SHANGHAI
669*
8,658 in Hongkew (now Northern and Eastern Districts), 3,522 in Western Dis- trict, Outside Roads and Pootung; and 1,476 in the French Settlement-an increase of 21.74 per cent. during the latter five years, against 45 per cent. during the previous. five. When the census was taken in October, 1915, the number of foreigners in the two Settlements had grown to 20,924-18,519 in the International Settlement and 2,405 in the French Settlement. According to the census taken on October 16th, 1920 (exclusive of the French Settlement and the outside roads under the control of the French Consul), the foreign population numbered 23,307, compared with 18,519 in 1915 and 13,536 in 1910. The proportion of the principal nationalities repre- sented was as follows, the figures at the time of the 1915 census being given within parenthesis:-Japanese 10,215 (7,169); British, 5,341 (4,822); American, 2,264 (1,307);. Portuguese, 1,301 (1,323); Russian, 1,266 (361); French, 316 (244); German, 280 (1,155) Spanish, 186 (181); Danish, 175 (145); Italian, 171 (114); Indians, 954 (1,009). This showed that the Japanese had trebled in number since 1910. The estimated foreign population in 1923 was 26,200, exclusive of Russian refugees. The foreign population in the French Settlement in 1920 was 3,560 and the native 166,667. Among the different nationalities represented in the foreign population were the following:-British, 1,044; American, 549; French, 530; Japanese, 306; Russian, 210; German, 9.
According to a list prepared by the Commissioner of Customs the number of foreign firms in Shanghai in 1923 was 1,695 as compared with 1,764 in 1920 and 628 in 1914. These totals were made up as under:-
American Austrian Belgian British Danish Dutch French German
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1914
1920
1923
71
216
165
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13
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3
10
10
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202
265
228
6
11
15
10
11
15
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33
55
63
...
102
70
22
15
18
...
117
1,125
1,047
9
12
14
40
44
50
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Italian
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+
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Japanese
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Norwegian Russian
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Although the Chinese have no right of residence within the Foreign Settle- ment, 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; in 1910, 602,475; and in 1920, 930,068. The Chinese population working in the Settlements, however, must be much greater than the total given, as there are many more thousands who sleep outside the limits. 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 to one hundred per cent. and that provisions and cost of living generally both of natives and foreigners have increased. The population of the native city is estimated by the Inspectorate of Customs at one million. The large congregation of nearly 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 255 Europeans (264 is the authorised number), 704 Sikhs (including 174 for gaol duty), 40 Japanese and 1,546 natives. There are 81 European, 240 Tonkinese, and 488 Chinese police for the French Settlement. 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.
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