Sessional_Paper_1907 — Page 237

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(b) — ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.

At the end of the year 1906, the assets of the Colony amounted to $1,665,328.59, or including arrears of revenue $1,808,589.24. The total liabilities were $1,013,092.48 so that the surplus of assets over liabilities amounted to $795,496:76.

(c.)-PUBLIC DEBT.

There is an ordinary public debt of £341,799 15s. Id. outstanding. The original debt was incurred in connection with the Praya Reclamation, the Central Market, and Water, Drainage and Sewerage Works. Interest at 3 per cent. is payable on the loan, which is being paid off by a Sinking Fund now amounting to £42,298 Os. 10d.

Towards the close of 1905 the Government lent to the Viceroy of Wuchang a sum of £1,100,000 bearing interest at 44% for purposes connected with the Canton-Hankow Railway. To meet this expenditure a loan was raised in London in February, 1906, at an average price of £99 Is. Ud. per cent., bearing interest at the rate of 3%, the total cost, including expenses of issue, being £1,143,933 1s. 4d. A sum of £110,000 has been repaid by the Viceroy, and has been credited to a fund provided to defray the cost of the Kowloon-Canton Railway, now in course of construction.

II. TRADE AND SHIPPING, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE AND LAND.

(a.) TRADE AND SHIPPING.

The total Tonnage entering and clearing at Ports of the Colony during the year 1906 amounted to 32,747,268 tons, being a decrease, compared with 1905, of 1,437,823 tons. This decrease is more than accounted for by the falling off in local and foreign junk trade and in local launch and river steamer trade, due mainly to the total loss or temporary disablement of a large number of small sized vessels in the typhoon of the 18th September.

A comparison between the years 1905 and 1906 is given in the following Table:

1905.

1906.

Increase.

Decrease.

Ships Tonnage. Ships. Tounage. Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage,

British Ocean-

going,

3,995 || 7,672,324 3,697 | 7,189,471

20$ +$2,853

Foreign Ocean-

going, British River

Steamers, Foreign River

Steamers,

S'ships under 60

tons (Foreign

1,800

3,845 5,820,785 4,287 7,093,495

7,488 5,554,022 6,464 4,842,501

975 659,597 1,071 667,917 96 8,320

71,448 878 40,282

442 1,272,710|

1,024| 711,521

922

31,160

Trade),

337,913

Junks in Foreign 33,475 2,875,440 28,153 | 2,619,411

Trade,

Total,..... 51,578 22,653,616 44.550 22,453,077 Steam launches plying in the

9,169,312 333,500 8,251,536 Colony,

Junks in Local 63,267 2,362,163 51,616 2,042,655

Trade,

5,322| 256,029

538 1,281,030 7,566 |1,481,569

4,353 917,776

+

11,651 319,508

Grand Total,... 452,758 34,185,091 | 429,726 | 32,747,268

538 1,281,030 23,570 2,718,853

NETT,

|23,032 |1,437,823

*

Including 32,424 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 1,176,625 tons. † Including 23,430 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 858,746 tons.