1887-1903
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
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tonnage of vessels entering the port of Victoria during 1888, 6,400,410 tons, shows a slight falling off from the returns for 1887, 6,401,837 tons. In view (1) of the diminished export of tea from China in consequence of the competition of India and Ceylon; and (2) of the serious checks given to Chinese emigration in the United States and the Australian Colonies, with the contraction of trade thereby occasioned, it might have been expected that the shipping returns would have been much more seriously affected. But though, probably as the result of these causes, the tonnage of European vessels, fell from 4,607,914 to 4,536,442 tons, it will be seen that that of junks rose from 1,793,923 to 1,863,968 tons, so that the decrease of trade in one direction was almost entirely compensated by increase in another. It should be noted that the shipping returns of this Colony are very far from merely indicating the entry of steamers for the purpose of coal supply, as is probably the case with the greater portion of the large tonnage returned by some of the Mediterranean ports. For Hong Kong is the terminus not only of the whole of the junk trade (in 1888 1,863,968 tons) and of nearly all of the European and American sailing ships entering, but also of many lines of Ocean steamers, including three trading to America, two to Australia, one to Calcutta, two to Europe (the Austrian Lloyd's and Florio Rubattino), and others to Manilla, Borneo, Siam, and the coast ports of China; while of the steamships of the other great lines, the P. & O., the Messageries Maritimes, the German Lloyd's, the "Ocean," "Glen," "Shire," and "Ben" Lines, which proceed onwards to Shanghai or Japan, there are very few which do not leave here on the outward voyage, and take in on the homeward a considerable portion of their cargo.
Afforestation.
41. The work of afforestation, begun in 1881, is being still continued. According to a return furnished by Mr. Ford, the Superintendent of the Department, 374,882 trees were planted in 1887 and 682,325 in 1888, the number planted altogether having been 5,676,207. In so far as I have been able to judge from personal observation, a very large proportion of these plants have either failed altogether or are merely stunted shrubs,
I am awaiting a report from Mr. Ford as to the actual extent of success, with the causes of failure, before considering what measures should be taken under the circumstances.
Gaols.
42. It is satisfactory to note that the number of prisoners in the gaol, which was 4,600 in 1886, fell to 4,308 in 1887 and to 3,627 in 1888, the daily average having similarly fallen from 674 in 1886 to 584 in 1887 and to 531 in 1888, the total decrease in both cases being over 20 per cent. The returns of prisoners tried in the courts show also falling off, which, if it may be taken to
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