Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 190

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The small islands, if inhabited, contain a few fishermen only, and are not cul- tivated.

The six chief islands are :-

Tsing I Ma Wan Lantao

P'ing Chau

***

Population.

400

400

*

6,860

4

600

5,000*

Ch'eung Chau Lamma

460

The island of Lantao is about 15 miles long and 5 miles wide, being consi- derably larger than the island of Hongkong, which is 11 miles long and from 2 to 5 miles broad. Along the west coast are several towns and some cultivated land up to the base of the hills. These hills, which are really a continuation of the southern range of the mountain system of the San On district, present a most imposing appearance, and contain lofty peaks, the highest of which rises to an elevation of 3,050 feet. The two most flourishing towns in Lantao are Tung Chung, containing nine villages, the inhabitants of which are engaged in agricul ture and fishing; and Tai O, the busiest town on the island, with a population of. 3,000. The latter is a great fishing centre, and owing to the large number of fishing junks and other vessels that visit it, the shopkeepers seem to do a flourish- ing business. The only representatives of the Chinese Government on the island are two military officers, one, a captain, stationed at Tung Chung, the other, a lieutenant, stationed at Tai O, subject to the colonel commanding stationed at Taipang on the mainland. The island of Lantao contains magnificent building sites, and, as it is only five miles from Hongkong, and open to the south-west monsoon during the hot months, it is not unlikely that the residents of Hongkong may during the summer make use of this island, the fine white sandy beaches of which afford excellent sea-bathing.

The island of Ch'eung Chau is a busy place, at which many of the steamers, launches, and junks plying between Hongkong and Macao call. There is a station of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs on this island, as there is also on the island of Ma Wan, commonly known as the Kap Shui Mun Station (see Map XI.)† The deep anchorage at Cheung Chau affords good shelter, especially during an easterly gale.

The island of Lamma, called by the Chinese Pok Liu, is four miles long and two miles wide. Near its centre it is so narrow that it is only a quarter of a mile across. The chief bay is Picnic Bay, on the east side, which affords secure anchor- age for a vessel in about 6 fathoms of water. This island has four villages, the largest of which has a population of about 250.

The island of Waglan, situated to the south-east of Hongkong, has a lighthouse on it, which is at present under the control of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, and which will, I presume, in future be placed under the Harbour Master of Hongkong.

Admiralty Chart No. 1180 (Map V.)* gives clearly the size and position of all the islands within the new extension..

POPULATION.

There are no reliable statistics possessed by the Chinese Government of the present population of the San On District. No census appears to have been taken for many years. It has, therefore, been necessary to base an estimate of the popu- lation on inquiries made from the inhabitants of the villages and on personal in- spection of the villages themselves. With these as guides it is estimated that the population of the new territory, including the Sham Chun and Shat'au Kok divi- sions, and allowing 5,000 for that portion of the Shat'au division, which will most probably be included in the new area, amounts in round figures to one hundred thousand (100,000).

Map VI., giving the population and divisions of the area to be leased, shows how this population is spread over the mainland and islands.

This estimate was obtained from the officer of the Chinese Customs stationed at Cheung Chau. †. Not printed.

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