COMMUNICATIONS
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The two large typhoon shelters built in the past by Government for the protection in bad weather of lighters, fishing vessels and other ancillary craft serving the Port, were fully occupied during the year. Strict control of all craft was necessary to obtain full use of anchorage or mooring space while at the same time maintaining open lanes for the free movement of craft, and, in particular, for Fire Services launches in the event of fire. There was considerable over-crowding in both harbour shelters during typhoon 'Alice' on 19th May 1961, when some 7,500 craft sought shelter, and some damage was done to Government launches, commercial lighters and junks.
The shipbreaking industry in Hong Kong, one of the biggest in the world, maintained a high level of activity during 1961, break- ing up 71 old ships totalling over 450,000 gross tons. Approxi- mately half the scrap metal provided by this industry was used by local rolling mills and the remainder was exported. In July the 31 year old P&O passenger liner 'Strathaird' (22,508 gross tons)— the largest ship ever to be purchased by local breakers-arrived in the harbour at the end of her last voyage. It will take a year to dismantle the ship completely.
In view of the imminent reclamation of some of the foreshore sites at present in use as breakers yards, consideration was given during the year to the provision of alternative safe berths outside. harbour limits for vessels being broken up.
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CIVIL AVIATION
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The broad promontory of the Hong Kong Airport runway, projecting over a mile into Kowloon Bay, is a familiar sight to visitors. The development of civil aviation in the Colony has kept pace with that elsewhere in the world and has, by reducing the time spent in travelling from Europe and the Americas to a matter of hours, had an immense impact on life in the Colony.
The first flight by an aircraft in Hong Kong took place in 1911, but it was not until some twenty years later that aviation began to show the first real signs of the growth that was to follow in the years to come. The small grass airfield on the north shore of Kowloon Bay, which had been the scene of many earlier historic flights, was considerably extended by reclamation during the early