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SHANGHAI.
of women and children has increased by 641, that is they have nearly trebled them- selves. The French Concession contains about 500 foreigners, the greater proportion being French and the remainder mostly from other European Continental countries. These figures do not include the population afloat, which may be estimated at 1,000 cr over. Although the Chinese have no right of residence within the Foreign Settle- ment, and indeed were expressly prohibited by the original Land Regulations, some twenty thousand sought refuge within the boundaries from the rebels in 1854, and when the city was besieged by the Taipings in 1860 there were, it is said, at least four hundred thousand natives within the Settlements. As they found some amenities from "squeezing" when under the protection of foreigners, and foreigners themselves being able to obtain a much higher rental for their land, and finding native house property a very profitable investment, no opposition was made to their residence. In 1865 there were in the three Settlements 146,000. The numbers by the new census (June 1880) were; in the British Settlement 68,652, in Hongkew 25,323, in Foreign Hongs in both Settlements 5,218, in villages and buts 2,541, in shipping and boats 6,078, total 107,812. The native population of the F: ench Concession is about 35,000, and the boat population 5,000, say a total for the three Settlements and afloat of 148,000. Nearly two-thirds are adult males. A arge proportion are natives of Chekiang and Kwangtung, those in the direct employ of foreigners being almost exclusively from these provinces. The population of the native city is supposed to be about 125,000. The large congregation of natives in the Settlements is kept in admirable order by a Police force of 33 foreigners c 152 natives for the north of the Yang-king-pang, and 36 foreigners and 33 tives for the French Concession. Considering that the natives have to be tried by their own authorities, and that bribery doubtless works its effects in Shanghai as else here in China, the organization a. d efficiency of this small force is highly creditele. In few places is life and property more secure.
The climate of Shanghai is generally allowed to be fairly healthy. The death rate amongst foreigners ashore and afloat had decreased from 34.3 per 1,000 in 1870 to 23 per 1,000 in 1876, a rate which compares favourably with that of large towns in Europe. It rose to 28.3 in 1877 and to 31.3 in 1878, but fell again to 27 per 1,000 in 1879. Of the deaths amongst foreigners during 1877, 16 were owing to a partial outbreak of cholera, and there was the same number from that cause in 1878, but only one case among residents. There were three deaths from the disease in 1879. If we exclude non-residents the rate was 19 per 1,000 in 1876, 23 in 1877, 24 in 1878, and 21.5 in 1879; amongst adult residents 16.14 per 1,000 in the latter year. The thermometer ranges from 25 deg. to 100 deg. Fahrenheit, the mean of several years having been 49 deg, in the six winter months and 76 deg. 1 min. in the summer. the months of October and November there is generally dry, clear, and most lovely weather, equal to what can be found in any other part of the world; but when the winter has fairly set in the north-east winds are extremely cold and biting. The heat in the summer is sometimes excessive, but generally lasts only a few days at a time. The summer of 1879 was an exception, being the hottest that has been known for many years, the thermometer reaching 99 deg. for several successive days, and the average maximum for July and August being 92.7. Earthquakes occasionally occur, but have not been known to inflict any serious injury.
In
The streets of the English and French Settlements all run north and south and east and west, mostly for the whole length of both settlements, crossing each other, at right angles. Notwithstanding the soft nature of the soil they are now kept in remarkably good order, at least those near the river, the district chiefly occupied by Europeans. Owing to the nature of the ground, expensive piling is necessary before any foreign buildings can be erected, and all stone has to be brought from a long distance. The Soochow Creek, between the English Settl ment and Hongkew, is now crossed by six bridges, three of which are adapted for carriage traffic, and the French is connected with the other Settlement by eight bridges. There are several good driving roads extending into the country, two leading to Sicawei, a distance of five and a half miles, and one to Jessfield, by the banks of the Soochow Creek, for about
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