face value of $22,735,459 has thus been redeemed. The total issue by the Hongkong Government was of the face value of about $44,000,000.
II.—TRADE AND SHIPPING, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE, AND LAND.
(a.)—SHIPPING AND TRADE.
The total of the Shipping entering and clearing at Ports in the Colony during the year 1916 amounted to 642,794 vessels of 36,381,457 tons, which, compared with the figures for 1915, shows an increase of 111,192 vessels, with an increase of 2,496,538 tons.
Of the above, 48,350 vessels of 22,308,311 tons were engaged in Foreign Trade, as compared with 50,148 vessels of 22,515,023 tons in 1915, and were distributed as follows:
1915 Numbers 1916 Numbers 1915 Tonnage 1916 Tonnage British Ocean-going ships 7.9% 7.7% 32.7% 30.8% Foreign Ocean-going ships 7.3 7.8 31.1 30.7 British River Steamers 13.3 14.6 17.8 18.5 Foreign River Steamers 3.8 4.7 4.1 4.7 Steam Launches (under 60 tons) 13.7 13.3 1.1 1.0 Trading Junks 54.0 51.9 13.2 14.3 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0N.B. The movements of Fishing Junks are not included in the above figures.
Of vessels of European construction, 3,760 Ocean Steamers, 1 Sailing Ship, 4,669 River Steamers, and 3,206 Steam Launches entered during the year, giving a daily average entry of 319 ships, as compared with 316 in 1915, and 324 in 1914.
The average tonnage of individual Ocean Vessels entering the Port has decreased from 2,519.9 tons to 2,238.9 tons. That of British Ships has decreased from 2,625 tons to 2,559.7 tons, while that of Foreign Ships has also decreased from 2,441.2 tons to 2,032.2 tons.
During the past 20 years the average tonnage of Ocean-going Vessels has increased from 1,319 tons to 1,826 tons.
The average tonnage of River Steamers entering during the year has decreased from 486.9 tons to 453 tons.
That of British River Steamers has decreased from 519.3 tons to 511.2 tons, and that of Foreign River Steamers has decreased from 414.4 tons to 364 tons.