!
251
remark:- "Several ships have been wrecked on this reef, and the question of placing a light or lights to distinguish this danger has been much discussed, and still remains in abeyance, chiefly in consequence of the difficulty in providing for the expense of construction and maintenance, and the distribution thereof among the maritime nations. The case of the light at Cape Spartel on the coast of Morocco seems to afford the best solution of the question,
so far as its political and monetary aspect is concerned".
3.
It appears that the light at Cape Spartel was
built in 1864 by the Government of Morocco under the guarantee of 13 nations (Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy
Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Russia, the United
States of America, and Sweden), whose representatives at Tangier
form the International Board responsible for its maintenance and
equally share its expense, which as far as Great Britain is con-
-cerned comes out of the General Lighthouse Fund. I venture to
suggest this precedent might perhaps be followed in the case of
the Pratas and Paracels reefs.
4.
I may add that in 1865 the shipping of Hongkong
entored and cleared in foreign trade, excluding junks, amounted to 4,445 ships of 2,134,164 tons net register. Last year it amounted to 17,029 ships of 21,464,383 tons net register. It is fair to assume that a proportional increase has taken place in the ship- -ping passing the Pratas and Paracels during the same interval, but the Harbour Master has no figures for the separate runs of shipping prior to 1874. Since 1874 the shipping which would have benefitted by a light on the Pratas reef has increased by 94% in numbers and by 456% in tornage; while the figures for the Para- -cels during the same period have increased by 56% in numbers and by 51% in tonnage. This, of course, includes only Ocean steamers and sailing vessels (not junks) going to and coming from this Colony. Such being the increase in the shipping which would have benefitted by these lights, the matter is now far more important than it was in 1865, when it last received serious consideration.
b.