The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-18

the same preponderance at sea which the
Phpnicinns enjoyed in early times, and
the Italians in the middle ages, but the pre-
ponderanco is increasing. Since 1910 the
oceangoing tonnage under the British en-
sign has trebled, while the aggregate ton
mage of all other nations has only doubled.
To give the exact figures, the nomina ton
mage OF Great Britain rose between lS4O
and 1899 from 100000 to 10,e3O,0OO
tons, while the total nominal tonnage under
all other flags increased only from ~o,07O,0OO
10 i2,67O,OOO But even this exhibit gives
an inadequate idea Of the growth OF British
shipping, owing to the larger proportion OF
steam vessels In Great Britaih's merchant
navy. Allowing for the fact that n steamer,
being able TO make so many more trips a
year, is held TO possess four times the carry
ing power Of n sailing vessel Of equal ton
mage Mr.. MULnALL computes that the
carrying power of the British merchant fleet
in 1899 was pa, 100000 tons, as against a
total carrying power under other flags of
81, 12O, 1000 tons. That Is to sny, It amounted
to So per cent. of the whole. Next to Great
Britain, but at n vast interval, came Scan
dinavia with n carrying power OF ~4,24o,000
UOUS HEM many " 'sofNfNNN 'chS'
then France, with 2,d10,OO0 tons; then
Spain, with 2,o2O, 900 tons; then the United
States, with 1,6SO,OO0; and, finally, Italy,
with 1,41O,O00 tons. In the case OF the
United States it should be hoted hat the
figures show a shrinkage in the carrying
power at sea of 80, 1000 tons during the
decade preceding 1892. We should also re-
mark that the increase Of French carrying
power during the same decade was very
slight, Notwithstanding the fact that France
pays about 81, 100000 annually in bountics
on her seagoins shipping.
Inspecting Mr.. MrLHALL's table Of port
entries, we find that those Of the United
States increased between 1889 and 1899
from / 1850, 900 tons to 10, $50, 900, or gag
per cent. those Of Continental Europe in
the same decade from 67,71O,000 tons to
80, ,o0O, or $40 per cent. those Of South
America from 8, 12O, 900 tons to $3.50, 900,
or 7O.4 per cent, and those of the colonies,
that term comprehending all the transma-
rine possessions OF the European powers,
from ID 800, 900 tons to 81 ,230.00o. Thu
port entries of the British colonies alone
expanded within the same period from 25,-
10000 to 80, 620, 900 tons, or by 54.1 per
cent. Another table OF the entries Of vessels
bearing the British ensign into the ports of
the world ~verifies the saying that trade fol-
lows the flag, by showing that the COM
mercial relations between Grent Britain and
her colonies grow much faster than either
the trade OF the ports Of the United Kingdom
or the between Great Britain and
other countries.
As regards the comparative efficiency of
British seamen, a carefully compiled table
of all the seagoing vessels of the world, in
GLIDING all steamers over 100 tons and all
sailing vessels over so tons, brings out the
fact that in all maritime countries taken to-
gether, there il an average of 2S tons regis
ter to each seaman, whereas in the case OF
Great Britain the average ID 80 tons per
man, or 40 per cent. moro than the usual
proportion. Evidence Of superior efficiency
is also afforded by a table Of wrecks col
lected from the reports OF the four countries
which furnish distinct returns upon the
subject. 1t appears that In the years 1888
5000 the ratio OF the tonnage los: by wreck
to tonnage afioat was for Great Britain "a
per cent. for Germany, $50 per cent. for
France, as per cent, and for the United
States 6.s per cent Mr.. MuLHALL admits,
however, that the whole Of this startling
difference cannot be ascribed to the superb
ority of British seamanship, for the reason
that the British merchant navy has n larger
proportion of ships propelled by steam, and
it has been we'll established that sailing YES
the difference being rs four to three.