Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 202

198

2. On the 5th November, 1890. Inquiry as to the loss of the British Yacht Nyanza, Official No. 56,809 of Glasgow, on the reef, on the North side of the Island of Ponapé, Caroline Group, on the morning of the 29th July. The Master's (JOHN CARRINGTON) Certificate of Competency was returned to him.

3. On the 8th December, 1890. Inquiry as to the stranding of the British Steamship Pembrokeshire, Official No. 85,171 of London, ou the Shoal off the Island of Wung Cum near Macao, on the night of the 15th November. The Master's (James Dancaster) Certificate of Competency was suspended for six months.

SEAMEN.

20. 10,830 seamen were shipped and 11,022 discharged at the Shipping Office and on board ships during the year, the discrepancy is owing to the number of seamen shipped at the various Consulates of which we have no record.

21. 314 distressed seamen were received during the year. Of these, 73 were sent to the United Kingdom, 37 elsewhere, and 192 obtained employment. On the 31st December, 1890, 10 were in the Government Civil Hospital and 2 in the Lunatic Asylum. $4,890.99 were expended by the Board of Trade in the relief of these men, and $42.69 by this Colony. The Colony also paid $542.54 for the relief at Honolulu of the shipwrecked crew of the Barque Wandering Minstrel.

MARINE SURVEYOR'S SUB-DEPARTMENT.

22. During the past year the Colony has lost the valuable services of Mr. BREWER, Marine Surveyor and Mr. WAGNER, Assistant Marine Surveyor. Mr. BREWER went Home in very bad health in August, 1888, and died in England in December, 1889; and a few months later Mr. WAGNER, who had been performing the duties of Marine Surveyor, died in Hongkong. Previous to the arrival from England of the Officers there appointed to fill the vacancies, the duties were performed first by Mr. ANDREW JOHNSTON, and on his leaving for England, by Mr. JOHN W. KINGHORN. In September, the Officers appointed from England arrived: Mr. GEORGE PEEBLES and Mr. ROBERT DIXON. Return No. XXIII shows the work performed in this branch of the Harbour Department.

LIGHTHOUSES.

23. The three Lighthouse Statious have been maintained as usual during the year. The Light- vessel on Kellett's Bank was removed on 1st June, the result of an examination of the bank showing that no silt had taken place over the stone-laden junks sunk as an experiment, and that the Junks had broken up and disappeared in the soft deposit at the bottom.

24. The third Light-keeper's services were dispensed with on account of misconduct, the post is now filled by an Officer on probation. An increased rate of pay having been sanctioned for the Chinese Assistant Light-keepers, I hope to be able for the future to secure a better class of men with increased efficiency to the service.

BOKHARA Rock.

25. The suggested operations at the Bokhara Rock proving too costly were abandoned, and the danger is still marked with a buoy. It was found necessary during the year to renew the moorings, accordingly two anchors and 60 fathoms of chain were purchased and the moorings relaid at a total cost of $945.87.

GOVERNMENT Gunpowder Depôt.

26. During the year 1890, there has been stored in the Government Magazine at Stone Cutters' Island

No. of Cases, &c.

Approximate Weight, ibs.

14,139

289,175

175

3,500

237

62,346

64

4,800

767

44,139

12

585

Total......

15,394

404,545

Gunpowder, Privately owned,

Government owned,.

Cartridges, Privately owned,

33

Explosive

Government owned;.

Compounds} Privately owned,

25

Government owned,.