Directory_and_Chronicle_1909 — Page 952

SHANGHAI

763

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 24.6 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 245, and of non-residents 83 in 1907. 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 1901 inclusive there were no deaths from cholera among foreign residents, only one case in 1904, none in 1905, four in 1906, and 18 in 1907. The highest number of deaths of foreigners from small-pox was 21 in 1907. There were no deaths of foreigners from this cause in 1900, three in 1902, seven in 1903, eleven in 1904, fourteen in 1905 and none in 1906. In winter, cases of small-pox and typhoid are frequent among the natives. Amongst the shore population the death rate was 12.1 per thousand in 1906 of which 1.5 per thousand were from zymotic causes, against a rate of 2.19 per thousand from these diseases in England. The rate in 1907 was 17.9. This death-rate is hardly comparable with that of previous years, 73 deaths among Japanese being reported as against 13 in the previous year. These rates compare favourably with those of large towns in Europe and America. The Health Officer in a late Report says that "out of the seventy-five deaths registered there were but nine which can in any sense be termed climatic." There were reported 10,217 deaths amongst the natives in the "Anglo-American Settlement" in 1907 (against 10,801 in 1902, 7,380 in 1904 and 6,413 in 1905 and 5,689 in 1906), which makes the rate 20.0 per thousand (against 30.9 in 1902, 21.2 in 1903, 19.2 in 1904 and 14.2 in 1905 and 11.9 in 1906). Small-pox, which in 1901 claimed only 31 victims, was the cause of 434 deaths in 1902, 241 in 1903, 759 in 1904, 246 in 1905, 29 in 1906, and 863 in 1907; cholera responsible for 1,500 deaths in 1902, and 162 in 1903, was entirely absent in 1904 and 1905, but reappeared towards the close of 1906 and was the cause of 193 deaths among the Chinese in that year and of 655 in 1907; scarlet fever for 1,500 in 1902, only 2 in 1903, and none in 1904 or 1905, and only 50 deaths in 1906; and tuberculosis for 2,000 in 1902, 1,978 in 1903, 1,872 in 1904. 1,414 in 1905, 1,000 in 1906 and 960 in 1907. The thermometer ranges from 25 deg. to 103 deg. Fahrenheit, the mean of eight years having been 59.1 deg., the average being 41.0, 65.1, 77.8 and 52.5 for for first, second, third and fourth quarters respectively. Shanghai approaches nearest to Rome in mean temperature, while the winter temperature of London and Shanghai are almost identical. The mean daily range averages 15.60, being from 13.3° during the first to 16.6' during the second quarter. In October and November there is generally dry, clear, and delightful weather, equal to that found in any part of the world; but when the winter has fairly set in the north-east winds are extremely cold and biting. On January 17th, 1878, the river was frozen over at Woosung. The heat during July and August is sometimes excessive, but generally lasts only a few days at a time. In late years very severe gales have become more fre- quent. The mean of the barometer is from 29.76 in the third to 30.26 inches in the first quarter. The annual average of rainy days in Shanghai during eight years was 124; 55 wet days occurred in winter, and 69 in summer; the annual rainfall averages 43.46 inches, 13.77 in winter and 29.68 in summer; the heaviest shower was on the 24th Octo- ber, 1875, when 7 inches fell in 3 hours. The mean degree of humidity is from 77 in the winter to 80 in the summer months.

DESCRIPTION

The streets of the British and French Settlements all run north and south and east and west, mostly for the whole length of both, crossing each other at right angles. They were when first laid out twenty-two feet wide, but have since at very great expense been mostly made much wider. Under the new Regulations power to compel the sale of land required for public purposes has been secured. Not- withstanding the soft nature of the soil the roads are kept in remarkably good order,