Directory_and_Chronicle_1900 — Page 626

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

SHANGHAI

163

Debentures were issued during 1898, amounting to Tls. 240,000, to which was added Tls. 4,735.90 surplus on Ordinary Income and Expenditure in 1897 and 1898. Against this was expended for Public Works, Tls. 40,047.85; for Roads and Bridges, Tls. 95,681.82, for Police Stations and minor balance of cost of Market and Drill Hall, Tls. 66,961.05, leaving a deficit of Tls. 2,404.58 to Extraordinary Budget for 1899.

The Debt of the Municipality at the close of 1898 was Tls. 1,324,245.35 and the Assets were valued at Tls. 1,439,365.75. The margin, Tls. 115,120.40, may seem somewhat small but the Municipality has generally been able to procure at five per cent, as much money as it has required. The loan of 1898 was however issued at six per cent.

The Ordinary Municipal Revenue for 1899 was estimated at Tls. 767,300 and the Ordinary Expenditure at Tls. 763,610; the Extraordinary Revenue, to be procured by the issue of Debentures, at Tls. 145,000 and the Extraordinary Expenditure at Tis. 144,605. In 1898 the Land Tax and the rates on Foreign Houses were each raised by twenty-five per cent.

The Revenue of the French Concession for 1898 was Tls. 196,638.55. The sources from which it was derived were:-

Land Tax, four-tenths of 1 per cent. Foreign House Tax, 4 per cent. ...

Native House Tax, 8 per cent.

...

...

...

Licences, principally vehicles, brothels, and opium shops Cleaning and Lighting Rates and other Taxes

Paid by the Taotai and Rent of Quays and Jetties

Miscellaneous including Tls. 10,954. Subscriptions to Electric Light

The Expenditure of the French Municipality in 1897 amounted to Tls. 229,300.42 and was divided as under:---

...Tls. 18,522.45

3,115.96

40,564.72

64,736.21

31,211.45

16,582.56

21,955.20

Tls. 196,638.55

...Tls. 20,492.06

Public Works

+

116,946.60

Police Department

43,917.86

Water Supply Tls. 7,479.90, Lighting Tls. 15,520.53 Sanitary Tls. 3,799.58, Education Tls. 2,517.03

23,000.43

6,316.61

Volunteers, 3,100.74. Fire Brigade Tls. 2,820.00, Band Tls. 1,500,00

7,420.74

Hospitals and Orphanage

...

2,477.00

Telegraphs, Telephones, Observatory, &c.

5,752.56

Miscellaneous Tls. 1,503.69, "Imprévu " Tls. 1,541.27

3,044.96

Tls. 229,369.42

Secretariat (Staff and General charges)...

...

The revenue and expenditure for 1898 were each estimated at Tls. 187,975.12.

POPULATION

The Foreign population increased rapidly up to 1865, but declined considerably during the next ten years. The census of 1865 gave the number of foreign residents in the three Settlements as 2,757, army and navy (British) 1,851, shipping 981, a total of 5,589. In 1870 the total in the Anglo-American Settlement was 1,666; in 1876, 1,673; in 1880, 2,197; in 1885, 3,673; in 1890, 3,821. By the census of 24th June, 1895, there were in the Settlements north of the Yang-king-pang a total of 4,684 foreigners; 1,295 in the English division, 2,903 in Hongkew, 486 in outside roads and Pootung. Of these 2,068 were males, 1,227 females, and 1,389 children, against 1,086 males, 296 females, and 291 children in 1876; and 1,775 males, 1,011 females and 887 children, in 1885. The fluctuations in the foreign population have been very remarkable. Between 1870 and 1880 the number of adult males decreased, while in the next five years it increased by over fifty per cent. In the nine years, 1876 to 1885, the whole foreign population more than doubled, but in the next five years it showed an increase of only 148, of whom 144 were children. The increase has been greatest in Hongkew, where the population is five times what it was in 1876, whereas that of the British Settlement is less than in 1885. The foreign population of the French Concession on the same day of 1895 was 190 males, 78 females, and 162 children, a total of 430 against 444 in 1890. A curious fact is that of children under fifteen only 26 were males while 136 were females. The proportion of different nationalities in all the settlements was in 1895, 2,002 British, 741 Portuguese, 399 German and Austrian, 357 American, 281 French, 154 Spanish, 89 Danish, 88 Italian, 82 Swedish and Norwegian, 31 Russian, 111 of various other

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