The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-05 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SHIPPING.

In some statistical particulars which appeared in
The AS'un one day last week with reference to the
position of the shipping interest, it was stated that
it was with steam vessels that English shipowners
had been most successful in grappling with the
increased foreign competition to which they are now
exposed. Thus in 1844 the British steam shipping
which entered with cargoes and ballast at the ports
of the United Kingdom was 507,549 tons, and the
foreign 85,917 tons ; in 1849 the British total had
increased to 734,763 tons, and the foreign to
151,312 tons, showing an increase of 45 per cent. in
the former and 75 per cent. in the latter; in 1854
the British entrances had further increased to
1,358,524 tons, and the foreign to 176,309 tons,
showing an increase of 85 per cent. in the former
and 16 per cent. in the latter; and in 1860 the
British aggregate entrances were 2,144,736 tons,
and the foreign 404,275 tons, showing an increase
of 58 per cent. in the former and 129 per cent. in
the latter. Comparing 1860 with 1844, the British
clearances increased 1,637,187 tons, or 323 per cent.,
and the foreign entrances 318,358 tons, or 370 per
cent. As regards the clearances outwards of steam
shipping with cargoes and in ballast, the British
total was, in 1844, 491,115 tons, and the foreign
85,176 tons ; in 1849 the British clearances had in-
creased to 694,044 tons, and the foreign to 156,873
tons, showing an increase of 41 per cent. in the for-
mer and 83 per cent. in the latter ; in 1854 the
British figures were 1,303,667 tons, and the foreign
181,512 tons, showing an increase of 87 per cent. in
the former and 16 per cent. in the latter; and in
1860 the British aggregate had further increased
to 2,041,694 tons, and the foreign to 376,868 tons,
showing an increase of 56 per cent. in the former
and 108 per cent. in the latter. Comparing 1860 with
1844, the British clearances increased 1,550,570
tons, or 316 per cent., and the foreign 291,692 tons,
or 343 per cent. The yearly relative share of busi-
ness enjoyed by British and foreign steam shipping
since 1844 has been as follows :

British Foreign
Yrs. Percentage. Percentage.
1844 .. 85.3 141
1845 .. 88.8 .. 11'2
1846 .. 85.9 14.1
1847 84.9 .. 15.1
1848 .. 83.9 .. 16.1
1849 .. 82.2 17.8
1850 81.6 .. 18.4
1851 .. 85.1 .. 14.9
1852 .. 15.0 .. 15.0

British Foreign
Yrs. Percentage. Percentage.
1853 .. 87.6 .. 12.4
1854 88'1 .. 11.9
1855 86.9 13.1
1856 84.6 .. 15.4
1857 83.2 .. 16'8
1858 82.2 .. 17.8
1859 83 4 16.6
1860 84.3 .. 15'7

Thus, while the proportion of business done by
British sailing and steam shipping combined fell
from 71.9 per cent. in 1844 to 58.1 per cent. in 1860,
steam shipping per• se only receded in the same
period from 85.3 to 84.3 par cent. In other words,
the British ordinary shipping entering and clear-
ing with cargoes and in ballast at the ports of the
United Kingdom only advanced from 6,601,621 tons
in 1844 to 8,728,493 tons in 1860, being an increase
of 13 per cent.; while the foreign ordinary shipping
entering and clearing advanced from 2,675,391
tons in 1844 to 9,993,226 tons in 1860, being an in-
crease of 274 per cent. Hence the lugubrious com-
plaints made from time to time by the old-fashioned
section of the shipping interest, of which a further
expose may be given in a future paragraph.

COUNTRY MARKET S.

LIVERPOOL-JUNE 4.

There was a good attendance of the town and country
trade at this morning's market ; but we had a very inactive
business doing in wheat, and sales only effected at a decline
of ld to 2d per cental from Friday last. Flour nominally
unchanged. Oats and oatmeal were at former quotations.
Indian corn offered freely—American mixed 31s per qr—
but no buyers. Barley and peas the turn cheaper. Beans
also less inquired for. A dull market throughout.