CO129-322 - Acting Governor May - 1904 [1-5]

Total Revenue and Expenditure for the Five Years 1899-1903.

Revenue. Expenditure, Surplus. Deficit.

Year Revenue Expenditure Surplus Deficit 1899 $3,610,143.25 $4,213,893.22 $603,749.97 1900 $4,901,073.70 $5,238,857.88 $337,784.18 1901 $3,162,792.86 $3,162,792.86 $13,628,447.33 1902 $14,111,722.49 $5,009,548.51 $5,396,669.48 1903 $447,850.89 $374,140.27

(4)—Assets and Liabilities.

At the end of the year 1903, the Assets of the Colony amounted to $609,950.40, exclusive of arrears of revenue which with the sum just mentioned bring the total Assets up to $731,218.40 The total Liabilities were $672,661.86, so that the surplus of Assets over Liabilities amounted to $58,556.54.

(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.

Interest at 3%, is payable on the loan, which is being paid off by a Sinking Fund.

II. --Trade and Shipping, Industries, Fisheries, Agriculture and Land.

(a) Trade and Shipping.

The following table shows the principal articles of export in the year 1903 in vessels of European construction, compared with similar returns for 1902. The figures represent the tonnage:

Articles 1902 1903 Increase Decrease Beans 300 3,120 2,820 Bones Coal 1,010,006 1,186,686 176,680 Cotton Yarn and Cotton 11,498 20,795 9,297 Flour 107,826 120,430 12,604 Hemp 22,923 24,149 1,226 Kerosine (bulk) 54,461 40,607 13,854 Kerosine (case) 60,100 82,960 22,860 Lead 625 550 75 Liquid Fuel 6,200 1,000 5,200

The total tonnage entering and clearing during the year 1903 amounted to 24,039,862 tons, being an increase, compared with 1902, of 2,511,082 tons, and the same number in excess of any previous year.

There were 53,991 arrivals of 12,027,092 tons, and 54,009 departures of 12,012,770 tons.

Of British Ocean-going tonnage, 3,396,314 tons entered, and 3,382,121 tons cleared.

Of British River Steamers 2,237,249 tons entered, and 2,234,613 tons cleared.

Of Foreign Ocean-going tonnage, 3,667,871 tons entered, and 3,665,580 tons cleared.

Of Foreign River Steamers, 217,619 tons entered, and 216,744 tons cleared.

Of Steam Launches trading to ports outside the Colony 93,239 tons entered, and 93,239 tons cleared.

Of Junks in Foreign Trade, 1,347,001 tons entered, and 1,851,458 tons cleared.

Of Junks in Local Trade, 1,067,799 tons entered, and 1,068,715 tons cleared.

Type % British Ocean-going tonnage 28.20% British River 18.60% Foreign Ocean-going 30.51% Foreign River 1.81% Steam Launches in Foreign Trade 0.77% Junks in Foreign Trade 11.22% Junks in Local Trade 8.89%

For vessels under the British Flag, this Table shows an increase of 1,347 ships of 1,678,509 tons, an increase of 427 ships of 762,845 tons to Ocean-going, and an increase of 920 ships of 915,664 tons to River Trade.

The above increase in Ocean-going is principally due to the fact of some new lines having been established-the China Commercial Steamship Company, the British India Steamers now visiting the port, the addition of some new steamers to local firms, and lastly to an increase of Coal imported from Australia in Steamers new to the Port.