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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 20тTH APRIL, 1878.
SHIPPING.
2. I am this year again able to report favourably on the trade of the Colony. The returns show that in the year 1877, 2,869 vessels, excluding junks, measuring 2,445,755 tons were entered at this Office. This is an increase on 1876 of but 2 vessels only, but the amount of tonnage shows an increase of 272,320 tons. This increase is partly due to two River Steamers having been re-measured in February last, when it was discovered that their tonnage had previously not been correctly calculated. 3. Of the above number of vessels entering the Port, 2,109 vessels measuring 1,982,123 tons, or 73.5 per cent. of ships and 80.96 per cent. of the tonnage were steaners; and this proportion is divided as follows:-British, 1,789 vessels and 1,616,276 tons, or 84.83 and 81.54 per cent. respectively; French, 88 vessels and 159,192 tons, or 4.17 and 8.03 per cent. respectively; German, 84 vessels and 66,820 tons, or 3.98 and 3.37 per cent. respectively; Chinese, 80 vessels and 67,417 tons, or 3.79 and 3.40 per cent. respectively; Spanish, 41 vessels and 16,178 tons, or 1.94 and 0.82 per cent. respectively; the remaining 27 vessels and 56,240 tons, or 1.29 and 2.84 per cent. respectively are American, Danish, and Dutch.
4. Of the sailing vessels, 760 in number and of 463,632 tons capacity; 286, measuring 234,282 tons, or 37.63 per cent. of vessels and 50.53 per cent. of tons, were under the British Flag; and, of the whole trade in Foreign bottoms, steam and sailing, consisting of 2,869 vessels and 2,445,755 tons. British vessels absorb 2,075 vessels and 1,850,558 tons, or 72.32 per cent. of vessels and 75.66 per cent. of tonnage capacity.
5. There has been an increase in the trade between Hongkong and the Coast of China and Formosa, but chiefly in Native bottoms. The trade with Cochin-China, and with Great Britain has also improvel; but between this Port and other parts of the world there is no considerable difference.
6. The trade with the Ports of Hoi-how in the Island of Hainan, and Pakhoi, and Haiphong in the Gulf of Tonquin is becoming one of importance, a total of 108 vessels and 42,155 tons having been entered, and 119 vessels measuring 46,671 tons cleared during the year, but this does not give the entire traffic of the recently opened Ports, as vessels leave here for those places and return by way of more Southern Ports in order to fill up cargo and passengers, and although these vessels may bring cargo and passengers from the new Ports, the vessels are entered at this Office as having arrived from the last Port of departure which is probably Saigon or Bangkok.
I am informed that if the Chinese Merchants at Pakhoi could depend on steam-vessels calling at that Port regularly, the trade of the place would increase. It is said that the junk owners combine together, and will not carry produce for Merchants who have been known to ship cargo by steamers. A regular line of steam-vessels would place Merchants at Pakhoi in an independent position, and wouli soon cut short the monopoly of the carrying trade now enjoyed by owners of junks.
7. I attach a Diagram showing the amount of tonnage, in Foreign and Native built vessels, that has been entered during the period contained between the years 1867 to 1877, inclusive. I purposely commence with 1867 as that was the first year in which this Government kept a record of the junk tradě.
8. The Diagram will show at a glance that, while the years 1867, 1868 and 1869 were periods of depression, there was a steady increase for the three following years; and that for the years 1873 and 1874 there was again a decrease, since when the tonnage of all classes of vessels has steadily risen unti it has reached its present range of 29,369 vessels measuring 4,244,543 tons, with a total of 441,972 seamen. These numbers consist of vessels arriving from Ports outside the Colony, and do not includ the local traffic between the villages of the Colony and the City of Victoria.
9. It is only by consulting the Summary in return XV that a correct notion can be formed of the vast traffic of this Colony. That return shows that a grand total of 67.951 vessels measuring 8,594,31* tons with crews numbering 978,965 have been on the move in this Port during the year.
Thes vessels have not only carried their cargoes and crews, but have assistefl in the transport of 1,329,50 Chinese passengers, and this traffic is irrespective of the many steam-launches which ply in the water of the Colony, conveying passengers of whom without very great additional trouble no record cou!! be kept.
10. His Excellency the Governor in a conversation with me touched on the desirability of keepin a record of the value of the Imports and Exports of the Colony. I have made inquiries on the poin and with regard to Singapore-a free Port, like Hongkong, but with an Import and Export Office- find that in consequence of the rapidity with which vessels arrive and leave the Colony, there is gre difficulty in keeping correct records. Vessels have to leave before there is time to deposit proper copi· of the manifests, and after the vessels have left, Firms from pressure of work, frequently delay t sending in their cargo lists until much valuable time has been lost, and confusion must necessari often creep into the records. To establish such an Office here would require an addition to the Sta” and increased accommodation in the building.
11. Correct trade statistics are a matter of much importance in a Colony like Hongkong, and i venture to suggest that, should the Government deem it of sufficient consequence to establish an Imp and Export Office, much valuable information on the subject could be obtained either from t Un-official Members of the Legislative Council, or from the Chamber of Commerce,