# IX. VITAL STATISTICS.
(a) POPULATION.
The last Census was taken in January, 1901, when the population was found to be 283,975 exclusive of the Army and Navy. The estimated population at the beginning of the year under review (the naval and military forces being similarly excluded from the estimate) was 317,180, including 10,080 non-Chinese.
This is exclusive of the New Territory, the population of which is probably slightly under 110,000. The military forces account for about 8,500 in addition. No reliable estimate can be given of the naval population, as it naturally varies within very wide limits. The total population of the Colony may therefore be estimated in round figures at 445,000 of all nationalities. The total number of births registered in the Colony was 1,034, and of deaths 6,185. This gives an annual birth-rate of 3.17 and a death-rate of 18.9 per 1,000 as compared with 3.8 and 21.7 in 1902. The excess of deaths over births is explained by the fact that thousands of Chinese families are represented in Hongkong by men only, there being a very large floating population of adult males. It should also be remembered that a large proportion of births among the Chinese remains unregistered, though steps are being taken to remedy this irregularity as far as possible.
(b) PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
Reference has already been made, under the heading of Legislation, to the very important Public Health and Buildings Ordinance passed early in the year under review. It is still too early to look for many immediate benefits arising from this measure, as many of its sections apply to houses to be hereafter erected, and others, such as the resumption of insanitary areas, the provision of open spaces in crowded districts, and the improvement of the internal construction of Chinese houses, are works which must necessarily be enforced gradually. It is gratifying to note that a large section of the Chinese is beginning to appreciate the advantages of improved sanitation and healthy surroundings, and shows an increasing willingness to co-operate with the Sanitary authorities in cleansing and disinfecting operations. Much credit for this tendency is due to the results of the successful experiment initiated and carried out by Sir HENRY BLAKE in the course of the summer, whereby the inhabitants of a typical district in the poorer part of the city were induced, by the exercise of tact and sympathy and judicious instruction, but without the pressure of official authority, to work out their own sanitary salvation. The system of establishing free bath-houses and washing tanks for the people of this district proved remarkably successful and is being largely extended.
In spite of the strenuous efforts of the medical and sanitary staffs to prevent a recurrence of plague, the number of deaths from this cause in 1903 was over the average. There were 1,415 cases of plague reported during the year, as compared with 572 in 1902. Of the total cases, 1,251 resulted in death. As usual, the greatest number of cases occurred in May and June. 60 cases of small-pox were notified, 10 of cholera, 44 of enteric fever, and 397 of beri-beri.
The gradual improvement of the sanitation of the Colony is shown by the fact that, in spite of the long death-roll from plague, the death-rate from all causes among both non-Chinese and Chinese shows a diminution. This is partly and indirectly due to the steady decline in the mortality from malarial fever, against which a crusade is being maintained in this Colony with conspicuous success.
(C) CLIMATE.
The average monthly temperature throughout the year was 71.5° F. as compared with 73.4 F. in 1902, and 71.3 F. during the ten preceding years. The maximum monthly temperature was attained in June, when it reached 82.0° F., and the minimum monthly temperature was recorded in January, when it was 58.3 F. The highest recorded temperature during the year was 92.4° F. on July 31st, and the lowest 41.9° F. on February 3rd.
The returns from the Hongkong Observatory show that the total rainfall for the year was 93.65 inches as compared with an average of 77.86 inches during the past ten years. The wettest month was June, with 25.23 inches, the driest December, with only 0.8 inch. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 8.50 inches on the 28th June, while no rain fell on 230 days of the year. The relative humidity of the atmosphere throughout the year was 77 per cent. as compared with an average of 78 per cent. during the past 10 years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 4.7 hours being 42 per cent. of the possible duration.
# X. POSTAL SERVICE.
The revenue derived from all sources of the postal service amounted to $414,867.20, an increase of $27,801.01 on that of the previous year. The sale of stamps realised $373,877.73, or $19,927.74 more than was realised in 1902. All other branches of the service showed an increase over the returns for the previous year.
Negotiations were entered into for the establishment of parcel-post services between this Colony and the United States of America and the Philippine Islands, and between this Colony and the Netherlands East Indies.
The transmission of letters to Europe via the Siberian route at the same rates of postage as for transmission via Suez, came into operation on the 13th October.
# XI. MILITARY FORCES AND EXPENDITURE.
(a) REGULAR FORCES.
The following return shows the number and composition of the forces employed in the Colony during 1903:
CORPS EUROPEANS INDIANS CHINESE TOTALS General Staff Garrison Staff Royal Garrison Artillery 20 20 Hongkong Singapore Bn. R.G.A. Royal Engineers 16 16 Chinese S.M.M. Co. R.E. 1st Sherwood Foresters 13 13 Army Service Corps Royal Army Medical Corps A.O. Department and Corps A.P. Department and Corps Indian Sub-Medical Department Educational Department Army Chaplains Department 110r Mahrattas L.I. 93rd Burma Infantry 114th Mahrattas Totals 1,440 1,576 2,638 4,495(b) COLONIAL CONTRIBUTION.
The Colony contributed $961,408.50 (being the statutory contribution of 20 per cent. of revenue) towards the cost of the maintenance of the regular forces in the Colony and Barrack Services.
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