1884 — Page 3

REPORT BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY ON THE

BLUE BOOK FOR 1884.

1.—REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

The Statements of Revenue and Expenditure are incomplete as the accounts of the Crown Agents for the last three months of the year have not been included.

The accounts for December were received only last week and in an incomplete state, as the vouchers have not yet arrived. The accounts shewn in the Blue Book, therefore, exhibit only the local receipts and disbursements for the year, and those of the Crown Agents up to the 30th September last. It is impossible to close the accounts of the Colony finally until the Crown Agents' accounts have been carefully examined and classified.

Complete accounts will be transmitted as soon as this has been done.

2.-MILITARY EXPENDITURE.

The Annual Military Contribution paid by the Colony during the present year amounted to $108,791.52, which amount is exclusive of the sum of $3,464.61 voted as a first instalment towards defraying the cost of the new Defences Works for which the Imperial Government required from the Colony the sum of £56,525.

The troops in the Colony on the 31st December, 1884, were:-

Staff,

10

Artillery,

240

Engineers,

22

Infantry,

816

Commissariat ud Transport Corps,

5

Medical Staff and Corps,

26

Ordnance Store Corps,

6

Army Pay Department,

School Master,

Arinorers,

Gun Lascars,.

2

1

3

173

1,304

The Imperial Military Expenditure amounted to £95,641.

3.—CURRENCY.

The total amount of the paper currency in circulation during the year was $50,577,448.

The total amount of Subsidiary Coins circulated was $1,225,181.

4.—POPULATION.

According to the last Census, taken in 1881, the population of Hongkong amounted to 160,402 male up of 7,990 Whites, 150,690 Chinese, and 1,722 Coloured. The resident Whites were only about

3,000 (including Portuguese,) the remainder consisting of the Naval and Military Forces, and of the Crews of Merchant ships in the barbour.