May14, 1906.]
srrived at between the Corporation and the British Colonial Office.
Yours faithfully,
JOSEPH WELCH,
Hon. Secretary. 26th May, Dear sir,-I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 21st April, referring particularly to the American application for a deep-water harbour near Whampoa, to serve, eventually, as the terminus of the Hankow- Canton Railway, and to the fears entertained that the establishment of the proposed port would seriously affect Hongkong.
The information given in your letter appeared to be so important that on the 23rd instant I called at the Foreign Office with a copy of it, which I left in their possesson. They are in scoord with your views that "if the British and Chinee Corporation could get in first with their line to Canton, the idea of start ing an opposition port would receive consider. able discouragement." On the day previous to my call the British and Chinese Corporation had made representations about the delay at Peking to the signature of the final agreement provided for by the under. standing with the Colonial Government, and I understand that the Foreign Office are tele- graphing to Bir Ernest Šatow to press the matter forward, though they do not yet feel to be in a position to accuse the Chinese Govern- ment of delay.
osu Bay with confidence that the B. & C. Corporation are doing their utmost to get the agreement signed, and are most anxious for the construction of the railway to be commenced. Their agent has been in Peking for some weeks endeavouring to get the agreement discussed and signed, but the matter has been put off from time to time on one plea or another. It is hoped hat the telegram to Sir E. Satow will
hasten the decoin.
No difficulty is anticipated in raising the loan required to buld the line. Yours faithfully.
JOSEPH WELCH,
Hon. Secretary
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A psecial meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on May 12th at the Board Room. The Hon.
Dr. F. Clark (president) presided, and there were also present-Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Dr. Macfarlane, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, Mr. Fung Wa-chun and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary). The meeting was called to consider the advisability of closing a block of three honses known 88 Nos. 94. 96, and 98 Reclamation Street, Mongkok.
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The PRESIDENT-This is a purely formal matter, gentlemen. Dr. Macfarlane has reported that in three houses, in an isolated block at Mongkok, several cases of plague have occurred, one in each. He has submitted a certificate to the effect that they are unfit for human habits- tion. rat infected, and that à case of plague has occurred in saob. The Ordinance gives the The power to close any houses certified to be u 6 for habitation until such time as they were rendered fit for occupation in the opinion of the Board. 1 may mention that the Board have rented A blook of houses in the vicinity, where the people can be transferrred at their own option, so that there can not he a a suggestion of their being turned adrift and homeless. I beg to move that the recommends tion be adopted.
Mr. LAU CHU-FAK-Are these new houses Dr. MACFARLANE-Practically new houses, about four or five years old, but they are not under the new Ordinance.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
A Peking telegram to the Nanfangpao states that the Waiwapa bas be-n informed by the British Minister that the Dalai Lama has gone to Mongolia from Heiningfu in Kansu with the object of inciting the Minotse rebels to combine with the Tibetan savages and start a revolt. The Miaotze are becoming restless and the Waiwapu is requested to sak the Throne to proclaim by deores the guilt of the Dalai Lama and to appoint another Lams in his place.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
TRAGIC DEATH OF A FOREIGN POLICEMAN,
As playgoers were leaving the City Hall on May 12th, the body of Constable Aaron Williams was discovered in Wardley Street, with blood trickling from a wound on the head. A few moments previously he was observed keeping order as the crowd were leaving the half, and it is surmised that after this he went and sat on the sill of an open window to get a leaned back, or probably his heart failed, for he breath of fresh air. While in this position he
fell backwards out of the window to the ground, a distance of between twelve and fifteen feet, and fractured his skull. An ambulanco was sent for and when it arrived, and the coolies were preparing to lift the body into it, i foreigner addressed a European sergeant who appeared to be in charge.
"Aint he a policeman?
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831
A considerable improvement is always taking place in the matter of scavenging lanes, but the fall effect of the Ordinanos in this respect will not be noticeable for a considerable number of years. Nevertheless the total length of lanes obtained for scavenging purposes during the year has been 18,977, fest.
As the re-building of a house necessitates the sacrifice of ground to be devoted to open space, owners will of course always prefer to patch the existing houses rather than re-build. However, 48 old houses have been pulled down and re- built during the year.
During the your three wells the water of which was unsatisfactory were closed by order of the Sanitary Board.
The following is the estimated population to the middle of 1905 :-
10,452
Non-Chinese Civil Community... Chinese:-
City of Victoria including the Peak and Stonecutter's Island... 194,950 Villages of Hongkong Old Kowloon
L
"Yes," said the officer, in the tone of one who says 'hush' by a sick-bed.
“A white man?" persisted the foreigner, his New Kowloon (approximate) voice rising.
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"Yes," was the still quiet reply. "Then show some respect," "the hystander barst forth;“don't let the coolies lift him." The gentleman whose respect for respectful treatment was so peculiarly strong that he leaned against a lamp-post, straw-hat slanted backwards, cigarette in mouth and hands in breeches pockets, and thought nothing of nagging in the very teeth of tragedy, must bave felt shame afterwards, if he reflected at all upon the self-restraint of the European officer whom he had thus bullied.
Deceased joined the Hongkong Police Force in September. 1902. Prior to that he was in the Welsh Fusiliers, and marched with that regiment to the relief of the Legations at Peking, afterwards receiving the medal and bar. Ha was also a Freemwon, being a member of the Naval and Military Lodge.
THE HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
We make a few extracts from the general report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and the Medical Officer of Health. At the outset it is explained that the Sanitary Board's jurisdiction extends to the Island of Hongkong, which has an area of 29 square miles, and to that portion of territory of the mainland between the shore and the first range of the Kowloon Hills extending from the village of Tseung Kwan O in Jank Bay, on the East, to the village of Lau Pa Hang on the Wost-with a sea frontage of about thirteen miles and an area of about sixteen square miles.
are also
The domestic buildings of the City of Victoria number 9,537 exclusive of barracks and police stations, of which some 966 are non-Chinese dwellings, while there
some 154 European dwellings in the Hill District. The number of new houses completed during the year was as follows:-City of Victoris 182, Kowloon 44. Outlying districts 33, and Peak 1, making a total of 260.
In addition to the above there were erected miscellaneous buildings such as offices, goduwns, etc., to the number of 30.
In the Kau U Fong arm of Victoria there were cleared away 37 old buildings, and 3 other houses in different parts of the City were vacated with a view to being cleared away shortly.
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GENEBAL SANITARY CONDITION. The effect of the present law in providing increased window area for houses is very marked as far as the appearence of housey from the streets is concerned Unfortantels in existing buildings there is the old difficulty of not being able to sub-divide the floor into separately lighted apartments
Under the former law (anterior to 1894) there were built many houses with very small window arev. During 1905 2 512 houses had their windows enlarged to comply with the present Ordinance. Open spaces in the rear have been provided to
147 houses.
The resumption of property by the Govern- ment to the extent of 18,092 square feet during the year under review, has greatly improved the Kan U Fong area.
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Floating population
Total Chinese population Army, (averags strength) Navy, (average strength)
16,290
73,478
**
21,00
54,154
Total population of the Colony
***
111
859,873 4,274
3,251
... 877,850
The aversio strength of troops in Garrison during 1905 was 127 British Offloors and 1,629 British N. C.O's. and men with 28 Indian Officers and 1,995 Indian N. C.O's. and men, and 69 men of the Chinese Royal Engineers. There were also 342 British women and children, and 74 Indian women and children, making a total of 416.
The average strength of the British fleet was as follows:-Europeans permanently in the Colony 285, Europeans temporarily in the Colony 2,73), Chinese permanently in the Colony 153, Chinese temporarily in the Colony 83 -making a total of 3,251.
The Chinese boat population (exolusive of the New Territory) is estimated for 1995 as 54,154 and the number of registered boats belonging to the Port for the year is as follows :-
Fishing and Trading Junks
6,771 Cargo Boats, Lighters and Sampans 5,171 The registered fishing boats belonging to the New Territory were distributed as follows :---
Registered at Cheung Chau
*
Tai O Tai Po
་་
**
Deep Bay
Sai Kung Long Kit
Total ..
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會法
**
144
1,807 900 1,940
4
1,435
669
952
7,772
The population of the Colony is primarily divided into Chinese and non-Chinese. The non-Chinese comprise a white population of 10,835, of whom 5,722 are civiliaus, while 5,113 belong to the Navy and Army. The coloured races (non-Chinese) number 6,837 and include East Indians, Asistio Portuguese, Japanese, Philippinos, Malays, Africans, Persians and a few others.
The civil population is essentially a male adult one, At the last census (1901) the popula tion of males was 72.6 per cent. of the total civil population.
Of the Chinese population 72.9 per cent, were males, and over half the civil population (50.2 per cent. of the Chinese and 36.4 per cent, of the non-Chinese) were between the ages of 20 and 45 years.
The City of Victoria is divided into ten health districts with a Sanitary Inspector in charge of each district. These ten districts are grouped into five larger districts of two moh and a Seulor Inspector has general supervision and control of the Sanitary work in each of such groups.
Kowloon has one Senior Insp›ctor with two district Inspectors under his supervision.
The general birth-rats was 8:41 per 1,000 as compared with 3:3 per 1,000 in 1901 and 8-2 per 1,00 in 1903. The birth-rate amongst the Non-Chinese community was 17.03 per 1,00 as compared with 189 per 1,000 in 1901 and 15-2 per 1,000 in 1903,
The nationalities of the Non-Chinese parents are as follows :---British 120, Indian 46, Ger-