Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 257

HONGKONG.

THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor,

No. 17

88.

No. 64.

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 10th February, 1888.

SIR,-I have the honour to forward the following Annual Returns for this Department for the year ending 31st December, 1887.

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. Suminary 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 Fecs received under Section 3 of Ordinance 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.

XXII. Diagram of Tonnage of Vessels entered.

XXIII. Return of the work performed by the Government Marine Surveyors.

2. This being the last Annual Return it will be my duty to make to the Government, I trust it will not be thought out of place to give a short account of the progress in Shipping, &c., the Colony has made since I have held the Offices of Harbour Master, Marine Magistrate, Emigration and Custom's Officer. I was in the first instance, while serving in the Royal Navy, temporarily employed by the Colony from the 17th March to 26th November, 1860; and in March, 1861, I was, on the resignation of my predecessor, permanently appointed to this Department.

3. The Department when I took charge consisted of the Harbour Master, three Clerks, and one Boarding Officer, the annual tonnage of the Port, exclusive of Junks, averaged about $78,135 tons, and the number of foreign built ships cutering the Port daily was about 5.

4. The returns accompanying this report show the progress the Colony has made. Twenty-seven years ago steamers were the exception, and sailing ships the rule, and previous to 1866, Junks went in and out of harbour unnoticed. The average tonnage of a steamer then was very little over one thousand tons, whereas now it is no uncommon thing to see three or four steam-ships in Port at one time each measuring from 3 to 4000 tons and upwards.

5. The Regulations for the control of the Harbour had been in force since the Colony was created. My attention was soon drawn to this, and to the absence of, any means of providing for payment of fees for registering ships under the Merchant Shipping Acts, any Marine Court to enquire into casualties at sea, any regulations for cargo-boats, and any board to grant Certificates of Competency to Masters