278
138
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841–1941
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
16. I annex to this Despatch a summary of the Registrar General's statistical returns for the last eleven years, which will show at a glance the steady progress which the Colony has made during that period in each of the particulars to which I have just referred.
Shipping.
1,014
17. The Harbour Master's returns, pages 279 to 293 of the accompanying volume, show that, exclusive of men-of-war, river steamers from Canton and Macao, and Chinese craft of all descriptions, 1,259 vessels, aggregating 658,196 tons, and belonging to 24 different nations, entered the harbour of Hong Kong during the past year. Of these, 1,014 vessels of 520,500 tons entered with cargoes, and 245 vessels of 137,696 tons in ballast.
Vessels. Tons. 1,014 520,500 245 137,696 1,259 658,19618. The return of tonnage of vessels arriving last year shows a decrease of 217,003 as compared with the previous year, but an increase of 31,660 tons on the year 1859, which last offers the fairest comparison, as the large number of transports taken up for the expedition to the North in 1860 made that year altogether an exceptional case. American tonnage has, it will be observed, decreased, while British shipping has increased proportionately. This may be in some measure due to the disturbed state of America, but doubtless the late treaty is showing itself in the extended commerce of Great Britain in these seas.
Emigration.
19. During the past year 37 vessels, aggregating 38,852 tons, and carrying 12,840 emigrants, of whom 993 were females, left this port for the following places :-
Males. Females. Total. 23 for San Francisco with 7,101 633 7,734 8 Sydney 2,809 ** 2,809 > 6 Demerara 1,937 360 2,297 11,847 993 12,840Being a decrease of 11 ships and 2,343 emigrants on the numbers of 1860. But this is explained by 2,038 emigrants having gone in 1860 to the newly-discovered gold fields of British Columbia, while there are none to that Colony for the last year; and there is also a decrease of emigrants to the Australian Colonies. The California returns show an increase of 494; and to the British West Indies there has been an increase of 984 emigrants during the year 1861.
20. During the same period 2,167 Chinese have returned to the Colony en route for their homes in China from the following places :-
Males. Females. Total. From San Francisco 1,158 23 1,181 Sydney and Melbourne 958 958 Singapore 28 28 2,144 23 2,16721. As an instance of the wealth which these enterprising and industrious people acquire at the gold fields I may instance the ship Minerva, which arrived here from Melbourne in September last with 350 Chinese passengers in possession of gold to the value of about 43,000£.
Sanitary.
22. The Colonial Surgeon's report, with the tables attached to it, (pages 209 to 227 of Blue Book,) show that the past year has been marked by the absence of violent extremes of temperature, and that the inhabitants of the Colony have experienced even a greater share of health than in the two immediately preceding years, which were themselves so remarkable for their healthfulness.
(Signed)
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.
I have, &c.
HERCULES G. R. ROBINSON.
&c.
&c.
&c.