Directory_and_Chronicle_1891 — Page 599

HONGKONG

203

including the naval and military establishments, police, shipping in harbour, and temporary residents. The Indians and others of mixed blood numbered 1,722. The present population may be estimated at 220,000.

The Garrison, according to the Estimates for 1890-91, consists of two batteries of Garrison Artillery, 253 of all ranks; one company of Royal Engineers, 159 of all ranks ; one battalion of Infantry, 1,038; four companies of Indian Artillery, one company of Colonial Engineers, and eight companies of Indian infantry, 1,507 of all ranks; 3 men of the Army Service Corps, 6 of the Ordnance Store, 3 of the Corps of Ordinance Artificers, 3 of the Corps of Armourers, and 17 of the Medical Staff Corps. Total of all ranks, 2,989. Nearly one half of this force was at the end of 1890, however, still on paper. The regiment of Indian infantry and two companies of artillery had not arrived. A Volunteer Artillery Corps has existed for the past twelve years, but its effective strength is at present small.

The approaches to the harbour are now strongly fortified, the batteries consisting of well constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by three batteries on Stonecutter's Island and two forts on Belcher and Fly Points, from which a tremendous converging fire could be maintained, completely commanding the Sulphur Channel. Another small battery, on the hill above and west of Richmond Terrace, has a wide range of fire. The Ly-ee-moon Pass is defended by two forts, and if vessels survived that fire they would then have to face the batterics at North Point and Hungham, which completely command the eastern entrance. Another battery on the bluff at Tsim-tsa Tsui, Kowloon, commands the whole of the centre of the harbour. The batteries are armed with the latest breech-loading ordnance.

In addition to the fortifications the Colony possesses a small squadron for harbour defence. This consists of the turret iron-clal Hivern, 2,750 tons, carrying 4 guns, the gunboats Esk and Tweed, each carrying 3 guns, and four torpedo boats. The crews of these vessels are borne in the receiving ship Victor Emanuel, a hulk moored opposite to the Cricket Ground, and which is also the headquarters of the Commodore and his staff. The Naval Yard is an extensive range of workshops and offices east of the Artillery Barracks, and the Naval Authorities have another large establishment on the Kowloon side near to Yau-ma Ti.

CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE.

As intimated in earlier paragraphs, Hongkong formerly enjoyed a most unenviable notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garrisoned here suffered grievously from malarious fevers. A great deal of the sickness in the early days of the Colony was caused by excavating and otherwise disturbing the disintegrated granite of which the soil of the island mainly consists, 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. The influence of the young pine forests created by the Afforestation Department has no doubt been beneficial in checking malaria, and the attention latterly bestowed on sanitation has not been without its due effect. The annual death rate per 1,000 for the whole population in 1889 was 23.64, for the British and foreign population 17.54.

The following table shows the barometer, temperature, and mean rainfall for Hongkong on sea level averaged for ten years, compiled by the Director of the Observatory:—

BAROMETER.

TEMPERATURE. RAIN.

Mean. Hight. Lowst. Mean. Hight, Lowst. Mean. Jan. 30.17 30.47 29.80 60 74 42 1.47 ins.

20.87 Feb. 30.15 30.45

55 70 41 1.66 March 30.06 30.36 29.80 62 78 49 3.53

30.27 April 29.96

29.70 70 85 56 6.55 29.88 May

30.11 29.50 76

66 88

9.82 June 29.76 39.90 20.40 80 89 69 12.67

29.99 July 29.72

29.22 82 95 74 16.41

Aug.

BAROMETER.

TEMPERATURE. RAIN. Mean. Hight. Lowst. Mean. Hight. Lowst. Mean.

72 16.93 29.75 29.96 29.38 $1 90 29.83 Sept.

30.09 28.99 Oct. 30.02 30.31 29.72 Nov. 30.13 30.43 29.78 Dec.

30.18

29.37 30.42

YEAR 29.97 30.47 TRADE.

80 91

71

9.39

76

86

61

5.00

69

83

55

1.04

62

28.99 71

45

0.49

93 41 85.52

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 £40,000,000 per annum. During the year 1889 the following tonnage entered and cleared with cargoes:--

NATIONALITY

ENTERED

American

Vessels. Tons.

54..

Austrian

British

Chinese

CLRARED Vessel. Tons. 82,498.. 43.. 67,547 12..

23,630. 12. 23,630 2,591.. 3,242,963. 2,499.. 3,124,916 134.. 171,999.. 132.. 176,886

NATIONALITY

ENTERED

Vessels. Tons.

Hawaiian Italian

CLEARED Vessels. Tons. 3.. 1,975.. 3..

1,975

14..

20,234..

12..

17,988

Japanese

66..

97,474..

3..

3,795

Norwegian

14..

13,454..

7..

6,787

Peruvian

1..

245.

1..

245

74..

29,606.. 71..

28,115

Russian

6..

10,332..

5..

9,250

2.. 2,053..

1..

1,164

Siamese

1,925..

4..

1,925

72.

138,651..

60..

638.. 600,443.. 687.

128,813 565,593

Spanish

20..

12,470..

17.

10,751

Chinese Junks.. 13,589.. 1,124,701.. 15,548.. 1,323,393

Danish

Dutch.

French

German