Directory_and_Chronicle_1921 — Page 792

714

SHANGHAI

compared with 488,005 in 1910. The native population of the French Concession in 1915 was 134,09, consisting of 67,932 males, 34,127 females and 32,036 children (against 89,686, exclusive of 1,284 in outside roads, in 19.0, 84,792 in 1905, 80,526 in 1900, 45,758 in 1895, and 34,722 in 1890), the estimated boat population 5,500, and in transit 7,000 being added, the total native population was 146,595. The Chinese population working in the Settlements, however, inust be very much greater than the total given, as there are many more thousands who sleep outside the limits. The Captain Superinten- dent of Police a few years ago said: "For good reasons I am inclined to believe that the native population is very much under-estimated," and he then considered that three- quarters of a million work within the Settlement, although they do not all reside there. Taking into consideration the thickly populated surrounding Chinese territory with its added thousands that cannot be even approximated, the daytime population of the port, it is thought, must be well toward 1,500,000. 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 by the Inspectorate of Customs at one million. This large congregation of over three-quarters of 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 154 Europeans (283 is the authorised number, but 10 were at the end of the year still on war service, awaiting demobilization, others had resigned, and during the period 74 recruits were enlisted from home), 666 Sikhs, including 178 for gaol duty, 28 mounted troopers, 27 Japanese and 1,354 natives for the north of the Yang-king-pang, being one constable for about each three acres, and for 332 head of population. There are nine police stations. There are 40 European, 230 Tonkinese, and 405 Chinese police for the French Settlement, or about one constable for every 212 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. The following table shows the population and Municipal Revenue of the Settlement, exclusive of the French, for the past five quinquennial periods:-

Ordinary Income Tls. 482,603

Year

Foreigners

Natives

1895

4,684

240,995

1900

6,774

345,276

1,045,177

1905

11,497

452,716

1,780,415

1910

13,526

488,005

>>

2,555,056

1915

18,519

620,401

,,

3,051,017

1916

19,105

630,510

3,333,151

1917

19,750

644,580

3,455,128

1918

21,000

659,000

3,864,577

1919

22,000

673,000

4,419,962 ""

CLIMATE

The climate of Shanghai is generally allowed to be fairly healthy. The death rate amongst the

the resident foreign population_ranged from 20.6 per thousand (in 1919) 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 registered deaths of foreign residents, including non-Chinese Asiatics (288 amongst Japanese), was 453 (including 131 children), and of non-residents 111, in 1919. Partial outbreaks of cholera have occurred at intervals, but the larger proportion of the cases was 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. With the exception of the year 1912, when there were 14 cases, the average number of cases amongst foreigners has been slightly over three per annum during the last twenty years. There were 4 fatal cases in 1919. The highest number of deaths of foreign residents from small-pox was 21 in 1907. The average during the last twenty years has been 15 per annum. In winter, of small-pox and typhoid are frequent among the natives. Amongst the shore population the death rate was 15'4 per thousand in 1915, 14 in 1916, 20.7 in 1917, 16.5 in 1918 (including Japanese) and 20.6 in 1919; the abnormally high foreign mortality

cases