1841-1886
269
HONG KONG.
No. 20.
Copy of DESPATCH from Sir HERCULES G. R. ROBINSON to His Grace the DUKE of
(No. 85.)
MY LORD DUKE,
NEWCASTLE, K.G.
Government Offices, Victoria, Hong Kong, 5th June 1861.
I Have the honour to forward the Blue Book of Hong Kong for the year 1860. 2. The details of it, as far as they go, are most satisfactory; but as this is a free port, and there is no Custom House or other administrative machinery of any kind available for the collection of commercial statistics, the schedules relating to imports and exports,— particulars of information in a mere commercial entrepôt such as this, of greater interest and importance than any other, are blank.
As regards the native traffic of our waters, the Government is without any information whatever, Chinese vessels being allowed to come and go, and their cargoes to be transferred from hand to hand, without any interference or even question. As regards the foreign traffic, the only information at present available is that obtained through the harbour master's office, of the number, nationality, and tonnage of vessels which enter and clear during any given period; and I do not see how it would be possible for the Government to obtain here trade returns sufficiently accurate and precise to be of any value, without imposing on the shipping an amount of trouble and annoyance which would not be compensated for by the result. I am glad, therefore, to be able to report that there is a prospect now of this information being supplied by a Chamber of Commerce which has been established within the last few weeks, and which I understand proposes to undertake, amongst other desirable objects, the collection of reliable commercial statistics without any interference with the freedom of the port.
3. Although, however, the accompanying returns afford no direct information as to the nature or progress of either the native or foreign traffic of our waters, they afford ample indirect evidence of the fact that the commerce of the place is rapidly extending, as it must be evident that when the revenue, population, shipping, houses, boats, and land sales are all on the increase, the main interest upon which all these depend must be prospering also.
Revenue and Expenditure.
4. The revenue of 1860 exceeds that of 1859 by 28,957l. 10s. 03d., being respectively 94,182l. 16s. 3d., and 65,225l. 6s. 2d. The expenditure for the same period is increased by 6,281l. 9s. 0d., being in 1860, 72,390l. 12s. 10d., and in 1859, 66,109l. 3s. 1d.
The increase in the revenue is shown under each of our three main sources of income, -Land, Licenses, and Taxes; and also under the head of Post Office, an item which appears for the first time in the accounts, in consequence of the transfer of the Hong Kong Post Office to the local Government on the 1st May 1860. The largest increase is under the head of Land Revenue, which exceeds that of 1859 by nearly 17,000l., in consequence of the great rise in the value of land and the large premiums realized at the Government land sales. The increase under the head of Licenses and Taxes, which latter are limited to police and lighting rates, is attributable to the growth of the town. The revenue of 1860 is not only the largest ever raised in the Colony, but, without any additional taxation, is four times greater than that of 1851, as will be seen from the following return.
Year. Revenue. Year. Revenue 1851 £ 23,721 7 6 1856 £ 35,500 8 9 1852 £ 21,331 1 8 1857 £ 21,700 6 3 1853 * £ 21,700 6 3 1858 £ 27,045 3 5 1854 £ 27,045 3 5 1859 £ 65,225 6 2 1855 £ 47,073 11 1 1860 £ 94,182 16 3 1850 £ 58,842 2 7 £ 62,476 9 8