Directory_and_Chronicle_1880 — Page 205

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HONGKONG.

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naval and military establishments, police, shipping in harlour, and temporary residents. The Indians and others of mixed blood numbered 1,451. Since the census of 1876 the Chinese population has considerably increased, and the population of the Colony may now be roughly estimated at 150,000.

Hongkong formerly enjoyed a most unenviable notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garrisoned here undoubtedly suffered severely. A great deal of the sickness in the early day of the Colony was caused by excavating and other- wise disturbing the disintegrated granite of which the soil of the island mainly con- sists, and which appears to throw off malarious exhalations when upturned. At the present time, however, the Colony is one of the healthiest spots in the world in the same latitude, and when the ignorance of newcomers respecting the climate, the rashness and excesses of seamen, and the squalor and crowded condition of the Chinese quarter of the town are considered, the mortality is by no means excessive. The annual death rate per 1000 for the whole population in 1878 was 29.60, for the British and foreign population, 18.73, or deducting non-residents, 14.90. The annual average rainfall is 78.54 inches, while the average annual range of the thermometer is from 43 deg. to 89 deg,

The finances of the Colony have for several years gone on improving, and the estimated revenue for 1880 is $1,017,956, while the expenditure is estimated at $964,355.

Hongko g is a free port, and it is therefore impossible to give any return of its imports and exports. During the year 1878, 3,057 vessels of foreign build, measuring 2,591,172 tous, were entered. Of this number of vessels 2,326, measuring 2,136,832 tons, were steamers. Tuis proportion was divided amongst the different maritime nations as follows :-British, 1,922 vessels and 1,715,895 tons, or 82.63 and 80.30 per cent. respectively; French, 78 vessels and 149,891 tons, or 3.35 and 7.02 per cent. respectively; German, 148 vessels and 123,078 tons, or 6.36 and 5.75 per cent. respectively; Chinese, 76 vessels and 63,742 tons, or 3.27 and 2.98 per cent. respectively; Spanish, 59 vessels and 24,040 tons, or 2.54 and 1.12 per cent. respectively; the remaining 27 vessels and 56,240 tons, or 1.29 and 2.84 per cent. respectively were American, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Belgian, and Burmese. Of the sailing vessels, 731 in number and of 454,340 tons capacity, measuring 207,368 tous, or 33.79 per cent, of ves-els and 45.64 per cent. of tonnage, were under the British flag. The total number of junks entered at the various ports of the Colony (exclusive of local trade) was 24,693, with a tonnage of 1,614,651.

The trade chiefly consists in opium, sugar, salt, flour, oil, cotton goods, earthen- ware, amber, ivory, sandalwood, betel, vegetables, granite, &c., &c. The bulk of the European trade of China and Japan passes through this port.

Hongkong possesses unrivalled steam communication. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and the Messageries Maritimes convey the European mail we kly, the Pacific Mail Company and the Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company maintain a mail service with San Francisco, the Eastern and Australian Mail Steamship Company have a monthly service with the Australian Colonies, and the Australasian Steam Navigation Company now run a regular line of steamers between Hongkong and the Australian ports. In addition to all these, several great lines of merchaut steamers maintain regular communi- cation between London, Liverpool, and Hongkong, of which the Ocean Steamship Company, and the Glen and Castle lines are the most conspicuous. Between the ports on the east coast of China and Hongkong the steamers of Messrs. Douglas Lapraik & Co. ply regularly twice a week and there is constant steam communication with Hoihow, Manila, Saigon, Haiphong, Bangkok, &c. With Shanghai and the ports of Japan there is frequent communication in addition to the mail steaners which leave weekly, while the steamers of the Mitsu Bishi Mail Steamship Company run fortnightly between Yokohama, Kobe, aud Hongkong. Between Hongkong, Macao, and Canton there is a daily stea n service. The telegraphic communication of the Colony extends to nearly every part of the world.

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