The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-03 00:00:00

SHIPPING RETURNS.

A return lately printed of the shipping and tonnage
of the United Kingdom furnishes a complete account of
the progress of British and colonial shipbuilding from
the year 1814 to the present time. One of the most re-
mvkable facts presented by this statement is the con-
stant tendency shown to increase the size of vessels. In
1814 the average capacity of all the ships constructed in
Great Britain during that year was 122 tons, while in
1852 it was 235 tons. Hence, although the aggregate
of new tonnage per annum has nearly doubled, the
figures having been 86,075 tons in 1815, against 167,491
last year, the number of vessels built each year has re-
mained nearly stationary, the total having been 706 in
1815, and 712 in 1852. In colonial-built ships this ten-
dency is observable to a still greater extent, their aver-
age capacity having been only 84 tons in 1815, while in
1851 it had risen to 207 tons. At the same time the
advance of the colonies has been such that, notwith-
standing the vast increase in the average capacity of
their ships, the number constructed likewise shows an
extraordinary augmentation. In 1815 they built 131
vessels, with a total capacity of 11,069 tons, and in
1851 the number was 680 vessels with a capacity of
141,116 tons. In the face of all the apprehensions on
account of the repeal of the Navigation Laws, the total
tonnage of English vessels annually constructed since
that event has shown a steady increase, and last year
it was larger than at any former time, with the excep-
tion of 1840 and 1841, when an unusual addition
was made in consequence of a speculative mania that
had prevailed for some time at Sunderland. In the co-
lonies the years 1840, 1841, 7842, and IS4B were the
most active ever known ; and, although after the latter
year, during which a great stimulus had been imparted
by the demand for freight occasioned by the famine
which had just been experienced on this side, a reaction
took place, there has subsequently been a steady reco-
very, until in 1851 the figures again rapidly approached
the total from which they had receded. For 1852 the
colonial returns are not yet complete, but they will pro-
bably show a considerable further advance.
The same document gives an account of the number
of vessels belonging to the several ports of the British
empire in each year, froni 1814 to 1852 inclusive. From
this it appears, that in 1814 the total of vessels was
24,418, with an aggregate capacity of 2,616,965 tons,
employing 172,786 men and boys. Last year the num-
ber was 34,402 vessels, with a tonnage of 4,424,392
tons, employing 243,512 men and boys. During the
interval of 39 years, therefore, the increase of vessels
was equal to 41 per cent., of tonnage to 72 per cent.,
and of men to 40 per cent., the augmentation of capacity
and improvements in construction causing a compa-
rativeh
economyc in the number of persons employed.
A the
return is likewise given of the number of foreign
ships•purchased by British -owners since the repeal of the
Navigation Laws—namely, in 1850, 1851, and 1852.
From this it appears, that the totals were-57, with a
capacity of 10,499 tons, in 1850 ; 26, with a capacity of
6,049 tons, in 1851 ; and 28, with a capacity of 6,724
tons, in 1852. It is evident, therefore, from the decline
which occurred after the first year of experience, that
British builders have nothing to dread from the superior
ability or cheapness of foreign competitors.

THE FLOODS IN KENT AND EssEx.--On Thursday
night last a heavy storm of thunder and lightning burst
over the valley of the Medway, after having at an
earlier Dour in the evening inflicted considerable damage
upon the shipping and dwelling houses on the south-
western and south-eastern coasts. It was accompanied
by a literal deluge of rain, which, descending on Friday
from the uplands, poured into the river, and gradually
overflowed its banks at numerous points, till some hun-
dreds of acres of land between Penshurst and Maidstone
were under water. On Friday also and in the course
of that night there were frequent and heavy showers aug-
menting the body of water to such an extent that the bed
of the stream could not carry off the flood, and the
neighbouring fields and meadows were completely inun-
dated. On Saturday morning, consequently, the Fair-mea-
dow, at Maidstone, with some of the meadows above and
below the bridge, resembled a lake, and apprehensions
were entertained that the bottom of High-street and the
foot of the West Borough would be rendered wholly im-
passable without boats. On Saturday night and Sun-
day the flood abated, and the river at present does not
exceed its averdge depth. The Essex Herald says
"In consequence of the long continuation of heavy
rains, the agricultural operations of seeding have been
seriously retarded, which has caused much fearful ap-
prehension in the minds of the farmers for the fate of
their next year's crops, and an equal amount of anxiety
amongst the people as to their future supply of food.
The floods have risen as a matter of course, and deluged
land abutting upon rivers, stopped the operations of
mills, and otherwise damaged property,"