Directory_and_Chronicle_1913 — Page 893

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SHANGHAI

within the boundaries 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 foreigners, 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 1900, 240,995. The numbers by the last census (October, 1910) were, in the Central district, 122,997; Northern district, 132,502; Eastern district, 88,270; Western district, 69,544; in Foreign hongs, houses and mills, 25,646; in villages and huts within the limits, 36,442; in shipping and boats, 12,604; a total, exclusive of the French Concession, of 488,005; 227,175 men, 129,924 women, and 130,906 children, as compared with 345,276 in 1900. The Captain Superintendent of Police in a late report says "For good reasons I am inclined to believe that the native population is very much under-estimated," and he considers that three-quarters of a million work within the Settlement, although they do not all reside there. The native population of the French Concession in 1910 was 19,686 and in outside roads under French Municipality 12,284, a total of 101,970 (against 84,792 in 1905, 80,526 in 1900, 45,758 in 1895, and 34,722 in 1890), the boat population 5,500, 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 651,000. This large congregation of over 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 261 Europeans, 428 Indians, and 1,256 natives for the north of the Yang-king-pang, being one constable for about each three acres, and for 270 head of popula- tion. There are nine police stations. There are 54 European, 124 Tonkinoise, and 235 Chinese police for the French Concession, or about one constable for every 283 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. 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

In

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 231, and of non-residents, 39, in 1911. 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. Öf these, 11 were amongst residents. In the years 1892 to 1894, 1897 to 1901 inclusive and in 1905 and 1910 and 1911 there were no deaths from cholera among foreign residents, the average being under five per annum during the last twenty years. The highest number of deaths of foreign residents from small-pox was 21 in 1907. There were 10 deaths from this cause in 1911; the average during the last twenty years has been seven per annum. 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, in 1908 15.9, in 1:09 16.7, in 1910 20.2 and in 1911 16.8. These rates compare favourably with those of many 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 6,799 deaths amongst the natives in the "Anglo-American Settlement" in 1911, which makes the rate 13.8 per thousand. Small-pox, which in 1909 claimed only 19 victims, was the cause of 863 deaths in 1907, the annual average during the past two decades being 226; cholera, which responsible for 1,500 deaths in 1902 and 162 in 1903, was entirely absent in 1904 and 19.55, but reappeared towards the close of 1906, and was the cause of 193 deaths among