244
Junks in local trade arriving carried
departing
Launches in waters of Colony arriving carried
departing
""
6,064
4,829
10,893
.1,969,307
..1,930,597
3,899,904
Total local arrivals,
""
departures
.............1,975,371 ..........1,935,426
3,910,797
Grand total arrivals,
""
departures including emigrants,
.2,892,998 ..2,951,217
5,844,215
Difference,
58,219
REVENUE.
18. The total revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $195,175.62, a decrease of $645.40 on the previous year. Compared with the average of the last five years it shows an increase of $39,086.44. The details are as follows:---
i. Light Dues,
ii. Licences and Internal Revenue,
iii. Fees of Court and Office,............
.$ 92,909.31
29,418.30
72,848.01
$195,175.62
STEAM LAUNCHES.
19. On the 31st December, there were 131 steam launches employed in the harbour, of these 60 were licensed for the conveyance of passengers, 55 were privately owned, 11 were the property of the Colonial Government, also a floating fire engine, and 5 belonged to the Imperial Government in charge of the military authorities.
All these launches, except those which belonged to Her Majesty or any Foreign Government, are required to have a certificated master and engineer whose certificates are liable to suspension or cancel- lation should they prove negligent or incompetent. During the year one master was reprimanded and cautioned. The generally seamanlike manner in which these launches are handled deserves a word of commendation. I regret to say they don't always observe the "rule of the road"; but this very fact, taken together with their absence from accident, to a great extent points towards good judgment, and
results are, after all, not an unfair criterion.
EMIGRATION.
20. There has been, as might be expected, a great falling off in emigration. For the three months June, July and August, emigration was practically stayed; the last three months of the year, however, made some amends, and finally the numbers amounted to 49,023 as against 82,336 in 1893, a decrease of 33,313; but it was not much under 1892, and it was better than the three years immediately preceding that one.
During the year, 451 ships reported having brought to Hongkong 96,095 Chinese passengers from various places to which they had emigrated.