1876 — Page 212

[No. 30.]

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 21st February, 1877,

SIR-I have the honour to forward the Annual Returns of this Department connected with the Trade, &c., of the Colony for the year ending the 31st December, 1876.

I. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered. I. 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 Crows of Vessels entered at cach l'ort. VI. Total Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels cleared at each Port. VII. Return of Junks entered from Macno.

VIII. Return of Junks cleared for Maeno.

IX. Return of Junks entered at each Port from China and Forinosat. X. Return of Junks cleared at each Port for Chim and Formosu.

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. Suminary 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.

XX. 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. Under this healing, it is satisfactory to find that the number of vessels frequenting this Port continues to be on the increase, 2,113 more vessels of different descriptions, measuring 338,117 tons, having arrived in 1876 than entered the Port in the previous year. In my last Annual Report, I was enabled to show an improvement in the Trade of the Colony, and it is gratifying to report for the year 1876 in an equally encouraging manner.

3. Of the above mentioned numbers, the Junk trade absorbs 90.7 per cent. of vessels and 36.6 cent. of tonnage, but this trade will be dealt with in its proper place.

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4. Excluding the Junk trade, 2,867 vessels, incasuring 2,173,435 tons, entered the Port in 1876. being 6.84 per cent. of vessels and 9.86 per cent of tons more than arrived in 1875; and, dividing these arrivals into classes, it will be found that 76 per cent. of vessels, and 81.6 per cent. of tous wer steam-ships; and 24 per cent. of vessels, and 18.4 per cent. of tons were vessels propelled by sails alonc.

5. The Steam trade of the Colony is divided amongst the following nationalities in the statel proportions: 83.75 per cent. British; 4.31 per cent. French; 3.77 per cent, each German and Chinese: 1.74 per cent. each Danish and Spanish; and the remaining 0.92 per cent. are American, Dutchi, nal Russian.

6. The Port of Hoi-how in the Island of Hainan was opened for traile on the 1st April last, and since that date 27 vessels, with a capacity equal to 15, 195 tons, have been entered from that Port, which may be considered a very fair beginning.

7. The trade with Great Britain remains nearly the same; that with the Australian Colonies is also about the saine, 10 more British vessels having been entered as against 13 vessels less under foreign flags. The principal increase is with the Coast of China, Formosa nud Cochin China. With the Coast of China, a good deal of the increase is consequent on the competition for the Passenger and Cargo traffic between this and Canton and Macao. There is also a slight increase between this and! Sian and Japan.

JUNK TRADE.

8. There is an increase of 1,917 vessels and 123,724 tons with the Coast of China and Formosi and also an increase in the Local Trade, that between the villages on the Island, of 419 vessels and 15,643 tons; while there is a slight falling off in the Junk trade between this und Mucno, which may be accounted for by the additional steain accommodation which is now provided.

9. The fluctuations of the Junk trade are very uncertain and unaccountable.

A glance at the accompanying diagram will show a steady rise from 1867 to 1872, when there was a sudden fall in 1873 and 1874, rising again in 1875 and 1876.

EMIGRATION.

10. The gross emigration of Chinese for the year 1876 has been 1,802 persons less than left her in the previous year. 15,134 less Chinese left for California, and out of a total, of 14,031 leaving fr that State, only 52 were women.