Directory_and_Chronicle_1875 — Page 816

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL.

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The chief article of exports from Hongkong to Great Britain in the year 1872 was tea, of the value of £395,420. The British imports into Hongkong consist almost entirely of manufactures textile fabrics, mainly cotton goods, in transit for China.

The subjoined table gives the value of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufactures from 1863 to 1872, exhibiting separately the imports into China and into Hongkong, and jointly to both, so as to show the share of Hongkong in Chinese commerce during the period of ten years:-

Years.

Imports of British Produce into China.

Imports of British Produce into Hongkong.

Total into China and

Hongkong.

1863

£2,416,705

£1,473,222

£3,889,927

1864

3,093,865

1,618,867

4,711,478

1865

3,603,595

1,548,698

5,152,293

1866

5,090,074

2,387,017

7,477,091

1867

4,996,469

2,471,809

7,468,278

1868

6,312,175

2,185,972

8,498,147

1869

6,842,840

2,130,837

8,973,677

1870

6,139,633

3,407,930

9,547,563

1871

6,628,236

2,787,714

9,415,950

1872

6,624,511

2,872,673

9,497,184

It will be seen that the British trade with Hongkong underwent great fluctuations in the ten years from 1863 to 1872, but which corresponded throughout with the general Chinese commerce, differing only in so far as showing nearly a trebling in the value of the British imports coming direct to China during this period, and about a doubling in those arriving by way of Hongkong.

(From the China Pilot.)

Hongkong Island.-About 9 miles long, N.W. by W. and S.E. by E., 2 to 5 miles broad, and with an area of about 29 square miles, lies between Lamma Island and the main, from which it is separated by a narrow channel a quarter of a mile wide, named Ly-ee-moon pass. The appearance of the island is somewhat picturesque, but on the whole it is generally barren and unprepossessing. It consists for the most part of rocky ranges, on the highest summit of which, Victoria Peak, 1,825 feet above the sea level, at the north-west part of the island, is a signal station, which communicates with the town of Victoria on the north and the ocean on the south. The island was first ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of Canton, in January, 1841, and again by the treaty of Nanking in August, 1842. The British settlement of Victoria is on its north side, nearly abreast of Kowloon point, the extreme of the peninsula of the mainland which forms the west side of Kowloon Bay, and which was ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of 1860. Water abounds everywhere, and is supplied to shipping by tanks.

The shores of Hongkong are indented by numerous bays, of which the most considerable are on its south-east shore. There is good anchorage throughout the entire channel between the island and the main, except in the Ly-ee-moon pass, where the water is deep but the best anchorage is in Hongkong roads, in front of the settlement, where the depth is from 5 to 9 fathoms over good holding ground. During the Typhoon months the anchorage in the northern part of the roads is considered preferable, in consequence of the shelter afforded by Kowloon peninsula to the north- east, the point from which the wind blows hardest. The inner anchorage in Victoria bay is in 6 and 7 fathoms water, about half a mile off shore, abreast the ordinance jetty, where a vessel will be sheltered from the eastward by Kellett's Island and the rocks off east or Matheson point, and be out of the strength of the side.

Docks. There is excellent dock accommodation in Hongkong. The "Hope Dock" at Aberdeen, and the "No. 1 Dock" at Kowloon, both belonging to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company, are capable of taking vessels of over 400 feet in length, and with a draught of 24 feet. There are also several minor