Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 147

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6. In European constructed vessels the general import trade, as represented by the amount of shipping entering, amounted to 1,651,290 tons from places other than China and adjacent countries, while the imports, judged by the same standard, but from places in and adjacent to China, amounted to 3,615,059 tons, making a total import tonnage in European constructed vessels of 5,266,349 tons.

7. Again, the general export trade, still judged as before, amounted to 1,298,435 tons to places other than China and adjacent countries, while to those places it amounted to 3,971,075 tons, making a total of export tonnage in European constructed vessels of 5,269,510 tons.

Analysing the above and comparing with 1892, we get as follows:-

Import tonnage.

From places other than China, &c.,

Decrease.

Increase.

..128,739

From China and adjacent places,.

29,328

Net Increase,

99,411

Export tonnage.

Increase.

Decrease.

To places other than China, &c.,..

.127,155

To China and adjacent places,...

15,141

Net Increase,

.142,296

or in European constructed vessels a net increase of Import tonnage of 99,411 tons and a net increase of Export tonnage of 142,296 tons making a net increase of trade, as represented by tonnage of European constructed vessels, of 241,707 tons.

JUNKS.

8. Compared with the average of the past three years, the Foreign Junk Trade shows an increase of 145,583 tons, and 1,438 vessels, whilst the Local trade for the same period has decreased 162,288 tons with 3,290 vessels.

9. The Foreign Junk Trade for 1893 shows an increase over the previous year of 295,931 tons, largely due to a brisk rice trade, also probably to the increased size of Ocean Steamers employing more distributing tonnage.

10. The decrease of 341,365 tons in the Local Junk trade for 1893, from that of 1892, is chiefly the result of the cessation of work on the Praya Reclamation.

GENERAL.

11. 4,278 steamers, 93 sailing vessels, and 28,612 junks arrived during the year giving an average of 90 vessels arriving daily in the waters of the Colony as against 99 the year before; for European constructed vessels alone the average daily entries would be respectively 1892, 12.3 vessels and 1893, 11.97 vessels of the steamers 70.64 per cent. were British and 32.3 were river craft all of which latter were British.

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12. From the foregoing it will be seen that Hongkong once again shows an increase of a quarter of a million of tons of shipping (European constructed) frequenting the port.

TRADE.

13. An attempt has been made to gauge the trade of the Colony by Import and Export Returns. In the absence of a Custom House it has not been possible to tabulate such returns with absolute correctness, but by the courtesy of the ship Agents and Masters, returns of the bulk of cargo Imported," "Exported" and "in transit" have been rendered possible, the general correctness of which there is no reason to doubt, though a tendency to under-estimate probably obtains.

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From the Mail lines monthly returns are rendered on printed Forms supplied by this department, the River steamers also supply a monthly return, based presumably on freight receipts. The "coasters" and "tramps" have supplied the required information on arrival to the Boarding Officers and when clearing at the Harbour Office. The Merchant Shipping Ordinance of 1891 authorizes the Harbour Master, if necessary, to require the deposit of a copy of the manifest on which document the