Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/465

 AREA AND POPULATION

121

Geiicial, the Treasurer, the Harbour Master, aiul the Director of Public Works, (special appointment), and two unolhcial members. There is also a Legislative Council, presided over by the Governor, and composed of the Officer Command- ing the Troops, the Colonial Secretary and Registrar-General, the Attorney- General, the Treasurer, the Director of Public Works, the Harbour Master, the Captain-Superintendent of Police, and six unofficial members — viz. four nomi- nated by the Crown (two of whom are Chinese), one nominated by the Chamber of Commerce, and one by the Justices of the Peace. Governor of Hong Kong.— Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G. ; formerly Governor of Jamaica. Appointed Governor of Hong Kong, 1897. The Governor has a salary of 32,000 dollars per annum. Area and Population. Hong Kong is situated olf the south-eastern coast of China, at the mouth of the Canton River, about 40 miles east of Macao, and 90 miles south of Canton. The whole of Hong Kong island forms an irregular and broken ridge, stretching nearly east and west about 11 miles, its breadth from 2 to 5 miles, and its area rather more than 29 square miles. It is separated from the main- land of China by a narrow strait, known as the Li-il-Mun Pass, which does not exceed half a mile in width. The opposite peninsula of Kaulung, forming part of the mainland of China, was ceded to Great Britain by treaty in 1861, and now forms part of Hong Kong. The city of Victoria extends for up- wards of four miles along the southern shore of the beautiful harbour. In view of re(piirements for the defence of Hong Kong a convention was signed at Pekiu on June 9, 1898, leasing to Great Britain for 99 years from July 1, a jiortion of Chinese territory including the port of Kauluiig, and land further inland, together with the waters of Mirs Bay and Deep Bay and the island of Lan-tao. The whole area leased is nearly 400 s([uare miles, containing numerous villages with a population of about 100,000. This territory is now under British rule, except that in the city of Kaulung Chinese officials have such jurisdiction as is not inconsistent with the purpose of the lease, and the port and waters are still free to Chinese war and trading vessels. The population of Hong Kong, including the military and naval establish- ments, was as follows at the census, taken in 1891 : —

— Male Female Total 8,545 212,896 White Coloured ..... Total .... 6,463 151,122 2,082 61,774 157,585 63,856 221,441

The total population in 1881 was 160,402 ; thus the increase in ten years was 61,039. The total white population in 1881 was 7,990, showing an increase during the ten years of 555. Of the coloured population in 1891, 1,901 were Indians, and 210,995 Chinese, one-third of the latter being British subjects by birth. Of the resident white population, exclusive of the military, police, naval establishment, &c., almost one-half are Portuguese by origin, and only one-third English. Next follow natives of Germany, the United States, France, Spain, Italy, and Turkey, the remainder being divided among about ten nationalities. A considerable proportion of the Indian population are included in the military and police. The estimated population on June 30, 1898, was 248,710, 13,700 being British and foreign.