3
TOTAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE 5 YEARS 1898-1902.
1898.
1899.
1900,
1901.
1902.
!
Revcove,. Expenditure,
Surplus,
+3
$ 2.918,159.24 3,610,148,25 4,202,587.40 4,213,898.22 | 4,901,073,70 2,841,805.20 3,162,792.36 3,628,447.13| 4,111,722.49 | 5,909,648.31
*
**
76,354.04 447,840.80 574,140.27
102,170.73
Deficit,
1,008,474.81
().-ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
At the end of the year 1902 the surplus of the Assets of the Colony over the Liabilities amounted to $66,869.88, the total Assets being $815,903.89 exclusive of arrears of revenue amounting to $90,780, and the total Liabilities to $749,034.01.
(c).-PUBLIC Debt.
There is a public debt of £341,799.15.1 outstanding. The original debt was incurred in connection with the Praya Reclamation, the Central Market, and Water, Drainage and Sewerage Works.
Fund.
Interest at 34% is payable upon the loan, which is being paid off by a Sinking
II.---TRADE, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE AND LAND.
(a.)-TRADE AND SHIPPING.
The following table shows the principal articles of export in the year 1902 in vessels of European construction, compared with similar returns for 1901. The figures represent the tonnage.
Articles.
1901.
1902.
Increase.
Decreuse.
Beans,
1,290
Coal,
917,144
Cotton Yarn and Cotton,
14,423
300 1,040,906 11.498
990
123.762
Flour,
145,287
307,826
Hemp,
31,195
22.923
2,925 37.461 8.272
Kerosine (bulk),
70,728
54,461
(case),
77,977
60.400
16,267 17,577
Lead.
260
625
365
Opium,
2,872
4,871
1.999
3,973
6.299
2,326
3.488
4,742
1,254
618,780
819.919
201,139
5,272 55
5,374
102
241,291 1,473 66,860 1,278,619
268,268
26,977
25
1.448
75,023 1.480,003
8.163 201,384
Liquid Fuel,
Rattan,
Rice,
Sandalwood,
Sulphur,
Sugar,
Tea,
Timber,
General,.
Total,..
3,480,987
3.063,468
567,471
81.995
Transit,...
2,134,585
2.372,397
237,812
Grand Total.
5,615,572
6,335,860
805,283
84.995
Nett....
720,288
It will be observed that coal imports resumed their upward tendency, and the figure for 1902 is not appreciably smaller than that for the abnormal year 1900, Still more noticeable are the large increases in the import of opium and rice.
The principal features to be remarked in the reported Trade of the Port for 1902 are:--er
In Imports reported—
Increases in Opium of 69.6 %- Rice of 32.6 % General of 15.7
Decreases in Hemp
Flour
25
of 26.5% of 25.1. Bulk Oil of 22.9 %
33
*
Coal of 13.4%
Case Oil of 22.5 °
;;
Sugar
of 11.1%
Cotton
of 20.3 %.
Timber of 10.7%-
The net increase under this head amounts to 482,470 tons.
In Exports, there is an increase reported of 126,814 In Transit Cargo
of 237,812
:>
25
:!
"
13
The total reported Import Trade of the Port for 1902 amounted to 26,037 vessels of 9,867,486 tons, carrying 6,921,928 tous of cargo, of which 4,549,531 tons were discharged at Hongkong. This does not include the number, tonnage or cargo of Local Trade Junks, or Steam Launches,
These returns show a decided improvement upon those for 1901, when the import trade was much depressed. This is a hopeful sign, especially as the further fall in silver exchange and the high values ruling on the home markets in certain staple commodities continued throughout the year to militate against the import trade of the Colony.
It must not be forgotten that figures such as those given above are necessarily imperfect in the case of a free port. The returns depend for accuracy upon the information voluntarily afforded to the Harbour Master by the Masters and Agents of the vessels concerned, and their reliability cannot be tested as thoroughly might be desired.
AN
The total tonnage entering and clearing during the year amounted to 21,528,780 tous, being an increase, compared with 1901, of 2,203,396 tons and 3,083,644 tons in excess of any previous year.
There was 51,542 arrivals of 10,783,502 tons, and 51,547 departures of 10,754,278 tons,
Of British Ocean-going tonnage, 3,010,141 tons entered, and 3,005,1-48 tons cleared,
Of British River Steamers, 1,775,960 tons entered, and 1,780,238 tons cleared.
Of Foreign Ocean-going tonnage, 3,273,817 tons entered, and 3,238,719 tons cleared.
Of Foreign River Steamers, 95,766 tons entered, and 95,909 tons cleared.
Of Steam Launches trading to Ports outside the Colony, 97,607 tons entered, and 97,607 tons cleared.
Of Junks in Foreign Trade, 1,613,875 tons entered, and 1,624,344 tons cleared.
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