Page:The Canal System of England.djvu/75

 River, 352 miles in length, is maintained Toll Free by the State of New York.

On English waterways the total cost of transport in 1883 was stated to be seldom more than 0·3d. per ton per mile. In the case of steam colliers it was given at 0·15d. and for steam barges on the River Lea it was 0·33d.

In Germany the rate varies from 0·18d. to 0·40d. per ton per mile, thus:—

Hence it is not surprising that in Germany "for valuable goods a preference is shown for water over railway transport."

"There," we are told, "artificial waterways carry the mass of cheap goods for two-thirds of the regular railway tariff, and valuable goods for from one-third to two-thirds of this tariff.

This competition by water transport has not only been successful, but it has also effected a reduction of Railway Freights.

The average German ton-mileage has undergone remarkable modifications. About the year 1886 the average ton-mile rate in the German Railroad Union was nearly 1d, whereas in 1893 it had fallen to 0·67d.