Part 5 (1/2)
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' s.h.i.+PPING TO AND FROM PORTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Entries and Clearances together, in Millions of Tons.
------------+---------------------------+----------------------------- | FOREIGN TRADE. | COASTING TRADE.
Average of +-------------+-------------+----------------------------- Five Years. |Under British| |In this Trade practically all | Flag. | Total. | the s.h.i.+pping is British.
------------+-------------+-------------+----------------------------- 1870-74 | 28 | 42 | 38 1875-79 | 35 | 51 | 46 1880-84 | 43 | 61 | 50 1885-89 | 49 | 67 | 54 1890-94 | 55 | 75 | 58 Year 1895 | 59 | 81 | 61 ------------+-------------+-------------+-----------------------------
In order to further compare our progress with the progress of other countries the following table has been prepared to show the relative position of the princ.i.p.al countries now and twenty years ago. If we consider merely the rate of progress, the German percentage of increase is undoubtedly better than ours. But in national life, as in individual, it is not percentages but amounts that are important, and the table shows that while Germany has added 6,000,000 tons to her s.h.i.+pping, we have added 27,000,000 tons to ours. As long as anything similar to that proportion is maintained we have no need to fear German rivalry.
BRITISH AND FOREIGN s.h.i.+PPING.
In Millions of Tons.
---------------------------------------------------------+-------+------- Average Annual Entries and Clearances. |1870-74|1890-94 ---------------------------------------------------------+-------+------- British tonnage engaged in the foreign trade of the U.K. | 28 | 55 German ” ” ” ” ” Germany | 4 | 10 French ” ” ” ” ” France | 5 | 9 United States ” ” ” ” the U.S. | 7 | 9 ---------------------------------------------------------+-------+-------
The figures for 1890-94 may be ill.u.s.trated diagrammatically as on opposite page.
It must be noticed that this comparison takes no account of the enormous carrying trade done by this country for foreign countries or British Colonies trading with one another; nor are there figures available for showing how in this matter we compare with our rivals. The figures, if they existed, would show that in this international industry Great Britain is first, and the rest of the world nowhere.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Before pa.s.sing to another point it is worth while to call attention to the enormous development of the coasting branch of our s.h.i.+pping trade, as shown in the figures given above. This branch of s.h.i.+pping is really of the nature of internal traffic, as distinguished from foreign trade.
That it should have increased so steadily and so rapidly is by itself a striking proof of the commercial activity of the country.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR RAILWAYS.
Proof even more convincing is apparent in the enormous development of our railway system. It is difficult to know from which side first to approach the tremendous figures in which this development is portrayed.
Taking, at hazard, mileage first, we find within the last twenty-five years an increase of 6,000 miles in our railway system-namely, from 15,000 in 1870, to 21,000 in 1895. Of this increase, 2,000 miles are due to the last decade. Looking next at the capital expenditure, we find that in the ten years from 1885 to 1895 the total capital of the various railway companies of the United Kingdom rose from 816 millions sterling to 1,001 millions. Part of this immense increase was, it is true, only nominal, being due to consolidation of stock, etc. But when all allowance has been made on that score, we are left with a real net increase in the ten years of 170 millions sterling. During the same period of ten years the receipts from pa.s.senger traffic rose from 30 millions sterling to 37 millions, while the receipts from goods traffic rose from 36 to 44 millions. In the last quarter of a century the number of pa.s.sengers carried by the railways, exclusive of season-ticket holders, has risen from 337 millions to 930 millions. Were it possible to record the number of journeys made by season-ticket holders, we should obtain an even more striking picture of the development of pa.s.senger traffic on our railways. Such figures as are available are given in the next table, and ill.u.s.trated by the accompanying diagrams:-
THE RAILWAYS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Ten Years' Work and Receipts.
-----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- |1886|1887|1888|1889|1890|1891|1892|1893|1894|1895 -----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Goods carried:- | | | | | | | | | | Million Tons | 255| 269| 282| 297| 303| 310| 309| 293| 324| 334 | | | | | | | | | | Pa.s.sengers carried: | | | | | | | | | | Million persons | 726| 734| 742| 775| 818| 845| 864| 873| 911| 930 -----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Goods receipts:- | | | | | | | | | | Million 's |364|373|387|411|422|432|429|410|434|440 | | | | | | | | | | Pa.s.senger receipts: | | | | | | | | | | Million 's |302|306|310|326|343|351|357|358|365|374 -----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
The figures may be ill.u.s.trated diagrammatically as follows:-
[Ill.u.s.tration]
[Ill.u.s.tration: RAILWAY Pa.s.sENGERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM (exclusive of season-ticket holders). 1870-337 Millions, 1895-930 Millions.]
These diagrams and the figures they ill.u.s.trate hardly look as if the nation were on the verge of decay, ruined by German cheap goods. If such be the signs of national collapse, no country in the world can be called prosperous. For there is this feature about our railway development which entirely differentiates it from the railway expansion of newer countries-that every pound of capital required has come out of our own pockets: we have borrowed from no one. Instead, while planking down in ten years 170 new millions to add to our own railways, we have been lending with large hands to railway builders in every part of the globe.
LENGTHENING TRAM LINES.
From railways we pa.s.s to tramways. Here the figures are less considerable in amount, but they are striking enough. In 1876 there were only 158 miles of tramway open for public traffic; by 1885 that number had risen to 811 miles, and by 1895 to 982 miles. In the same periods the paid-up capital had increased from 2 millions sterling to 12, and thence to 14 millions. Lastly, between 1885 and 1895 the number of pa.s.sengers carried upon tramways has risen from 365 millions to 662 millions. These figures are princ.i.p.ally interesting because the tramcar is essentially a popular means of conveyance. If the working-cla.s.ses of this country are being reduced to starvation, as the Protectionists say, by the invading Teuton, it is astounding that they should be able to afford so many pennies to pay for tram fares.
POST OFFICE EXPANSION.