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HONGKONG
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town on the river of the same name just beyond the boundary originally agreed upon. It was, however, restored to the Chinese authorities in November, 1899) The New Territory under British jurisdiction is being rapidly developed by the construction of roads; one of these, running from Kowloon to Castle Peak, affording magnificent sea-scapes to the motorist, who can return by way of Fan Ling and Taipo, the total distance being about sixty miles. Police stations have been established, and a system of administration by means of village- communities organised. The headquarters of the administration are at Tai pohu. The railway from Kowloon to Canton, which passes through the New Territory to Shamchun, has already done much to develop it. The Hongkong Golf Club acquired an area of 55.62 acres in the valley stretching West from Fanling and have converted it into a Golf Course of 18 holes, with two relief Courses of 9 holes each, which are now being extended, the whole promising to be the best in the East. The neighbourhood and Taipo are coming into favour with Europeans for residental purposes by reason of the picturesque scenery. The principal islands and their populations are as follows:-Lantao, 5,844; Cheung Chau, 5,035; Lamma, 1,256. These figures do not include the floating population. The islands to the west of Hongkong contain 1,925; those to the east 1,169. The Chinese population of the New Territories is 95,503. in
Of the islands and islets in the waters of the Colony (exclusive of the above acquisitions) the most important is Stonecutter's Island, formerly known as Wong Chune-chow, opposite to and about three-quarters of a mile from the north-west extremity of the Kowloon peninsula. The island is an irregular ridge about a mile in length, and a little over a quarter of a mile broad; the principal eminences are occupied by batteries and no one is allowed to land without a permit. The Quarantine Station also is 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. Kellet's Island is a small rock near East Point, on which formerly stood a fort, now 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. Aplichau, a considerable island opposite Aberdeen, of which harbour it forms part, has a populous fishing village on its northern shore facing Aberdeen. Lantao and Lamma Islands were brought under British jurisdiction by the Kowloon Convention of 1898. The former has a considerably larger area than Hongkong, but both this island and Lamma are very sparsely populated by agriculturists and fishermen. Cheung Chau is becoming popular as a summer resort for Europeans, numerous bungalows having been erected in the European reservation by missionaries and others.
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POPULATION AND DEFENCES
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A census taken in April, 1931, showed the total population of the Colony to be 852,932, as compared with 625,166 ten years ago. Kowloon, which had a population of 74,698 in 1921 doubled its figures, while the Island inhabitants have increased in numbers from 347,000 to 424,000, an increase of about 77,000. The whole population may be summed up as follows:-City of Victoria, 424,522 (as compared with 347,401 in 1921); Kowloon, 262,899 (as compared with 123,488); New Territories, 95,503 (as compared with 83,163); and the floating population, 69,008 (as compared with 71,154).
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The Garrison consists of British and Indian troops. There is also a local Volunteer Defence Corps. The approaches to the harbour are strongly forti- fied, the batteries consisting of well-constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by guns on Mount Davis, Stonecutters Island and Belcher: Point. The Ly-ee-mùn Pass is defended by forts on the Hongkong side and another on Devil's Peak on the mainland. The Colony of Hongkong pays to the British Government a military contribution fixed at 20 per cent. of the
revenue.
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