Directory_and_Chronicle_1929

HONGKONG

CLIMATE

949

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 six years were: 1921, 332; 1922, 454; 1923, 674; 1924, 707; 1925, 702; 1926, 587. The last number represents 0.89 per thousand of population. The general death-rate per 1,000 in 1926 was 15.9 (19.05 in 1925). Among the Chinese com- munity the death-rate was 16.01 per 1,000, compared with 19.12 in 1925. Amongst the non-Chinese civilian community the death-rate per 1,000 was 10.9 as against 14.6 in 1925.

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, in 1926 100.78 inches, in 1927 107.88 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.

A Parliamentary paper issued in August, 1905, showed Hongkong to be, in respect of tonnage, the largest shipping port in the world. The trade chiefly consists of cotton, sugar, salt, flour, oil, cotton and woollen goods, cotton yarn, opium, matches, metals, earthenware, amber, ivory, sandalwood, betel, vegetables, granite, etc. There is an extensive Chinese passenger trade, chiefly restricted, however, to the Straits Settle- ments, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, Siam, and Indo-China.

Hongkong possesses unrivalled steam communication and there are frequent and regular mail services to Europe, America, Australia and Africa. Regular steam com- munication between Java and Hongkong is maintained by the Java-China-Japan Line and the Nederland Royal Mail Line. Between the ports on the east coast of China, Formosa and Hongkong the steamers of the Douglas S.S. Co. and the Osaka Shosen Kaisha ply regularly, and there is constant steam communication with Hoihow, Manila, Saigon, Haiphong, Tourane, Bangkok, Borneo, etc. The British-India and Apcar lines sail between Hongkong Calcutta and intermediate ports. With Shanghai, Tientsin, and the ports of Japan there is frequent communication by steamers of the Indo-China S.N. Co., China Navigation, and other lines, in addition to the English, American and French mail steamers. Between Hongkong, Macao, and Canton there is a daily steam service, and in normal times steamers run as far as Wuchow on the West River.

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