AnnualReport-1916

M 10

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METEOROLOGICAL RETURNS.

The following table gives the meteorological data recorded by the Royal Observatory during the year:-

Month. Barometer at M.S.L. TEMPERATURE. HUMIDITY. Cloudiness. Sunshine. WIND. Rain. Max. Mean. Min. Rel. Direction. Vel. January, 30.16 65.5 60.7 56.3 72 0.89 52 E by N 10.6 4.075 February 30.03 62.9 59.6 56.1 80 0.42 52 E 16.8 1.305 March, 30.08 63.4 60.2 57.3 79 0.64 49.5 E 17.4 3.355 April, 29.96 75.3 70.6 67.1 83 0.80 67 E by S 11.1 4.295 May, 29.87 82.9 78.1 74.5 86 0.86 89 E by S 12.2 12.935 June, 29.70 88.4 79.6 76.5 74 0.64 74 SE be E 15.1 32.180 July, 29.82 88.0 82.7 78.2 79 0.83 48 SSE 7.2 8.295 August, 29.71 88.5 82.6 78.6 82 0.91 69 WSW 9.5 5.040 September, 29.80 84.7 80.5 76.6 63 E 15.3 10.520 October, 30.01 80.2 75.9 72.5 71 0.64 61 ENE 12.9 7.730 November, 30.10 73.5 67.8 62.4 63 0.45 34 NE 10.7 0.075 December, 30.11 67.9 62.8 57.9 60 0.35 45 ENE 10.9 0.050 Mean or Total, 29.91 76.3 71.8 67.8 76.4 0.63 64.9 12.2 79.853

The rainfall for the year (79.855 inches) was slightly more than in 1915 (76.025 inches) and is rather above the average of the last decade, but it was unevenly distributed; less than one inch fell in the last three months of the year.

POPULATION.

The distribution of population estimated to the middle of 1916 was as follows:-

Non-Chinese Civil Population, ... 13,390

Chinese Civil Population:-

City of Victoria (including Peak), ... 270,300

Village of Hongkong,... 15,250

Kowloon (including New Kowloon), ... 76,000

New Territories (land), ... 96,500

Population afloat, ... 57,570

Total Chinese Population, ... 515,620

Total Civil Population, ... 529,010

The civil population consists chiefly of male adults but owing to the disturbances in China during the last few years, which resulted in the immigration of refugees and their families, the proportion of females to males appears to be increasing.