was minted at Canton as well as to the amount of Hongkong coin minted largely in excess of the needs of the Colony by itself. In 1905 the Hongkong Government ceased to issue any subsidiary coin and in 1906 it began a policy of demonetising all its subsidiary coin received as revenue. This policy has been continuously followed since except during a brief period in 1911. Coin to the 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 1917 amounted to 621,090 vessels of 34,105,067 tons, which, compared with the figures for 1916, shows a decrease of 21,704 vessels, with a decrease of 2,276,390 tons.
Of the above, 48,026 vessels of 20,547,119 tons were engaged in Foreign Trade, as compared with 48,350 vessels of 22,308,311 tons in 1916, and were distributed as follows:-
1917 1916 1917 1916 Numbers Numbers Tonnage Tonnage British Ocean-going ships 7.7% 6.3% 30.8% 25.3% Foreign Ocean-going ships 7.8 8.6 30.7 34.6 British River Steamers 14.6 13.8 18.5 19.5 Foreign River Steamers 4.7 3.4 4.7 4.1 Steam Launches (under 60 tons) 13.3 13.6 0.9 0.9 Trading Junks 51.9 54.3 14.3 15.6 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0N.B. The movements of Fishing Junks are not included in this table.
Of vessels of European construction, 3,570 Ocean Steamers, 3 Sailing Ships, 4,135 River Steamers, and 3,223 Steamships not exceeding 60 tons entered during the year, giving a daily average of 29.9 ships, as compared with 31.9 in 1916, and 31.6 in 1915.
The average tonnage of individual Ocean Vessels entering the Port has increased from 2,238.9 tons to 2,264.9 tons. That of British Ships has decreased from 2,559.7 tons to 2,472.0 tons, while that of Foreign Ships has increased from 2,032.2 tons to 2,042.0 tons.
The average tonnage of individual River Steamers entering during the year has decreased from 453.0 tons to 310.2 tons.