HC Deb 08 August 1904 vol 139 cc1334-6
SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state how many sailors and firemen were engaged at the ports of North and South Shields from Monday, 18th July, until Saturday. 23rd July, inclusive; and the number of British nationality and the number of foreigners.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state how many sailors and firemen were engaged on British ships at the port of Cardiff from Monday, 18th July, until Saturday, 23rd July, inclusive; and how many were British and how many were foreigners.

(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) In the period stated 194 sailors and firemen were engaged at South Shields; of these 130 were of British and sixty-four of foreign nationality. At North Shields fifty-three sailors and firemen were engaged during the same period; of these forty-three were of British and ten of foreign nationality. The engagements at Cardiff with regard to which my hon. and gallant friend also inquires were as follows in the period named:—337 sailors and firemen, of these 170 were of British and 167 of foreign nationality.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state how many sailors and firemen were engaged on British ships at the Port of Antwerp (Belgium) from the 5th to 11th June, inclusive; how many of these were British and how many were foreigners; and whether the foreign seamen were all able to produce certificates of discharge.

(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) In the period stated, ten British vessels opened agreements and engaged crews at Antwerp. For these, 129 sailors and firemen were engaged; fourteen British and 115 of foreign nationality; ninety-seven

Countries. Duty on imported wheat per quater. Average price of wheat per quater. Basis and date of price. Approximate percentage of imported wheat in total supply (five years 1899–1903.
s. d. s. d.
United Kingdom Nil 28 0 Gazette average price of English wheat (last week in July) 77½
29 0 Average declared value of imported wheat (July)
Germany 7 7 37 9 Berlin official market price 29th July 34
France 12 2¾ 36 6 Paris official price 30th July 2*
Italy 13 0½ (Cannot yet to be given for the end of July) 18
*Average of four years 1899–1902

of the latter produced continuous certificates of discharge. Four other British vessels during the period named engaged twenty-three sailors and firemen at Antwerp. Of these, two were British and the remainder foreign. As they did not open fresh agreements when engaging these sailors and firemen, I have no records from which I can say how many produced continuous discharge books.