Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL.
and prices continued to rule below the parity of those at the producing centres. Later in the year the demand improved and prices rose steadily. Large sales were effected, leaving a fair margin of profit to importers, while the Chinese dealers did very well indeed on their purchases. Stocks became abnormally reduced, and the year closed with an improving tendency. In May last the local cotton mill found it advisable to resume full working, but the difficulty in procuring adequate labour prevented the company from taking full advantage of the improvement in demand. The bulk of the production was sold direct to Shanghai and the northern ports.
Rope-Manufacturing Industry.—The remarks made last year on the rope-manufacturing industry apply in some measures to the year 1908. Conditions have not altered much in either direction, prices have been reduced to customers, and there is a larger demand with increased output.
Cement Industry.—The conditions under which this industry has been carried on have been much the same as in 1907, and there has been a good demand throughout the year.
Hong Kong Milling Company, Limited.—The flour mills at Junk Bay were not running for the greater part of 1908.
Oriental Brewery, Limited.—A recently-established industry is that of the Oriental Brewery, Limited, at Lai-chi-kok. This brewery will shortly place its product on the market, and its capacity is about 100,000 barrels per annum.
Engineering and Shipbuilding.—This section of the Colony's industry was carried on under adverse circumstances. The great trade depression from which the local shipping suffered severely made its influence felt in this industry, and the amount of new construction turned out by the local companies was not very encouraging.
In regard to war vessels, the active operation of the floating docks at Tsingtau and at Olongapo in the Philippine Islands, installed by the German and United States Governments respectively, was responsible for the continuance of a very large falling off in the docking and repairing of foreign war vessels, the tonnages dealt with by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock for 1906, 1907, and 1908 being 64,318, 3,692, and 3,652 respectively, with apparently no prospect of future improvement. The tonnage of British war vessels docked was on a level with those prevailing during the year immediately preceding.
Work in the nature of large repairs to steamers was scarce during the earlier half of the year. The typhoon in July, however, contributed to a large extent towards the improvement experienced in this direction during the latter half.
During the year a large dock, built by Messrs. Butterfield and Swire at Quarry Bay, was opened. It is 787 feet long, 88 feet wide at the top of the entrance, and 81 feet 8 inches at the sill. There are 35 feet over the sill at ordinary high water. In addition to the dock there are three slipways, one of them about 950 feet long and 80 feet broad, capable of lifting vessels up to 3,000 tons weight.
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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL.
and prices continued to rule below the parity of those at the pro- ducing centres. Later in the year the demand improved and prices rose steadily. Large sales were effected, leaving a fair margin of profit to importers, while the Chinese dealers did very well indeed on their purchases. Stocks became abnormally re- duced, and the year closed with an improving tendency. In May last the local cotton mill found it advisable to resume full working, but the difficulty in procuring adequate labour prevented the com- pany from taking full advantage of the improvement in demand. The bulk of the production was sold direct to Shanghai and the northern ports.
Rope-Manufacturing Industry.—The remarks made last year on the rope-manufacturing industry apply in some measures to the year 1908. Conditions have not altered much in either direction, prices have been reduced to customers, and there is a larger demand with increased output.
Cement Industry.-The conditions under which this industry 'has been carried on have been much the same as in 1907, and there has been a good demand throughout the year.
Hong Kong Milling Company, Limited.-The flour mills at Junk Bay were not running for the greater part of 1908.
Oriental Brewery, Limited.-A recently-established industry is that of the Oriental Brewery, Limited, at Lai-chi-kok. This brewery will shortly place its product on the market, and its capacity is about 100,000 barrels per annum.
*
Engineering and Shipbuilding.-This section of the Colony's industry was carried on under adverse circumstances. The great trade depression from which the local shipping suffered severely made its influence felt in this industry, and the amount of new construction turned out by the local companies was not very encouraging.
In regard to war vessels, the active operation of the floating docks at Tsingtau and at Olongapo in the Philippine Islands, in- stalled by the German and United States Governments respec- tively, was responsible for the continuance of a very large falling off in the docking and repairing of foreign war vessels, the tonnages dealt with by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock for 1906, 1907, and 1908 being 64,318, 3,692, and 3,652 respectively, with apparently no prospect of future improvement. The tonnage of British war vessels docked was on a level with those prevailing during the year immediately preceding.
Work in the nature of large repairs to steamers was scarce dur- ing the earlier half of the year. The typhoon in July, however, contributed to a large extent towards the improvement experienced in this direction during the latter half.
During the year a large dock, built by Messrs. Butterfield and Swire at Quarry Bay, was opened. It is 787 feet long, 88 feet wide at the top of the entrance, and 81 feet 8 inches at the sill. There are 35 feet over the sill at ordinary high water. In addition to the dock there are three slipways, one of them about 950 feet long and 80 feet broad, capable of lifting vessels up to 3,000 tons weight.
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