Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/429

 SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION

89

A summary of the total shipping of the United Kingdom, sail- ing and steam, engaged in the home and foreign trade, during ten years is given in the following table : —

Year Number of Vessels Tons Men Year Number of Vessels Tons Men 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 17,584 17,554 17,425 17,243 17,020 7,351,888 7,641,154 7,915,336 8,164,541 8,449,512 223,673 230,263 236,108 240,480 241,735 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 16,828 16,547 16,105 15,739 15,423 8,541,388 8,716,285 8,861,848 8,933,340 8,925,813 240,974 240,458 240,486 242,039 240,931

The following table shows the total number and net tonnage of vessels registered as belonging to the United Kingdom (with the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) at the end of each year : —

— Sailing Vessels Steam Vessels Total No. Tons No. Tons No. Tons 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 13,239 12,943 12,617 12,274 11,911 3,038,260 2,987,161 2,866,895 2,735,976 2,589,570 8,088 8,263 8,386 8,522 8,590 5,740,243 5,969,020 6,121,555 6,284,306 6,363,601 21,327 21,206 21,003 20,796 20,601 8,778,503 8,956,181 8,988,450 9,020,282 8,953,171

Of the men employed (1897) 33,898 were foreigners. The total number of vessels belonging to the British Empire in 1897 was 34,962 of 10,416,442 tons net. The number and net tonnage of vessels built in the United Kingdom (exclusive of vessels built for foreigners) in five years was as follows : —

Year Sailing Vessels St€amers Total Number Tons Number Tons Number Tons 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 333 363 319 389 518 114,895 89,156 54,155 57,467 66,729 448 524 541 542 536 380,393 485,460 465,467 462,503 415,538 781 887 860 931 1,054 495,288 574,616 519,622 519,970 482,267

In 1897 214 merchant vessels of 152,943 tons net wore built for foreigners (72 sailing of 22,916 tons, and 142 steam of 130,027 tons).