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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY press and
Thus 106 more vessels entered 79 more times Court and Office, 143,240.44; being a total of ¦ and gave a total tonnage increased by 326,804 $246,039.12. tons.
The 363 British ships carried 2,667 British officers and 15 Foreign officers, as follows:- British, 2,667; Danish. 3; German, 4; United States, 8; giving a total of 2,682.
The proportion of Foreign officers was, there- fore, 55 per cent., comprising 3 nationalities -a decrease of .63 per cent, with an increase of ships.
The 346 Foreign ships carried 2,291 officers, of whom 274 were British, borne as follows:- In Japanese ships, 133; Chinese, 60; German, 39; United States, 19; Dutch, 8; French, 6; Russian, 6; Portuguese, 3; giving a total of 274.
The proportion of British officers in Foreign ships was, therefore, 11.9 per cent., distributed among 8 nationalities. A decrease of 3.7 per cent. on 1899, with an increase of 55 ships. Of the crews of British vessels-18.4 per cent. were British; 1.3 per cent. were other Europeans; 80.3 per cent. were Asiatics. Of the crews of Foreign vessels-1.8 per cent, were British; 28.9 per cent. were other Europeans; 69.3 per cent. were Asiatics. This shows a slight falling off of Asiatics with a corresponding Increase in the proportion of Europeans. At the same time there is an increase in the percentage of Other Europeans" employed in British ships, and a slight falling off of British seamen employed in Foreign vessels.
TRADE.
STEAM LAUNCHES. On the 31st December, there were 179 steam were licensed for the conveyance of passengers, launches employed in the Harbour; of these 95
of the Colonial Government, and 6 belonged to 84 were privately owned. 15 were the property the Imperial Government, in charge of the Military Authorities.
EMIGRE.ON.
Eighty-three thousand six hundred and forty- three (83,643) Emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year; of these 53,385 were carried by British ships and 30,258 by Foreign ships; 121,322 were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from places to which they had emigrated, and of these, 92,870 were brought in British ships and 28,452 by Foreign ships.
*
SEAMEN,
Eighteen thousand five hundred and twenty three (18,523) seamen were shipped, and 22.089 discharged, at the Mercantile Morice Office and on board ships during the year. seamen
Two hundred and thirty-two (232) "distressed these, 51 were sent to the United Kingdom, 2 were received during the year. Of to Singapore, 1 to Colombo, 1 to Calcutta, I to Melbourne, 12 to Sydney, 3 to Taku. 7 obtained employment on shore, 4 went to Manila, 2 to Calcutta, I to Bombay, 1 to Shanghai, 1 to Can- ton, 2 joined Chinese Customs, I taken charge of by Naval anthorities, 2 disappeared, 3 died, 3 The principal features to be remarked as to remained at the Government Civil Hospital, 2 the trade of the port for the year 1900 are:-to Sailors' Home, and 119 obtained employment. (i) a great increase in sugar imports amounting Four thousand one hundred and ninety-eight to 76.6 per cent.; (ii) a great increase in timber dollars and seventy-five cents (84,198.75) were ex. showing 74.2 per cent.; (iii) a great increase in pended by the Harbour Master on behalf of the flour representing 66.1 per cent; (iv) a great Board of Trade in the relief of these distressed increase in coal imports amounting to 65.7 per seamen, and $213.04 by the Colony. cent.; (v) a large increase in hemp representing 60.7 per cent.; (vi) bulk oil is almost at a stand- still compared with last year, but case oil shows a decline of 10,609 tons; (vii) the rice trade which reached its culminating point last year, has fallen back by 98.80 tons and may now be said to be at its normal. condition. The net increase in imports reported amounts to 422,717 tons. In exports there is a decrease of 70,666
THE SANITATION OF HONGKONG,
in its issue of the 6th inst. has some comments Our Portuguese local contemporary 0 Porvir
of State for the olouies. We roughly translate on the Petition now going home to the Secretary
a few sentences :-
tons. The transit cargo shows an increase of A circular was sent round on Monday last
[July 15, 1901.
THE AFFRAY AT TIENTSIN.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN COMMANDING OFFICERS.
correspondence which
L'Echo de Chine publishes some interesting
troops at Tientsin) and the French officer has passed between General Campbell (in charge of the British General Voyrou, anent the recent serious encounter between French and German soldiers at Tientsin. The affair occurred on 2nd June, and British police guards and Japanese soldiers and three French soldiers were killed, while four other French and three Germans were wounded. We quote parts of the correspondence:-
following terms to General Voyron :-“I have. On 3rd June, General Campbell writes in the the honour to inform you that it is reported to me that last night a serious attack was made on the soldiers of the English service police a large number of French troops, who attacked within the bounds of the British concession by
police, inferior in numbers, were compelled to them with sabres, bayonets, and stones. The
the crowd, they were forced to resort to their retire, and the event was that, surrounded by
personal safety, and the attack did not relax bayonets and their rifle-fire to secure their
refuge in an alley, whence, with the assistance until the moment when the police had found of the German police, they kept back their assailants until the latter were dispersed by the arrival of British and German pickets, who cleared the street.
wounded in the fight, as also Germans and "I believe several French soldiers were Japanese, whilst four of our injuries more or less serious.
men received
"The recurrence of incidents of this kind after order had been established for a very long time is very regrettable, and I desire the favour of your assistance in taking the strictest measures to prevent their recurrence.
"For the moment, until the court of enquiry has clearly elucidated the matter, and until 1 am able to consult with yon as to measures for good enough to dissuade, to what extent it is the maintenance of order, I shall ask you to be possible, your men from coming into the British concession, so as to avoid the possibility of the bad effects from last night's incident, creating new trouble.
"I ask you also to be good enough to give your men the strictest orders with a view to having the orders of the British police in the British concession executed without delay or murmur. Otherwise, as the actual event clearly shows, the maintenance of order becomes im- possible."
In a letter of the same date as the above, in reply to observations made by General Voyron English police, General Campbell adds: on the strictness of the orders given to the "In conclusion I should like you clearly to desire to take measures which might constitute understand this: that so far from its being my hindrances to the free access of all nationalities to the British concession, my aim has always been to remove as much as possible all the ob- stacles which exist. un-
To that end, rather than
196,046 tons,
to the inhabitants of this Colony for their The foregoing information regarding trade signatures, containing a petition to the Secre. statistics must be taken as a tough approximatary of State for the Colonies, written in a tion only.
vely moderate and careful tone, requesting The total import trade of the port for 1900 that an independent enquiry be made into the amounts to 23,205 vessels of 8,626,614 tong sanitary condition of Hongkong and the mea carrying 6,342,138 tons of cargo of which sures to be adopted for the improvement of the 4,198,389 tons were discharged at Hongkong. present situation. The said document speaks This does not include tonnage, number of cargo direct blame to the local Government, pointing very clearly on the situation without attaching of local trade junks.
Similarly, the export trade for 1900 was
out that the evils were predicted long ago, and represented by 23,160 vessels of 8,620.49 tous for them. It contains valuable extracts from soliciting from the home Government a remedy carrying 2,838,905 tons of cargo, and shipping the local medical authorities, and from the 489,456 tons of bunker coal. Comparing this with 1899, we find that the import trade has which made important recommendations on the special Sanitary Committee appointed in 1882 increased, the increase being general among then urgent need for better sanitation of this all the classes. The transit cargo has also increased in classes I and III but in class II a colony, adding that unless such measures were falling off of 97,550 tons is shown. In exports, adopted their necessity would hereafter be although the tonnage cleared has increased by proved by a severe epidemic which 57,282 tons, yet the number of vessels is less by fortunately has proved true. The epidemic make use of any police from the British forces 4,82 and the export cargo has diminished by came in such a dreadful way that one cannot
to come into contact with the soldiers of other 77,892 tons. During the year 10,940 vessels easily forget it; it has since thence been armies, I have addressed myself to the command- of European construction of 14,022,167 tons character. If the proper measures, so frequently desiring that men of their forces may co- intermittent and its visits are of the worsting officers of the German and French troops (net register) carried 8,170,757 tons of cargo, recommended by the competent authorities, had operate with my own police." as follows:-import cargo, 3,604,322; export been promptly adopted, great benefits would cargo, 1,933,230; transit cargo, 2,143,749 have followed for the public in general; but for bunker coal shipped, 489,456; giving a total of 8,170,757.
reasons on which we ourselves abstain from
The total number of tons carried was, there-making any criticism, and would rather leave fore, 583 per cent. of the total registered it to our English local contemporaries, no due tonnage, or 74.5 per cent, exclusive of river attention was paid to such wise advice nor were steamers, and was apportioned as follows:- any energetic steps taken. Bence the 'evil has Imports - British ship, 2,030,697; Foreign spread to such an alarming extent that it is ships, 1,578,625; total, 3,604,322. Exports it. The Hongkong Daily Press says in the last found very difficult and expensive to cope with British ships, 1, 88,608; Foreign ships, 744,622; paragraph of its leading article of 2nd inst.: total, 1,933,230, Transit British ships, 1,139,173; Foreign ships, 1,004,576; total,
This Petition deserves the support of the whole
་
2,143,749. Bunker coal-British ships, 274,681 public of this Colony. We are in perfect Foreign ships, 214,775; tota', 489,456. Grand accord with our contemporary total, 8,170,757.
REVENUE,
The total revenue collected by the Harbour repairs to the Temple of Heaven and the like, A Peking despatch states that the cost of Department during the year was $246,039.12 the palaces and the various yamens in Peking, being an increase of $55,483,62 on the previons is estimated at 5,000,000 tsels, whilst the cost year. (1) Light Dnes, 855,379.38; (2) Licences of repairs to the roads between Chihli and and Internal Revenue, 47,419.30; (3) Fees of 'Honan amounts to 3,000,000 tsels.
In a letter of 4th June, General Campbell intimates to General Voyron that he is to ask the Provisional Government Council to cancel
the instructions issued to the police of the British section and have them replaced by more
moderate orders.
Then on 8th June General Voyron writes to General Campbell intimating the result of an inquiry into the circumstances of the affray. Не Bays
:---“ I have arrived at the conclusion that the initial fault lay with the French sol iers, but also believe that the incident would not have assumed so serious a character
if Corporal Nicholson (in charge of the British police) had shown more sang froid and prudence,
having noisily around a maison de folerance French soldiers with the Germans were be- “All the evidence showed, in effect, that the
and some of them having clambered on the roof, sought to get into the inner court.
ES
It was then that Corporal Nicholson inter- fered. If, in accordance with the very
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