Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/678

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HONG KONG.

Tearg

Eevenue

Expenditure

£

£

1864

132,885

159,022

1865 ........

175,717

195,376

1866

160,226

1.96,009

179,043

152,780

1868

236,276

208,651

Above one-half of the public revenue of the colony is derived from land, direct taxes,, and licenses, which more than cover the expenses of administration. In 1867, the land revenue, together with rents, amounted to 38,380/., while the income from taxes was 42,564/., and from opium licenses, 15,341/. A very large portion of the -expenditure, reaching one- fourth of the total amount, has to be devoted to the maintenance of peace and the security of life and property. The expenditure is owing to the low Chinese population, and anomalous social state of the colony.

Hong Kong has a small public debt, created in 1866, and amount- ing at the .end of 18(68 to 15,62.5/.

Area and Population.

Hong Kong is one .of a number of islands called by the Portuguese 1 Ladrones,' or thieves., from the notorious habits of (the old inhabi- tants. It is situated .off the south-eastern coast of China, .at the mouth of the Canton river, about 40 miles east of Macao. The whole of Hong Kong island forms an irregular and broken ridge, stretching nearly east and west ; its abrupt peaks rising to the height of 1,800 feet above the -sea level. The length -of the island is about 11 miles, its breadth from 2 to 5 sniles, and its area rather more than 19 square miles. It is separated from the mainland of China by a narrow strait, known as the Ly-ee-moon Pass, which does not exceed half a mile in width. The opjwsite peninsula of Koo-loon was ceded to Great Britain by a treaty entered into in 1861 with the Govern- ment of China-; it now forms part of Hong Kong.

The population of Hong Kong was as follows at the end of each of the years 1863, 1864, and 1865, according to official returns: —

Tears

European population

Total population, including Chinese

Males

Females

Males

Females

Total

1863 1864 1865

1,118 1,304 1,368

526 659 666

91,268 87,599 92,019

33,582 33,899 33,485

124,850 121,498 125,504