Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 244

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

240

The general export trade was as follows, to places other than China and adjacent countries:-

Bunker Coal.

Vessels with cargo. Vessels in ballast.

Cargo shipped.

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tons

British,.... Foreign,

681,378

99,445

528,172

51,675

339,879

77,243

271,102

39,502

Total,

...1,021,257

176,688

799,274

91,177

To places in and adjacent to China the exports were—

Vessels with cargo.

Tons

Vessels in bellast.

Tons

Cargo shipped.

Tons

Bunker Coal.

Tons

British,

.2,934,937

172,784

474,962

162,842

Foreign,

784,673

145,697

324,352

99,436

Total, ......3,719,610

318.481

799,314

262,278

Comparing tonnage of the above with 1893, we get as follows:-

Import tonnage.

Increase.

Decrease.

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

10,014

From China and adjacent countries,

23,189

Total Decrease,.

33,203

Export tonnage.

Increase.

Decrease.

To places other than China, &c.,

100,490

To China and adjacent places,

67,016

Nett Decrease,...

33,474

JUNKS.

7. Compared with the average of the past three years, the foreign junk trade shows an increase of 167,724 tons and a decrease of 69 vessels, the increased size of all the newer craft has already been noted. The local trade for the same period has decreased 187,774 tons with 4,966 vessels.

8. The foreign junk trade for 1894 shows a decrease from the previous year of 1,336 vessels and 5,883 tons, doubtless more or less directly due to the Plague.

9. The decrease in the local trade for 1894 below 1893, of 1,408 vessels with 27,892 tons, is the result also of the Plague, and partly of the decrease in work on the Praya Reclamation.

TRADE.

10. 4,132 steamers, 93 sailing vessels and 23,023 junks arrived during the year, giving a daily average of 75 vessels arriving as against 90 the previous year. For European constructed vessels the average daily entries would be 11.57 as against in 1893, 11.97. Of the steamers 71.9% were British, and 33 were River craft, all of which latter were also British.

11. The trade of the Colony in 1894 was influenced by two special and memorable events, viz., the Plague and the War.

It is difficult, if not impossible, yet to apportion the respective "spheres of influence" of these two events, for some time they ran concurrently, though perhaps with contrary results. There can, however, be no doubt as to which influence made itself most felt.

The port was proclaimed infected with bubonic plague on 10th May, and the shipping returns for that quarter showed a decrease in arrivals of 51 European vessels and 251 junks." It was not, however, until later that the full effect on shipping was inade apparent, and the September quarter showed an additional falling off of 375 European vessels and 1,824 junks. During this quarter both influences were at work, and, until the 12th September, our shipping trade remained under a ban. With the raising of the quarantine blockade," however, things began to improve, and at the end of December we had reduced our deficit in arrivals for the year to 306 European vessels and 1,336 junks.

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.