Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 623

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

SHANGHAI

627

nominally over possession of Shanghai during the summer of 1924 between Kiangsu and Chekiang. The Volunteers of the Settlement were mobilised, but no attack was made on the Settlement. On May 30th, 1925, there was rioting outside the Louza Police Sta- tion and the Police were forced to tire upon the crowd. There were a number of casualties, and a general strike of the Chinese followed with unrest, engineered largely by Bolshevik and anti-foreign influences, in many parts of China. Throughout 1926 the unrest continued and there were many labour troubles but general trade pro- ceeded with little interruption. At the beginning of 1927, however, more serious trouble was feared owing to the occurrences at Hankow and the approach of the Nationalist forces, and the Powers therefore agreed to garrison the Settlement. Troops were sent to China in the spring and several battalions are still stationed at Shanghai.

POPULATION

The Foreign population increased rapidly up to 1865, but declined considerably during the next ten years. The census of 1865 gave the number of foreign residents in the three Settlements as 2,757, army and navy (British) 1,851, shipping 981, a total of 5,589. In 1870, the total in the Anglo-American Settlement was 1,666; in 1876, 1,673 ; in 1880, 2,197; in 1885, 3,673; in 1890, 3,821; in 1895, 4,684; in 1900, 7,396; in 1905, 11,497. By the census of 15th October, 1910, there were in both Settlements a total of 15,012 foreigners; 1,356 in the British Settlement (now called Central District), 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

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

1914

1920

1923

...

...

71

216

165

13

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

3

10

10

202

265

228

...

6

11

15

...

10

11

15

...

...

...

...

33

55

63

...

...

...

102

70

22

15

18

...

117

...

...

1,125

1,047

9

12

14

...

...

...

...

40

44

50

...

...

...

Danish

...

Dutch French

...

...

...

...

German

...

...

Italian

...

...

...

Japanese Norwegian

...

...

...

Russian

it

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

was besieged by the Taipings in 1860 there were, 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;

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