No. 58.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Report of the Harbor Master, with Returns annexed, for the Year 1873, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 28th March, 1874.
J. Gardiner Austin, Colonial Secretary.
No. 23.
Harbor DepaRTMENT,
HONGKONG, 18th February, 1874.
SIR-I have the honor to forward the Annual Returns of this Department for the year ending the 31st December, 1873, as follows:-
I. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered.
II. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared.
III. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels of each Nation entered. IV. Number, Tontinge and Crews of Vessels of ench Nation cleared.
V. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered at each Port. VI. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared at cach Port. VII. Return of Junks entered from Macno.
VIII. Return of Junks cleared for Macno.
IX. Return of Junks entered at cach Port from China and Formosa. X. Return of Junks cleared at each Port for China and Formosa.
XI. Gross Total Number of Junks entered at each Port.
XII. Gross Total Number of Junks cleared at cach Port.
XIII. Return of Junks (Local Trade) entered.
XIV. Return of Junks (Local Trade) cleared.
XV. Suiminary of Arrivals and Departures of all Vessels, and of all Chinese Passengers. XVI. Return of Vessels registered.
XVII. Return of Vessels struck of the Register.
XVIII. Amount of Fees received under Ordinance No. 10 of 1860, (Imperial Registry).
XIX. Return of Chinese Passengers Ships, cleared by the Emigration Officer.
XX. Return of Vessels bringing Chinese Passengers to Hongkong from Places out of China. XXI. Return of Marine Cuses tried.
XXII. Dingrain showing the monthly Increase or Decrease of the Junk Trade.
SHIPPING.
1. There is a decrease in the number of vessels arriving at this Port during the year caused by the general stagnation of trade which seems to have prevailed almost everywhere, and Hongkong can scarcely expect to be freed from its effects.
2. Under the heading of Shipping, the Junk trade is not considered, each class being of sufficient importance to be separately treated. It will therefore be seen that, deducting native craft from the totals of all vessels, there is a decrease as compared with 1872 of 2.31 per cent in the number of vessels and of 7.17 per cent in tonnage on the arrivals in 1872. The decrease is not so great as would be expected, if we only judge by the few vessels which are now lying in the harbor in comparison with the number which used to be seen there in former years. The paucity of vessels now would But this is not so. Steam- lead many people to suppose that the trade of the place was dying out. ships have superseded Bailing vessels to such an extent that more constant action is necessitated than used to obtain in foriner years when sailing vessels arrived, discharged their cargo and crews, and were content to wait in a port where no dues were charged until something worth having turned up either here or elsewhere.