CSC
4
Of Junks in Local Trade, 916,016 tons entered, and 903,313 tons cleared.
Thus-
British Ocean-going tomage represented,
27.94%
The following table indicates the nationality of the various ships entering the rt, the numbers of vessels under each flag and the tonnage carried by them, compared with the similar figures for the previous year :----
River
"
16.52%.
Foreign Ocean-going
**
30.257%
River
**
0.899/
Flag.
Ships. No. of times
entered.
Total Tonnage.
Steam Launches in Foreign Trade„ Junks
0.91%
1901. | 1902. | 1901.| 1902. 1901. 1902.
**
!!
15.014,
British,
321
3241,7701,753 2,894,519 2,965,030
Local
"
..
8.45%
Austrian,
20
Belgian,
100.00%
Chinese,
034
20
53 50
128,483, 125,929
9
3
12,407 3,624
17
10
135
Corean,
1
1
3,349 163,396
796.
Danish,
8
6
13 25,903* 23,374
Dutch,
9
8
29
23
40,872, 26,464
A comparison between the years 1901 and 1902 is given in the following Table. Steam Launches are not included.
French,
22
27
hi;
228
209,094 219,111
German,
122
123 $42
939 1,242,499 1,360,524.
Italian,..
2
4
12
14
17,988, 23,428
Japanese.
65
56 336
409
692,981 865,400
1901.
1902.
Increuse.
Decrease,
Norwegian,
26
49
79 300
78,004, 263,379
Portuguese,
3
49
46
4,948 7,897
British, Foreign.
Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage, Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage.
6,715 9,213,639 7,102 9,671,787 387 358,148 1.092 5,346,502 5,359 | 6,704,211 1.267 1,358,709 Junks in Foreign Į
35,394 3,266,368 36,245 | 3,238,239 Trade,
Russian,
4
16
8,797
32,046
Spanish,
784
Swedish,
4
15
6,923 14,325
851
27.920
United States,.
19
23 89 56
No Flag.
1
130,476 80
121,939
Total...46,201 | 17,825,309 48,706 | 19,514,287 2.505 1,718,857
Junks in Local
Trade,... {
Grand Total....187.434| 19.160,256 99,449 | 21,333,366 12,013 2.201.239
27,929
Total,..
632
676 3,510 4,000 5,498,908|6,215,866
141.235 1,384,947 50,743 1,819,329 9,508| 484,382)
27,929
NET.....
12.013 2,173,310
For vessels under the British Flag, this Table shows an increase of 387 ships of 358,148 tons. These figures are, however, misleading, for River Steamers This leaves a net are responsible for an increase of 397 ships of 157,539 tous. decrease of 10 Ocean-going ships, with an increase in tonnage of 200,609 rons.
The above increase in River Steamers is due to the fact that the one vessel which ran in 1901 and not in 1902 is more than counterbalanced by two which started to run at the end of 1901, and two which started to run at the beginning
of 1902.
The fall of 10 Ocean-going vessels is a genuine decrease, which loses a por- tion of its significance when we consider the increased size of vessels as evidenced by the increase in tonnage.
For vessels under Foreign Flags, we find a large increase, viz., 1,267 ships of 1,358,709 tons, of which 301 ships of 93,627 tons are due to River Steamers, one new French vessel having started to run in 1902, and another French ship having rum more often in 1902 than in 1901. The remainder, 966 ships of 1,285,082 tons, is due to-
1. An increase of 453 Norwegian ships of 372,021 tons
2.
186 German
15
"!
ཏཾ
11
of 221,619
>>
3.
?
31
169 Chinese
of 807,897
??
4.
150 Japanese
of 342,668
5+
and smaller increases in other nationalities.
The actual number of ships of European construction (exclusive of River Steamers and Steam Launches), entering the Port during 1902, was 718, of which 350 were British, and 368 Foreign. These 718 ships entered 4,047 times, giving a total tonnage entered of 6,284,258 tons. Thus, compared with 1901, 37 more ships entered 477 more times, and give a total tonnage hicreased by 728,926 tous.
The above return refers to steaners only. In addition, 42 sailing vessels visited the port during the year, with a total tounage of 68,392, as compared with 50 ships and 56,429 tons during 1901. 26 of these ships were British and 9 American,
The total Revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $266,765.99, being an increase of $15,188,60 on the previous year.
(b)-INDUSTRIES,
Most of the local industries of the Colony were carried on with satisfactory results during 1902 and were less hampered by Plague than during the preceding
year.
The fall in the exchange value of silver, to which Sir W. Gascogne referred in his Blue Book Report for 1901, continued throughout 1902 with hardly a break. The effect of this fall, however embarrassing in other respects, is undoubtedly advantageous as regards many local productions and industries.
Cotton Spinning in Hongkong was carried on in 1902 under more favourable circumstances than have prevailed since the initiation of this industry.
Comparative immunity from Plague together with improved skill on the part of operatives resulted in largely increased production, and, aided by declining exchange which checked excessive imports of Indian yarns, the local spinnings were freely sold at gradually advancing dollar prices.
Under normal conditious the progress of this industry may now reasonably be considered as assured, but the possibility of an annual recurrence of Plague which experience has proved drives many of the work-people from the Colony, owing to their strong dislike to the measures instituted by the Sanitary Authorities, is a factor which must not be overlooked in attempting a forecast.
The Sugar industry had many adverse conditions to contend against during the year which was a most unprofitable one. Chief amongst these was the con- tinued competition with bounty-fed Beet Sugars, which low prices in Europe (the result of enormous overproduction) allowed of being placed in Eastern markets at a level never before reached. The preferential treatment accorded to Refineries in Japan and the very onerous conditions there to be contended against constitute a very severe handicap to trade with that country, which was formerly an important
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