1877 — Page 234

No. 78.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Annual Report of the Harbour Master, with Returns annexed, for the year 1877, is published for general information.

By Command,

J. M. PRICE, Acting Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 20th April, 1878.

[No. 41.]

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 5th March, 1878.

SIR, I have the honour to forward the Annual Returns of this Department connected with the Trude, &c., of the Colony for the year ending the 31st December, 1877.

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 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 cach 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.

XX. Return of Vessels bringing Chinese Passengers to Hongkong from Places out of China. XXI. Return of Marine Cases tried.

XXII. Diagrain of Tonnage of Vessels entered.

SHIPPING.

2. I am this year again able to report favourably on the trade of the Colony. The returns show that in the year 1877, 2,869 vessels, excluding junks, measuring 2,445,755 tons were entered at this Office. This is an increase on 1876 of but 2 vessels only, but the amount of tonnage shows an increase of 272,320 tons. This increase is partly due to two River Steamers having been re-measured in February last, when it was discovered that their tonnage had previously not been correctly calculated.

73.5

3. Of the above number of vessels entering the Port, 2,109 vessels measuring 1,982,123 tons, or per cent. of ships and 80.96 per cent. of the tonnage were steamers; and this proportion is divided follows:-British, 1,789 vessels and 1,616,276 tons, or 84.83 and 81.54 per cent. respectively; French, 88 vessels and 159,192 tons, or 4.17 und 8.03 per cent. respectively; German, 84 vessels and 66,820 tons, or 3.98 and 3.37 per cent. respectively; Chinese, 80 vessels and 67,417 tons, or 3.79 and per cent. respectively; Spanish, 41 vessels and 16,178 tons, or 1.94 and 0.82 per cent, respectively; the remaining 27 vessels and 56,240 tons, or 1.29 and 2.84 per cent. respectively are American, Danish,

3.40

and Dutch.