MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can explain the discrepancy between the Board of Trade Return, showing the progress of British Merchant Shipping (No. 258 of 1897), which gives the total tonnage of the Merchant Navy of the British Empire for the year 1894 as 10,512,272 tons, and the Admiralty Return of September, 1895, (460, Session 2 of 1895), which gives the aggregate tonnage of the Mercantile Marine of the British Empire for the same year, 1894, as 13,227,185 tons; and which of the two figures is correct?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe chief cause of the difference is that in the Admiralty Return of 1895 the gross tonnage of vessels belonging to the United Kingdom is given, while in the Return of "Progress of Merchant Shipping" the net tonnage is taken, which is the register tonnage by the Act of 53 Parliament. There are one or two other minor causes of disagreement between these two Returns. I may add that in the recent Return (416 of 1897) of "Naval Expenditure and Mercantile Marine" the net tonnage figures are given, so that there is now no disagreement between the two Returns.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESIs it a fact that in the Returns referred to no total at all is given for the British Empire?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe figures are not carried out, if that is what the hon. Member means. Speaking from memory, I think the reason is that the figures do not all relate to one year.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESCan the right hon. Gentleman say why there should be a total to one Return and not to the other?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADENo; I cannot.