November 13, 1905.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
considerately. Fortunately, at Hongkong | leads in building, as well as running, ships, we are not ultra-tropical, and our irascibility as the following table shows:- is kept within limits.
Built in
Built in United Kingdom. United States.
Tons.
Tons.
per cent.
SHIPPING.
The
!
1903 758,377 436,152 1904...884,259 378,542
Built in Germany. T'ons. 132,873
It is worth noting that of those totals, the British figures include about one hundred and fifty thousand tons annually built to foreign (excluding colonial) orders. The new Board of Trade Return, published in August, has many more encouraging figures to show. One table shows our foreign trade (entrances and clearances) since 1895, when! the entrances were thirty five million tons. These advanced steadily (with the exception of a slight drop in 1901) to 46,397,543 tous in 1904. Entrances from the Colonies, over the same period, showed the same persistent progress, rising from 4,858,399 tons in 1895 to 7,421,131 last year. Clear- auces (foreign) rose from 34,349,448 to 46,470,839 tops, and (colonial) from 6,188,035 to 8,100,637 tous. Not less in- teresting, from the patriotic standpoint, is the statement showing the number and tonnage of vessels of various nationalities, that passed through the Suez Canal since 1892. Here again British g always preponderated. W the figures for 190
(Daily Press, 11th November.) In 1870 the shipping of the world, measured in tonnage, was about twenty millions. Thirty-four and a half per cent of it was British, twenty and # half per cent of it American, France claimed five per cent, and Germany and Norway each a little less than France. Thirty-four years later-last year--the British share of a total of 29,800,000 tons was 40-34 America had advanced only to a 21-1/4 per cent share, Germany to seven and three quarters per cent. Norway remained at her old four and three quarters, while France had receded, and now enjoys only four per cent of the total. So long us Great Britain keeps to the front like this the increased employment of foreign | seamen on her ships seems remarkable, and the British lads' dislike of this employ at inexplicable, unless we assume that the growing volume of our carrying trade spells severer competition and consequent reduc- tion of the inducements to engage in it, on the part of the working sailor. It is interesting to note that the British lead, that was once so big in sailing shipping, is bigger still in steam shipping. United States have 2,696,117 tons propelled by wind, against the United Kingdom's 1,802,667 tons; but this majority is hand- somely reversed and excelled when steam- driven craft is in question. British steam tonnage last year amounted to 8,751,853, aud American 3,585,418, or over five millions less. Norway still holds third place for sailing ships; but in the last thirty years, in steam tonnage, Germany has advanced from sixth place with about eighty thousand tons to third with nearly two millions. (It was 1,739,690 tons in 1903, the date of the last returns.) In the last half decade, a period for some inscrutable reason marked by excessive grumbling at the decadence of British trade supremacy, British steam tonnage has steadily advanced each year, increasing on the average about four hundred thousand tons a year. America, our most formidable rival for statistical supremacy, at any rate, required three full decades to make an equal advance. Without going into all the figures available, a casual survey of them suffices to show the gratifying fact that the progress of the United Kingdom is shared by her dependencies-the Empire at large owning nine and a half millions of the world's aggregate, as mentioned at the beginning of these comments.
We may, therefore, avoid the over-nervousness of the alarmists, and regard with complacency the progress of our neighbours, which may be taken as evidence of the universal progress, and so lend stability to our own. As the world's trade increases, that is to say, we continue to take the lion's share, which is a more satisfactory arrangement than if we were merely robbing the others; for that which is stolen may be re-stolen. German shipping has advanced since 1898 in the ratio of about seventeen to ten. America's oversea shipping (registered for foreign trade) nearly, but not quite, doubled itself in the six years ending last year. So far as the volume of trade is concerned, the alight decrease in our sailing tonnage is unimportant; the gain implied by the enormous increase of steam tonnage being multiplied by the reflection that one steam ton is equal to (say) three sail tons. Great Britain still
2,164,591 2,736,067
262
1,167,105
223
814,204
Russian Japanese Italian
82
249,801
94
32,813 306,395
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
IIIS EXCELLENCY
A meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chamber on Nov. 8th. Present: MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.
THE GOVERNOR, SIR
HIS EXCELLENCY Major-General VILLIERS HATTON, CB. (General Officer Commanding the Troops).
Hou. Mr. T. SEKCOMBE SMITH (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Sir H S. BERKELET, K.C. (Attorney. General).
surer).
Hou. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Trea
Hon. Mr. E. A. IRVING (Registrar General).
Hon. Mr. BASIL H. TAYLOR, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. R SHEWAN.
Hon. Mr. GERSHOM STEWART. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, Hon. Mr. C. W. DICKSON.
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils.)
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
|
329
roads and boulevards and for lots for industrial undertakings in this important district it is necessary that all private rights should be extinguished within the area. It is advisable to do this at once. Financial Minute No. 53 is for an excess on the vote for printing miscellaneous papers, mainly due to the publication this year of the first issue of the Hongkong Civil List and also of some rather bulky sessional papers like the one which has been laid on the table of the Council this afternoon. Financial Minnte No. 54 is for the sum of $50,000 in extension of the vote which was taken on September 7th this year for the survey of the preliminary work of the Canton to Kowloon Railway. The survey has proceeded somewhat more rapidly than I had expected and we are now in a position to Fa ferry to Tai Po Fu. It has been decided resume the land required for the road from Lo that this resumption should take place at once because the harvest is now being gathered in, and in the ordinary course of events plonghing would commence at the end of this mouth and that would interfere with the survey marks. I am unable to suggest savings on the approved estimates from which this further sam of $50,000 can be met. It will therefore go to decrease the excess of assets over liabilities at
the end of this year. Both this sum and the sum of $25,00), already voted and certain payments that have been made to personnel in the Public Works Department who have been employed in connection with the survey, will be debited to the loan for the Railway as it has been raised and credited to the
the resolution
14th September, 1904, requ
i
Tramway Electric Company to run trams at certain hours of the day, morning an erening, be now rescinded. He said : 'That resolu. tion was passed twelve months ago. The cars have ruu regularly according to the requirements of the regulations, but it has been represented to the Government by the management of the Company that these cars have not been in any sense taken advantage of. The purpose of the revolution has therefore not been effected, and the Company in consequence are purpose- lessly running these cars at considerable The matter has been unnecessary expense. considered in the Executive Council, and this resolution is now put before you witht he object of relieving the Company of unnecessarily running these cars I will be remembered that when this resolution was introduc- ed it was intended that it should only be tentative. We did not know how it would work and the Council guarded itself against anything like an indication of a permanent intention to keep the Company to the obligation to run these cars by putting in the words "until further notice." If it be found necessary at any time to renew this resolution, that can be done under the powers of the Tramway Ordinance. I move that we now rescind the original resolution.
|
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The Hou. Dr. Ho KAI-Before the resolu. tion is put I should like to ascertain whether the Tramway Company have advertised or done something to make it known generally that workmen's cars are run at certain hours for the benefit of wor
mechanics and labourers. One of t cession to the Trap a certain number morning for the work at the ey the fact tha be known The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table not make the Report on the Insanitary Property Resump-resolution tions in the years 1894 to 1905.
about th
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 49 to 37. I move that they be referred to the Finance Commi1tee.
REPORT
ns of the con- any was to have anning night and the workmen who a of the town. If this service of teams people and they do the service then the but if there is a doubt think it would be a serious cind our resolution. As this discussed in the Executive bee your Excellency can assure me g has been done by the Company de Chinese workmen, otherwise I to ask the Council to postpone the until that fact has been ascertained. It is only due to the workmen and the generally that these cars should not stop ug until we ascertain that those for whom were intended do not use them.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and | thing # the motion was agreed to.
matte
HIS EXCELLENCY-Three of these eight | Cou Financial Minutes which it is proposed to refer thp" to the Finance Committee deal with sums of t
$1,000 or less with regard to which you will not require any explanation from me. Minute No. 50 and buildings in Cheung Sha Wan Bay, whi for $3,887, is for resuming certain small houses have been awarded to claimants by the I Court. In order to carry out the schem