- 6
—
of demonetization. The discount which prevailed between 1905 and 1916 may be attributed to the immense quantity of similar coin which was minted at Canton as well as to the amount of Hongkong coin minted largely in excess of the needs of the Colony by itself. In 1905 the Hongkong Government ceased to issue any subsidiary coin and in 1906 it began a policy of demonetising all its subsidiary coin received as revenue. This policy was continuously followed till 1918 except during a brief period in 1911, Coin to the face value of $23,235,459 has thus been redeemed. The total issue by the Hongkong Government was of the face value of about $44,000,000.
7
The average tonnage of individual Ocean Vessels entering the Port has increased from 1,4592 tons to 1,5881 tons, that of British abips has increased from 1,4820 tons to 1,7726 tons while that of Foreign ships has also increased from 1,445'7 tone to 1,449-2
tons.
The average tonnage of individual River Steamers entering during the year has decreased from 4847 tons to 448:8 tons.
That of British River Steamers has increased from 5116 tons
to 520-8 tons, and that of Foreign River Steamers has decreased from 439-9 tons to 336'6 tons.
A comparison between the-years-1918 and 1919 is given in the following table :—
92
II-SHIPPING AND TRADE, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE, AND LAND.
(a.)-SHIPPING.
The total of the Shipping entering and clearing at Ports in the Colony during the year 1919 amounted to 649,108 vessels of 35,615,169 tons, which, compared with the figures for 1918, shows an increase of 69,627 vessels, with an increase of 6,096,980 tons.
Of the above, 41,985 vessels of 21,072,129 tons were engaged in Foreign Trade, as compared with 43,430 vessels of 16,955,332 tons in 1918, and were distributed as follows:-
1918.
1919. Numbers. Numbers.
British Ocean-
going Ships,
5·8% 0·2%
1018. Tonnage.
21.4%
1919.
Tonnage.
32.4%
Foreign Ocean-
going Ships,
9.8
12:0
36:1
36 2
British River
Steamers, 13:3
13-2
20:3
15:4
Foreign River
Steamers, ...
3.5
3-8
36
2.9
Steam Launches
(under 00 tons),
13-8
11.9
11
0.6
Trading Junks, 540
49.3
17-5
12'3
100.0
100'0
100.0
100'0
Class of Vessels.
going,
1918.
1919.
Incrense.
-Decrease,
NO Tonnage. No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage No. Tonnage,
British Ocean. [ 2,441,627,376 8.865| 6,842,024| 1,424| 3,214,448|
4,231 6,1899 5,274 7,625,828 1,040! 1,307,930
Foreign Ocean-i
going,
British River
Steamers,.. Foreign River
Steamers. Steamships un-
5,807||| 3,444,45,502 3,258,781
1,510
612,314 1,099
591.679
89|
<ler 60 tons
(Foreign
180,738 5,035 G,002
101,680
Trade),
A
Trade,
---
T
Ot
305
190,664
20,638
Cur
967
---
19,049
$2,720
+
375,233
Junks, Foreiga 29,439 272,866 20,710 2,597,183
Total, Foreign 43,436 16,955,332 11,985 31,072,129 2,550 4,722,378 4,001 605,584
Trade,......
Steam-launches
plying in
Waters of
489,103 10,734,658 586,188 15,366,602 87,086 2,631,944
Colony:
Junks, Local
Trade,
* 7,003 1,828,199 † 20,pp(† 1,126,488 |~|
110,000 651,761
Grand Total
|279,541 29,518,189 +0,168 33,615,169 89,636 || 7,354,322 0.00 1,287,345
Nott Increase....09,627 6,096,971
N.B.-The movements of Fishing Junks are not included in this Table,
Of vessels of European construction, 4,571 Ocean Steamers, 4 Sailing Ships, 3,550 River Steamers, and 2,500 Steamships not exceeding 60 tons entered during the year, giving a daily average of 29 1 ships, as compared with 273 in 1918, and 299 in 1917.
*Including 11,686 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 638,884 buns.
+
in
11,486
11
n
+
758,621
15
!