Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 725

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by the fact that an American mail steamer happened to be in port on the night of the Census. The Non-Chinese Asiatics numbered 355, and included 218 Japanese, 95 Indians, and 42 members of other Asiatic races.

In the 1897 Census the number of Japanese was 63. The increase is significant of the rapid growth of the Japanese Mercantile Marine during the last few years, although it is to a certain extent a matter of chance how many vessels of each flag happen to be in harbour on the day fixed for taking a Census. The British returns are less by the number of the crew of a steamer which left the harbour without returning the Census schedules which had been served on her.

33. The Chinese floating population amounted to 40,100 composed of 25,402 males and 14,698 females. This represents an increase of 8,348 over 1897, and 8,065 over 1891. 63 per cent. of the pupolation consists of males.

The remarkable increase is partly to be attributed, no doubt, to the increased efficiency of the steps taken to enumerate this portion of the population, which is never an easy task. Some description of the methods adopted on this occasion by the Water Police appears elsewhere.

The boats were divided into six classes:-Passenger Boats, Cargo Boats, Trading and Passenger Junks, Harbour Boats, Fishing Boats, and Steam-launches. The total number of vessels was 5,836, composed of 1,442 passenger boats, 1,424 cargo boats and lighters, 495 harbour boats, 236 trading and passenger junks, 2,309 fishing boats and junks, and 200 launches. The latter figure is a remark- able one, and is probably equalled in very few other harbours. In 1891 the various classes of vessels amounted in all to 5,220, the increase in 1901 being, therefore, 616.

The population of the Harbour was 28,329, of whom 11,558 were found in boats near the northern (Kowloon) shore, 13,022 along the southern (or Hongkong) shore, and 3,949 in the middle of the har- bour and at its eastern and western entrances. In 1891 the respective figures were 17,215 along the south shore and in the centre of the barbour, and 6,447 along the southern shore.

The floating population of the villages is as follows:-Shaukiwan, 5,439 persons on 624 vessels ; Aberdeen, 5,251 persons on 947 vessels; Stanley, 881 persons on 119 vessels.

The number of bcats at Shaukiwan is 19 fewer than in 1891, but the population appears to be 1,611 Aberdeen shows an increase of 220 boats and 1,274 persons, and Stanley one of 29 vessels and 313 persons.

more.

34. The number of Chinese families in the Kowloon Peninsula and in the villages of Stanley, Shaukiwan, and Aberdeen, was ascertained, as well as in the city of Victoria. The number of families in Kowloon was 6,718, and 2,804 in the above mentioned villages. There are 25,123 families in Vic- toria, so the grand total amounts to 34,645. The figures for Kowloon and the villages were not obtained in 1897 and 1891 and no comparison can therefore be made.

35. The number of European, American and other Non-Chinese children between the ages of 6 and 15 (inclusive) was 1,178. Of this number 889 were described as being students. 132 children below the age of 6 were returned as attending school, as were 56 who were above the age of 15. Iu the case of the European and Portuguese especially it is probable that nearly all the children between the age limits above mentioned are in the habit of attending school whether they were returned as doing so or not.

Of the Chinese population, the number of children between 6 and 15 years of age was 15,139 boys and 12,132 girls, making a total of 27,271.

As in the case of the Non-Chinese community, the number (6,576) of boys reported as being students is very much below the actual one. Nearly all Chinese boys, except of the lowest class, habit- ually attend school or have private teachers.

In the case of the girls it is different and the number of students among them would be very small.

36. The total number of Police Officers employed on the Census was 92, including 7 Sergeant Interpreters. There were 40 Europeans, 4 Indians, and the rest Chinese. In addition to the above, 13 civilian enumerators were engaged to assist in taking the Census of the Kowloon Peninsula. There were also 28 coolies and launch hands, who received a gratuity of from $1 to $2 each.

37. The Police were paid at the same rates as in 1897, with the exception that the Sergeant In- terpreters were given £8 instead of $5.50.

38. The Chinese enumerators engaged by the Census Officer were paid at the rate of $8 each, as compared with $4 in 1897. There was no difficulty whatever in obtaining suitable men, and I believe that 200 could have been found with ease, if necessary. They were all intelligent and of a good class and discharged their duties to my entire satisfaction. With regard to the compilation of statistics, all the copying and sorting was done by piece work, owing to the necessity of getting the work completed with the least possible delay. 44 men were employed at various times, the amounts earned ranging between about $70 and $6.