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Beri-beri was responsible for 654 deaths, as compared with 517 during 1916 and 398 in 1915. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour calling their attention to the fact that Beri-beri is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice, when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded.
A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.
(c.)-CLIMATE.
The mean shade temperature for the year at the Royal Observatory, Kowloon, (108 feet above mean sea level), was 71°·0, 0·8 lower than in 1916, and 1°·2 lower than the mean for the past 10 years. The maximum temperature was 90°·8 on the 13th July and the minimum 38°·8 on the 9th January. The hottest month was August, with a mean temperature of 82°·0, and the coldest, January, with a mean temperature of 55°·8.
The temperature at the high levels of the Peak District is from 3 to 8 less than at the Observatory. At Victoria it is practically the same. The rainfall and humidity are usually greater at the Peak than at Victoria, the Observatory, or Tai Po (New Territories).
The total rainfall for the year was 81·485 inches, as compared with an average of 81·35 inches during the ten preceding years. The wettest month was July with 30·07 inches, the driest, November, when 0·09 inch fell. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 8·10 inches on the 15th July, while no rain fell on 234 days of the year. The mean relative humidity of the atmosphere for the year was 75%, or 2% less than the average for the ten preceding years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 6·0 hours, being 50% of the possible duration.
X.-POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.
The total revenue from the Postal Service in 1917 amounted to $403,869·87 being $2,127·54 more than that collected in 1916. The expenditure amounted to $259,214·83 being less than that of 1916 by $48,921·50 due to the high rate of exchange prevailing during the year under review. The balance of revenue over expenditure amounted to $144,655·04.
The Shanghai-Bombay Section of the P. & O. Contract Mail Service was suspended as from 1st July. The mails for Europe, via Suez, were despatched as opportunities offered to Bombay for transmission from thence to Marseilles by P. & O. packets.
Owing to dislocation and uncertainty of the trans-Siberian Railways and the restriction of the Suez route, the mails for Europe were to a great extent forwarded by the Pacific route either via Canada or via the United States.
26
Beri-beri was responsible for 654 deaths, as compared with 517 during 1916 and 398 in 1915. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolic labour calling their attention to the fact that Beri-beri is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet with- out a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice, when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded.
A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.
(c.)-CLIMATE.
The mean shade temperature for the year at the Royal Obser- vatory, Kowloon, (108 feet above mean sea level), was 71°·0, 08 lower than in 1916, and 1°2 lower than the mean for the past 10 years. The maximum temperature was 90°-8 on the 13th July and the minimum 38°8 on the 9th January. The hottest month was August, with a mean temperature of 820, and the coldest, January, with a mean temperature of 55°-8.
The temperature at the high levels of the Peak District is from 3 to 8 less than at the Observatory. At Victoria it is practically the same. The rainfall and humidity are usually greater at the Peak than at Victoria, the Observatory, or Tai Po (New Territories).
The total rainfall for the year was 81.485 inches, as compared with an average of 81-35 inches during the ten preceding years. The wettest month was July with 30-07 inches, the driest, November, when 0'09 inch fell. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 810 inches on the 15th July, while no rain fell on 234 days of the year. The mean relative humidity of the atmosphere for the year was 75%, or 2% less than the average for the ten preceding years. The average daily amount of sun- shine was 60 hours, being 50% of the possible duration.
X.-POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.
The total revenue from the Postal Service in 1917 amounted to $403,869.87 being $2,127.54 more than that collected in 1916. The expenditure amounted to $259,214.83 being less than that of 1916 by $48,921.50 due to the high rate of exchange prevailing during the year under review. The balance of revenue over expenditure amounted to $144,655.04.
The Shanghai-Bombay Section of the P. & O. Contract Mail Service was suspended as from 1st July. The mails for Europe, riâ Suez, were despatched as opportunities offered to Bombay for transmission from thence to Marseilles by P. & O. packets.
Owing to dislocation and uncertainty of the trans-Siberian Railways and the restriction of the Suez route, the mails for Europe were to a great extent forwarded by the Pacific route either ri Canada or via the United States.
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