REGISTRY OF SHIPPING.
17. Nineteen vessels were registered, and six vessels withdrawn from the Registry of this Port during the year.
MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.
18. Thirty-seven cases only were tried during the year; refusal of duty and assault on board ship being the chief offences. This speaks well for the good order and discipline of the ships visiting the Colony.
EXAMINATIONS FOR THE POSTS OF MASTERS, MATES, AND ENGINEERS, UNDER SECTION 15 OF ORDINANCE 8 OF 1879.
19. The following list will show the number of Candidates who passed, and of those who failed in obtaining Certificates of Competency.
RANK PASSED FAILED Masters, 10 ... First Mates, 15 ... Only Mates..... ... ... Second Mates, 5 ... First Class Engineers, 31 23 Second Class Engineers, 35 5820. Officers in the Mercantile Marine complain that Hongkong Certificates are not recognised in the Australian Colonies. This is a grievance which I hoped would have been rectified before now by Hongkong being brought within the provisions of 32 and 33 Vict. Chap. 63, Sec. 10.
MARINE COURTS, UNDER SECTION 13 OF ORDINANCE 8 OF 1879.
21. The following Courts have been held during the year :-
1. On the 7th February, 1883,-Inquiry as to the burning and scuttling of the British Steam-ship Carisbrooke, Official number 65,463 of Singapore, in the harbour of Hong-kong. The Master's (MORRIS GEORGE SCOTT) Certificate of Competency was returned. This vessel was subsequently raised, and is now being fitted for sea.
2. On the 18th April, 1883,-Inquiry as to the loss of the British Steam-ship Minard Castle, Official number 85,115 of London, on a sunken rock 600 yards East of the Island of Cheung Chau in the West Lamma Channel. The Master's (RICHARD SKINNER) Certificate of Competency was suspended for nine months, and that of the Third Mate (JOHN MULLEN) was suspended for three months.
3. On the 4th August, 1883,-Inquiry as to the loss of the British Steam-ship Spark, Official number 64,093 of Hongkong, on Cape Cami, Island of Hainan. The Master's (ARCHIBALD HUGH BROOKE ROSE) Certificate of Competency was suspended for two years.
4. On the 23rd October, 1883,-Inquiry as to the grounding and abandonment of the British Ship G. C. Trufant, Official number 70,696 of London, at Port Barton in the North West part of the Palawan Island. The Master's (GAMALIEL THOMAS) Certificate of Competency was returned. This Ship was afterwards floated and taken to Manila. On her voyage from that Port to Hongkong the vessel foundered, the crew, with the exception of one man, arriving at Macao in the Ship's boats.
SEAMEN.
22. 9,223 Seamen of all Nationalities were shipped, and 10,081 were discharged in the year 1883. The excess of men discharged over men shipped is caused by some of the former being sent to England and Australia as distressed seamen, and others leaving the Colony without notifying their departure.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary, &c.,
&c.
H. G. THOMSETT, R.N.,
Harbour Master, &c.