Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 474

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468

growing up of Europeans born of parents themselves born in the Colony. The difference between the composition of the Portuguese and of the British community will be seen from the following table:--

Age.

British Resident Civil Population.

Portuguese Resident Civil Population.

Males. Females. Total.

Males. Females. Total.

Under 5 years,.

138

147

285

134

127

261

5 and under 25 years,

322

302

624

468

468

936

25 and under 50 years,

749

395

1,144

299

456

765

50 and

over,

103

36

139

110

191

301

Not stated,

12

9

21

....

Total,..

1,324

889

2,213 1,011

1,252 2,263

There are several points of difference in the two communities, which consist of almost the same number of persons. There is one to which attention may incidentally be drawn, that twenty-one members of the British community were either unable or unwilling to state their exact age, and that twelve of these were men.

10. Whatever may be their ethnographical position, for statistical purposes the Jews and Armen- ians have been included in the European and American population.

11. The Indians are a sufficiently numerous and important body to appear separately.

12. The return of the number of Eurasians is distinctly unsatisfactory. I am afraid that the arrangements made were not such as to ensure getting the correct number. It is quite evident that the 272 who have entered themselves as such in the census schedules form a very small portion of the Eurasian community. No doubt the large majority are included among the Chinese. In the Settlement of Singapore the Eurasians in 1891 numbered 3,589.

13. A detailed and exact comparison, according to locality of the component parts of the popula- tion in 1891, with the population in the present year has been found impossible owing to the form in which the figures were presented, but in Table II. there will be found a fairly satisfactory one.

14. Exclusive of the Mercantile Marine the European aud American community in 1891 num- bered 4,555. It has now risen to 5,532. The British resident civil population then amounted to 1,448, a number which does not apparently include the European police, 157 in number including women and children, nor the prisoners, nor some "temporary residents." In 1897, including these, it numbers 2,213 persons. The Portuguese community now consists of 2,263 persons as against 2,089 in 1891. The Germans, who numbered 208 in 1891, now number 292. The Americans have increased from 93 to 174, the French from 89 to 112, and the Spanish from 88 to 104. In 1891 there were 53 Europeans and Americans, "temporary residents," and 23 prisoners whose nationalities were not stated.

15. Counting those persons over 15 years of age as adults we find that in the British community the percentage of adult females to adult males is 55. In 1891 it was 38 and in 1881, 48. This sup- ports the statement in the Report on the Census of 1891 that family life among Europeans is increas- ing. Of the 2,374 persons of British origin enumerated in the census 1,466 claim to be English, 513 Scotch, 245 Irish and 26 Welsh. 1,580 or about two-thirds of the whole British population, were born in the British Isles, and 670 in other parts of the British Empire; 92 being born in Australia and New Zealand, 28 in Canada, and 457 in Hongkong. 72 were born in China and Japan. 241 persons of European and American race claim British nationality, including 118 Jews, 51 Portuguese, 18 Spaniards and 13 Armenians. Of the Eurasians 236 claim to be British subjects.

16. Of the Portuguese population 1,214, or more than one-half, were born in Hongkong and 931 in Macao. 75 were born in China and Japan and 10 in Portugal. Only 51, as stated above, claim British nationality. The rest, with the exception of three, in whose case there is perhaps some confu- sion between race and nationality, remain subjects of the King of Portugal.

17. The members of races other than European, American and Chinese, have increased in number from 1,439 to 2,502. Of these 272 are Eurasians. It is unfortunately not possible to say in which race the increase has been greatest. Most probably it is among the Indians. These now number 1,348, of whom 371 or 28 per cent. are females. Of the remaining 882, the Japanese number 335, the Malays 207, and the Filipinos 216. Of the Malays 131 or 63 per cent. are females, and of the Filipinos $2 or 38 per cent,

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