307
The other races amongst the population number 5,810, as compared with 5,719 in 1962. The Nationalities represented amongst these are natives of India, Malays. Filipinos, Japanese, Africans and Eurasians.
The number of Indian troops including women and children in the Colony at the end of June, 1903, was 2,566.
The following is a statement of the number of licensed boats belonging to the Colony :-
Victoria trading junks,
77
Hunghom
fishing
Sam-shui-po
Shaukiwan
Aberdeen
་་
19
19
772
88
936
...1,122
.1,222
2,080
394
6,614
Stanley
::
New Territory :-
Cheung Chan fishing junks,.
..1,622
Tai O,...
740
Tai Po
..1,343
Deep Bay,
Sai Kung,
Sampans,
.1,428
1,074
6,207
.2,424
Lighters,
Cargo boats,
Other boats,
53
...2,005
362
4,844
Grand Total,...
.......17,665
The following Tables show details of the distribution of the population in the City of Victoria. Table I shows the estimated number of inhabitants per house and per floor, while Table II shows the number of persons per acre based on the estimated population.
The average number of persons per built over acre has risen from 258 in 1892 to 266 in 1903, and the total number of persons per acre inclusive of all open spaces in the City has risen from 132 in 1902 to 136 in 1903.
It is however highly probable that the population of the City of Victoria is under-estimated and that therefore the overcrowding is much more intense than these tables show.
When His Excellency Sir HENRY BLAKE took a census of the experimental block of houses in Second and Third Streets it was found that in 257 houses comprising 604 floors there were 7,701 inhabitants giving an average of 29.9 persons per house and 12.7 persons per floor.
The houses in this block are smaller than the average Chinese houses in the City and yet the corresponding figures for No Health District are only 23.5 per house and 8.9 per floor for 1903.
I have pointed out in my Report on the plague epidemic for 1903 that there appears to be direct relation between this overcrowding and plague-the disease being worst where the number of persons per floor is greatest.