period 1902-11 was 84.21 inches against 68.29 inches for the period 1895- 1901. Until 1918 the rainfall was never so heavy as in the period 1888-1894, when the mean annual fall was 101.08 inches. In 1918 it was 101.605 inches, in 1919 76.14 inches, in 1920 107.88 inches, in 1921 97.34 inches, in 1922 69.435 inches, in 1923 106.74 inches, in 1924 98.57 inches, in 1925 87.59 inches and in 1926 100.78 inches.
TRADE
The value of the trade of Hongkong was estimated for many years at about £50,000,000 per annum, but the returns compiled by the Statistical Branch of the Imports and Exports Department, established during the war, showed a total (exclud-- ing treasure) for 1923, of £123,326,829, as compared with £122,191,827 in 1922. Imports- were valued at £61,954,498 and exports at £61,372,331, as compared with £61,213,363 and £60,978,464 respectively in 1922. In the latter part of 1925 it was decided on the grounds of economy to close the Statistical Branch of the Imports and Exports Depart- ment and detailed figures of the trade are therefore not available.
The total of the Shipping entering and clearing at ports in the Colony during the year 1925 amounted to 379,177 vessels of 41,469,584 tons, which, compared with the figures for 1924, show a decrease of 384,315 vessels and a decrease of 15,261,493 tons. Of the foregoing, 41,336 vessels of 32,179,053 tons were engaged in foreign trade, as compared with 57,765 vessels of 38,770,499 tons in 1924. A comparison between the years 1924 and 1925 is given in the following table :-
Class of Vessels.
British Ocean-going
""
British River Steamers
1925.
Decrease.
1924.
No.
...
...
5,297
Foreign
...
...
7,674 7,120
Foreign
...
2,318
>>
Steamships under 60 tons
(Foreign Trade)
7,831
Junks, Foreign Trade
...
27,525
Tonnage. No. Tonnage, No. Tonnage. 11,844,752 3,916 9,866,820 1,381 16,030,078 5,763 13,786,954 6,524,661 4,058 5,455,115 840,347 1,266 452,878
231,833 5,386 165,497 2,445 66,336 3,298,828 20,947
1,977,932. 1,911 2,243,124 3,062 1,069,546 1,052
387,469,
2,451,789 6,578 847,039
Total, Foreign Trade
...
Steam-launches plying in Water of the Colony Junks, Local Trade
Grand Total
...
57,765 38,770,499 41,336 32,179,053 15,429 6,591,446.
...678,750 16,622,806 310,924 *27,977 *1,337,772 +26,917
8,050,939 367,826 8,571,867 +1,239,592 1,060 98,180,
ma
Hre
KLIN LA
.764,492 56,731,077 379,177 41,469,584 384,315 15,261,493,
Net Increase............ 384,315 15,261,49
* Including 15,212 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 654,199 tons.
+
19
15,890
""
91
"
"} » 693,660
""