Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/468

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THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — HONG KONG

— 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 Imports into Gt. Britain : � �  �  �  � Tea 208,807 188,780 165,632 107,353 92,243 Silk, all sorts. 309,324 110,908 141,536 223,510 157,694 Hemp. 103,346 51,054 105,790 197,588 47,201 Preserved fruits 41,946 37,361 52,683 53,833 59,556 Exports from Gt. Britain ; Cottons, yarns. 944,690 1,034,105 1,183,371 1,028,527 1,142,903 Woollens 301,902 189,924 192,241 216,006 189,634 Iron 122,075 106,191 98,694 122,816 181,038 Machinery 89,404 67,277 21,585 27,211 24,838 Copper. 50,032 61,068 37,308 61,191 35,801

The registered shipping (Dec, 1897) consists of 25 sailing vessels of 6,441 tons and 38 steamers of 20,705 tons ; total tonnage, 24,228. In 1897, 4,974 vessels of 6,063,640 tons entered at ports in Hong Kong, being a decrease on 1896 of 105,112 tons. Besides these, 28,989 junks of 1,718,739 tons arrived. The number of native vessels in Hong Kong — independent of several thousand smaller boats that visit Hong Kong annually — is about 52,000, with a tonnage of nearly 1,300,000. Money and Credit. The value of Bank notes in circulation in 1897 was 9,394,444 dollars, as compared with 4,114,787 dollars in 1884 ; specie in reserve in 1897, 4,205,000 dollars, as compared with 1,810,033 dollars in 1884. The approximate amount of coin in circulation up to December 31, 1894, was: — Hong Kong dollars and half-dollars struck at Hong Kong Mint, 1,421,487 dollars ; Hong Kong silver and copper subsidiary coins, 18,435,125 dollars. Money, Weights, and Measures. The money, weights, and measures in use at Hong Kong, and the British equivalents, are : — The Mexican JDoUar = 100 Ce^it = Exchange (end of 1897) Is. ll^rf. ,, British ,, = ,, ,, ,, Chinese Tael = 10 Mace 100 Candareens = 1,000 Cash = about 36-. 4rf. Hong Kong 50, 20, 10, and 5 cent, pieces, imported from England. One cent, pieces (copper). The Tael. ,, Picul.

Cathj. Cheic. Cheung

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oz. avoirdupois. 133 lbs. -•� 4 > � > � 14| inches. 12/^ feet.

Besides the above weights and measures of China, those of Great Britain are in general use in the colony. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Hong Kong. 1. Official Publications, Annual Report on the Blue Book of Hong Kong. Hong Kong. Colonial Office List. Annual. London.