Page:The Canal System of England.djvu/80

 Cheshire, the expense of transit by inland navigations to Hamburg, and by sea from Hamburg to Newcastle-upon Tyne, is actually less than that from the Cheshire brine-shafts.

How was it that in the year 1888 our traders could submit several lists of rates and charges to the Committee of the Board of Trade shewing that sometimes the rates for a short distance traffic rose to l·5d. per ton per mile, and that even the London coal traffic was seldom carried for less than 5d. per ton per mile, although the cost of the service, excluding interest on capital was considerably less than one-half that amount?

How is it—on the other hand—that six million tons of goods are annually carried into Paris by water, this traffic being 41% of the total entering the city by railway and water together, one million tons being carried from Rouen in direct competition with a railway?

How is it that Berlin is supplied to the extent of one half of its imports by canal?

How is it that over .27% of the traffic of the United States is water borne, in spite of the cheap railway rates of that country?

How is it that in France water borne traffic forms 30%, and in Germany 23%, while in the United Kingdom it is less than 11% of the total traffic?