HONGKONG.
227
wise disturbing the disintegrated granite of which e soil o the island mainly cone sists, and which appears to throw off malarious eah ios when upturned. At th present time, however, the Colony is one of the heal hiest 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 the crowded condition of the Chinese quarter of the town are considered, the mortality is by no means excessive. The annual death rate per 1,000 for the whole population in 1881 was 24.07, for the British and foreign population 18 22, or deducting non-residents 13.44. The annual average rain all is 71.54 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 1883 is $1,115,665, while the expenditure is estimated at $1,081,732.
Hongkong is a free port, and it is therefore impossible to give any return of its imports and exports. During the year 1881 the following tonnage entered and cleared with cargoes:-
NATIONALITY
ENTERED
OLEARED
American
Austrian
Vessels
113......
Tons. 124,893.
Vesse's.
79.........
Tong. 86,476
An amese
2.
272.
3.......
10.
British...
2,257.
14,465 2,066,109
11.....
2,111
Chinese
1.351.
113,210.
145.
Chinese Junka
16,540.
1,223.649.
17,509
411
15,827 1,917 557.
117,812
1,324,650
Danish..
50.
32,408.
38
24,596
Dutch
12.
9,361
9
7,821
Freuch...
102.
163,875
91.
159,983
German
324
191,691.
223.
134,513
Honduras
1
5:0
Japanese
26
28,569.
26.
29,969
Norwegian
2.
549.
Portuguese.
1.
632.
1
€ 2
Russian
10.
8,016
8.
6,047
Siamese
21
10,383.
19.
9,130
Spanish
37.
16,414.
38.
14,254
Swedish
5
19,659
1,553..
4,004,383
3..
955
20,375
3,879 893
vessels with 595,927 t us.
}
There also cntered in ballast 7,89 vessels, with 524,921 tons, and cleared 6,676 The total shows an increase as compare with the pre- There is a steady yearly increase in the steamer tonnage,
vious year of 317,692 tons.
and a corresponding falling-off in that of sailing ships.
The trade chiefly consists in opium, sugar, salt, flour, oil, cot! on gods, earthen- ware, amber, ivory, sandalwood, betel, veg tables, ranite, &c., &c. The bulk of the European trade of China and Japan pass s through t' is p rt.
i
Hongkong poss sses unrivalled steam communication. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and the Messageries Maritimes convey the European mail weekly, the Pacific Mail Company and he Ocidental and Oriental Steamship Company maintain a mail srv.ce with San Francisco, and the Ecatern and Australiau Steamship Company and some outside steamers keep up a pretty frequent but irregular service with the Australian Colonies. In addition to all t ese, several great lines of merchant steamers maintain regular communication between London, Liverpool, and Hongkong, of which the Ocean Steamship Company and the Glen and Castle lines are the most conspicuous. Toe Austro-Hungarian Loyd's steaners also run from Trieste to Hongkon. The Netherlands Indian Steam Navigation Company now maintain direct monthly communication between Java and Hongkong. Between the ports on the east coast o China and Hongkong the steamers of Messrs. Douglas Lapraik & Co. ply regularly twice a week, and there is con- tant steam com- munication with Hoihow, Manila, Saigon, Haiphong, Bangkok, &c. With Shanghai and the ports of Japan there is frequent communication in addition to the mail steamers, which leave weekly, while the steamers of the Mitsu Bishi Mail Steamship Company run fortnightly between Kobe and Hongkong. Between Hongkong, Macao, and Canton there is a daily steam service. The telegraphic communication of the Colony extends to nearly every part of the world.
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