1887-1903
HONG KONG, 1901.
(C.) SANITATION.
21
In spite of the efforts of the Government, the Sanitary Board and the Legislature during the past few years, the sanitary state of the Colony still leaves much to be desired. The city of Victoria retains its unenvied pre-eminence in the matter of surface crowding, and in spite of the enforcement of the provisions of the Insanitary Properties Ordinance of 1899, the condition of the vast majority of the Chinese dwelling houses is far from meeting the requirements of modern sanitary science. As there seemed to be no prospect of amelioration without the adoption of more radical measures than had hitherto been attempted, and as the community showed by a petition which they addressed to you in the course of the year that they were prepared to face the heavy expenditure which stronger measures would certainly involve, Sir Henry Blake asked you to send out an expert to enquire into the sanitary state of the Colony and report upon the steps which in his opinion should be taken to remedy existing defects. In October, 1901, you informed Sir Henry Blake that you had selected Mr. Osbert Chadwick, C.M.G., a sanitary expert of wide experience and no stranger to Hong Kong, for this special work. About the same time you informed him that you had selected Professor Simpson, M.D., to pay a simultaneous visit to the Colony with a view to a thorough enquiry being made into the origin of bubonic plague, and the best means of providing against its annual re-appearance. A notice of the work done by these gentlemen, who had not yet arrived in the Colony at the end of 1901 will, it is hoped, appear in next year's Report. A certain result of their visit must be the introduction of legislative measures to consolidate and amend the present Health and Building Ordinances.
(D.) CLIMATE.
The average monthly temperature throughout the year was 72.1° F. as compared with 71.6° F. during 1900; the maximum monthly temperature was attained in July, when it reached 82.2° F., and the minimum monthly temperature was recorded in the month of February, being 54.8° F.
The highest recorded temperature during the year was 92.7° F. on August 3rd, and the lowest was 38.4° F. on February 4th.
The total rainfall for the year was 55.78 inches, as compared with 73.73 inches in 1900 and an average of 77.2 inches during the past ten years. The wettest month was May, with 14.10 inches, while there were also 14 inches of rain in the month of August; the driest month was January, with only 0.685 inch. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 4.23 inches on April 7th, while no rain fell on 213 days of the year; the relative humidity of the atmosphere throughout the
359
1887-1903
HONG KONG, 1901.
(C.) SANITATION.
21
In spite of the efforts of the Government, the Sanitary Board and the Legislature during the past few years, the sanitary state of the Colony still leaves much to be desired. The city of Victoria retains its unenvied pre-eminence in the matter of surface crowding, and in spite of the enforcement of the pro- visions of the Insanitary Properties Ordinance of 1899, the con- dition of the vast majority of the Chinese dwelling houses is far from meeting the requirements of modern sanitary science. As there seemed to be no prospect of amelioration without the adoption of more radical measures than had hitherto been at- tempted, and as the community showed by a petition which they addressed to you in the course of the year that they were prepared to face the heavy expenditure which stronger measures would certainly involve, Sir Henry Blake asked you to send out an expert to enquire into the sanitary state of the Colony and report upon the steps which in his opinion should be taken to remedy existing defects. In October, 1901, you informed Sir Henry Blake that you had selected Mr. Osbert Chadwick, C.M.G., a sanitary expert of wide experience and no stranger to Hong Kong, for this special work. About the same time you informed him that you had selected Professor Simpson, M.D., to pay a simultaneous visit to the Colony with a view to a thorough enquiry being made into the origin of bubonic plague, and the best means of providing against its annual re-appearance. A notice of the work done by these gentlemen, who had not yet arrived in the Colony at the end of 1901 will, it is hoped, appear in next year's Report. A certain result of their visit must be the introduction of legislative measures to consolidate and amend the present Health and Building Ordinances.
(D.) CLIMATE.
The average monthly temperature throughout the year was 72.1° F. as compared with 71.6° F. during 1900; the maximum monthly temperature was attained in July, when it reached 82-2° F., and the minimum monthly temperature was recorded in the month of February, being 54.8° F.
The highest recorded temperature during the year was 92-70 F. on August 3rd, and the lowest was 38-4° F. on February 4th.
The total rainfall for the year was 5578 inches, as compared with 73.73 inches in 1900 and an average of 77-2 inches during the past ten years. The wettest month was May, with 14:10 inches, while there were also 14 inches of rain in the month of August; the driest month was January, with only 0-685 inch. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 4.23 inches on April 7th, while no rain fell on 213 days of the year; the relative humidity of the atmosphere throughout the
359
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