125
REGISTRY OF SHIPPING.
12. Four vessels have been registered, and seven have been struck off the register books of this Colony, during the year under review.
MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.
13. The cases tried in this Court are the same as in 1880, the principal offences being Drunken- ness, Refusal of Duty, and Assault.
EXAMINATIONS FOR THE POSTS OF MASTERS, MATES AND ENGINEERS, UNDER SECTION XV OF ORDINANCE No. 8 OF 1879.
14. The following lists will show the number of Candidates who passed, and those who failed in obtaining Certificates ot Competency :-
GENERAL.
17. It may not be out of place in reporting on the Marine of the Colony to call attention to what is, and has long since been admitted as a great want, a Time Ball for the benefit of Shipmasters.
As there is some delay in building the contemplated Observatory at Kowloon, I take the oppor- tunity of suggesting that the Colonial Government should make an application to the Naval Authorities with a view to a Ball being dropped daily at one o'clock on board II. M. S. 'Victor Emanuel. Ships are now so short a time in Port that the Captains are unable to regulate their Chronometers in the I would submie old fashion of landing them to be rated by Messrs. FALCONER, NOBLE, and others. that, if Vice-Admiral WILLES, C.B., the Commander-in-Chief, consents to the arrangement, the Officer having charge of this duty be paid for his responsibility out of the Light Dues, which are ample to meet this charge.
Masters,.
First Mates,
Only Mates,
Second Mates,
RANK.
First Class Engineers, ·
Second Class Engineers,
PASSED.
FAILED.
41
17
10
3589
2
003 - 0
73
9
27
22
49
MARINE COURTS, UNDER SECTION XIII OF ORDINANCE No. 8 or 1879.
15. The following Courts have been held during the year-
1. On the 14th May, 1881,-inquiry as to the stranding of the British Steam-ship Lorne, Official number 62,297 of Leith, on the right bank of the River Han near Peaked Rock, at the entrance to Swatow. The Master's (JOHN MCKECHNIE) Certificate of Competency was returned.
2. On the 23rd May, 1881,-inquiry as to the stranding of the British Steam-ship Hailoong, Official number 65,082 of Aberdeen, on the South point of the Island of Quemoy near the Port of Amoy. The Master's (WILLIAM YOUNG HUNTER) Certificate of Competency was suspended for six months.
3. On the 17th October, 1881,-inquiry as to the loss of the British barque Bolton Abbey, Official number 49,896 of Liverpool, on the South-east side of the Pratas Shoal. The Master's (JOHN WILLIAMS) Certificate of Competency was returned.
4. On the 24th October, 1881,-inquiry as to the loss of the British ship Geraldine Paget, Official number 63,572 of London, on the South-east side of the Pratas Shoal. The Master's (STEPHEN WILKINSON) Certificate of Competency was returned.
In the case of the Bolton Abbey the members of the Court expressed themselves as follows:-
"The Court cannot too strongly express their opinion that the Pratas Shoal should be "provided with lights. The Shoal was surveyed in 1858; and, being in the track "of the numerous ships navigating the China Sea, has been a fruitful source of disaster, as is evidenced by the many vessels wrecked on this highly dangerous "and as yet unmarked Shoal."
66
The members of the Court of enquiry into the case of the Geraldine Paget expressed themselves as follows:-
"We repeat the opinion given at the recent Marine Court of enquiry that the Pratas
Shoal should be efficiently lit up."
SEAMEN.
16. 6,940 Seamen of all nationalities were shipped, and 7,281 were discharged in the The excess of discharges over men shipped is caused by the former leaving the Colony without year 1881. notifying their departure.
FEES.
18. The fees collected by this Department during the year were as follows:-
Emigration fees, under Ordinance No. 5 of 1874, No. 5 of 1876, and No.
of 1878,.
$ C.
21,839.25
Fees under Section
Do.
V
""
++
Do.
VII
Do.
XV
"
Do.
XVI
21
Do.
XXXIV
13
III of Ordinance 8 of 1879, Registry of Ships,
Survey and measurement of Ships, 7,231.17
do.
382.50 under 50 tons,
Examination Masters, Mates, &c.,... 2,090.00
Light dues, (et paid by Chinese
Juuks
°), ................................ 20,755,14
317.00
Shipping Seamen,
6,940.00
Do.
XXXVII
"
"
Do.
XXXVIII
23
"
Do.
XXXIX
11
Do.
XLIV
31
Sale of Printed forms,
+
Storage of Gunpowder, Registration &c. of Junks(Junks only Cargo-boats' Certificates, Harbour Regulations, Sale of,
487.00
61.00
814.50
Total,............
..$98,544.41
..17,787.35
by Chinese
*),19,839.50
It will be seen from the above return that, although Chinese Junks pay for licences, &c., under Section 38, they are exempt from the payment of light dues under Section 34, and that the difference was, for the last year, $915.64 in their favour.
BREAKWATER.
19. The construction of the Break water for the Harbour of Refuge is progressing, but to make this Refuge complete it will be necessary to dredge a considerable portion of the inclosed
foreshore is
dredging machine, if the Colony possessed one, would always find employment, pace. A good
constantly silting up, forming an embankment along the Praya, which, at low water, not only prevents cargo and other boats from getting close inshore to discharge and load, but the filth deposited by the drains creates such a stench, especially in the summer months, that it only requires one's hours to be spent as mine are, in an Office on the Praya, fully to appreciate the evil.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable
THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY,
&c.,
&c..
&c.
H. G. THOMSETT, R.N., Harbour Master, &c.
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