Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 535

SHANGHAI

POPULATION

A157

!

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; 1356 in the British Settlement (now called Central District), 8,658 in Hongkew (now Northern and Eastern Districts), 3,521 in Western Dis- trict, Outside Roads and Pootung; and 1,476 in the French Settlement-an increase of 217.4 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 2,3307, 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 (1,223); 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 last official census of the foreign settlements was taken in 1925, when the returns showed 29,947 foreigners and 810,279 Chinese as resident in the districts under the control of the International Council.

This figure is exclusive of the French Settlement the population of which is given at 7,811 foreigners and 289,261 Chinese. It is interesting to note that the foreign popula- tion of the "French" Concession included 3,463 British and Americans, as against 893 French. According to the census report compiled by the Municipal Bureau of Public. Safety, the total population of Greater Shanghai in December 1930, with the Interna- tional Settlement and the French Concession, was 3,183,567, including 59,355 foreigners. Of the total population, 1,007,868 are residing in the International Settlement, 434,807 in the French Concession, and 1,740,892 in the native city and its surrounding suburbs.

Although the Chinese have no right of residence within the Foreign Settement 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. In 1920 there were in the three Settlements 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.

CLIMATE

The climate of Shanghai is generally allowed to be fairly healthy. The highest recorded number of deaths from cholera 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 annuin during the last twenty years. The average number of deaths of foreign residents from small-pox during the last twenty years has been 15 per annum. Amongst the foreign population the general death rate was 15.4 per thousand in 1915, 14 in 1916, 20.7 in 1917, 16.5 in 1918 (including Japanese), 20.6 in 1919, 15.2 in 1920, 18.2 in 1921, 19.3 in 1922 and 17.2 in 1923. These rates compare favourably with those of many large towns in Europe and America. The thermometer ranges from 25 deg. to 103 deg. F., the mean of ten years having been 59.19 deg., the average being 41.13, 64.99, 7791 and 52.49 for first, second, third and fourth quarters, respectively. Shanghai approaches nearest to Rome in mean temperature, while the winter temperatures of London and Shanghai are almost identical. In October and November there is generally dry, clear, and delightful weather, equal to that found in any part of the world; but when the winter has fairly set in the north-east winds are extremely cold and biting. On January 17th, 1878, the river was frozen over at Woosung. The heat during July and August is sometimes excessive, but generally lasts only a few days at a time. In late years very severe gales have become