Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/133

 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

81

In January, 1920, there were 1,234 miles of waterway in England, and 304 miles iu Ireland, under the Canal Control Committee — a Committee appointed by the Government to manage the principal canals as from March 1, 1917. In additioD, the Railway Executive Committee controlled 1,145 miles, whilst the River Thames above Teddington, and the Caledonian and Crinan Canals in Scotland, totalling 196 miles, were also under Govern- ment control. The total tonnages passing on these waterways were : — Under Canal Control Committee, 1918, 27,599,000 tons; 1920, 19,110,000 tons ; railway-owned canals, 1918, 5,968,000 tons; 1920, 8,531,000 tons; other waterways, 1913, 490,000 tons; 1920, 386,000 tons; total, 1913, 34,057,000 tons ; 1920, 23,027,000 tons.

The Manchester Ship Canal, opened in 1894, is 35$ miles in length and 38 ft. in deptb. The bottom width of the canal is not less than 120 ft. except for | mile near Latchford, where it is 90 ft. The maximum width of the locks i» 65 ft., with the exception of the entrance lock, which is 80 feet wide. The canal is in direct communication with all tte principal railway systems and barge canals of the Kingdom. The total pad-up capital of the Company is 17,033,189/. The gross revenue of the canal in 1920, includ Bridgewater department and the railways, amounted to -2,448,8481., and the net revenue, including miscellaneous receipts, to 820,93-2/. The traffic receipts in 1920 amounted to 1,461,9092. The merchandise traffic paying toll in 1920 amounted to 4,387, 3*8 tons.

III.— Post, Telegraphs, and Telephones.

Post-offices in the United Kingdom, March, 1915, 24,509, besides 50,285 road and pillar letter-boxes; employed by the Post Office, March, 1921, 234.008 persons (172,428 males, and 61,580 females); of these 21,601 (9,593 females) were temporary officers.

Letters, Post-cards, kc, delivered in 1919-20 : —

BnglM I

A Wales

Scotland ' Ireland

United Kingdom

wit-si

Millions. Millions Millions Millions

Post-cards. Printed Papers Newspapers Parcels. Telegrams.

3,335 50i> 958 155 120

338 54

116 '29 15 10

bi

8t«H

26 588

54 . 1,128

88 807

10 145

T 94

Total for Unite' 1 I domin 1913-14

Millions 8,478

1,172 ■2«17 187

The number and value of money orders issued in 1919-20 were : — Inland orders, 15,427,000, amount 103,519,000/.; foreign and colonial, 2,875,000, amount 15,739,000*.; total, 18,302,000, amount 124,253,000/. These figures include telegraph orders, the number of which, issued inland, in 1919-20 was 1,197,000 to the amount of 6,799,000/., while those issued to or from foreign and colonial countries numbered 40,700 to the amount of 603,000/.

Postal orders issued in the United Kingdom : —

Tear

ended

March 31

1914 1916 1917

Number

152,340,000 132,626,000 124,890,000

Value

Tear

ended

March 31

£ 53,106,OOU 36,195,000 85.080,000

1918 1919 1920

Number

Value

X 126,476,000 37,042,000 110,547,000 36,147,000 106.617,000 37,435,000