Directory_and_Chronicle_1889 — Page 305

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HONGKONG.

small bay on the south-east of the island, was once the site of a military station, but most of the barrack buildings were pulled down a few years ago, and the village is stagnant. There are good carriage roads from Victoria both to Aberdeen and Shau- ki Wan, and a bridl road to Stanley. A good bridle road leads up to the summit of Victoria Peak, with other paths branching off from it along the adjoining hills. A tramway, worked on the wire rop system, has been laid to the Victoria Gap, the lower terminus being close to St. John's Cathedral, and was opened to traffic on the 30th May, 1888. Within the past few years the number of bungalows on and about the Peak has increased so much that they now form quite an alpine village. The Military erected a sanitarium on the heights in 1883; and in June of the same year the Peak Church was opened for worship there. There is a hotel at Victoria Gap, close to the Tramway terminus.

Across the harbour is the dependency of British Kowloon. This peninsula was ceded to Great Britain in 1861. It has an area of four square miles, and has latterly made considerable progress. Yau-ma Ti, the principal village, has increa ed in popula- tion, and bids fair to some day become an important town. A number of European houses and a club have been erected and numerous gardens laid out at Tsim-tsa Tsui. A fine prava, with a massive granite wall, has been constructed at Tsim-tsa Tsui, and some extensive godowns have been built and fine wharves made, for discharging cargo and coaling. An Observatory is situated on Mount Elgin; and a large and handsome Police Station for the Water Police occupies an eminence just above the new praya. In front of this Station is a Time Ball, which is dropped daily. Steam ferries ply regularly between Kowloon and Victoria.

The total population of the Colony of Hongkong, according to the census of 1881, was 160,402, showing an increase of 21,258 since 1876, when the preceding census was taken. The total population of the city of Victoria was returned at 141,494; that of Kowloon at 9,021; of Shau-ki Wan 3,274; of Aberdeen 1,305; and Stanley 829. The rest of the population is distributed among the smaller villages and the boat population other than in Victoria harbour. The total British and foreign population numbered 7,990; but the residents proper are returned at 3,040, the former figures including the naval and military e tablishments, police, shipping in harbour, and temporary residents. The Indians and others of mixed blood numbered 1,722. The population is now probably not less than 200,000.

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 days 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. New sanitary regulations are being inaugurated The annual death rate per 1,000 for the whole population in 1887 was 28.59, for the British and foreign population 23.31. The annual average rainfall is about 80 inches, while the average annual range of the thermometer is from 43 leg, to 89 deg.

The finances of the Colony have for several years gone on improving, and the estinated revenue for 1889 is $1.737,718, or including premium on land sales $1,887,718, and the ordinary expenditure $1,394,665, to which must be added 8637,626 provided for extraordinary public works

Hongkong is a free port, and there is no official return of the imports and exports compiled, but the value of its trade is estimated at about £10,000,000 per annum. During the year 1886 the following tonnage entered and cleared with cargoes:---

KATIONALITY

American

Austriau

Vessels, 10. Vesse s.

ENTERED

52

$3,655... 13... 27,421

CLEARED

CLEARED

NATIONALITY

ENTERED

€3... 15...

Tons.

91,307 30,701

Belgian

British

1 ..

55 ...

German Hawaiian Italian

14

21,520.

Vessels, Tons, Vessels. Tons.

551... 47 1,729 .. 5.3... 445,736

1,050.

2.

722 14.. 20,563

Chinesc

Chinese Junks

Danish

Duteb

French

2806 3,383,271... 2,687 ..3,116,058

137...

179,525... 128... 163,753 14,133... 1,113 202 17,143 .. 1,442,767

250.

.ti 23,073 41. 58,692... 42 57,421 102... 162,299... 93 159,936

Japanese Norwegian Russian

Siamese

Spanish Swedish

3... 2,655... 41... 4×274. 11... 19,728. 15. 31...

6,399

10.

18,822

7.17 18,400

472..

11

5,50%

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18,063