Sessional_Paper_1924 — Page 136

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a scheme to provide the necessary quay walls.

Provided vessels maintain a rate of working of 200 tons of cargo per annum per lineal foot of wharf,--which rate is well within the limits of actual practice,- then to yield 7% return, it will be necessary to make a charge of 55 cents per ton on general cargo discharged at a quay wall having a depth of 34 feet of water alongside at L.W.O.S.T. The costs being so favourable as compared with the charges now levied for the transport of goods between steamers anchored in the stream and the shore, the expense of providing wharfage would appear to be justified.

ADVANTAGES OF WHARFAGE.

Whilst in calm weather the rate of discharge or loading of a vessel may not be increased as compared with the present method of discharging or loading in the stream, there can be no question as to the greater expedition which can be given to vessels loading or discharging goods at a quay wall during the typhoon season. The financial loss to shipowners, junk and lighter people, caused year by year through delays conse- quent upon typhoon weather and more especially the fear of same must be enormous.

The advantages of berthing a vessel for discharge or loading at a wharf having shed accommodation alongside, compared with a vessel anchored in the stream may be enumerated as follows:-

1. Reduction in handling costs.

2. Quick turn-about of vessels in port more particularly during the typhoon season and because of being independent on the consignees for junks or lighters.

3. Less broaching of packages and less risk of pilferage.

4. Less frequent handling; (an important factor in the case of flour).

5. Less dependence on unskilled labour; (an important factor as borne out by

the strike of 1922).

6. Water and oil fuel can be obtained at less cost direct from pipes laid along

the quays.

7. Less road congestion as under present conditions the whole Praya is practically one long wharf occupied by junks and barges loading and discharging goods which are carried by streams of coolies through the thoroughfares of the city to the various godowns of the Chinese.

Conditions Affecting the Extent of Wharfage.

SHIPPING.

From such information as is available of the world's great seaports, considering Hongkong and Shanghai on their shipping and trade returns for the year 1923, London, Liverpool and Glasgow on their 1921 returns, New York, Manchester, Hull, Montreal, Bremen and New Orleans on their 1920 returns and Hamburg, Antwerp, and Marseilles on their pre-war figures, Hongkong ranks, commercially, fourth port in the Empire and tenth port in the world, while in the matter of tonnage it is the largest port in the world.

In regard to the amount of shipping entering and clearing at ports in the Colony, the following figures have been extracted from the Harbour Master's reports for the years 1923 and 1913, the latter being the last normal year before the Great War. The percentage increase or decrease in the numbers and tonnage of the various classes of vessels during 1923 as compared with 1913 and the daily average number of vessels entering and clearing during both years have been added.