Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 828

SHANGHAI

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number of women has increased over ten and of children nearly seven times. A curious fact is that of children under fifteen in the French Settlement only 26 were males while 136 were females in 1895, 52 were males and 143 females in 1900, and 47 males and 221 females in 1995. The proportion of the different nationalities in all the Settlements in 1905 was as follows, the figures at the time of the 1900 census being given within parentheses:-British, 3,872 (2762); Japanese, 2,230 (831) a far larger rate of increase than that of any other nationality; Portuguese, 1,382 (1,013); American 1,012 (575); German, 832 (538); French, 667 (394); Russian 414 (50); Austro-Hungarian_163 (96); Italian 162 (66); Spanish 151 (113); Danish 126 (77); Norwegian 93 (45); Swedish, 81 (64); Swiss, 92 (37); Dutch 63 (44); Belgian 63 (44); Greek 39 (12); Turkish 28 (41); other Europeans 31 (11); Indians 619 (323); Malays 194 (157); and 47 other Asiatics. The Eurasians in the Settlements numbered 353, agamst 582 in 1900. These figures do not include the population afloat, which at the date of the last census was 2,510, against 1,253, in 1990, 1306 in 1895, 1,009 in 1890, and 893 in 1885. Although the Chinese have no right of residence within the Foreign Settlement, and indeed were not recognised by the original Land Regulations, some twenty thousand sought refuge within the bound- aries from the rebels in 1854, and when the city was besieged by the Taipings in 1860 there were, it is said, at least five hundred thousand natives within the Settlements. As they found some amenities from “squeezing" when under the protection of foreign- ers, and foreigners themselves being able to obtain a much higher rental for their land, and finding native house property a very profitable investment, no opposition was made to their residence. In 1870 there were in the three Settlements 75,047; in 1880, 107,812; in 1890, 168,129, in 1895, 240,995. The numbers by the last census (October, 1905) were, in the Central district 120,289; Northern district, 130,399; Eastern district, 73,609 ; Western district, 65,100 ; in Foreign hongs, houses and mills, 12,458;in villages and huts within the limits, 37,503; in shipping and boats, 12,358; a total of 452,716, as compared with 345,276 in 1900. The native population of the French Concession in 1905 was 84,792 (against 80,526 in 199), 45,758 in 1895, and 34,722 in 1890), the boat population 4,340, and in transit 7,000. This rapid increase has occurred notwithstanding that rents have risen from thirty to sixty and in some cases even one hundred per cent., and that provisions and cost of living generally both of natives and foreigners have increased. The majority are immigrants from other provinces who followed in the wake of foreigners, attracted by the high wages paid to skilled and unskilled labour required for the many industries. The population of the native city is estimated at 183,000. This large congregation of half a million natives in the Settlements and outlying roads, eight and two thirds square miles, is kept in admirable order by a police force of 111 Europeans, 224 Indians, and 734 natives for the north of the Yang-king-pang, being one constable for each five acres, and for 465 head of population. There are 52 European and 140 native police for the French Concession, or about one constable for every 469 inhabitants. As the natives have to be tried by their own authorities, and bribery and obstruction have to be contended against and there is a want of the facilities found elsewhere, the difficulties of organizing and efficiently working such_a small force are considerable. In few places are life and property more secure. In August, 1899, the Captain Superintendent stated that twenty-four hours had passed without one defaulter being reported, an unique police experience for any city in the world of its population.

CLIMATE

The climate of Shanghai is generally allowed to be fairly healthy. The death rate amongst the resident foreign population during the past two decades has ranged from 24.8 per thousand (in 1891) to 11.2 per thousand (in 1905). The rate including non-residents was considerably higher; it reached 34.6 per thousand in 1902, which, however, was exceptional. The number of deaths of foreign residents, including non- Chinese Asiatics, was 129, and of non-residents 112 in 1905. Partial outbreaks of cholera have occurred at intervals, but the larger proportion of the cases were among the ships in harbour. The highest recorded number of deaths from this cause among foreigners was 32 in 1890. Of these, 11 were amongst residents. In the years 1892 to 1894 and 1897 to 1991 inclusive there were no deaths from cholera among foreign residents, only one case in 1904 and none in 1905. The highest number of deaths of foreigners from small-pox was 19 in 1896. There were no deaths of foreigners from this cause in 1900, three in 1902, seven in 1903, eleven in 1904 and fourteen in 1905. In winter, cases of small-pox and typhoid are frequent among the natives. Amongst the shore population the death rate was 11.2 per thousand in 1905 of which 2.0 per thousand were from zymotic causes, against a rate of 2.19 per thousand from these diseases in England. These rates compare favourably with those of large towns in Europe and

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