This is due to vessels which were under Government control being released, and to newly built ships and Enemy ships which were sold or transferred to British ship-owners being put on the Eastern trade.
British River Steamers have decreased by 364 ships with an increase in tonnage of 3,204 tons or 6.6 per cent. in numbers and 0.1 per cent. in tonnage.
The decrease in ships is due to the s.s. "Chuen Chow" being laid up during the latter part of the year and to the s.s. "Hoi Ming" being transferred to the Chinese flag. The decrease in tonnage is due to the alteration in tonnage of the s.s. "Fatshan", "Kinshan" and "Heungshan".
Foreign Ocean-going vessels have increased by 144 ships with an increase of 1,597,729 tons or 2.7 per cent. in numbers and 20.9 per cent. in tonnage. This is due to the large amount of American vessels frequenting the Port. Enemy vessels being sold or transferred to Foreign ship-owners and also to several newly built Chinese and Norwegian vessels being put on the Coastal trade.
Foreign River Steamers show an increase of 142 ships with a decrease in tonnage of 14,409 tons or 8.9 per cent. in numbers and 2.4 per cent. in tonnage. This is due to the s.s. "Hoi Ming" formerly British owned being transferred to the Chinese flag being now named the s.s. "Tung Sing", also to two newly built steamers the s.s. "Leung Kwong" and "Kong Chow" being put on the West River run.
The decrease in tonnage is due to the s.s. "Tin Sing" being seized by the Cantonese Government and a number of Chinese vessels being unable to run frequently owing to Hostilities in the West River waters.
In steamships not exceeding 60 tons employed in Foreign Trade, there is a decrease of 7 ships with an increase in tonnage of 559 tons or 0.1 per cent. in numbers and 3.4 per cent. in tonnage. The increase is most prominent in vessels trading to Macao due to the Steam-launches "Hau Hoi 1" and "On Chai" running regularly for the best part of the year.
Junks in Foreign Trade show an increase of 1,156 vessels and an increase of 20,750 tons or 5.6 per cent. in numbers and 0.8 per cent. in tonnage. This is due to more junks of smaller tonnage visiting this Port.
In Local Trade, (i.e. between places within the waters of the Colony) there is an increase in Steam-launches of 32,880 tons (not percentage) and an increase of 1,270,246 tons or 5.6 per cent. in numbers and 9.5 per cent. in tonnage.
This is due to the decreasing cost of coal; Launches which had been laid up, were again employed.
Junks in Local Trade show an increase of 70 vessels and an increase of 115,219 tons or 0.3 per cent. in numbers and 9.5 per cent. in tonnage. This is due to a great number of junks being employed on reclamation work.