fact that steam launches trading to ports outside the Colony have been included this
year,
whereas in former years they have been returned separately.
There were 45,349 arrivals of 9,681,203 tons, and 45,171 departures of 9,644,181 tons.
Of British Ocean-going tonnage, 2,917,780 tons entered, and 2,897,200 tons cleared.
Of British River Steamers, 1,697,242 tons entered, and 1,701,417 tons cleared, making a grand total of British tonnage of 9,213,639 tons entering and clearing.
Of Foreign Ocean-going tonnage, 2,637,552 tons entered, and 2,609,902 tons cleared.
Of Foreign River Steamers, 48,545 tons entered, and 49,503 tons cleared, making a grand total of Foreign tonnage of 5,345,430 tons entering and clearing.
Of Steam Launches trading to ports outside the Colony, 82,564 tons entered, and 82,564 tons cleared.
Of Junks in Foreign Trade, 1,631,272 tons entered, and 1,634,896 tons cleared.
Of Junks in Local Trade, 666,248 tons entered, and 668,699 tons cleared.
Thus-
British Ocean-going tonnage represented.....
Foreign Ocean-going
River
"}
River
>>
Steam launches
Junks (Foreign Trade)
ง
""
17
11
11
""
(Local Trade)
77
...30.1%
.17.2%
.27.5%
0.5%
0.9%
.16.9%
6.9%
805
'
The actual number of ships of European construction (exclusive of river- steamers and steam-launches) entering the Port during 1901 was 682, being 337 British and 345 Foreign. Thus 682 vessels entered 3,570 times, and gave a total tonnage of 5,555,332 tons. A comparison of the Shipping Returns for 1900 and 1901 appears in the following table, from which it will be seen that though there was a large decrease in the number of vessels under the British flag (chiefly due to the withdrawal of some river steamers) there is an increase in British tonnage of 58,441 tons.
British, Foreign,
Junks in Foreign
Trade,
Total,
1900.
1901.
Increase.
Decrease.
Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage.
8,224,856 33.394 3,266,108
7,511 9,155,198 6,715 9,213,639
58,441 796 3,429 | 4,866.969|4,092| 5,345,502 663 478.533 185,425
41,312 31
.146,365 | 17,247,023 46,201 | 17,825,309 663 578,286 $27
The above table does not include junks in local trade, the business of which shows an increase of more than 700,000 tons over that of the preceding year.
The problem of providing berthing accommodation in the Harbour for the ever-increasing tonnage frequenting the Port is one that is getting more difficult each year, and though there may not be any very pressing necessity just at present, there can be no reasonable doubt that, with the constant advance in size, draught, and number, as well of Ships-of-War as of the Mercantile Marine, and of Foreign as well as British Shipping, the water space will soon be found inadequate. ̧·