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15. A new Railway Ordinance No. 28 of 1927 revising the Ordin- ance No. 21 of 1909, came into force in December.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS.
As the life of Hong Kong centres round the harbour its in- ternal communications are largely by water. Regular ferry services cross the harbour in various directions, and in addition there is a large fleet of launches owned by commercial firms, and numerous motor-boats, sampans, etc. plying for hire between the shore and vessels in the stream.
On the island there is an electric tram service, the lines running along the south side of the harbour for practically the whole length of the island; the steepness and proximity of the hills renders any lateral development of this system impossible.
There is also a funicular trainway running from the lower levels up to the residential area on the Peak, the upper terminus being at a level of 1,800 feet.
There is a plentiful supply of rickshaws and sedan-chairs, and a large number of motor cars which ply for public hire. Taxicabs have recently been reintroduced.
There are excellent motor roads round the island and to the Peak, and also round the New Territories. No large extensions were made in 1927. (See Public Works).
POST OFFICE.
Mails. The number of mail receptacles of Hong Kong origin dispatched during the year was 35,159 as compared with 31,863 in 1926 an increase of 3,296; the number received was 43,638 as com- pared with 38,262-an increase of 5,876.
Receptacles in transit, including those to and from British and Foreign Men-of-War, numbered 194.200 as against 186,806 in 1926– an increase of 7,394.
Registered Articles and Parcels. The number of registered articles handled amounted to 888,177 as compared with 880,721 in 1926-a decrease of 47,544.
The figures for insured letters were 17,648 and 20,236 respec- tively a decrease of 2,588.
The decrease in the number of insured letters was due to the fact that some countries are now forwarding insured letters direct to China in closed sacks.
Parcels, ordinary and insured, which were dealt with reached a total of 424,047 as against 555,345 in 1926-a decrease of 131,307.
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WIRELESS.
A radio-telegraph station established at Cape D'Aguilar provides communication with vessels inter ports. The Kowloon Roval Obser- vatory W/T Station, longitude 114° 10" 18.7 E., latitude 22° 18′′ 13.2 N., opened for meteorological traffic on 1st April, 1927. Call sign "G.O.W.”
The revenue collected by the Post Office during the year from radiotelegrams amounted to $122,798.02, an increase of $55,596.63 on the amount collected in 1926.
The number of radiotelegrams forwarded during the year was 22,798 consisting of 209,171 words against 7,836 consisting of 81,000 words in 1926, and 26,326 were received consisting of 276,078 words as against 13,725 consisting of 156,128 words in 1926.
CABLES.
The Eastern Extension Telegraph Company (British) by means of three cables to Singapore, one direct and one each via Labuan & Cape St. James respectively, provide good connections with Europe via India, with Australasia, and with the other British Colonies and possessions. By their cable to Manila connection is made with the direct American cable, thence to San Francisco. Two cables to Shanghai, belonging respectively to the Eastern Extension and to the Great Northern (Danish) Companies, via Foochow and Amoy respec- tively, give a good connection with Shanghai, North China, Japan and Russia; and the system of the Great Northern Telegraph Co. gives a good service to Europe via Asiatic Russia.
TELEPHONES.
Telephonic communication, provided by the Hong Kong Tele- phono Co., is available to most parts of the Colony.
VI. Justice, Police and Prisons.
Serious crime in 1927 showed an increase over that in 1926— 4,558 cases against 3,713 in 1926. Minor crime also showed an increase-19,891 cases against 16,335 cases in 1926.
The increase in serious crime is accounted for almost entirely by increases under burglary and larceny. Throughout the year there was a large number of unemployed in the Colony, while the Police Force, owing to difficulty in obtaining recruits, was appreciably below establishn ent strength.
There were decreases of 10 and 9 cases in murder and robbery respectively.
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