Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 200

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4. Compared with 1889, there has been a general increase of British tonnage amounting to 494,050 tons and an increase of Foreign tonnage of 365,701 tons. A comparison also with the average of the last three years shows an increase in 1890 of 136 British ships representing 397,499 tons, and of vessels under Foreign flags an increase of 307 ships and 224,842 tons.

5. The general trade as represented by the amount of shipping from and to the various countries. does not show on the whole much alteration, though there is a general increase in British bottoms. most marked with regard to Cochin-China, Japan, The Philippines and Siam. In the case of Foreign vessels, the increase is still greater with Cochin-China and Siam. There is also a considerable revival of the Junk trade.

6. With Great Britain and the Continent of Europe, the amount of trade does not differ materially from 1889, being indeed nearly stationary. There is a slight increase in arrivals under the British flag and a decrease under Foreign flags.

JUNKS.

7. As shown in the foregoing tables, the Junk trade for 1890 amounted to 3,904,552 tons being an increase over the previous year of 1,968 Junks and 203,851 tons. The trade with Macao shows a falling off from 1889, but with this exception, the Foreign Junk trade has increased. The chief increase in Junks, however, is in the Local trade (by which is to be understood, the trade between places within the Waters of the Colony) in which the Returns show that it amounts to 850 vessels and 49,103 tons. Compared also with the average of the past three years, the Junk trade of 1890 still shows an increase of 11,758 tons in the Foreign trade and 44,054 tons in the Local trade..

8. The subject of the interference of Chinese Revenue Cruizers with the Junk trade of the Colony was brought somewhat prominently forward during the past year, and more than one report was made from the Out-stations of visits paid by these Cruizers or their boats to the Junk Anchorages on the south side of the Island, also of Junks having been stopped and boarded. In one case from the evidence of the Junk people and the Officer-in-Charge of the Station, it would seem that the interference took place in Stanley Bay, but in others, the exact positions of the vessels being subject to the conflicting evidence of the interested parties, the question of within or outside of British Waters was not provable. During the greater part of the year, a Chinese Cruizer has been anchored off Lamma Island.

9. In September, two armed Junks were found anchored in a small bay on the south side, just out of sight of Aberdeen; they stated that they were on the look-out for smugglers. Acting under my orders, the Officer-in-Charge at Aberdeen seized them and I had them towed round to Victoria where after taking from them certain flags and other articles to be used for the purpose of future identification, they were released and the matter reported.

10. I should be glad to see a regular and systematic patrol of the south coast by armed Govern- ment vessels established.

11. 3,989 steamers, 125 sailing vessels and 28,018 Junks arrived during the year, giving an average of 88 vessels daily arriving in the Waters of the Colony. Of the steamers 68 per cent. were British, and of these, 54 per cent. were "Ocean going," of the Foreigners, 9 per cent. were river craft.

STEAM-LAUNCHES.

12. On the 31st December, there were 110 Steam-launches in the Harbour, of these, 47 were licensed for the conveyance of passengers, 53 were privately owned, 10 were the property of the Colonial Government. There were in addition 5 launches, the property of the War Department.

EMIGRATION.

13. There has been a further falling off in the number of Chinese leaving the Colony for Ports other than those in China and Japan.

1886.

1887.

1888.

1889.

1890.

64,522

82,897

96,195

47,849

42,066

Chinese Exclusion Acts in America, Australia and the Sandwich Islands, reduced wages, and inability to procure employment in the Straits Settlements, and probably the want of confidence alluded to in my last Report, are the principal causes of the falling off.