Directory_and_Chronicle_1915 — Page 850

SHANGHAI

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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 mostly in the Hongkew district, where the population is now nine times what it was in 1880, while during the same period the British Settlement has increased by only 188. While the foreign adult males have increased only five and a quarter times since the census of 1880 the number of women has increased over eight and of children nearly six 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 1905, 134 males and 235 females in 1910. The proportion of the different nationalities in all the Settlements in 1910 was as follows, the figures at the time of the 1905 census being given within parenthesis:— British, 4,465 (3,713); Japanese 3,361 (2,157); Portuguese, 1,495 (1,331); American, 940 (991); German, 811 (785); French, 339 (393); Russian, 317 (354); Spanish, 140 (146); Italian, 124 (148) Danish, 113 (121); Austro-Hungarian, 102 (158); other Europeans, 368 (418); Indian 804 (568); other Asiatics 166 (214). The proportion of the different nationalities in the French Settlement are given as follows: French 436, British 317, Japanese 106, Portuguese 15, German 148, Indian 25, American 44, Russian 7, Spanish 2, Italian 12, Danish 19, Austrian 12, Belgian 12, Norwegian 14, Swedish 4, Swiss 7, Greeks 2, Dutch 16, Mussulmen 3, Tonkinese 207, Eurasians 68. 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 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 89,686 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 242 Europeans, 575 Sikhs, 30 mounted troopers, and 1,386 natives for the north of the Yang- king-pang, being one constable for about each three acres, and for 235 head of popula- tion. There are nine police stations. There are 57 European, 144 Tonkinese, and 266 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 21.5 per thousand (in 1913) to 11.2 per thousand (in 1905). The rate including non-residents was considerably higher; it reached 34.6 per thousand in 1902, which,