June 9, 1897.1
offence and disrespect as contemplated by Senhor Pacheco's motion, which he would vote against.
Dr. Camillo Pessanhs opposed Senhor Pacheco's motion, arguing that the matter primarily affected the two Portuguese members of the Lawn Tennis Club and that those gentle- men ought to make their protest and wards report the result to the meeting.
Finally, Senhor Carlo Rocho d'Assumpcao read a written resolution to the effect that the present and future directorates of the Club | Uniao should regard it as settled that Mr. Goffe could never be admitted as a member of the Club Uniao nor be invited to any entertainment held in the Club, and that the members of the Club be warned never to open the doors of the club-house to him.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
ships which sailed under the German flag in 1895 were taken out of the comparison. These amounted to 92 entries and clearances of 97,914 tons, and the actual increase under the German flag would then become 267 ships entering and clearing with a tonnage of 331,070.
$4
new
This substantial increase is built up by an after-increased number of entries and clearances in
the coasting trade, coupled with the
Rickmers" line from Europe, and the large new steamers of D. D. R. line which came to Hongkong during the year under review.
Under the Japanese flag there is an increase over 1895 of entries and clearances amounting to 107 ships of 194,104 tons, made up principally of 16 vessels of the new lines to Europe, Australia, and elsewhere, which made during the year 72 entries and clearances, of a com- bined tonnage of 119,846 tons. The increase under this flag is the most notable for the year. For 8 years previous to the war the average yearly entry of Japanese vessels was 44, with a tonnage of 61,578; in 1896 it rose to 80 ships of 144,493 tons.
This resolution was adopted by a large majority.
The Echo adds the following:-The worthy members of the Lawn Tennis Club have made common cause with their Portuguese fellow- members, and, having vainly attempted to in- duce Mr. Goffe to resign, have followed the A large increase in Chinese ships is also example of Conde Senna Fernandes and Sen-shown, viz., 225 ships entering and clearing of hor José Loureiro, not only the committee 263,711 tons, but when consideration is given but all the members resident in Macao having to the Chinese ships which appeared in 1895 resigned. This affords an evident proof of under the British and German flags, 204 ships how greatly these English gentlemen disap- of 263,688 tons, this increase is more apparent prove of Mr. Goffe's action and that they than real. appreciate the advantage of cordiality in their relations with the inhabitants of this country, who duly esteem and appreciate them. It appears now that Mr. Goffe, not to be left alone, has also ceased to be a member of the Club. The incident is thus terminated.
SHIPPING IN 1896.
We make the following extracts from the report of Captain Rumsey, Harbour Master, for 1896:-
The total tonnage entering and clearing amounted to 16,515,953 tons, being an increase over 1895 of 883,840 tons. There were 40,244 arrivals of 8,250,853 tons and 40,219 depar- tures of 8,259,100 tons. Of British tonnage 4,382,546 tons entered and 4,375,748 tons cleard. Of foreign tonnage 1,786,795 tons entered and 1,788,309 tons cleared. Of junks in foreign trade 1,881,746 tons entered and 1,885,657 tons cleared. Of junks in local trade 205,768 tons entered and 209,386 tons cleared. British tonnage therefore represented 534 per cent., foreign tonnage represented 214 per cent., junk tonnage (foreign trade) repre- sented 223 per cent., junk tonnage (local trade) represented 24 per cent.
4,578 steamers, 100 sailing vessels, and 29,848 junks entered during the year, giving a daily average of 94 vessels as against 85 in 1895,
For European constructed vessels the aver- age daily entry would be 12.81 as against 12.45 in 1895, and of the steamers arriving 69.8 per cent. were British, including all the river steamers, of which the daily entries averaged 3.81.
A comparison between the years 1895-1896 shows a decrease of 172 British ships, but an increase of 168,657 British tons. The decrease is mainly due to the river steamer Wing Tong (to which reference was made in the 1895 report) which made this year only, 2 entries and 11 departures, against 114 round trips in 1895. Exclusive of all river steamers the return would show an increase of 30 British ships and 120,783 British tons.
Another cause of apparent decrease in British ships compared with 1895 will be found in the number of Chinese owned vessels which appeared -in 1895 under the British flag and which have since returned to their own, and appeared in 1896 as Chinese; the number of their entries and clearances in 1895 were 112, with a tonnage of 165,774 tons. If these were also excluded from the comparison, we would get an increase of 142 British ships and 286,557 British tons, or 53 per cent.
The total increase under the foregoing is reduced by a falling off under the Danish flag amounting to 78 entries and clearances of 27,678 tons, owing to the stranding of the s.s. Activ and to the absence, on time charter, of the s.s. Frejr, two "regular customers."
The net increase in foreign flags is thus brought to 435 entries and clearances with a tonnage of 639,158 tons.
Taking entries and clearances together, we get the following increases shown for 1896 over 1895-British, 5 per cent.; German, 23 per cent.; Japanese, 195 per cent.
|
|
437
(53), with a decrease in Danish (39). The in- crease of tonnage was made up as follows, viz :--- 61,527 British tonnage and 311,837 foreign tonnage.
Compared with 1895 we get 11 fewer British ships, 4 more foreign ships 24 more British entries, 210 more foreign entries, 61,527 more British tons, 311,837 more foreign tons.
TRADE.
The year has been marked in the second half by a shortness in the Southern rice crop, an import of 578,770 tons was reported up to 30th June; the total for the year was only 704,530 tons. This falling off, in addition to reducing the totals for our European constructed vessels, was also very clearly marked in the Junk trade, which in the last quarter of the year showed a decrease compared with 1895 of 1,642 vessels of 69,010. From March to July inclusive, Hong- kong was undergoing quarantine at Singapore, Manila, and the Northern ports. With the exception, however, of Manila the enforcement of quarantine regulations was made as little irksome as practicable.
It is also very apparent that the total amount of cargo to be carried does not increase as rapidly as the tonnage available for its convey- ance, principally owing to the enormous carry- ing capacity of a great number of the newer ships. This, combined with keen competition, places tonnage at the disposal of shippers in excess of what is actually required, consequently vessels cannot obtain full cargoes and are glad to accept low rates of freight to fill up vacant space.
The principal sufferers from such a condition of things will no doubt be the "outside" tramp steamers which occasionally appear and fre- quently are found laid up for want of work. During the third quarter of the year there were 7 British ships aggregating 12,039 tons laid up in the harbour for periods varying from 23 to 86 days.
In Returns I. and II. will be found the The actual number of ships of European con- number and register tonnage of all vessels struction exclusive of river steamers which en-entering and clearing between this colony and tered the port in 1896 was 579, being 325 British each country with which trade relations exist, and 254 foreign. In the previous year the and the amount of cargo reported as "shipped,' numbers were 336 British and 250 foreign. discharged," and "in transit," to and from
these various countries.
British ... American
Austrian
Danish Dutch French
Flag.
Chinese... Spanish Belgian...
STEAMERS.
No. of
Total Ships. Times
Entered, Tonnage, .298 1,806 2,665,438 37,445 59,314
4
14
7
24
4
58
3
10
18
120
German
77
798
Italian Japanese Norwegian Russian Swedish
2
11
25
80
27
124
4
10
21
211
4.
1
1
Total
495 3,185
Flag.
SAILING VESSELS.
No. of Ships. times
Entered.
|
British American German Italian Norwegian Siamese Spanish Hawaiian
27
31
35,536
36
42
50,427
10
13.
2
2
5
6
1,440 3,305
656.
2
900 2,497
Total
The accuracy or otherwise of these returns, so far as cargo is concerned, depends entirely on the reliability of the information afforded this Department on application made to the master, and in some cases to the agents, of vessels concerned.
"
29,684 The Chamber of Commerce noted "some 14,218 apparent errors' in the returns furnished in 165,680 my last annual report, and they were apprehen- 846,713 sive that these might prove "misleading," and 16,079.the question arose in their mind whether it was 146,315 worth while attempting to make the return at all. 122,225 It is not surprising to know that "apparent 11,587 errors" can be discovered in returns compiled 9,890 as these are. Indifference, want of knowledge, 247,981 and commercial jealousy, will probably always.
8,139 militate against accurate information being 1,689 supplied; but in order as far as possible to pre- vent the returns being misleading": the sources of the information on which they depend are clearly stated.. It rests, I think, to a great extent with those who are principally concerned with the correctness of the return, if they possess the means for so doing, to assist in preventing the same from being anything less than accurate; in the meanwhile there appears no good reason for relinquishing the attempt to present a return which, though not absolutely correct, is as nearly so as circumstances will permit, and which, as it stands, may be con- sidered a useful indication of the nature and ́ volume of the trade of the colony,
4,382,397
Total Tonnage.
10,609
84. 100 105,370
In 1895 the entries amounted to 3,051 times with an aggregate collective. tonnage of 4,114,403 tons. In 1896 the entries were 3,285 with a tonnage of 4,487,767 tons. Thus a decrease of 7 ships with an increase of 234 entries, gave an increase of 373,364 tons. The decrease of 7 ships was made up as follows, viz. -11 fewer British ships and 4 foreign. The increase of 254 entires was made The record for the German flag in 1896 is up as follows, viz. :—- 24 more British entries and represented by an increase of 175 ships entering | 210 more foreign entries. The 210 foreign in- and clearing with a tonnage of 233,156 tons. Ā creases were made up chiefly under the following: still larger increase is shown if the Chinese--from Chinese (113) German (83), and Japanese
A large increase in foreign ships and tonnage is shown in the above comparative statement. This increase is found principally under the German, Japanese, and Chinese flags.
more
We find that the total import trade of 1896 was represented by 34,526 vessels aggregating 8,051,085 tons carrying 5,138,903 tons of cargo, of which 3,293,503 tons were discharged in Hongkong.
During the year 9,352 vessels of European construction aggregating 12,333,396 register tons, carried 8,677,477 tons, made follows:-
Import Cargo Export Cargo Transit Cargo Bunker Coal Shipped..
up
2,791,889
1,626,722
1,845,400
413,396
6,677,477
as