53.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Report of the Harbor Master, with Returns annexed, for the Year 1874, is published general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 25th March, 1875.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
HARBOR DEPARTMENT,
HONGKONG, 25th February, 1875.
SI-I have the honor to forward the Annual Returns of this Department for the year ending 81st December, 1874, together with some remarks which suggest themselves on a perusal of be Statistics of the Trade of the Colony.
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, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels of each Nation cleared.
V. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered at each Port. VI. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared at each Port. VII. Return of Junks entered from Macao.
VIII. Return of Junks cleared for Macao.
IX. Return of Junks entered at each 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 each Port.
XIII. Return of Junks (Local Trade) entered.
XIV. Return of Junks (Local Trade) cleared.
XV. Summary of Arrivals and Departures of all Vessels, and of all Chinese Passengers, XVI. Return of Vessels registered.
XVII. Return of Vessels struck off the Register.
XVIII. Amount of Fees received under Ordinance No. 10 of 1860, (Imperial Registry).
XIX. Return of Chinese Passenger Ships cleared by the Emigration Officer.
XI. Return of Vessels bringing Chinese Passengers to Hongkong from Places out of China XXI. Return of Marine Cases tried.
XXII. Diagram showing the monthly Increase or Decrease of the Junk Trade.
SHIPPING:
2. In the grand total of the arrivals and departures of every class of vessel trading with the ort, there is a great falling off, amounting to 10,072 vessels and 654,764 tons. Of this decrease, 6.8 per cent of vessels and 63.4 per cent of ions are due to the falling off of the trade in native pitpins, leaving 3.2 per cent of vessels and 36.6 per cent of tous due to the decrease in tonnage ng and leaving in foreign bottoms. The tonnage of foreign vessels as at present constructed, aves but an uncertain idea of the quantity of goods which are either landed here, or pass through a the same ship en route to the more Northern Ports: for we find the carrying capacity of the larger lass of steamers much in excess of their Register tonnage.
3. Although the disparity between the measurement and carrying capacity of vessels will, in a degree, account for the great decrease in tonnage in foreign bottons, and the Typhoon of last Sep- ember will account for some of the very serious reduction in the number of Junks frequenting Port, there is no doubt but that the trade with the Colony has considerably diminished during The last three years.