1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1915.
355
23
year was 77 per cent., or 1 per cent. less than for the preceding ten years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 5.5 hours, being 45 per cent. of the possible duration.
IX.-POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.
The total revenue from the Postal Service in 1915 amounted to $368,457.77, being $31,542.23 less than that anticipated, which is mainly due to the reduced sale of postage stamps in consequence of the war.
The expenditure amounted to $403,609.02. The result of the year's postal transactions shows a debit balance of $35,151.25.
X.-GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
Throughout the year the Province of Kwangtung was generally speaking peaceful, the influence of His Excellency Lung Chai Kwong as Chiang Chung, or Military Governor, having a salutary effect. Depredations by pirates and armed robbers on the West River and other water ways in the delta, however, occasionally caused trouble, the chief local sufferers being the Conservancy Contractors for the City of Victoria and Kowloon, whose junks were held up on several occasions between Bocca Tigris and Wong Lin while being towed to the depôts at Wong Ling Village in the Shun Tak District. It appeared on investigation that for years past the contractors had been in the habit of paying considerable sums to the bands of pirates and robbers who infest the reaches of the Canton River in the neighbourhood of Bocca Tigris in order to obtain immunity from molestation, and on a refusal to pay increased demands the junks were attacked. Representations were made through H.B.M.'s Consul-General at Canton to the Provincial Authorities, which resulted in protection being afforded by patrols and in the punishment of some of the marauders.
There were no other serious acts of piracy during the year affecting the trade of Hong Kong or the lives and property of residents in the Colony, and this immunity must be attributed to the successful steps taken by the Provincial Government and in some measure to the successful working of the Piracy Prevention Ordinance referred to in the report of last year under the head of Legislation.
2. Even greater damage than in the previous year was caused by floods in the West River during the month of July. The water rose to a height unknown for seventy years, and the City of Canton itself was submerged to a depth of several feet.
1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1915.
355
23
year was 77 per cent., or 1 per cent. less than for the preceding ten years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 5.5 hours, being 45 per cent. of the possible duration.
IX.-POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.
The total revenue from the Postal Service in 1915 amounted to $368,457.77, being $31,542.23 less than that anticipated, which is mainly due to the reduced sale of postage stamps in consequence of the war.
The expenditure amounted to $403,609.02. The result of the year's postal transactions shows a debit balance of $35,151.25.
X.-GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
Throughout the year the Province of Kwangtung was generally speaking peaceful, the influence of His Excellency Lung Chai Kwong as Chiang Chung, or Military Governor, having a salutary effect. Depredations by pirates and armed robbers on the West River and other water ways in the delta, however, occasionally caused trouble, the chief local sufferers being the Conservancy Contractors for the City of Victoria and Kowloon, whose junks were held up on several occasions between Bocca Tigris and Wong Lin while being towed to the depôts at Wong Ling Village in the Shun Tak District. It appeared on investigation that for years past the contractors had been in the habit of paying considerable sums to the bands of pirates and robbers who infest the reaches of the Canton River in the neighbourhood of Bocca Tigris in order to obtain immunity from molestation, and on a refusal to pay increased demands the junks were attacked. Representations were made through H.B.M.'s Consul- General at Canton to the Provincial Authorities, which resulted in protection being afforded by patrols and in the punishment of some of the marauders.
There were no other serious acts of piracy during the year affecting the trade of Hong Kong or the lives and property of residents in the Colony, and this immunity must be attributed to the successful steps taken by the Provincial Government and in some measure to the successful working of the Piracy Prevention Ordinance referred to in the report of last year under the head of Legislation.
2. Even greater, damage than in the previous year was caused by floods in the West River during the month of July. The water rose to a height unknown for seventy years, and the City of Canton itself was submerged to a depth of several feet.
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