Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/214

* HONG KONG. 1«6 HONG KONG. tous, but broken in many places, especially on the south coast, by deep inlets, the chief of which are Ty- (or Tai) tani. ami Shekpai Wan. It is between eijiht and nine miles long, from east to west, and nearly four miles in average breadth. Area, 20 square miles. The highest of six moun- tain peaks is Victoria Peak, with an elevation above sea-level of 1825 feet. Geologically. Hong Kong is entirely of igneous origin, its prevailing rock being a gray rapidly disintegrating syenite upheaved and penetrated by porpliyritic roeks and basaltic trap. The climate of the island is very trj'ing to foreigners. The temperature seldom exceeds 93° F. ; the minimuni summer temperature is 75°; but the rainfall in certain seasons is sometimes excessive. The driest month of the year is December, and winter generally is the most delightful part of the year. The sanitary arrangements are good, but the Chinese quarter is sometimes visited by epidemics. ■ Notwithstanding the rocky character of the island nnd its generally bnrrcn ap|u'aranie. Hong Kong possesses a rich and varied flora, which corresponds as a rule with that of Assam, Sik- kim, and Nepal. Bentham. in his Flora Itnnfi- kongensis (J^ondon. 1S61). enumerates 1050 species of flowering plants and ferns, divided into 591 genera and 125 orders. The faima of the island inchides only a few s|)ecies of king- fisher, some singing birds and rock-pigeons: .sev- eral varieties of snakes and lizards are foimd, and scorpions and centipedes abound. Insect life is more plentiful, and includes the mosquito, and a flying cocknweh from an inch to an inch and a half or two inches long. Ants, both white and red. are abimdant and destructive. Fish are plentiful in the surrounding waters, and a most wonderful variety is daily marketed. The population consists principally of Chinese from the mainland. In 1897 it was 2.30.382, of whom only about 9000 >vere Europeans and .mcri- eans, and about 2000 East Indians and .Japanese. The boat population numt)crs nearly 18.000. The great bulk of the population is found in the city of Victoria (called by the Chinese Kwan-tai- lo)", which stretches for nearly four miles along the north shore, opposite the rocky peninsula caHed by the Chine.se Chim-sha-tsui, but better known ,a"s Kow-lung ('nine dragons'), about I'i miles distant. Here are the Government build- ings and the great business houses and ware- houses stretching along the water-front or perched in terrace-like rows on the steep hill- sides, while far up on the Peak are many hand- some bungalows. The buildings are substantial and imposing, and usually white. The more prom- inent are the Government House. City Hall, the Clock Tower, and the Anglican and Roman Catho- lic cathedrals. There are a public g-arden, sever- al hospitals and cemeteries, two public libraries, many clubs, and a race-course. TTie streets, which are well made and well kept, are lighted with gas and electricity, and a plentiful supply of water is brought from Taitam by an aqueduct three miles long. The principal mode of con- veyance is by iinrikisha in the more level parts, and sedan chairs, and these are now supple- mented by an inclined plane and steam tramway two-thirds of the way to the Peak. The harbor is capacious and safe, though ex- posed at times to typhoons. Four square miles of the peninsula of Kow-lung, which juts out from the mainland opposite and shuts in the harbor on the north and west, have been held by the British since 1800, umler a lease obtained from the Govcrnor-tieneral of the two Kwang provinces of China. This was a base of opera- tions during the Anglo-French punitive cxpcili- tion to the north in that year, and since then has served as a sanatorium for the inhabitants and the troops stationed here. In 1898 an exten- sion (to 370 miles) of the territory and a lease for 90 years were granted by the Chinese Govern- ment of Peking, and the peninsula now forms part of the Colony of Hong Kong. Here are dry doiU^ and warehouses, some tanneries, etc., and here also is a station of the Chinese lmi>crial Mari- time Customs, to check smuggling to the main- land of China. The hill of the Sung Emperors, with many historical associations, has been set apart as a recreation ground. On the opposite side of the island are several small centres of population, the most inipurtant of which is .lwrilccn, on the inlet kudwn as 8hck-i)ai Wan. Here are the sugarrcfineries, ship-building yards, and foundries, etc., and two large graving-docks, the larger of which is 405 feet long, 80 feet wide, and has a dci>lli on the sill of 24 Vi feet at spring tides. The chief in- dustries of the colony are sugar-refining, cotton spinning and weaving, tanning, rope-making, ship and boat building; the manufacture of cement, drainpipes, tiles, black-wood furniture, paper, bamboo, and rattan ware, etc. There is also a vermilion factory, and among the natives many hands are employ<'d in wood and ivory carving, gold-beating, and the production of gold, silver, copper, iron, and sandalwood wares. Granite-quarrying is an important industr^•. and large quantities of dressed stone are exported an- nually. Hong Kong is a free port, and has no custom-house, and its commercial activities arc ehielly distributive. The amount of business can only be inferred from the harbormaster's reports. In 1898, 77.293 vessels, with a tonnage of 15,938.174 tons, entered port, and 79,029 vessels, of 17.205,780 tons, cleared. The trade of the port, is chiefly with Great Britain and her colonies, the open ports of China, Japan, and the United States. The only commodity that pays a tax is opium. In 1898! 39.392i<. chests were imported, and 37.828!i ( = 43.142..525 catties) were ex- ported. For trade purposes the Mexican and Hong Kong dollar are legal tender, and bank- notes issued by the three great banks doing busi- ness here are in circulation. The island was ceded to Great Britain by Ki- shin, the Chinese Commissioner, and was occu- pied by British forces in .January. 1841. but this treaty was disallowed by the Emperor. In the following year, however, it was ratified by the treaty made at Nanking. On .June 20, 1843, Hong Kong became by proclamation a separate colony, but continued to lie governed by the Minister Plenipotentiary to China until 1857. Since that date its affairs have been administered by a Governor and an executive council compcsed of the Colonial Secretary, the olTicer commanding the troops, the Attorney-General, the Registrar- General, the Treasurer, and the Director of Pub- lic Works. There is also a legislative council of ten. of whom five are oflficial. and five unofficial members. Of the latter three are nominated by the Crown — one of them must be a Chinese, one is nominated by the Chamber of Commerce, and one