Directory_and_Chronicle_1875 — Page 815

372

HONGKONG.

1,300,000, raising the total tonnage, foreign and native, of arrivals and departures in each year, to upwards of two millions and a half. From these figures, some idea of the movement and commercial activity which pervades this great centre of Eastern -commerce may be formed.

A Stamp Tax was introduced by the Government (December 1866), and is now in operation.

Annual average rainfall, 81 inches.

Hongkong pays £20,000 a-year to the Imperial Government as military contribution.

GOVERNORS.

Revenue. Expenditure.

1843. Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., G.C.B. 1844. Sir John F. Davis, Bart., K.C.B. 1848. Sir George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B. 1852. Major-General Jervois (acting).

1857

£58,842

£65,497

1868

62,476

62,979

1859

65,225

66,109

1860

94,182

72,390

1853. Sir George Bonham, Bart., K.C.B.

1861

127,241

109,632

1854. Sir John Bowring, Knt.

1862

131,512

122,423

1854. Lieut.-Colonel Caine (Lieut.-Governor).

1883

120,028

121,888

1859. Sir Hercules (1. R. Robinson, Knt.

1884

132,884

159,022

1882. William T. Mercer (acting).

1885

175,717

195,376

∙1864. Sir Hercules Robinson, Knt.

1866

163,369

198,458

1865. W. T. Mercer (acting).

1867

179,143

162,780

1866. Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, C.B.

1868

236,272

206,603

1889. Major-General Whitfeild, (Lieut.-Governor.) 1871. Sir Richard G. MacDonnell, K.C.M.G,, C.B. 1872. Sir Arthur Kennedy, K.C.M.G., C.B.

1869

192,469

192,309

1870

180,820

182,765

1871

175,962

186,675

Revenue. Expenditure.

1872

192,714

174,681

1848

£27,046

£80,351

Population.

1847

31,078

50,959

European and American.

Chinese, &c. Total.

1848

25,091

62,658

1862

1,604

121,907 123,511

1849

23,617

38,986

1863

1,614

123,206

124,850

1850

23,526

34,314

1864

1,963

119,535

121,498

1861

23,721

34,116

1865

2,034

123.470

125,604

1852

21,331

34,765

1866

2,113

112,986

116,091

1853

24,700

36,418

1867

2,151

115,321

117,471

1854

27,045

34,635

1868-9

2,280

114,998

117,286

1855

47,978

40,813

1871*

6,931

118,247

124,198

1856

35,500

42,426

1679*

4,931

117,054

121,985

Europeans and Americans including naval and military, 5,931.

Europeans and Americans without naval and military, 4,088.

Population 1872.

Europeans and Americans. Indians and others of mixed blood. Chinese.

Total..

4,931

1,490

.115,444

121,985

Trade and Commerce.

The commercial intercourse of Hongkong-virtually a part of the commerce of China is chiefly with Great Britain, the United States, and Germany, Great Britain absorbing about one-half of the total imports and exports. There are no official returns of the value of the imports and exports of the colony, from and to all countries, but only mercantile estimates, according to which the former average four, and the latter two, millions sterling.

The extent of the commercial intercourse between Hongkong and the United Kingdom is shown in the following table, which gives the value of the total exports from Hongkong to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufacture into Hongkong, in each of the five years 1868 to 1872:-

Imports of British Produce,

into Hongkong.

Years.

1868

1869

1870

1871

1872

Exports from Hongkong to Great Britain.

£235,804

281,932

281,159

367,944

833,764

£2,185,972

2,130,837

3,407,930

2,787,714

2,872,673

* Inclusive of naval, military, and shipping.