HONG KONG, hang kang (Chin., Fragrant Streams). An island belonging to Great Britain, lying of the southeast coast of China, from which it is separated by a narrow channel (one-fourth mile at its narrowest), known as Ly-c-.11un or 'Carplish Pass.' at the mouth of the Chukiang or Pearl River (Nap: China. D 7). It is 75 miles southeast of Canton. and 38 miles east of Naeao. Consisting of a range of hills. it has little level land, its coast-line is very irregular, and its shore- are steep and precipi tons, but broken in many places, especially on the south coast, by deep inlets, the chief of which are Ty- or Tail tam, and Shek-pai Wan. It is between eight 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 of ls25 feet.
Geologically. Hong Kong is entirely of igneous origin. its prevailing rock being a gray rapidly disintegrating syenite upheaved and penetrated by porphyritie rocks and basaltic trap. The (Innate of the island is very trying to foreigners. The temperature seldom exceeds 03° E.; the minim um summer temperature is 75'; but the rainfall in certain seasons is sometimes excessive. The driest month of the year is Deeember, 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 its generally barren appearance. ]long Kong possesses a rich and varied flora, which eorresponds as a rule with that of Assam, Sik kim. an I Nepal. Bentham, in his 17Nrit Ibmg kong•usis (Londfm. 1S61). enumerates I 056 specie=, of (lowering plants and ferns. divided into 591 genera and 12.7i orders. The fauna of the island includes only a few siteeios of king fisher. some singing birds and rock-pigeons: sev eral varieties of snakes and lizards are found, and scorpions and centipedes abound. Insect life is more plentiful, and includes the mosquito, and a flying vockroaeh from an inelt to an inch and a half or two inches long. Ants, both white and red, are abundant and destructive. Fish are plentiful in the surrounding waters, and a most wonderful variety is tinily marketed.
The population consist.; principally of Chinese from the mainland. In IS97 it was 236.382, of
whom only about 9000 ,yen' Europeans and Ameri cans. and about 2000 East Indians and dapanese. The boat population numbers nearly 18.000. The great bulk of the population is found in the city if Vittoria (called by the Chinese Kwan-tai lo). which stretches for nearly four miles along the north shore, opposite the rocky peninsula called by the Chinese Chim-sha-tsui, hut better known as (`nine about II% miles distant. here are the Government. build ings and the great business houses and ware houses stretching along the water-front or readied in terra•e-like rows Am 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 Ilan. the Clock Tower. and the Anglican and Roman Catho lic enthedrals. There are a public garden. sever al hospitals and cemeteries, two public libraries, many (dubs. and a racecourse. The streets, which arc 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 front the mainland opposite and shuts in the harbor on the north and west, have been held by the British since 1560, under a lease obtained from the Ilitvernor-Getteral of the two Hwang provinces of China. This was a base of opera tions during the Anglo-Erotic!' punitive expedi tion to the north in that year, and since than has served as a sanatorium for the inhabitants and the troops stationed here. lit Dips an exten sion (to :37'6 miles) of the territory and a lease tor 99 years were granted by the Chinese Gov. rn m•lt of Peking, and the peninsula now forms part of the Colony of III.re are dry duel., and warehouses, settle tanneries, etc., and Ilene also is a station of the chinese Imperial Atari time Customs, to check to the main land of China. The hill of the Sung Emperors, with many historical associations, has been set apart as a recreation ground.