The new North-west., 1897-04-16
THE WORLDS GREAT PORTS.
European Cities Going Ahead While
New York Is Standing Still.

European Cities Going Ahead While
New York Is Standing Still
Some German merchants. bankers
ana imperial officials have found great
encouragement in the fact established
by hgures that, while during the last
ten years the commerce of the city of
Liverpool has increased 40 per cent,
the tonnage of vessels arriving at or de-
parting from the German port of Ham
burg has increased 20 per cent in the
same period. The geographical posi-
ton of Liverpool is highly favorable
to shipping, and the docks of Liverpool,
1t Is well known, have at large expense
made the harbor most desira BILE one
IN the Facilities which it gives to yes-
sells of all dimensions. But recently
Liverpool has had to contend with the
serious industrial and mercantile. rival
~ OF the city of Manchester, and the
business of Manchester has been great
ly promoted by the Manchester Canal.
The German Government, in the CON
struction of the new Baltic Canal has
disseminated in favor Of Hamburg,
which has increased its shipping busi-
ness very largely of late years at the
expense Of the other North German
port of Bremen. AT the close of the
tranco-Prussian war the tonnage of
vessels arriving in and departing from
Hamburg was 100000, and of Bremen
III the same year 100000. Since then
the commerce of Bremen has increased
about IS per cent. and that of Ham
burg 300 per cent.
Notwithstanding these great gains
the city of London still retains It's re-
markable distinction of being the great
est port IN the world for sea-gons yes-
sells, New York following not very far
behind, but showing comparatively
little increase. The number of ships.
steel, steam or sail, which leave the
port OF New York in year is about
1000, and more than two-thrds of the
total number of such vessels are reg
istered under foreign flags. New York
has gained of late years in respect of
the amount Of business done with Eu-
ropean ports, but there has been no
corresponding increase in the volume
OF business done with domestic ports,
and moreover the city of New York
has had to meet very strong competi-
ton from Baltimore and New Orleans,
n considerable portion of the shipments
OF Western grain having been diverted
to these ports and away from New
York. The business Of the port of Lon
don is very largely of local character,
London being mart of consumption
and interchange Of articles arriving
from other parts of England.
The four cities of London, New York,
Liverpool and Hamburg stand at the
head of the ports of the world. but
there are others at which a very larrc
business Is done-soma de-
creasing, but a larger number failing
to keep up with the ratio of growth in
mercantile business. Antwerp in Bel
GUM stands fifth among the CONNER
clal ports of the world and very near
1t, with volume of tonnage nearly as
high, Is Marseilles, in France, the chief
port of the Mediterranean. Hayre. IN
France, does a considerable business
chiefly with foreign countries, in the
line, and Stettn, in Germany,
l large business, chiefly coastwise. The
development of the railroad and canal
systems of each port has much to do
with its growth in commercial bust
ness, and it is fact usually to be OBJ
served that a city which is the termi-
nus OF a canal retains longer and better
It's shipping trade than a railroad ter
minus. At least this is observable in
the United States.-New York Sun,