Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 732

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HONGKONG

under British jurisdiction by the Kowloon Convention of 1898. The former has a considerably larger area than Hongkong, but both this island and Lamma are very 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, 1931, showed the total population of the Colony to be 852,932, as compared with 625,166 ten years ago. Kowloon, which had a population of 74,698 in 1921 doubled its figures, while the Island inhabitants have increased in numbers from 347,000 to 424,000, an increase of about 77,000. The whole population may be summed up as follows:-City of Victoria, 424,522 (as compared with 347,401 in 1921); Kowloon, 262,899 (as compared with 123,488); New Territories, 95,503 (as compared with 83,163); and the floating population, 69,008 (as compared with 71,154).

The Garrison consists of British and Indian troops. There is also a local Volunteer Defence Corps. The approaches to the harbour are strongly forti- fied, the batteries consisting of well-constructed earthworks. The western entrance is protected by guns on Mount Davis, Stonecutters Island and Belcher Point. The Lyee-Mùn Pass is defended by forts on the Hongkong side and another on Devil's Peak on the mainland.

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 an- other large establishm nt on the Kowloon side near to Yaumati.

CLIMATE

As intimated in earlier paragraphs, Hongkong formerly possessed 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 draining 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 number of deaths from malaria during the past six years were: 1921, 332; 1922, 454; 1923, 674; 1924, 707; 1925, 702; 1926, 587. The last number represents 0.89 per thousand of population. The general death-rate per 1,000 in 1926 was 15.9 (19.07 in 1925). Among the Chinese com- munity the death-rate was 16.01 per 1,000, compared with 19.12 in 1925. Amongst the non-Chinese civilian community the death-rate per 1,000 was 10.9 as against 14.6 in 1925.

Four successive years of comparative drought, 1898-1901, led to the assump- tion that the rainfall of Hongkong was decreasing. But such is not the case; the mean annual rainfall for the period 1902-11 was 84.21 inches against 68.29 inches for the period 1895-1901. Until 1918 the rainfall was never so heavy as in the period 1888-1894, when the mean annual fall was 101.08 inches.

TRADE IN 1940

According to an official report released for publication by the Superintendent of Imports and Exports, the combined value of the Colony's imports and exports of merchandise as declared during the month of November, 1940, totalled $107.4 millions (£6.7 millions) as compared with $83.7 millions (£5.5 millions) in November, 1939.

In terms of local currency the total visible trade of the Colony increased by 21.1 per cent in November, 1940 as compared with November, 1939; and by 21.8 per cent in terms of sterling.

Imports of merchandise in November, 1940 totalled $57.9 millions (£3.6 millions) as compared with $48.9 millions (£3.0 millions) in November, 1939, and exports $49.4 millions (£3.1 millions) as compared with $39.8 millions (£2.5 millions).