498
The total number of tons carried was there- fore 54 per cent of the registered tonnage and was apportioned as follows:-
Imports
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
PASSENGER TRAFFIC.
Arrivals.
British ships....
145,871
Foreign ships
71,987
River Steamers
457,631
British ships,
Foreign ships,
..1,758,760 · .1,033,139
Launches (outside waters of the
63,178
Colony)
-2,791,889
Junks (Foreign Trade)
102,349
Exports
·
British ships,
971,820.
Foreign ships,
654,972
841,016 Departures.
-1,626,792
Transit
- Foreign ships
65,984
11
British ships,
440,212
.1,259,933
Foreign ships, -
585,467
60,993
-1,845,400
Colony)
Junks (Foreign Trade)
Bunker Coal-
British ships,
Foreign ships,
251,605 161,791
101,757 .
816,516
...
413,396
6,677,477
European constructed vessels imported 2,791,889 tons of cargo as follows:-
32,790 31,590
24,450 41,758 17,308
42,601 44,129 1,528
cases) cases) cases)
"
British ships (including Emigrants) 147,570
River Steamers Launches (outside waters of the
Excess of arrivals over departures} 24,500
(foreign trade),
Junks, Local Trade,... Launches,
Arrivals. Departures.
5,602 4,406 ..2,087,492 2,099,199
REVENUE.
The total revenue collected by the Harbour Office during the year was $234,990.16, an in- crease of $571.87 over 1895.
2
Articles.
Beans..
Bones..
Coal
Cotton yarn & cotton
Flour
50 101,767
1895. 1896. Inc. Dec.
3,848. 250
3,598 2,340 3,660 1,320 568,767 539,721
24,046 11,090 11,040 85,021
18,746
2,093,094 2,103,605 Excess of departures over arrivals
10,511 (local trade),..
Difference excess of arrivals, ......13,989
Нетр
1,200
Kerosine (bulk)
Kerosine (cases)
(1,192,828 (1,235,612 (42,784
Lead
1,350
915
435
Opium
2,484 2,299
165
Rattan
3,140 3,140
Rice
764,368
704,530
59,858
Sandal-wood
Sulphur.
Sugar...
1,262 500 -185,616
20 5,447 5,427 26,389 49,363 22,974 1,173,236 1,077,090
3,707 2,445
220 186,759 1,143
Tea... Timber General
Total
Transit
Grand total
280
96,146
2,895,228 2,791,889 97,916 201,254 1,623,883 1,845,400 221,517
4,519,111 4,637,289 319,432 201,254
Net
118,178
Comparative Statement 1893-1896 :—
Year. Ships. Tonnage. Imported tons. 1893 .4,371 5,266,349 2,859,876 1894 .4,225 5,233,146 2,746,285 -1895 .4,546 5,772,298 2,895,228
1896 4,678 6,169,339 2,791,889 European constructed vessels exported 1,626,792 tons of Cargo and shipped 413,396
tons of bunker coal.
Comparative Statement 1893-1896:---
Year. Ships. Tonnage.
Exported Banker
tons. Coal tons. 1893...4,387 5,269,510 1,613,642 406,800 18944,227 5,236,036 1,598,588 353,455 18954,543 5,753,288 1,663,007 387,870 1896...4,674 6,164,057 1,626,792 413,396 Junks imported 633,547 tons as under :
3,920 tons. 1,290
Tea,
Oil,
13
Earth and Stones, General;
.126,140
21
.502,197
25
Total,
633,547
Kerosine,.
Rice and Paddy,
Junks exported 1,035,081 tons as under
Earth and Stones; General,
Total,
20.767 tons .479,783 722 -534,409
1,035,081
European constructed vessels imported 1,165,097 tons in excess of exports; junks ex- ported an excess of 401,534 tons. The excess of imports is thus reduced to 763,563 tons; from this i ust be deducted 413,396 tons of bunker coal slipped, leaving a balance of 350,167 tons consun ed, manufactured, and in stock in the Colony or unaccounted for.
The river steamers aggregating 3,361,964 tons, inwards and outwards, imported 154,367 tons of cargo, exported 107,087 tons, shipped 21 420 tons of bunker coal, and conveyed 897,843 passengers.
The details are as follows :—
(i) Light Dues, .
.$117,314.45
(ii) Licences and Internal
Revenue,
34,851.75 (iii) Fees of Court and Office, 82,823.96
$234,990,16
STEAM LAUNCHES.
On 31st December there were 135 steam lannches employed in the harbour; of these 56 were licensed for the conveyance of passengers, 62 were privately owned, 12 were the property of the Colonial Government, and 5 belonged to the Imperial Government in charge of the Military Authorities.
One master's certificate was suspended for one month and one engineer's certificate for three months.
EMIGRATION,
66,822 Emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year; of these 53,376 were carried by British ships and 13,446 by foreign ships; 119,468 were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from places to which they had emigrated, and of these 89,210 were brought in British ships and 20,258 by foreign ships.
It was in this branch of the shipping business that the case of an "Infected Port" was most keenly felt during the months March-July.
THE EUREKA AND QUEEN MINES.
We have received from Messrs. John D. Humphreys & Son, the General Managers, the following reports received by the Menmiur yesterday:
OLIVERS FREEHOLD MINES, LIMITED.
Mount Macdonald, 7th May, 1897. Eureka Mine. Since our last report on 30th ulto. work has been progressing satisfactorily at both levels. At the 200 feet level the north drive has beeen extended 7 fest, making a total of 63 feet on the reef. The reef is 5 feet wide and still shows good gold, better, if anything, than that last reported. One or two specimens of stone have the gold "peppered" throughout. At the South drive 6 feet has been driven mak- ing a total of 43 feet, with the reef still 5 feet wide, and it is also the same width in the stope at the back of the drive. At the 180 feet level the winze to connect with the bottom is now down 27 feet and the reef still the 5 feet width, and showing good gold. The workings at both levels are in first class order. The rise to connect with the old workings is now up 32 feet with the reef two feet, wide and of fair quality. From the size of the reef here (2 ft.) and at the 150 feet level (32 ft. lower) 5 feet, you will see how it widens out in the depth besides improving in quality, We crushed 150 tons for a yield of 137 ozs. 14 dwts: (duplicate of cable re game is enclosed), a very satisfactory result. Crushing will be started
[June 3, 1897,
again on the 10th inst., for which we have at present about 80 tons ready besides hauling stone all the time, The shoots at the battery are full now ready for Monday. There is just enough water in the mine to be
useful for the dam; it only needs baling from the bottom of the shaft about every 14 hours. Machinery, &c., is in good working order and everything generally going on most satisfactorily.
p. pro JOHN D. HUMPHREYS AND SON..
C. J. WILLMOTT,
THE NEW BALMORAL GOLD MINING CO., LIMITED.
Mount Macdonald, 7th May, 1897. Queen Mine-The contractors have now sunk a distance of 23 feet, making the shaft now a depth of 234 feet from the surface. Since last report the ground has become more favourable for sinking, so that for the week better progress has been made with the work. The contractors are working three shifts, two men in each.
Prospecting Shaft. We have logged up an additional 4 feet at the brace, and refixed the windlass. The bottom of the shaft 100 feet from the surface has been levelled off and a drive started west to intercept the reef, which we hope to meet within a few feet. ground is intermixed with veins of quartz, the whole being highly mineralized, and one small vein shows gold.
The
Engine and House.-The boiler is now being built in and will be finished shortly, when the house will be completed. It is now in a splendid position, about 60 feet away from the shaft.
Tribute-We have let a tribute on one of the Balmoral leases, above the battery; but the ground is extremely hard. and the spurs very small, so that though good gold shows, it will take at least 3 ozs to the ton to pay them. Our royalty runs up to 15 per cent. on the gross yield, according to the result per ton, as well as meaning doing prospecting for us.
p. pro JOHN D. HUMPHREYS & SON,
C. J. WILLMOTT.
CORRESPONDENCE
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE BALLOON ACCIDENT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
DAILY PRESS."] Sir, The question now appears to me to arise, whose fault was it? As far as I can gather, Mr. Spencer seems to have been unaware that the baloon had a large hole in it before it rose from the ground. I am given to under- stand that some army officers, who were present, noticed this, and said nothing. Have they not something to answer for ?-Yours, &c.,
DISCORD.
Hongkong, 1st June, 1897.
RENTS AT THE PEAK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS” SIE-In your leading article, in to-day's issue, on the sale of the Mount Austin Hotel, you suggest the opening up of new sites at the Peak by the formation of new roads, and re- mark that, next season, when the Mount Austin Hotel is closed, "there will be a largely in- creased demand for house accommodation else- where in the Hill District, of which landlords will no doubt take advantage by materially advancing rents, which are already high. And unfortunately all or nearly all of the more accessible sites are already occupied."
With your permission I should like to make a few remarks on the foregoing. In the first place, rents at the Peak are relatively low, much lower than for those asked for houses in Victoria when the cost of building is taken into account and especially so when the repairs necessary and the depreciation in property at the Peak are considered. You may not be aware, perhaps, that there are now no less than nine vacant houses in the Hill District and two in course of erection. Also that, owing to the excessive cost of building at the Peak. three other houses it was proposed to erect there had to be abandoned. They could not be built to secure any adequate return on
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