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The following table indicates the nationality of the various ships entering the port, the numbers of vessels under each flag and the tonnage carried by them, compared with the similar figures for the previous year :--
Flag.
Ships. No. of times Total Tonnage.
entered.
1901 1902. | 1901. 1902. 1901. 1902.
British,
321
324 1,7701,753 2,894,519 2,965,030
Austrian,
20
20
53
50
128,483 125,929
Belgian,
1
9
3
12,407
3,624
Chinese,
17
10
135
3,349, 163,396
Corean,
1
796
Danish,
Dutch,
French,
German,
Italian,..
Japanese,
༤༤སྶསྶཎྞ
12
13
25,903
23,374
29
23
40,872
26,464
206
228
209,094 219,111
123
842
939 1,242,499 1,360,524
12
14
17,988 23,428
65
56
336
409
692,981 865,400
Norwegian,
26
49
79
300
78,004 263,379
Portuguese,
3
49
46
4,948
7,897
Russian,
4
11
16
8,797
32,046
Spanish,
1
1
784
Swedish,
1
4
7
15
6,923
14,325
United States, No Flag,
19
23
89 56
130,476 121,939
1
801
Total,..
632
6763,510 4,000 5,498,903|6,215,866
The above return refers to steainers only. In addition, 42 sailing vessels visited the port during the year, with a total tonnage of 68,392, as compared with 50 ships and 56,429 tons during 1901. 26 of these ships were British and 9 American.
The total Revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $266,765.99, being an increase of $15,168.60 on the previous year.
(b.)—INDUSTRIES.
Most of the local industries of the Colony were carried on with satisfactory resuits during 1902 and were less hampered by Plague than during the preceding
year.
The fall in the exchange value of silver, to which Sir W. GASCOIGNE referred in his Blue Book Report for 1901, continued throughout 1902 with hardly a break. The effect of this fall, however embarrassing in other respects, is undoubtedly advantageous as regards many local productions and industries.
Cotton Spinning in Hongkong was carried on in 1902 under more favourable circumstances than have prevailed since the initiation of this industry.
1,500)
Comparative immunity from Plague together with improved skill on the part of operatives resulted in largely increased production, and, aided by declining exchange which checked excessive imports of Indian yarns, the local spinnings were freely sold at gradually advancing dollar prices.
Under normal conditions the progress of this industry may now reasonably be considered as assured, but the possibility of an annual recurrence of Plague which experience has proved drives many of the work-people from the Colony, owing to their strong dislike to the measures instituted by the Sanitary Authorities, is a factor which must not be overlooked in attempting a forecast.
The Sugar industry had many adverse conditions to contend against during the year which was a most unprofitable one. Chief amongst these was the con- tinued competition with bounty-fed Beet Sugars, which low prices in Europe (the result of enormous overproduction) allowed of being placed in Eastern markets at a level never before reached. The preferential treatment accorded to Refineries in Japan and the very onerous conditions there to be contended against constitute a very severe handicap to trade with that country, which was formerly an important
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