# D 15
4.—Steam-launches.
18. On the 31st December, there were 291 Steam-launches (including 9 Motor Boats) employed in the Harbour. Of these, 128 were licensed for conveyance of passengers, &c., 123 were privately owned, 18 were the property of the Government and 22 belonged to the Imperial Government, comprising 4 Military and 18 Naval.
Twelve Masters' Certificates were suspended for incompetency or negligence in the performance of their duties; 5 were suspended for 3 months, of whom 2 were required to re-pass their examination before certificates returned, 1 was suspended for 2 months, and was required to re-pass the examination before certificate returned, 4 were suspended for 1 month of whom 2 were required to re-pass the Rules of the Road before certificates returned, 2 were temporarily suspended until they could satisfy the examiner in the Rules of the Road.
Five hundred and seventeen (517) engagements and Four hundred and fifty-seven (457) discharges of Masters and Engineers were made during the year.
As in 1909, seven (7) steam-launches were permitted to carry Arms, &c., for their protection against pirates. These were all previously allowed.
5.—Emigration and Immigration.
19. One hundred and eleven thousand and fifty-eight (111,058) Emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year 1910 (77,430 in 1909).
Of these, 79,851 were carried in British Ships and 31,207 in Foreign Ships.
These figures show the large increase, compared with those for 1909, of 33,628 (or 43.4%) which is accounted for by the largely increased Emigration to the Federated Malay States to provide labour for the Rubber plantations.
One hundred and forty-nine thousand five hundred and sixty-four (149,564) returning emigrants are reported to have been brought to Hongkong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from Coast Ports, as against 144,821 in 1909. Of these 108,346 arrived in British Ships, and 41,218 in Foreign Ships.
6.—Registry, &c., of Shipping.
20. During the year, 19 ships were registered under the provisions of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, and 6 Certificates of Registry were cancelled. 152 Documents, &c., were dealt with in connection with the Act, the fees on which amounted to $1,458 as compared with $593 in 1909.
Page 90
Page 91