Sessional_Paper_1886-1887 — Page 374

HONGKONG.

371

No. 28

87.

THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT FOR 1886.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government,

on the 29th April, 1887.

No. 47.

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 10th February, 1887.

SIR, I have the honour to forward the Annual Returns of this Department for the year ending 31st December, 1886.

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 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 Section 3 of Ordinance No. 8 of 1879.

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.

XXH. Diagram of Tonnage of Vessels entered.

SHIPPING.

2. Under this heading, in arrivals, there is an increase on the previous year of 879 steam-ships and 727,855 tons; a decrease in sailing vessels of 56 ships representing 23,268 tons; and in junks there is a decrease of 703 vessels with 44,354 tons.

3. The total number of arrivals in the Colony in 1886 was 27,222 vessels and 6,324,164 tons, or at the rate of about 74.6 vessels, averaging about 232 tons each, per diem, comprised as follows: 10.8 steamers; 0.8 sailing vessels; and 63.0 junks. This does not include the traffic between Victoria, and the outlying villages, nor that conducted in steam-launches.

4. Of the Nationalities of the various vessels there is an increase of 11 Austrian, 491 British, 109 · Chinese (European built), 37 Danish, 37 French, 184 German, 13 Italian, 17 Norwegian, and a decrease of 57 American and 21 Spanish vessels.

5. Of the 4,251, European built vessels that arrived in 1886, 111 were American, 23 Austrian, 2,982 British, 142 Chinese, 55 Danish, 38 Dutch, 123 French, 676 German, 22 Norwegian, 33 Spanish, and other Nationalities in smaller numbers. It will thus be observed that vessels under the British flag absorbed 70 per cent. of the whole.

6. Of the Countries with which this enormous trade is conducted, that with China and Formosa is the greatest, being 24,358 vessels and 3,923,953 tons, or an increase of 277,907 tons in British bottoms, an increase of 168,389 tons in foreign bottoms, excluding junks, but a decrease of 12,355 tons in junks. In British and foreign vessels there is an increased trade with Cochin China, and Japan. With the Philippine Islands, and Macao there is an increase in British vessels. The trade with the Island of Hainan and the Gulf of Tonquin shows a decrease of 36 vessels and 10,635 tons in British vessels, and an increase of 61 vessels and 23,265 tons under foreign flags. In arrivals from the Continent of Europe, the trade is about the same in British vessels, while there is an increase of 37 vessels and 63,515 tons in foreign ships. From Great Britain, there is an increase of 12 vessels and 19,189 tons in British vessels, and no difference in the arrivals of foreign vessels from that Country.