!
(6)
The principal of these firms is the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co. which besides constr ing 21 vessels, docked 330 vessels of an average of 2,336 tons each during 1899, the largest vesse docked being H.M.S. Powerful. This firm employed a daily average of 4,510 workmen and $1,225,280 in wages.
spear
The boat building industry is also a very large one and is carried on by numerous Chines yards, boats being largely exported from here.
(7)
LAND GRANTS AND GENERAL VALUE OF LAND.
154
The following table gives particulars of Land Sales. Extensious, and Grants on short leases made Bring
the year under review:-
LES BY AUCTION ;--
Island of Hongkong,
A Paper Factory. The paper made is for Chinese use and is largely exported to China. The manufacture of preserved ginger which was formerly confined to Canton has assumed larg Kowloou Peninsula, dimensions in the Colony, the principal market being Great Britain. Some large factories hav removed from Canton to this Colony.
There are three factories on a very small scale for the manufacture of Chinese fireworks. Thi is a large industry in Canton and neighbourhood which the absence here of a duty on saltpetre an sulphur ought soon to attract to this Colony. Soy is another article the manufacture of which ha been attracted to this Colony. There are 5 Soap factories, the latest addition being under th management of a German Firm; while for the manufacture of Vermillion, which is exported i With the acquisition of the New Ter Bombay, Japan, and North China, there are 7 sinall factories. ritory which affords room for expansion, Manufactures in this Colony are likely to increase to a cou siderable extent in the near future.
fish is salted and dried,
New Territory,......................
TENSIONS GRANTED:
Island of Hongkong,. Kowloon Peninsula,
New Territory,.......
ANTS ON SHORT LEASES, &c. :-
Island of Hongkong,..........
Kowloon Peninsula,
New Territory,... ... ... ....
C.
Premium.
No. of Lots.
Area in sq. ft.
Annual Crown Rent.
$3
c.
192,65 1,00
0
640,868)
40
88
$
f.
4,458.00
1,853,4751,994,338 | 12,123,00 – 16,581.00 361,711.00 554,862.00
15
10,870
23 32,353 43,223
105.10 417.00
0
2,913.24
522.10
15,716.00 18,629.24
04
112168
104,649 | 68,420 j not stated.
178,069
489 00 236.00 1,300,00
2,025.00
19,128.10
Salt is manufactured at four places in the New Territory, the yearly output being about 4,18 tons, worth some $16,000, which in part supplies the local demands of the population, the fishi junks which keep the fish they catch while at sea in brine, and the various fishing stations whes
A much larger quantity is, however, imported at certain places for the of the flects of fishing junks. The imported salt is also largely used for the salting and drying fish, for which purpose it seems to be preferred to the locally manufactured salt. The manufactace yet obtained for land in that district. of salt is an industry which is likely to increase and develop in the New Territory, and which worthy of being encouraged, seeing the important connection it has with the food supply of Chinese, one of whose staple articles of food is salt fish.
FISHERIES.
There are no fisheries of any importance. The local demand for salt and fresh fish is met by fleet of fishing junks and a large number of Net Stations, the fish that are required for salting being drie and salted on the beach.
C. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND BOTANICAL STATIONS.
The principal Agriculture in the New Territory is the cultivation of rice, which is almost entire ly used for the consumption of the population, a small quantity being exported to the neighboring towns in Chinese territory. It is estimated that there are 90,000 acres under rice cultivation.
The next most important Agriculture is that of sugar. There are about 750 acres growing can which is crushed in 81 sugar mills of a very primitive nature scattered over the territory.
The total value of the sugar produced annually is about $175,000, rather more than half the sum being required to cover wages and other expenses of crushing.
A fourth of the sugar produced is used for local consumption, the rest being exported Hongkong and Canton,
New varieties of cane have been imported by the Botanical and Afforestation Departinent whit have been planted at certain places in the territory as an experiment.
Pine-apples are cultivated to a considerable extent and two factories, under Chinese manag ment, in which they are canned are established in Hongkong,
The annual output amounts to about 39 tons of which a considerable quantity is sold locally, rest being exported to England, America, Russia, and Formosa,
New varieties of pine-apple plants have been imported by the above mentioned Department have been introduced into the districts where the fruit is cultivated.
Camphor trees are grown to some extent in the New Territory, and experiments are being with a view to ascertaining the quality of the Camphor that can be produced from them.
572,991.24
The sales of Crown Land were considerably in excess of previous years, the area and number of sold and the premium realised being five times more than in the year 1898. There was also much mpetition so that prices were greatly enhanced. One Inland Lot, favourably situated for Chinese ops and dwellings in the Western District, realised a premium of $14 per square foot, the highest bring the year was $18.39 a square foot. There was a greatly increased demand for land in the The highest price paid for Crown land in Hongkong owloon l'eninsula and the value of land there has more than trebled during the last five years. The arket town of Yaumati is now rapidly increasing and extending in a northerly direction.
Private sales of land within the City of Victoria also increased greatly during the year, the uniber conveyances or assignments registered in the Land Office during the year shewing an excess of ght and a half million dollars in purchase moneys paid over any previous year. The highest price
square foot obtained at private sale was $55.
It is to be noted that the first sale of Crown Land under the new condition of selling for a term 75 years, renewable for one further ternu, took place in July, and 27 Lots under this condition were
before the end of the year.
The appreciation in value of land is due to the fact that, owing to the insecurity of life and pro- rty in the neighbouring province of China, Chinese capital flowed into the Colony for investment.
The making of a Survey for the proposed Canton railway probably also had the effect of stimulat- investment in landed property in the Kowloon Peninsula,
E.-SHIPPING.
The total tonnage entering and clearing during the year 1899 amounted to 18,101,309 tons, ang an increase, compared with 1898, of 835,529 tons, and the same number in excess of any
evious year.
There were 44,278 arrivals of 9,052,501 tons, and 44,349 departures of 9,048,808 tons.
Of British Ocean-going tonnage 2,587,478 tons entered, and 2,587,369 tons cleared,
Of River Steamers (British) 1,774,728 tons entered and 1,775,441 tons cleared; making a grand
of British tonuage of 8,725,016 tons entering and clearing.
Of Foreign Ocean-going tonnage 2,352,740 tons entered and 2,947,745 tons cleared.
Of Foreign River Steamers 5,823 tons entered, and 5,823 tons cleared; making a grand total of reign Tonnage of 4,712,131 tons entering and clearing.
Of junks in Foreign Trade, 1,849,435 tons entered and 1,846,749 tons cleared.
Of junks in Local Trade, 482,297 tons entered, and 485,681 tons clcared.
Thus---
British Ocean-going tonnage represented 28.5 %
River Foreign Ocean-going
5
19.5 %
"
17
25.8%
River Junk (Foreign Trade)
31
g
0.6 %
15
")
20.3 %
(Local Trade)
5
37
5.3 %