HKG-CAR1844-1886

1841-1886

STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.

277

137

proposer fail to satisfy the Surveyor General, in accordance with his agreement, of his intention to proceed with the works on the terms agreed to, the concessions made by me will be cancelled, when I shall be at liberty to make other arrangements with other persons who have stated their willingness to undertake such a service.

Legislation.

12. Five ordinances were passed during the last year, but none of them of sufficient importance to call for any special remark here.

Population.

13. The Registrar General's returns, which will be found at pages 193 to 205 of the Blue Book, continue to show improvement under almost every head. On the night of the 31st December last the population was found to consist of-

Males Females Total 87,945 31,376 119,321

being an increase of 20,404 on the census of the previous year, a portion of which is attributable to the acquisition of Kowloon Peninsula, the population of which is estimated for the first time in the accompanying returns. Of the population of 119,321, 30,909 were found to be living on the water in 4,284 boats, and 88,412 on shore in 6,183 houses, making a total of 10,467 tenements. The population consists of Chinese and foreigners in the following proportion :-

Chinese Other than Chinese Total 116,380 2,941 119,321

The other than Chinese are composed of,-

Males. Females. Total. European and American 1,146 411 1,557 Goa Manilla Indians, and others of mixed blood 1,206 78 1,284 Aliens, chiefly seamen and temporary residents 100 0 100 2,452 489 2,941

In these returns the military stationed in the Colony, and the crews of the men-of-war and the merchant ships in the harbour, are not included.

14. The houses show an increase over the previous year of 1322, and are classified as,-

Chinese European Total 4,939 1,244 6,183

The European houses consist of 177 public buildings, and 1,067 private dwellings, shops and offices.

15. The 4,284 boats in which over 30,000 Chinese were found to be living in the harbours and bays of the Colony when the census was taken, are described as,-

Junks 32 Trading boats 13 Wood boats 20 Passage boats 48 Salt 89 Lorchas 5 Cargo boats 291 Coal 56 Bullock 692 Fishing 36 Water 98 Stone 304 Hakow and Pulluway 2,557 Sampans 39 Bumboats Total boats 4,284