CO129-183 - Public Offices & Others - 1878 — Page 23

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carried on by them at that Port: It would appear that about 8, vos craft, Varying in size from small boats & Het in length, to cargo lighters of so tins each, and containing in sit about 12, vos Chinese-men, Women and children are engaged in various pursuits connected with the Ports

These seople live entrere afloat. making their boats their homes, and forming industrial Section of the community.

The

a distinct and isciated.

rapid growth of the trade of the Colony, as a depot in Chinese, and

for Mtur merchandize, leads to a that the numbers of this boat and Gerich

punk popucation are not likely to decrease.

The Harbour of Victoria is

Effects of

descrived in the Admiralty sailing Emphoms directions as being one of the safest in"

Lie World, and although Breaking

With

Generally

regard

this is no doubt-Corrad

to Well formed vessels,

Considerable

Conditions

Considerable havor has been occasioned at different times amongst the boats and

soin

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Small Craft ahon the occurrence of byphoons, and more particularly so in the case of the exceptional impest of September 1874, When the drowned bodies of 712 Chinese-men Women and Children were found; the actual loss of life, owing to boats and junks Laving been sunk in the Harbour,

and others driven to sea of which nothing was allerwards known, being estimated at three times that number. heiter availabre

When the approach of a now present to thoon is foreshadowed by a falling

barometer and other indications, the ount population are varned of the Approaching danger, and swell of them as are able, make their way to the north side of the Harbour, where they generally obtain

fairly safe positions under the shelter of Lotion Peninsula and Stone butter's Island.

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