condition.
Damage to Chinese Craft.
Paragraph 17.
497
The total numbers of Chinese boats reported as missing to the Police, Harbour Office, Registrar-General and Tung Wa Hospital, after eliminating duplicate entries as far as possible, work out as follows:-
Junks... 796
Cargo Boats... 798
Sampans... 275
Other Boats... 544
2,413.
The value of these boats might be put roughly at between one and one and a half million dollars. The total loss of boats is believed to be considerably in excess of the above numbers but it is not possible to make any reliable estimate of losses which, owing to owner and all on board having gone down, have not been and will never be reported.
In time the Harbour Master will no doubt be able to make a fair approximation from the applications he receives for renewal of licences, but even this will be incomplete as many boats not constantly in the ports of the Colony are not licensed here.
Damage to private
Paragraph 18.
As stated at the end of my previous Despatch, the typhoon of September 29th/30th brought down