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HONGKONG.
1,300,000, raising the total tonnage, foreign and native, of arrivals and departures in each year, to upwards of two millions and a half. From these figures, some idea of the movement and commercial activity which pervades this great centre of Eastern -commerce may be formed.
A Stamp Tax was introduced by the Government (December 1866), and is now in operation.
Annual average rainfall, 81 inches.
Hongkong pays £20,000 a-year to the Imperial Government as military contribution.
GOVERNORS.
Revenue. Expenditure.
1843. Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., G.C.B. 1844. Sir John F. Davis, Bart., K.C.B. 1848. Sir George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B. 1852. Major-General Jervois (acting).
1857
£58,842
£65,497
1868
62,476
62,979
1859
65,225
66,109
1860
94,182
72,390
1853. Sir George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B.
1861
127,241
109,632
1854. Sir John Bowring, Knt.
1862
131,512
122,423
1854. Lieut.-Colonel Caine (Lieut.-Governor).
1883
120,028
121,888
1859. Sir Hercules (1. R. Robinson, Knt.
1884
132,884
159,022
1882. William T. Mercer (acting).
1885
175,717
195,376
∙1864. Sir Hercules Robinson, Knt.
1866
163,369
198,458
1865. W. T. Mercer (acting).
1867
179,143
162,780
1866. Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, C.B.
1868
236,272
206,603
1889. Major-General Whitfeild, (Lieut.-Governor.) 1871. Sir Richard G. MacDonnell, K.C.M.G,, C.B. 1872. Sir Arthur Kennedy, K.C.M.G., C.B.
1869
192,469
192,309
1870
180,820
182,765
1871
175,962
186,675
Revenue. Expenditure.
1872
192,714
174,681
1848
£27,046
£80,351
Population.
1847
31,078
50,959
European and American.
Chinese, &c. Total.
1848
25,091
62,658
1862
1,604
121,907 123,511
1849
23,617
38,986
1863
1,614
123,206
124,850
1850
23,526
34,314
1864
1,963
119,535
121,498
1861
23,721
34,116
1865
2,034
123.470
125,604
1852
21,331
34,765
1866
2,113
112,986
116,091
1853
24,700
36,418
1867
2,151
115,321
117,471
1854
27,045
34,635
1868-9
2,280
114,998
117,286
1855
47,978
40,813
1871*
6,931
118,247
124,198
1856
35,500
42,426
1679*
4,931
117,054
121,985
Europeans and Americans including naval and military, 5,931.
Europeans and Americans without naval and military, 4,088.
Population 1872.
Europeans and Americans. Indians and others of mixed blood. Chinese.
Total..
4,931
1,490
.115,444
121,985
Trade and Commerce.
The commercial intercourse of Hongkong-virtually a part of the commerce of China is chiefly with Great Britain, the United States, and Germany, Great Britain absorbing about one-half of the total imports and exports. There are no official returns of the value of the imports and exports of the colony, from and to all countries, but only mercantile estimates, according to which the former average four, and the latter two, millions sterling.
The extent of the commercial intercourse between Hongkong and the United Kingdom is shown in the following table, which gives the value of the total exports from Hongkong to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufacture into Hongkong, in each of the five years 1868 to 1872:-
Imports of British Produce,
into Hongkong.
Years.
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
Exports from Hongkong to Great Britain.
£235,804
281,932
281,159
367,944
833,764
£2,185,972
2,130,837
3,407,930
2,787,714
2,872,673
* Inclusive of naval, military, and shipping.