IV. A Return of the Number and Tonnage of Sailing Vessels registered at each of the Ports of Great Steam Vessels. Above 50 tons. Of and under 50 tons Above 50 tons. 1663) 16.95 Tons. 1688 190.533 Tons. Tons. 1762 1697 141,264 100,524 244,788 1700 1701 273,693 43,635 317,328 1702J 1709 243,693 45,625 289,318 1712 326,620 29,115 355,735 1713 1714 421,431 26,573 445,004 1715) Tons. Tons. Tons. 510,241 107,237 617,478 1786 582,020 122,735 704,755 1787 543,444 121,926 668.370 1788 631,724 91,593 723,317 1789 662,434 79.800 742,234 1790 726,402 72,215 798.617 1791 758,081 66,153 824,234 1792 725,835 68,006 793,811 1793 761,786 77,984 839.770 1794 805,305 68,420 873,725 1795 806,495 63,176 869,671 1796 877,004 66,898 913,902 1797 923,456 72,931 996,387 1798 874.421 57,994 932,415. 1799 901,016 68,402 969,418 1800 882,579 68,034 950,613 1801 872,108 74,323 946,431 1802 827,067 102,658 929,705 1803 732,558 93.778 826,336 1804 642,981 149,010 791,021 1805 731,286 154,111 885,397 1806 608,219 170,775 778,994 1807 615,150 225,456 840,606 1808 865,967 170.938 1,037,903) 1809 932,219 118,268 1,050,487 1810 1756 496,251 76,156 572,710 1785 1,074,862 107,184 1,182,346 1811 1760 1763 1764 1765 1766 1767 1768 1769 1770 1771 1772 1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1757 VI. Account of the Total Number of Vessels engaged in the Foreign and Colonial Trade of the United Kingdom, with the Amount of their Tonnage, and the Number of Men and Boys employed in navigating the same, that entered inwards from all Parts of the World, in the several Years from 1814 to 1842, both inclusive: distinguishing British from Foreign. VII. An Account of the Number of Vessels, with the Amount of their Tonnage, and the Number of Men and Boys usually employed in navigating the same, that belonged to the several Ports of the British Empire on the 31st December, 1855, 1856, and 1857, respectively. VIII. Account of the Number of Vessels, with the Amount of their Tonnage, that were built and registered in the several Ports of the British Empire in 1855, 1856, and 1857 respectively, IX. Account of the Number of Vessels and of their Tonnage, built and registered in, and belonging to, the different Ports of the British Empire, from 1825 to 1857, both inclusive; specifying the Number of their Crews, and distinguishing between those of the British Islands and Possessions in Europe and those of the Colonies. Vessels built and registered. Vessels and their Crews belonging to the British Empire. Years. Colonies. U. K. and Tons. Ships Tona. Ships Tona. Ships. Tons. Ships Tons. 80,595 1,559 201,921 20,701| 2,328,807 3,579 211,975| 24.280| 2,557,682 166,183 32,719 1,147 110,130 19,174 2,201,592 4,517 330,227 23,721 2,551,819 151,812 52,476 1,159 141,647 19,689 2,271,301 4,696 565,276 21,385 2,634,577 164,000) 425 55,817 1,231 158,527 19,975 2,312,355 5,080 403,745 25,035 2,716,106|| 168,061 485 63,230 1,371 184,952 23,300 2,360,303 5,211 423,458 25,511 2,783,761 171,020 441 66.604 1,130 156,210 20,388 2,519,719 5,132 442,897 25,820 2,792,646 170,637 510 71,306 1,515 207,228 20,556 2,333,521 5,501 457,497 26,057 2,791,018 173,506) 606 703 1,196 168,309 668 1825 1830 1833 1831 806 102,710 1838 1,147 161,459 1839 1,278186,903 1840 1,448 220,064 771 1811 1842 1843 1844 1845 890 121,919 1846 811127,198 79,947 1,753 211,406 20,912 2.420,759 5,697 469,812 26,609 2,890,601 178,583 109,025 1,98) 295,928 21,670 2,570,635 6,075 492,798 27,715 3,068,433 191,283 43,258 2,219 363,352 22,654 2,768,262 6,308 543,276 28,962 3,311,538 201,340 32,857 1,860 301,166 23461 2,935,399 6,591 577,081 30,052 3,512,180 210,198 75,662 1,529 208,937 23,951 3,041,420 5,861 578,130 30,81 3,619,830 181,047) 55,904 1,230 141,277 23,898 3,007,581 7,085 580,806 30,983 3,588,387 213,977 69,857 1,256 166,733 24,016 3,044,392 7,304 592,839 31,520 3,637,251 216,350|| 90,696 1,528 215,615 21,388 3,123,180 7,429 59,881 31,817 3,714,061 224,900 113,558 1,586 241,056 24,771 3,199,785 7,728 617,327 32,199 3,817,112 229,276 155,313 1,737 305,257 25,200 3,307,941 7,788 644,603 32,988 3,952,524 232,590| 101,988 1,533 227,928 25,638 3,400,809 8,034 651,351 33,672 4,052,160 236,069 123,861 1,462 245,130 25,902 3,185,958 8,188 658,157 34,090 4,144,115 237,971 121,953 1,439 262,183 25.977 3,565,133 8,304 667,829 31,288 4,252,962 239,283 122,576 1,248 275,139 26,043, 3,662,314 8,201 669,741 31,211 4,532,053 240,928 138,880 1,419 309,304 26,086 3,759,278 8,316 6-5,114 34,402 4,421,392 245,512| 152,550 1,553 359,788 26,608 4,060,201 8,701 734,218 35,305 4,761,122 253,896] 188,272 1,582 389,975 26,559 4,248,750 9,101 794,520 55,960 5,013,270 266,491 164,968 1,870 492,062 25,918 4,319,334 9,741 901,219 35,692 5,230,353 261,194 175,620 1,876 423,596 26,177 4,366,956 9,835 915,480 36,012 5,312,456| 267,573 167,910 2.045 423,177 27.097) 4,558,710 9,917 960,411] 37,014| 5,519,154] 284,135] N.B. The falling off in the number of ships after 1825 is apparent only. The numbers returned in the previous years were those that appeared on the registers. But a ship when once placed on them, remained till evidence was produced of her having been sold to foreigners, lost, or otherwise destroyed; so that a good many ships were at all times on the register, which, in fact, did not exist. The Registry Act passed in 1826 obliged all owners of ships to register them of new; when, of course, the names of those that had ceased to exist disappeared from the books. Ship-building.. The cost, including the outfit, of the ships built in the U. Kingdom and colonies in 1857, may, we believe, be taken, at a rough average, at from 12l. to 141. per ton, or 134. at a medium, making their total value 3,321,9817. Sunderland, London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Hull, Yarmouth, &c. are the principal building ports. The business has increased with extraordinary rapidity at Sunderland: so much so that while only 60 ships, of the burden of 7,560 tons, were built in that port in 1820, no fewer than 110 ships, of the burden of 42,003 tons, were built in it in 1858. Ships built in London, Liverpool, Bristol, and other western ports, are, however, in higher estimation than those built in the Tyne and the Wear, at least for those branches of trade where the best ships are required. We subjoin An Account of the Ships and their Tonnage annually built in Sunderland since 1848. Within the last dozen years the building of iron steam ships has been immensely extended on the Tyne and the Clyde, especially the latter, which has become the grand seat of this branch of industry. In 1853-54, no fewer than 266 vessels were built or contracted for on the Clyde. They were partly sailing vessels and partly steamers, the engines for the latter being of 29,000 horse-power. But latterly a check has been given to the business. In 1858 there were launched 60 iron vessels of the agg. burden of 40,522 tons; and there are now (1859) being built 34 vessels of 18,463 tons. (See antè, p. 532.) State of the Shipping Interest in 1859. - When the last edition of this work was published during the war with Russia, and when the exports to the Australian colonies had suddenly risen to an extraordinary magnitude, the shipping interest was in the highest state of prosperity. But it was easy to see that the circumstances referred to were of a merely temporary character, and that the prosperity which depended on them would most likely be short-lived. We said so at the time; and our conjectures have been fully verified. The cessation of the Russian war, by putting an end to the extraordinary demand for ships for the conveyance of troops, was followed by an immediate fall of freights. And though this fall was in part, it was not wholly, countervailed by the demand for ships to convey troops to India to quell the revolt of the Bengal native army. Concurrently, too, with these circumstances, the revulsion that took place in the trade with Australia disengaged a considerable number of ships, while the vast additions made by the Americans, Dutch, &c., to their commercial marine contributed still more, by increasing competition beyond the demand, to lower the rate of freight. The latter, consequently, has been much reduced during the last two or three years; and though it has latterly been somewhat increased it is still very low; and a severe check has been given to ship-building both here and in the U. States and Holland. But independent of the transitory circumstances now alluded to, we apprehend that the grand cause of the depression of the shipping interest here and in America, is to be found in the too great increase of shipping. The truth is, that ship-building has been completely overdone on both sides the Atlantic. It should be borne in mind that in consequence of the more extensive employment of steam ships in the coasting and oversea trades, the same amount of tonnage performs a much greater amount of work. The mere substitution of steam for sailing ships, though there had been no increase of tonnage, would have been really equivalent to a large addition to the latter. Inasmuch, however, as both the proportion of steam ships to the total tonnage and the amount of the latter have greatly increased, we need not be surprised at the existing depression. The con But there is no ground for thinking that the latter will be permanent. tinued increase of our trade will afford employment to a still increased amount of shipping; and the check given to building in the meantime will powerfully assist in bringing about the desired equilibrium between the demand and supply. Some very important changes have been made of late years, and are yet in progress, in the construction of ships. They are now built of a much larger size than formerly, of finer models, and with a power of sailing of which no just idea could previously have been formed. Ships of 2,000 tons burden are now reckoned only of little more than a medium size; and those of 2,300 and 2,500 tons, and upwards, have become very common. But in this, as in most other things, we appear to have run from one extreme into another; and from being too small, our ships, and those of the Americans, were becoming too large and unwieldy. And, speaking generally, they are now being built of a less, though still large, and more convenient size than was customary a few years ago. Iron ships are also, as previously stated, very extensively constructed; and ships are now frequently fitted out with screws and steam engines to be used only as a subsidiary power in calms, and against contrary winds. Most sorts of short passage traffic are now carried on by steamers; and it is probable that in the end they will engross the greater part of the coasting trade of most countries and of the trade between foreign countries adjacent to each other. But it is believed by many good judges, that the improved class of sailing ships have little to fear from the competition of steamers in all the more distant branches of trade. This, however, would appear to be very doubtful. Statements of Shipowners.-It will not excite the reader's surprise to be told that a great many crude projects have been put forward in the view of removing the existing distress. But it must be left to time and to the efforts of the parties concerned to set it to rights. It would be much worse than useless to attempt to improve their situation by engaging in retaliatory proceedings against Spain and those countries that lay discriminating duties on articles conveyed to them in foreign ships. Such proceedings would seriously injure ourselves without having any favourable influence over the foreigner. Certainly he will not abandon the protective system because we complain of its operation, though that might very probably tempt him to extend it still farther. But there can be little doubt that he will eventually renounce it when he sees that our commerce and shipping, despite the temporary checks to which all departments of industry are necessarily liable, have vastly increased under a free and liberal system. Besides their reasonings in favour of coercive measures, the shipowners have recently put forth a statement which is intended to show that shippers only profit by a fall in the rate of freight, and that its reduction redounds in no degree to the advantage of the consumers. Suppose, to illustrate this extraordinary statement, that the freight of the barrel of flour from New York to Liverpool generally amounts to 8s. or 10s., but that it falls, from some cause or other, to 1s. the shipowners contend that the exporter will pocket the whole of the difference (9s. or 7s.) between the high and the low rate of freight, and that the British public will in no wise profit by the fall! And such would be the case for the moment; but it is not possible that the exporter should continue to enjoy an advantage of this sort for any length of time: for the fall of freight by adding so much (9s. or 7s. per barrel) to the profits of the shippers of flour, would give such a stimulus to its exportation, and create so much competition in the trade, that its price would forthwith fall in England. And there can be no manner of doubt that it would continue to fall till the N. York shippers realised only the same profits that are realised by the shippers of other articles either foreign or coastwise; that is, till the price of flour has been reduced 7s, or 9s. per barrel, or freight has risen to that amount, or till the equalisation has been brought about partly in the one way and partly in the other. To suppose it should be otherwise is to suppose what is evidently contradictory and absurd. The price of articles not consumed on the spot where they are produced, is made up of the cost of their production and carriage. And any reduction of the latter which is not momentary only, has precisely the same influence over the price of an article as if the expense of producing it were diminished to the same extent. One really feels ashamed to have to state what is so very obvious. It is not creditable to the shipowners that they put forth statements so palpably absurd as that now referred to. They can hardly fail, one should think, to be themselves aware of their fallacy; and they count too much upon the ignorance of others if they suppose that they won't be appreciated at their exact value. II. CLASSIFICATION OF SHIPS. To insure a ship on right principles, or in such a way that the premium shall be the fair equivalent of the risk, is no easy matter. The risk depends partly on the condition of the ship and the capacity of the master and crew; partly on the nature of the cargo she is to take on board; and partly on the voyage she has to perform. The last two circumstances disclose themselves, and their influence may be appreciated, at least with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes, without any difficulty; but it is far otherwise with the condition of the ship, and the capacity of the master and crew. It is essential to the adjusting of an insurance on fair terms, that these should be known; and it is, at the same time, exceedingly difficult to acquire any accurate information with respect to them. It is plain that there is but one mode in which any thing satisfactory can be learned with respect to the condition of ships, and that is, by their inspection and examination by persons of competent information as to such matters. To acquire a just character at first, a ship should be repeatedly surveyed while she is being built; and to learn her condition at any subsequent period, some of the planks should be taken off, and her hull and rigging subjected to a thorough examination. This is the only method to be followed if we wish to arrive at results that may be safely depended on. The age of a ship should not be altogether overlooked in estimating her condition; but it is not a criterion that, taken by itself, is worth almost anything. There is the greatest possible difference in the materials of which different ships are built, in the way in which they are built, and in the wear and tear to which they are exposed. Some are so very bad, that they actually go to pieces on their first voyage; others, with difficulty, last for 3, 4, or 7 years; and others, again, run for 10, 15, and even 20 years, and upwards, with but little repair. It may be presumed that the condition of ships built of similar materials, on the same plan, and employed in the same departments of trade, will depend materially on their ages, but a thousand circumstances conspire to defeat this presumption; and it would be ludicrous to suppose that it should apply at all in the case of ships constructed of different materials, and engaged in different lines. But, notwithstanding the criterion of age is thus really worth less than nothing as a rule by which to judge of a ship's condition, it is almost the only one that was referred to in this country down to a late period. From about the year 1760, or perhaps earlier, down to 1834, ships were arranged, by the underwriters at Lloyd's, in classes marked by the letters A, E, I, and O, and the figures 1, 2, and 3; the former referring to the hull of the ship and the latter to the rigging. A ship marked A 1. was in the |