110 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — HONG KONG
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Orr (C. W. J.), Cyprus under British Rule. London, 1918. Oxford Surrey of British Empire. Vol. I. London, 1914. Tristsch (Davis), Cypern. Frankfort, 1911.
HONG KONG.
Constitution and Government.
The Crown Colony of Hong Kong was ceded by China to Great Britain in January, 1841 ; the cession was confirmed by the treaty of Nanking, in August, 1842; and the charter bears date April 5, 1843. Hong Kong is the great centre for British commerce with China and Japan, and a military and naval station of first-class importance.
The administration is in the hands of a Governor, aided by an Executive Council, composed of the General Officer Commanding the Troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Treasurer, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and the Director of Public Works (the last two being special appointments), and two unofficial members. There is also a Legislative Council, presided over by the Governor, and composed of the General Officer Commanding the Troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Tieasurer, the Director of Public Works, the Captain-Superintendent of Police, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs (the last three being special appoint- ments), and six unofficial members — viz., four nominated by the Crown (two of whom are Chinese), one nominated by the Chamber of Commerce, and one by the Justices of the Peace.
Governor— Sir R. E. Stubbs, K. CM. G. Appointed 1919. Salary 6, 000Z., including 1,200Z. allowance.
Area and Population.
Hong Kong is situated at the mouth of the Canton River, about 90 miles south of Canton. The island is an irregular and broken ridge, stretching nearly east and west about 1 1 miles, its breadth from 2 to 5 miles, and its area rather more than 32 square miles ; separated from the mainland by a narrow strait, the Lyeemoon Pass, about half a mile in width. The opposite peninsula of Kowloon, on the mainland, was ceded to Great Britain by treaty in 1861, and now forms part of Hong Kong. The city of Victoria extends for upwards of five miles along the southern shore of the beautiful harbour. By a convention signed at Peking on June 9, 1898, there was leased to Great Britain for 99 years a portion of Chinese territory mainly agricultural, together with the waters of Mirs Bay and D^ep Bay and the island of Lan-tao. Its area is 356 square miles, with about 94,000 inhabitants, exclusively Chinese. Area of Old Kowloon is 3 square miles. Total area of colony, 391 square miles. A scheme was begun at the end of 1916 for reclaiming 12 million square feet of land from the soa in Kowloon Bay, and erecting thereon a model town.
The population of Hong Kong, excluding the Military and Naval establish- ments, was estimated to be in the mid'He of 1919 as follows : — Non-Chinese civil population, 13,600; Chinese civil population, namely, City of Victoria (including Peak), 320,080 ; villages of Hong Kong, 16,520 ; Kowloon (including New Kowloon ), 86,550 ; New Territories (land), 97,100 ; popula- tion afloat, 64,250 ; total Chinese population, 584,500 : total civil popola- lation, 598,100.
