Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 1038

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HONGKONG

Hongkong, but both this island and Lamma are sparsely populated by agriculturists and fishermen. Cheung Chau is becoming popular as a summer resort for Europeans, numerous bungalows having been erected in the European reservation by missionaries and others.

POPULATION AND DEFENCES

A census taken in April, 1921, showed the total population of the Colony to be 625,166, but the Census Officer estimated that, for various reasons, the normal population was greater than that by 30,000. The smaller total, however, gave an increase of 168,427, or 36.87, on the figures for 1911-"the greatest relative increase over recorded for the Colony." The bulk of the increase took place in the City of Victoria and Kowloon. On the Island of Hongkong there were 347,401; on the Kowloon peninsula 123,448; in the New Territories 83,163 (i.e. 66,114 in the Northern district and 17,049 in the Southern district); and afloat 71,154. Of the boat population, 38,570 were in Victoria harbour.

The non-Chinese population consisted of 32 nationalities, of which the following were the principal in point of numbers: British, 7,889 (4,706 males and 3,183 females); Portuguese, 2,057; Japanese, 1,585; United States of America, 470; Filipino, 232; French, 205; Dutch, 104; Danish, 36; Italian 56; Spanish, 59; Russian, 36.

No fewer than twenty-one of the component parts of the British Empire were represented in the population. Of the British inhabitants, 2,024 (1,199 males and 825 females) were born in England, 575 (389 males and 186 females) in Scotland, 25 (16 males and 9 females) in Wales, 153 (104 males and 49 females) in Ireland, 2,759 (1,258 Portu- guese, 95 Japanese, and 154 others) in Hongkong, 1,480 in India, 125 in Malaya, 153 (67 males and 86 females) in Australia, 19 in New Zealand, 56 (30 males and 26 females) in Canada, 29 in the West Indies, and 14 in South Africa.

The Census Officer estimated the number of British nationals of European race at 4,300, and of British children of European race of all ages at about 500.

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The Garrison consists of British and Indian troops. There is also a local Volunteer Defence Corps. The approaches to the harbour are strongly fortified, the batteries consisting of well-constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by three batteries on Stonecutters' Island and two forts on Belcher and Fly Points, from which tremendous converging fire could be maintained, completely commanding the Sulphur Channel. Pine Wood battery, on the hill above and west of Richmond Terrace, has a wide range of fire. The Ly-ee-mùn Pass is defended by two forts on the Hongkong side and another on Devil's Peak on the mainland, and if vessels survived that fire they would then have to face the batteries at North Point and Hunghom, which completely command the eastern entrance. Another battery on the bluff at Tsim-tsa Tsui, Kowloon, commands the whole of the centre of the harbour. The batteries are armed with the latest breech-loading ordnance. The Colony of Hongkong pays to the British Government a military contribution fixed at 20 per cent. of the revenue,

In addition to the fortifications the Colony possesses a small squadron for harbour defence. The Naval Yard consists of a large dock, an extensive range of workshops and offices east of the Artillery Barracks, and the Naval Authorities have another large establishment on the Kowloon side near to Yaumati.

CLIMATE

As intimated in earlier paragraphs, Hongkong formerly enjoyed a most unenviable notoriety for unhealthiness, and in years past the troops garrisoned here suffered grievously from malarial fevers. At the present time, however, the Colony is one of the healthiest spots in the world in the same latitude. The influence of the young pine forests created by the Afforestation Department and the training of nullahs on the slopes have no doubt been beneficial in checking malaria, and the attention latterly bestowed on sanitation has not been without its due effect. The deaths from malaria in 1921 numbered 332, the same as in the previous year. The general death-rate per 1,000 in 1921 was 20.27. Among the Chinese community the death-rate was 20.29 per 1,000, compared with 22.78 in 1920 and 23.3 in 1919. Amongst the non-Chinese civilian community the death rate per 1,000 was 18.08 as against 17.9 in 1920. The birth-rate among the non-Chinese community was 25.88 in 1921. The birth statistics for the Chinese community do not give an accurate record of the number of births.