The San Francisco call., 1897-05-09
The Worlds Shipping.

Truly, it is "Athanasius contra mum
dunn in the matter of shipping, and the
British empire is the Athanasius. OF all
the merchant marine OF the world, in ves-
sells OF 100 tons or more about one-half is
under the "meteor fag." The totals are
90 $50 vessels and 25, ,614, ,0S9 tons, of which
IL $50, or more than one-thlrd of the YES
ses. and Is, 359. 026, or more than one-half
of the tonnage, are British. There is no
use, therefore. in instituting a com parison
between British shipping and that of any
other nation. The first place is so indis-
putably English that ali com petition must
De for the second and lower places.
In the totals of all kinds of vessels the
second place is at present easily held by
the United States. This country has 32l5
vessels, OF 2, 234, 725 tons. The nearest COM
petitors are Norway, with 1902 vessels of
1, 500 46S tons; and Germany, with 1857. of
l ,943, ,75I. France comes next, with 1157, of
1,129 575. Italy, Russia, Sweden and Tur-
key have each more than 1000 vessels, IN
deed Sweden has more than France but
none of them has nearly ]. .000 00G tonnage
Further analysis of the figures gives
some interesting results. In the class of
wooden and composite steamers the United
States greatly leads all, with DO, of 158 600
tons, against $50 of Al, 3S4 tons in Japan,
the nearest rival. Indeed in tonnage of
this class the United States outstrips even
the British empire, the latter having 400
vessels, but of only los. 036 tons. OF iron
steamers we have 249, of 800, 794 tons, and
are surpassed by France and Germany in
both numbers and tonnage, and by Nor
way, Sweden and Spain in the former but
not in the latter respect. OF steel steamers
we have 200, of AS, 1888 tons, and are sur
passed in both respects only by Germany,
Norway having more vessels but less
tonnage. The totals OF all steam craft in
the United States are, then, $50 vessels of
/, COS, ,459 tons. We are surpassed only by
Germany, with 9S4 vessels OF ], 1868
tons. and are approached only by Norway
| in mum Der of vessels, 63S and by France
| in tonnage, $50, 785. All the rest are far
behind.
In sailing craft Of wood and composite
! structure the United States leads the
The figures are: United States, 25l1 yes
sells of 1, 1913, 379 tons; British empire (col-
| onies incIuded). 2314, of 708. $50 tons;
/ Norway, 2156, of 1,o42, ,084 tons, and
! the rest nowhere. III iron sailing
| craft our sixteen, OF 1883 tons,
are so Gar behind Germany's 1S5, of
| 199, ASS tons, as TO be quite out of reckon
! ing. We are also surpassed in both num-
| bers and size by France, Norway, Dem
| mark and Holland, and by Argentina and
| Italy in mum bers, and just equaled by
| Sweden in nnmb bers. Our eight steel
| sailing vessels of 1904 tons, are
vast,v distanced by Germany's fleet,
/ SURPASSED in numbers and tonnage by
| the fleets of Holland, France, Italy
and Norway, and in numbers by those of
| Argentina and Denmark. In the grand
| total OF all kinds OF sailing craft the United
! States leads all the world. excepting the
| British empire, but it is closely pressed by
L L
25S5 vessels of 1. 20 260 tons, and Norway,
| 2264 of l. 142 9s4 IONS. All the rest are
comparatively dis,anced. = New York
| Tribune.