4. The arrivals entered in Table 1 exhibit the large increase in the trade of the Colony, of 3,503 vessels, 941,240 tons, and 69,144 men, of which, the Junk trade shows an increase to the extent of 2,849 vessels, measuring 363,104 tous, leaving the increase of trade in foreign vessels at 654 vessels and 578,186 tons; of the latter increase, 65 per cent is in British tonnage, and 35 per cent is in tonuage of other nationalities.
5. Of the increase in the trade alluded to in the preceding paragraph I find that that in the trade between this Port and the Ports of China and Formosa is the largest, it being 707,271 tons in of the arrivals in 1870, Chinese Junks laying claim to 42 per cent of this, British vessels to 36.6 per cent, and foreigu vessels to 21.4 per cent.
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6. There is also a total increase of 189,195 tons on the trade of Hongkong with the following, Countries:-Australia and New Zealand at the rate of 12.1 per cent, Great Britain 48.7 per cent, India and Singapore 24 per cent, Siam 8.3 per cent, and the United States of America 6.9 per cent; whilst there is a decrease of 49,179 tons in trade with Japan. The places not mentioned remain nearly the same.
7. In separating the steam tonnage from the tonnage of sailing vessels, I have not considered the native craft, as Chinese merchants had not, up to the end of 1872, adopted the use of their native flag on such steamers as they owned. The amount of tonnage of sailing and steam vessels under other flags is 1,905,866 tons, of which 1,216,223 tons are propelled with the aid of steam; 76 per cent of this latter tonnage is under the British Flag; 10 per cent is under the French Flag; 7.5 per cent is under the Flag of the United States; and 4.5 per cent is under the Gerruan Flag. The remainder of the percentage consists of Spanish and other vessels.
8. I trust steps will shortly be taken to bring the large steam trade of the Colony under periodical official inspection.
9. It is to be observed that in the foregoing statement I have referred only to vessels engaged in trade outside the Colony entering the Port. If, to the 31,394 vessels arrived in 1872 be added the departures, which, in the same year were 30,875 vessels; and if again to this sun we add the arrivals and departures of those engaged in the local trade alone, it will be seen that the movements of about 75,000 vessels, ineasuring nearly 8,000,000 tons have been recorded by this Department during fle year under review. This total excludes the movements of the 2,000 fishing vessels licensed under Ordinance No. 6 of 1866, which, under certain conditions, are allowed undisturbed ingress and egress.
10. Comparisons have been made between the cost of administering the Government Departments now and their cost in former days, the year 1863 being taken as the model year.
11. I find, so far as this Department is concerned, on reference to the records, that in 1863, 1.822 vessels, measuring 894,924 tons, manned by 29,561 seamen, arrived in this port., These were British and foreign ships only, the movements of Junks not being noticed in those days, with a result to which the Police piracy reports will testify.
12. The records for 1872 show that 1,232 more British and foreign vessels, measuring 1,010.942 tons, manned by 81,465 seamen, arrived in that year than came here in 1863. This alone is sufficient to account for some of the increased expenses of this Department, but when to this increase of work is added the boarding and recording the movements of 28,340 native Craft, all wonder at the greater expenditure must cease.
13. Ordinance No. 4 of 1867 (Gunpowder Storage) has also added to the duties and cost of the Department.
14. In 1863 the Departmental revenue about balanced the expenditure. In 1872 the revenue exceeded the expenditure by $20,226.
15. I am much gratified to find that steps are being taken for the crection of light-houses to mark the approaches to Hongkong, for, although the port and its vicinity are nearly entirely free from hidden dangers, it is important that the Masters of the numerous ships frequenting these waters should be enabled, under almost any circumstances of weather, so to distinguish the neighbouring groups of islands as to ensure them a certain means of reaching the Port of Hongkong, no matter whether bound to it, or seeking its harbour as a place of refuge.
16. I regret having to call attention to the number of casualties that have happened in 1872 to vessels frequenting Hongkong. In nearly all the cases that have come under my observation I find that the use of the lead has not received that attention by which safe navigation may almost always be ensured, and to this oversight, much more than to the existence of unknown rocks, do I attribute the casualties which every one must deplore.
17. A desire to outdo rival ships in the rapidity of their movements too frequently leads energetic shipmaster to sacrifice safety and security to his anxiety to make a quick passage.
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