E 2
Foreign
9.2.1 13.8,,
Of this total 45,437 ships of 22,306,037 tons were engaged in Foreign trade, and were distributed as follows : —
1908 1907 % No. % No. British Ocean vessels 3.3 8.5 3.4 11 33.7 31.4 **British River Steamers** **13.7** **6,246** **15.1** **6,828** 19.2 20.1 Foreign Ocean 9.1 4,132 10.2 4,621 33.2 33.5 Foreign River Steamers 2.9 1,297 2.9 1,310 3.3 3.2 Steamships not exceeding 60 tons 8.9 4,060 3.3 1,531 0.8 0.3 Trading Junks 56.9 23,883 56.9 29,564 9.8 11.5 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%The movements of Fishing junks are not included in these figures.
2. Seven thousand seven hundred and fifty (7,750) steamers, eleven (11) sailing ships, and two thousand and thirty (2,030) steamships not exceeding 60 tons, in Foreign trade, entered during the year, giving a daily average entry of 26.8, as compared with 24.8 in 1907.
3. The average tonnage of Ocean vessels visiting the Port has again increased, from 2,325.3 tons to 2,443.6 tons. That of British vessels has increased from 2,552.2 tons to 2,593.06 tons, while that of Foreigners has increased from 2,136.8 tons to 2,309.9 tons.
In this connection, it is interesting to note that, during the past 20 years the average tonnage of Ocean vessels visiting the Colony has risen from 1,186.9 tons to 2,448.6 tons.
The average tonnage of River steamers entered during 1908 was 665.5 tons as against 661 tons in 1907. British River steamers have increased in average tonnage from 678 tons to 686.5 tons, while Foreigners have again decreased, from 567 tons to 565.2 tons.
4. A comparison between the years 1907 and 1908 is given in the following table :—
1907 1908 Increase Decrease Class of Vessel No. Tonnage No. Tonnage No. Tonnage No. Tonnage British Ocean-going 3,756 7,216,169 3,869 7,505,270 113 289,101 Foreign Ocean 4,621 7,720,875 4,132 7,397,836 489 323,039 British River Steamers 6,828 4,630,361 6,246 4,287,182 582 342,882 Foreign River Steamers 1,310 743,992 1,297 733,065 13 10,927 Steamships under 60 tons (Foreign Trade) 1,531 70,021 4,060 181,142 2,479 111,121 Junks in Foreign Trade 29,564 2,651,470 23,883 2,201,242 3,731 450,228 Total 45,437 22,306,037 Steam launches plying in waters of the Colony 47,660 23,032,891 2,592 400,222 Junks in Local Trade 419,202 11,216,532 445,724 10,460,682 26,522 755,850 40,772 1,778,887 40,951 1,848,522 179 69,635 Grand Total 507,634 36,028,310 512,112 34,613,241 29,293 469,857 4,815 1,882,020 NETT 24,478 1,413,069* Including 18,090 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 820,958 tons.
† Including 16,808 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 762,256 tons.
5. This table shows an increase in British Ocean shipping, entered and cleared during the year, of 113 ships of 289,101 tons. This increase appears to indicate a very considerable revival of trade during the last quarter of the year after the general depression; for in each of the first three quarters decreases were shown as compared with the corresponding periods of 1907.
British River steamers are shown to have decreased by 582 entries and clearances with a collective tonnage of 342,882 tons. This decrease is due to the loss of two large, regularly running, steamers, the "Powan" and "Yingking", and the withdrawal of a third, the "Hoi Sang", from the run, during the year.