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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
Public Works.
6. The expenditure under this head, which includes repairs to roads, and public buildings and improvements, aggregated, as above, £4,937. 19s. 2d., of which £3,887. 19s. 11d. were on account of the Government house.
7. The convicts sentenced to hard labour whose services have been made available for the performance of works on the roads, &c. have, according to the estimate of the Surveyor-General, executed an amount of work equivalent to £486. 12s. 11d.
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8. The customary reports by this officer, which are herewith enclosed, will afford your Grace full information respecting the progress of his department, and the works undertaken and executed by it during the year.
Legislation.
9. The ordinances passed during the year, were six in number, five of which have already received the confirmation of Her Majesty. The titles of these enactments, which have already been fully reported on, will be found at page 56 of the Blue Book. It is gratifying to me to be able to state that the whole of these enactments have hitherto fulfilled the objects for which they were passed.
Population:
10. The population of Hong Kong at the close of the year was 37,058, showing an increase (chiefly amongst the Chinese) of 4,075 over that for 1851. This population is exclusive of troops, and consists of—
Europeans and Americans 526 Goa and Macao Portuguese 478 Indians, Malays, and natives of Manilla 267 Aliens, chiefly seamen and temporary residents 8,270 Chinese 27,517 Total 37,058HONG KONG,
No. 1. No. 2.
Surveyor-General's Reports, pp. 329-333.
The returns, of which the above is a summary, were prepared by the officiating registrar-general, and are annexed to this Despatch.
No. 3.
No. 4.
No. 5.
11. With respect to the health of the various sections of the community, it appears from the colonial surgeon's report attached to the Blue Book, to which I beg to refer for more detailed information regarding the sanitary condition and prospects of the colony, that the per-centage of deaths during the past year was as follows:
White population 2.89 per cent. Christians of mixed blood, Indians, Malays, &c. 8.42 per cent. Chinese estimated at being 1,028 deaths out of a population of 35,517. 10.20 per cent.12. From the accompanying return of the acting sheriff, it will appear that eleven deaths occurred during the year amongst the Chinese and coloured inmates of the gaol, numbering on an average 122 per month, showing a mortality of 9.16 per cent. No deaths occurred amongst the European prisoners, whose average monthly number was 37.
No. 6.
No. 7.
Mortality amongst prisoners in gaol, p. 337.
13. I am glad to be able to report that the European troops have, during the same period, enjoyed a remarkable immunity from sickness, the mortality amongst them, as exhibited in the annexed return, having been only 3.6 per cent., or rather less than one half of that during 1851.
No. 8.
Deaths in the garrison, p. 337.
On the other hand, the deaths amongst the Malays and natives of India in the garrison were 10.02 per cent., showing an increase of 2·42 over the mortality of the preceding year.
Education.
14. Little or no change has taken place in the schools of the colony. The five native ones to which the Government contributes are under the control of a committee presided over by the Bishop of Victoria. A report by Mr. Medhurst, one of the members, on the progress of these institutions, is hereto appended.
No. 9.
Schools, p. 338.
Trade.
15. By the harbour master's return, at page 193 of the Blue Book, it will be seen that the total number of vessels which arrived in the colony during the