1887-1903
HONG KONG, 1903.
IX.-VITAL STATISTICS.
(A.) POPULATION.
403
19
The last Census was taken in January, 1901, when the population was found to be 283,975 exclusive of the Army and Navy. The estimated population at the beginning of the year under review (the naval and military forces being similarly excluded from the estimate) was 317,130, including 10,080 non-Chinese. This is exclusive of the New Territory, the population of which is probably slightly under 110,000. The military forces account for about 8,500 in addition. No reliable estimate can be given of the naval population, as it naturally varies within very wide limits. The total population of the Colony may therefore be estimated in round figures at 445,000 of all nationalities. The total number of births registered in the Colony was 1,034, and of deaths 6,185. This gives an annual birth-rate of 3.17 and a death-rate of 18.9 per 1,000 as compared with 3.8 and 21.7 in 1902. The excess of deaths over births is explained by the fact that thousands of Chinese families are represented in Hong Kong by men only, there being a very large floating population of adult males. It should also be remembered that a large proportion of births among the Chinese remains unregistered, though steps are being taken to remedy this irregularity as far as possible.
(B.) PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
Reference has already been made, under the heading of Legislation, to the very important Public Health and Buildings Ordinance passed early in the year under review. It is still too early to look for many immediate benefits arising from this measure, as many of its sections apply to houses to be hereafter erected, and others, such as the resumption of insanitary areas, the provision of open spaces in crowded districts, and the improvement of the internal construction of Chinese houses, are works which must necessarily be enforced gradually. It is gratifying to note that a large section of the Chinese is beginning to appreciate the advantages of improved sanitation and healthy surroundings, and shows an increasing willingness to co-operate with the sanitary authorities in cleansing and disinfecting operations. Much credit for this tendency is due to the results of the successful experiment initiated and carried out by Sir Henry Blake in the course of the summer, whereby the inhabitants of a typical district in the poorer part of the city were induced, by the exercise of tact and sympathy and judicious instruction, but without the pressure of official authority, to work out their own sanitary salvation. The system of establishing free bath-houses and washing-tanks for the people of this district proved remarkably successful and is being largely extended. In spite of the strenuous efforts of the medical and sanitary staffs to prevent a recurrence of plague, the number of deaths from this
Page 410
Page 411
1887-1903
HONG KONG, 1903.
IX.-VITAL STATISTICS.
(A.) POPULATION.
403
19
The last Census was taken in January, 1901, when the popula- tion was found to be 283,975 exclusive of the Army and Navy. The estimated population at the beginning of the year under review (the naval and military forces being similarly excluded from the estimate) was 317,130, including 10,080 non-Chinese. This is exclusive of the New Territory, the population of which is probably slightly under 110,000. The military forces account. for about 8,500 in addition. No reliable estimate can be given of the naval population, as it naturally varies within very wide limits. The total population of the Colony may therefore be estimated in round figures at 445,000 of all nationalities. The total number of births registered in the Colony was 1,034, and of deaths 6,185. This gives an annual birth-rate of 3-17 and a death-rate of 18.9 per 1,000 as compared with 3-8 and 21-7 in 1902. The excess of deaths over births is explained by the fact that thousands of Chinese families are represented in Kong Kong by men only, there being a very large floating population of adult males. It should also be remembered that a large pro- portion of births among the Chinese remains unregistered, thongh steps are being taken to remedy this irregularity as far as possible.
(B.) PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
Reference has already been made, under the heading of Legislation, to the very important Public Health and Buildings. Ordinance passed early in the year under review. It is still too early to look for many immediate benefits arising from this measure, as many of its sections apply to houses to be hereafter erected, and others, such as the resumption of insanitary areas, the provision of open spaces in crowded districts, and the im- provement of the internal construction of Chinese houses, are works which must necessarily be enforced gradually. It is gratifying to note that a large section of the Chinese is begin- ning to appreciate the advantages of improved sanitation and healthy surroundings, and shows an increasing willingness to co- operate with the sanitary authorities in cleansing and disinfect- ing operations. Much credit for this tendency is due to the results of the successful experiment initiated and carried out by Sir Henry Blake in the course of the summer, whereby the in- habitants of a typical district in the poorer part of the city were induced, by the exercise of tact and sympathy and judicious instruction, but without the pressure of official authority, to work out their own sanitary salvation. The system of establishing free bath-houses and washing-tanks for the people of this district prove remarkably successful and is being largely extended. In spite of the strenuous efforts of the medical and sanitary staffs to prevent a recurrence of plague, the number of deaths from this
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