Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 171

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3. The average tonnage of Ocean-going vessels entered has increased slightly, from 1,784.9 to 1,785.6 tons, while that of River steamers has declined from 734 to 661 tons. The British Ocean average has decreased from 1,945 to 1,921 tons. The Foreign Ocean average has increased from 1,654 to 1,670 tons. The British River steamer average has declined from 749 to 678 tons and the Foreign River steamer average has declined from 623 to 567 tons.

4. A comparison between the years 1906 and 1907 is given in the following table :—

1906.

1907.

Increase.

Decrease.

Ships. Tonnage. hips. Tounage. Ships. Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage.

British Ocean-

going. Foreign Ocean- |

going.

British Kiver

teainers, Foreign River

Steamers,

Steamships un-

der 60tons (Fo-

878

3,697 7,189 471 3,756 7,216,169 59 26,698

4,287 | 7,093,495 | 4,621

6.46 4,842,501 | 6,828

1,071 667,917 1,310

40,282 1,581

7,720,875 334 627,380

4,630,36+j 364

743,992 230 76,075

212,137

70,021 703: 29,739

reign Trade).

Trade,

Junks in Foreign 28,153 2,619,411 29,504 2,651,470|1,411

32,059

Total,.. Steam-launches

plying in waters of the Colony,

44.550 | 22,453,077 47,660 23,032,891 3,110 791,951]

212,137

333,560

8,251,536 419,202 11,216,532 85,642 2,961,996

Junks in Local)

Trade.

+

|51,616 || 2,042,655 40,772|||| 1,778,887|

Grand Total..

.---¡ 429,726 | 82,747,268) 507,634 | 36,028,310,88,752 3,756.947 10,844

10,844 203,768

475.905

NETT,

77,908 3,281,042

EX

Including 23,430 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 858,746 tons. Including 18,090 Conservancy and Dust Boats of 820,958 tons.

5. For Ocean vessels under the British flag, this table shows an increase of 59 ships of 26,698 tons.

In British River steamers there is an increase of 364 ships with a decreased tonnage of 212,137 tons, which is mainly due to the withdrawal of the large sized steamer flankow and the addition of the two small Macao steamers Sui Tai and Sui An.

For Foreign Ocean vessels an increase of 334 ships of 627,380 tons is shown, which is wholly due to the Japanese firms increasing their carrying trade. Under this flag, an increase of 455 ships of 976,450 tons is found, with a general falling off under other flags.

For Foreign River steamers an increase of 238 ships of 76,075 tous is shown, which can be accounted for, by vessels under the German, Chinese and Portuguese flags making more trips in 1907 than in 1906.

Junks in foreign trade show a legitimate increase of 1,411 vessels of 32,059 tons.

The decrease in local Junk trade, 10,844 vessels of 268,768 tons may be ascribed to the cessation of the Naval extension work and to the falling off in Conservancy boats.

6. The actual number of individual Ocean-going ships of European construction enter- ing during the year was 800, being 362 British and 438 Foreign.