THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 27TH MARCH, 1875.
I. Number, Tonnage and Crews of Vessels entered.
121
!
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 each 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 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. 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. Diagram showing the monthly Increase or Decrease of the Junk Trade.
SHIPPING.
2. In the grand total of the arrivals and departures of every class of vessel trading with the Port, there is a great falling off, amounting to 10,072 vessels and 654,764 tons. Of this decrease,
96.8 per cent of vessels and 63.4 per cent of tons are due to the falling off of the trade in native bottoms, leaving 3.2 per cent of vessels and 36.6 per cent of tons due to the decrease in tonnage arriving and leaving in foreign bottoms. The tonnage of foreign vessels as at present constructed, gives but an uncertain idea of the quantity of goods which are either landed here, or pass through in the same ship en route to the more Northern Ports: for we find the carrying capacity of the larger class of steamers much in excess of their Register tonnage.
3. Although the disparity between the measurement and carrying capacity of vessels will, in a degree, account for the great decrease in tonnage in foreign bottoms, and the Typhoon of last Sep- tember will account for some of the very serious reduction in the number of Junks frequenting the Port, there is no doubt but that the trade with the Colony has considerably diminished during the last three years.
4. The search of native vessels leaving or approaching this Port has not been relaxed by the Chinese Cruisers, although the complaints, at one time so frequent, have not of late been heard. This may be accounted for by the traders, seeing they have to give way to the squeezes of the Customs' Cruisers and get but small satisfaction from the Chinese Authorities when complaining, quietly submitting themselves to what they cannot avoid. Whether this has any material effect on the trade and consequent prosperity of the Colony is a matter of dispute, but certain it is that, taking the year 1867 as a starting point, it being the year in which this Government took cognisance of the arrivals and departures of Junks, the rise of that trade was steady until it reached its culminating point in May 1872, and, it has since then as steadily gone downwards. A glimpse at the accom- panying diagram will render this clearer than any wordy description.
5. There has been an increase in the trade between this Port and Siam, probably in a measure due to the introduction of steam-vessels into that trade. The old and nearly worn out sailing vessels at one time employed in the Siamese trade are fast disappearing. There has also been an increase in the number and tonnage of vessels arriving from India and Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, as also a slight rise in the tonnage from the Philippine Islands. The principal decrease is of vessels and tonnage from Great Britain, Coast of China and Formosa, Cochin China and Japan.
6. Of the tonnage of the different classes of vessels arriving at this Port, 38 per cent are steamers, 10 per cent are foreign sailing vessels, and 52 per cent are Junks. Of the steam-ships, 73.5 per cent were British, 11.8 per cent French, 5.8 per cent American, 4.6 per cent German; the remainder being made up of Spanish, Chinese and steamers of other nations. Of sailing vessels, exclusive of Junks, 49 per cent of tons, or nearly the half, are British, and 51 per cent are foreign.
7. In my last Report, I alluded to the probability of the lights to mark Cape d'Aguilar, Green Island, and Cape Collinson being in their places before the close of 1874. The late arrival of the materials from England has delayed this, but, the lanterns for Cape d'Aguilar and Green Island having arrived, there is every likelihood that the light on Cape d'Aguilar will be exhibited on the 16th April, and that on Green Island on the 1st May next. The light for Cape Collinson has not yet
arrived.
8. The year 1874 has been a most disastrous one to shipping in all parts of the world. Here, and in the neighbourhood, we have the following casualities to record:
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