CO129-511-22 Annual general report 1927 12-10-1928 - 26-11-1928 — Page 27

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CONTENTS.

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

1. GENERAL

II. FINANCE

III.

PRODUCTION

Page.

1

4

6

V.

IV. TRADE AND ECONOMICS

COMMUNICATIONS

7

VI. JUSTICE, POLICE AND PRISONS

15

XII.

XIII.

VII. PUBLIC WORKS

VIII. PUBLIC HEALTH

IX.

EDUCATION

X. LANDS AND SURVEY

XI. LABOUR

LEGISLATION

MISCELLANEOUS

18

21

24

28

29

31

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History and Geography.

The Colony of Hong Kong is situated off the south-eastern coast of China between latitude 22° 9′ and 22° 17′ N. and longitude 114° 5′ and 114° 18′ E. The island is about 11 miles long and 2 to 5 miles in breadth, its circumference being about 27 miles and its area 283 square miles. It consists of an irregular ridge of lofty hills rising to a height of nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, stretching nearly east and west, with few valleys of any extent and little ground available for cultivation.

The island, then desolate and sparsely inhabited by fishermen, was ceded to Great Britain in January, 1841, the cession being confirmed by the Treaty of Nankin in August, 1842, and the charter bears the date of 5th April, 1843. All that part of Kowloon penin- sula lying South of Kowloon Fort to the northernmost point of Stonecutter's Island together with that island was ceded to Great Britain under the Convention signed at Peking in October, 1860, and under the Convention signed at Peking in June, 1898, the area known as the New Territories including Mirs Bay and Deep Bay was leased to Great Britain by the Government of China for 99 years. The area of the New Territories and Islands is about 345 square miles.

Trade gradually developed as China became accustomed to foreign intercourse and it increased greatly owing to the opening of the Suez Canal. It now stands at about 200 million pounds sterling per annum.

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