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“...753 to $14,410,153, an increase in rateable
value of 33-22%"
The circulation on the 31st December of notes of the three
Banks having authorised issues was as follows :
Hongkong & Shanghai Bank,.........$21,433,096
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, & China, 6,577,429
Mercantile Bank of India, * ... 1,149,504
$29J_60,029
The currency of the Colony consists, in addition to the notes
of these Banks, of British, Hongkong, and Mexican Dollars and of
subsidiary coin, which continued at par throughout the year.
The total issue of subsidiary coins, less those demonetized, now
amounts to $21,264,370 nominal value, and they were up to the year
1905 readily absorbed at par, large quantities being taken by the
neighbouring provinces of China. During 1916 ten cent pieces of
the face value of $5,028,000 were shipped to England for purposes
of demonetization. The discount which prevailed between 1905 and
1916 may be attributed to the immense quantity of similar coin which...”
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“...Java sugars was responsible for an
accumulation of unprecedented stocks in godowns in Java, causing
a slump in prices which involved severe losses to holders. One
result in ChinaHongkong's main marketwas a shortage of Javas,
which was in part responsible for the strong demand for Hongkong
Refineds which obtained throughout the greater part of the year.
Prices in China ruled low, governed mainly by the influx of heavy
shipments of Japanese sugars, and the prevailing high rate of silver
exchange which benefited Japan. Offtake of local Refineds would
have been considerably greater but for the incidence of political
unrest in China during the last two months of the year. India and
the Persian Gulf have continued to draw substantial supplies from
Hongkong.
(Jotto)i Yarn.During the twelve months under review, trade Avas
smaller in volume than the previous year, due to war conditions, but
the monetary turnover could scarcely have suffered owing to the
enormous advance in values, and taken all...”
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“...- 17
with fuiids representing about equal proportions of Chinese and
British money.
At the end of the year the number of students was 18(3, 81 of
whom were taking the Engineering Course, 05 Medicine, and 37
Arts. While most: of the students have studied in Hongkong schools,
a number come from Canton, the Coast Ports of China, and the
Straits Settlements.
The idea of the University is to provide, close to China,
education for Chinese similar to that given in the British Univer-
sities, but at a much cheaper cost; for if a Chinese goes abroad to
be educated he has to pay, besides travelling expenses, some -$2,000
per annum; whereas at Hongkong the expenses of the University
are $540 per annum for board and tuition, or. including extras,
from' $000 to $050".
The founders of the University took into consideration the fact
that Chinese students being educated abroad have usually to make
their own arrangements for board and lodging. Consequently
sometimes they contract irregular habits....”
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“...extended, which expedites the work of examination, while the
addition of a waiting room for Customs officials, and the extension
of the baggage barriers for the examination of inward passenger
traffic afford further facilities.
It was considered advisable during the year to build a Goods
Shed for light and perishable goods, both for the protection of such
goods during transhipment from train to lighter and vice versa, and
also to facilitate the customs examination of goods consigned to or
from China. This necessitated certain alterations in the layout of
that portion of the yard devoted to goods traffic, and extensions of
the sidings along the sea wall. This work was carried out in
conjunction with the installation of the truck weighbridge and
involved raising the level of the sea Avail and various alterations and
additions to the signalling, which however has not interfered with
the use of any of the other tracks or the safety of the signal installa-
tion. The Goods Examination Shed is 400...”
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“...improved, the receipts
being $33,770.09 as against $18,407.50 for the previous year.
The Gross Receipts for the year were $428,240.40 as against
$360,215.07 for 1910, an increase of $02,03079. The balance after
paying working expenses stands at $90,814.98 or $21,290.94 more
than the previous year.
The Through and Joint Sectional Passengers carried were as
follows :--
191.5. 1910. 1917.
Passengers booked by Stations
in British Territorv to
Stations in China,.....'...... 271,382 307,310 309,394
Passengers booked by Stations
in China to Stations in
British Territory, 320,839 344,220 352,008
VLGOVERNMENT AND AIDED INSTITUTIONS.
(a.)Hospitals.
Government Hospitals consist of the Civil Hospital, to which
is attached an isolated Maternity Hospital, the Victoria Hospital
for Women and Children, and the Kennedy Town Infectious Dis-
eases Hospital. There is an Observation Station capable of accom-
modating 1,500 persons in the event of an outbreak of infectious
disease on board a ship arriving...”
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“...radio-telegrams amounted
to $23,311.55 being $14,616.51 more than that collected in 1916
the excess being mainly due to press messages sent to Indo-China.
Advices of vessels signalled at the light-houses yielded $503.35 and
semaphore messages $2.50 making a-total of $23,817.40 for the
telegraphic service. The expenditure amounted to $39,174.38, of
which sum $17,905.71 was in respect of the emoluments of the
Wireless Staff at the Cape d'Aguilar Station for the period from
15th July, 1915, to 31st December, 1916. The number of radio-
telegrams forwarded during the year was 846 consisting of 106,114
words, and 1,028 received consisting of 13,853 words.
The unrest in the province of Kwangtung which re-commenced
in 1916 continued to be a source of uneasiness to the local Chinese
residents. During the year some of the Southern provinces of
China declared their independence of the Central Government and
constant collisions between the Northern and Southern factions led
to considerable chaos....”
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“...28 -
The Queen Mary's Needlework Guild, and the other organiza-
tions by ladies for carrying out war work, continued their labours
unremittingly and the regular despatch of clothing, bandages, etc.,
to the troops and hospitals in the various Avar centres was maintained.
The Colony's recurrent expenses on account of the war amounted
to approximately $200,000.
The Hongkong and South China War Savings Association
continued to encourage small investors and a total of $1,232,490.15
(Straits Currency) was invested in war loans during the year.
There is now a total of 819 subscribers.
An Ordinance incorporating the Volunteer Corps and the
Hongkong Volunteer Reserve into one command" The Hongkong-
Defence Corps "was passed on the 30th August. Under this
Ordinance all male British subjects between the ages of 18 and
55, who are medically lit and who are ordinarily resident in the
Colony, with certain exceptions, are liable for Military Service in the
Colony. Administrative Command of the Corps...”
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“...Stores, etc.
11. Subsidiary coins in stock on the 31st December were as
follows :
50 cents, ...$ 8,146.00
20 ... 86,454.00
10 ...1,080,119.00
5 159,078.00
Copper, 12,087.00
$1,345,884.00
The nominal amount of coins in circulation is $21,264,370, and
the market value is now practically par.
12. The local circulation in December of notes of the three
Banks having authorized issues was as follows :
Hongkong & Shanghai Bank, ............$21,433,096
Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China, 6,577,429
Mercantile Bank of India, 1,149,504
$29,160,029
The specie in Reserve came to ... $22,550,000
13. The rate of exchange for the Estimates was taken at 1/11
whereas the average rate for purposes of conversion in the Treasury
books was 2/7
A. M. Thomson,
Treasurer.
9th May 19 IS....”
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“...These figures show a marked decrease compared
with those for 1916 : 144 and 75. The total number of persons
reported missing, including reports from China and Macao, was 111
of whom 63 were found, as compared with 81 out of 175 in 1916.
Em'ighation.
Asiatic Emigration Ordinance No. 30 of 1915.
(i.)Emigration of Women and Children (Free).
(Table IV.)
6. The number of women and children passengers examined
and allowed to proceed was 16,709 (women 10,591, girls 1,352 and
boys under sixteen 4,766) as compared with 24,378 in 1916.
These figures show a great decrease in this type of emigration, for
which the shipping shortage is mainly responsible. There are not
enough ships to accommodate all the Chinese who wish to emigrate.
A subsidiary cause is the decline in the exchange value of Straits
currency; remitting money from the Straits to China is now
unprofitable. Female emigration to the Dutch Indies (z.., by
direct steamer) shows a slight increase, while that to British North
Borneo shows...”
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“...as against 590 in 1916. The circumstances of their admission and
the action taken in regard to them are set out in Table A.
One hundred and fifty-eight (158) women and girls were
committed under warrant and 213 were admitted without warrant.
Of the remainder, 42 were lost children, 7 were accompanied by
parent or guardian, and 30 were runaway maid-servants.
On leaving the Kuk 150 women and girls were restored to
their husbands or other relatives ; 51 were sent to charitable
institutions in China, 2(> were given in adoption, and 20 married.
The number released under bond was 21 ; 10 cases were sent to the
Eyre Refuge, Italian Convent, or Victoria Home; and 3 were
sent home by the French Consul. The number of inmates remain-
ing in the Kuk on the 31st December was 51.
The income and expenditure during the year, and the assets
and liabilities of the institution, are set out in Tables 13 and 0
attached.
The accounts of the Managing Committee in the customary
form have been audited by Messrs...”
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“...Warrant from the Emigration Office. Pending the opening of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. Sent with their own consent by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. Sent with their own consent from Singapore. Manila and Swatow. j Sent with their own consent bv the Police. Lost Children. Accompanying parents or guardians. 1 Runaway maid-servants. Total. Released after enquiry. Released under bond. Plnced in charge of husband. Placed in charge of parents and relatives. Sent to Charitable Institutions in China. | Sent to School, Convent, | or Refuge. Adopted. Married. Sent to French Consul to be sent home. ' Died. Cases under consideration. Total. j
In the Po Leung Kuk on 1st January, 1917. ............ } i 8 7 20 21 7 i ... 12 78 7 9 17 9 17 11 2 1 i 5 78
Admitted during the year, ... 118 40 37 93 18 65 42 7 30 450 OO 21 23 118 37 1 <) 9 1 1 46 450
Total. ............ 120 47 37 113 18 89 49 7 42 528 191 21 23 127 54 10 26 20 3 2 51 528
Remaining in the Po Leung Kuk on the 31st Decem- ber, 1917...”
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“...Cargoes of Vessels entered
at each Port.
IV.Number, Tonnage, Crews, and Cargoes of Vessels cleared
at each Port.
V.Number, Tonnage, and Crews of Vessels of each Nation
entered.
VI.Number, Tonnage, and Crews of Vessels of each Nation
cleared.
VII.Junks entered from China and Macao.
VIII.Junks cleared for China and Macao.
IX.Summary of Arrivals and Departures of all Vessels.
X.Licensed Steam-launches entered.
XI.Licensed Steam-launches cleared.
XII.Number of Boat Licences issued.
XIII.Statement of Revenue.
XIV.Chinese Passenger Ships cleared by the Emigration Officer
(Summary).
XV.Return of Emigration.
XVI.Return of Male and Female Emigrants.
XVII.Vessels bringing Chinese Passengers to Hongkong from
places out of China (Summary).
XVIII.Return of Immigration.
XIX.Return of Male and Female Emigrants returned....”
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“...D
Table I.NUMBER, TONXAGE, CREWS, and CARGOES of VESSELS ENTERED AT PORTS in the COLONY ol HONGKONG from EACH COUNTRY, in the YEAR 1917.
COUNTRIES WHENCE ARRIVED.
Australia and New Zea- land. British North Borneo. | j Coast of China. | Ships. Coast of China, Steamships under 60 tons. > Coast, of China,' Cochin China. Continent of Europe. Formosa. j i Great Britain- j i India and Strai ts -'el tlements. cT ZJSV'a j £ "" < " bf. <£ 5 §|| = c g J N. America. | A a || 5 Ports in | Hainan and i Gulf of Tonkin. £ ! 1 i < n South A meriea. 1 i =- tc i United States of America. Wei-hai-wci. | Total.
(' Vessels............... 14 1 34 2.794 ... 150 56 114 58 1 4 I 1,041 I 88 155 3 94 1 : 14 14 4,647
o ! Tons................. | ..! 25,92: 20.18 197,034 2.039,307, ... 187,451 245,524 I 269,161 196,002 j 5.636 288 701.516 ... 112,657 j ... 138,912 7,357 118,954 1 4.268 1 - 1 58,445 15,684 4,341,303
{ Crews,................ I . 1,1552 994 10,045 139...”
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“...Table VII.
Total Number, Tonnage, Crews, Passengers, and Cargoes of Junks ENTERED at Ports in the Colony of Hongkong,
from Ports on the Coast of China and Macao, in. the Year 1917.
Cargo. Ballast. Total.
Vessels. Tons. Crew. Passen- gers. ^argo, Tons. Ves- sels. Tons. I : Crew. Passen- gers. Ves- sels. Tons. | Crew. 1 | Passen- gers. Cargo, Tons. __..
Canton,........ 1,446 233,200 461.556 35,02 3 ^ 173.627 10,820 26.224 i 134,991 2,064 2,083 495 140 53 414,944 38,138 3,510 648,144 697,228 76,122 181,372 13,143 64,362 101,142 10,429 21,594 2,472 134,991 163,059 18,600 91,349 2,565
West River, ...... Macao, ........... East Coast, West Coast. ...... 4,215 225 2,148 156 69,466 2,790 20,380 1,897 67,414 132 36 163,059 18,600 91,349 2,565 235,672 4l,f;99 7,745 2,323 31,676 7,639 1,214 575 405 83 13 6,298 720 2,283 2'9 67.819 215 49
Total. 1017, . 8,185 914,226 120,757 67,582 410,564 4,835 701,783 79,242 501 13,020 1,616,009 199,999 68,083 410,564
Total, 1916, ...... 7...”
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“...Table VIII.
Total Is'nmbcr, Tonnage, Crews, Passengers, and Cargoes of Junks CLEARED at- Ports in the Colony of Hongkong for
Ports on the Coast of China and Macao, in the Year 1917.
f Cargo. j Ballast. Total.
Vessels. Tons. Crew. Passen- gers. Cargo, Tons. Ves- sels. Tons, j Crew. Passen- gers. ! Ves- j sels. i Tons. Crew. Passen- gers. Cargo. Tons. |
Canton............. 4,059 4,518 450 1,307 150 10,545 i 0,502 703,854 541,185 53,344 74,614 12,843 1,385.840 72,732 75,057 0,499 13,167 2,105 169,620 108,823 77,109 2 168 070,923 312,326 33,107 31,188 4,346 72 1,423 88 806 53 7,603 96,5(50 15,965 93.721 1.574 215,429 988 19,087 5,023 9,589 392 31,079 50 35 7 92 4.131 5,930 538 2,233 209 711,457 637,751 69,309 168,335 14,417 73,7.0 94,144 7,522 ; 22,750 2,557 j___ 77,159 o 203 x 7 o 070,928 1 ic 312.320 | 38,107 31,188 4,846 1.051,950 940.300
West River....... Macao. ............ Kast Coast, ...... West Coast....... Total, 1917, ... Total, 1910,......
77,279...”
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“...Table XIV.
Summary of Chinese Emigrants from Hongkong for Ports other than in China, during the year 1917.
Foreign Ships.
Ports.
Australia, .............................
Pritish P>orneo,......................
Calcutta, ............................
Canada, ................................
Dutch Indies..........................
Fiji,..........'.........:...............
Honolulu, ...........................
Japan,...................................
Mauritius, .............................
Mexico, ...............................
South Africa,.........................
South America,.......................
Straits Settlements...................
Tahiti,...............................
U. S. of America.................
Total 1917,..................i
Do. 1916................
British Ships.
Adults. j Children.
M.
870
2,493
1.510
373
46
46
84
' 14
41,099
22
28
46.5S5
65,861
F.
346
191
1
6
]
7,839
8,389
13,849
M.
181
65
13
F.
Total
1
91
30
I
i
4
2,959
0...”
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“...Table XV.
Statement of Average Number of Emigrants from Hongkong to Ports other than in
China, for Quinquennial Periods from 1880 to 1915 inclusive.
1S80. 1885. 1890. 1895. 1900. 1905. 1910. 1915.
41,720 63,138 66,706 60,360 66,961 73,103 88,452 109,110
Table XVI.
Number of Male and Female Emigrants from Hongkong to Ports other than in China,
for Ten Years, from 1908 to 1917 inclusive.
\V%ither bound. 1908. 1909. ! 1 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1914. | 1915. 1916. 1917.
Straits Settlements, Males. ............ Straits Settlements, Females, ......... Total, .............. Other Ports, Males, ...................... Other Ports, Females, .................. Total. .............. 40.74(5 8,893 40.129 7,887 65,372 11,333 83.875 17.031 68,809 15,215 i 85,099 17,254 36,764 32,440 ; 66,965 8,210 S.838 15,832 53.250 lo,012
49,(539 48,016 76,705 100,906 84,024 j 102,353 44,974 41,278 82,797 ' 63,292
21,299 143 28.965 ] 33.692 449 I 661 33.935 724 37.791 S42 39,001 I 1,405 30,358 964 25...”
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“...Table XVII.
Summary of Chinese Emigrants Returned to Hongkong from Forts other than in China, during the year 1917.
Where From.
British Ships.
Adults.
Foreign Ships.
Australia, .........
British Borneo,...
Bangkok, v.......
Canada. ............
Dutch Indies,. ...
Honolulu..........
Japan, ..........
South Africa, ...
South America,...
Straits Settlements,
United States of America, ...
Total Passengers, 1917...
Do., 1910,.
M.
-1.063
656
841
3.678
45
534
143
36,171
45,131
43.381
F.
Children.
M.
37
47
59
117
4
"21
11
3.006
3,302
979
59
74
100
215
29
14
4.464
4,960
1.019
F.
Total.
I
25 |
28
33
62
1
"l4
G
1.466
1,635
244
1,184
805
1,033
4,072
55
'*598
174
47*107
Adults.
.1/. I F.
55.02S
45,623
1,037
93
987
20
5,661
575
1 665
463
20,413
4,350
35,264
25,143
28
8
45
3
434
92
158
"l8
1.680
188
Children.
M.
2,654
616
50
14
68
4
695
141
236
24
2,491
288
4,011
844
F.
16
3
22
I
246
47
82
"lO
744
104
1.275
179
Grand Total.
Total...”
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“...Table XVIII.
Statement of Average Number of Emigrants Returned to Hongkong from Ports other than in China, for
Quinquennial Periods from 1880 to 1915 inclusive.
1880. 1885. 1890. 1895. 1900. 1905. 1910. 1915.
48,114 68,830 96,068 104,118 109,534 137,814 146,585 151,728
Table XIX.
Number of Male and Female Emigrants Returned to Hongkong from Ports other than in China, for
Ten Years, from 1908 to 1917 inclusive.
'Where from-. 190S. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917.
Straits Settlements: Males, ............ Straits Settlements, Females, ......... Total......................... Other Ports, Males......................... Other Ports. Females................... Total........................ Grand Total. ............. 125,228 4,422 112.093 3,387 115,480 110,439 7.524 114,069 5,688 123,594 7,869 123.363 10,381 133,744 136,753 1,605 79.349 1,482 46.454 1,201 65,539 6,896
120,650 117,963 119.757 131,463 141,358 80,831 27.953 969 47,655 23.933 817 72,435
27.860 290 28...”
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“...as, owing to
the restrictions imposed by the Imperial Authorities on the export
of this article from Hongkong to the United States, considerable
quantities were carried to Swatow either overland or by vessels
passing outside the water of the Colony. From Swatow this ore
is forwarded to Shanghai for transhipment to the United States of
America.
Another feature was a great increase in the imports of Indian
groundnuts from Penang and Singapore. Failure of crops and
heavy foreign buying in North China were alleged as reasons for
this increase, but an examination of the returns of the Chinese
Maritime Customs does not support this view. The real reason
seems to have been the low price of the Indian nuts coupled with
the relative abundance of tonnage on this run.
Trade Statistics.
10. The first task of the new Supervisor and Accountant
was to make a thorough investigation of the work of the Statistical
Staff. It was found that not only were the records badly in arrear,
but that such work as...”
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