# D 14
4.—Steam-launches.
18. On the 31st December, there were 303 Steam-launches (including Motor Boats) employed in the Harbour. Of these, 129 were licensed for conveyance of passengers, &c., 134 were privately owned, 18 were the property of the Government and 22 belonged to the Imperial Government, comprising 4 Military and 18 Naval.
Nine Masters' Certificates were suspended for incompetency or negligence in the performance of their duties; 3 were suspended for 3 months, and were required to be re-examined before their certificates were returned; 1 was suspended for six months; 2 were suspended for 1 month and were required to come up for instruction at the expiration of that time; 2 were suspended for 1 month and 2 months respectively and were required to come up for examination at the expiration of those times and 1 was ordered to re-pass the examination before his certificate was returned.
Five hundred and fifteen (515) engagements and four hundred and sixty-six (466) discharges of masters and engineers were made during the year.
As in 1910, 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 thirty-five thousand five hundred and sixty-five (135,565) Emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year 1911 (111,058 in 1910).
Of these, 98,691 were carried in British Ships, and 42,874 in Foreign Ships.
These figures show a substantial increase over 1910 of 24,507 (or 22%) which can be accounted for in the same way as last year; providing labour for rubber plantations in the Federated Malay States.
One hundred and forty-nine thousand eight hundred and ninety-four (149,894) 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 149,564 in 1910. Of these 112,328 arrived in British Ships, and 37,566 in Foreign Ships.
6.—Registry, &c., of Shipping.
20. During the year, 20 ships were registered under the provisions of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, and 4 Certificates of Registry were cancelled. 111 Documents, &c., were dealt with in connection with the Act, the fees on which amounted to $846 as compared with $1,458 in 1910.