187
MARINE COURTS.
(Under Section 13 of Ordinance No. 26 of 1891.)
51. The following Courts have been held during the year:-
1. On the 16th February, inquiry respecting certain charges of misconduct brought against Patrick Cassidy, Second Mate of the British Barque Torrisdale. Official No. 99,828 of Glasgow, by Robert Buchanan, Master of the said ship. The Certificate of Competency of the Second Mate was not dealt with, but the Court was of opinion that the Second Mate was guilty of misconduct, and directed that he be discharged from his ship.
2. On the 26th March, inquiry into the loss of the British s.s. Glamorganshire, Official No. $9,651 of London, off Cape St. James, China Sea, on the 7th March, 1897. The Master's (Hugh Norris Vyvyan) Certificate of Competency was returned to him.
3. On the 19th and 20th October, inquiry into the loss of the British s.s. Namoa, Official No. 65,090, of Hongkong, through striking an uncharted rock in the Haitau Straits, China Sea, on the 3rd October, 1897. The Master's (Thomas Phillip Hall) Certificate of Competency was returned to him.
SUNDAY CARGO-WORKING.
(Ordinance No. 6 of 1891.)
52. During the year 160 permits were issued, under the provisions of the Ordinance; of these, 39 were not availed of owing to its being found unnecessary for the ship to work cargo on the Sunday, and the fee paid for the permit was refunded in each case.
37 Permits were issued free of charge to Mail steamers.
The revenue collected under this heading was $11,850; this was $4,275 more than 1896.
SEAMEN.
53. 18,582 Seamen were shipped, and 20,833 discharged, at the Shipping Office, and on board ships during the year.
242 Distressed Seamen were received during the year; of these, 34 were sent to the United Kingdom, 1 to Manila, 2 to Bombay, 2 to Calcutta, 2 died, 196 obtained employment, 2 remained at the Government Civil Hospital, and 3 at the Sailors' Home.
$4,375.30 were expended by the Board of Trade in the relief of these men, and $168.34 by the Colony.
MARINE SURVEYOR'S SUB-DEPARTMENT.
54. Return No. XXIII shows the work performed by this branch of the Harbour Department.
LIGHTHOUSES.
55. The amount of Light Dues collected was as follows:-
CLASS OF VESSELS.
RATE NO. OF PER TON. SHIPS.
TONNAGE.
TOTAL FEES ICOLLECTED.
$
ር.
Ocean Vessels paying full dues,. 23 cents.
3,332
Launches paying full dues,
do.
327
River Steamers (night-boute),... Launches plying exclusively to
cent.
678
4,356,447108,911.28 18,856 472.44 715,873 4,772.55
Macao,
do.
River Steamers (day-boats),
Free.
57 869
3,021 978,204
20.14
Launches plying to Macao by
day,
do.
425
22,778
TOTAL...
5,688
6,095,179 114,176.41
56. Telegraphic and telephonic communication has been kept up with the Gap Rock and Cape D'Aguilar during the year. From the former station 568 vessels have been reported as passing, and in addition 139 messages were received and 3,110 sent including the daily weather report for the Observatory.
57. From Cape D'Aguilar 1,158 vessels were reported, and in addition 1,793 messages were sent and 18 received.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.