§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to state what is the amount of national capital embarked in State railways in Germany, and what interest the net receipts return thereon; and further, what allowance is made from gross earnings for depreciation and sinking fund, as also how many miles of track are worked by the State, and how many passengers were 518 carried last year, and what was the total tonnage of goods hauled.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsAccording to the latest returns available (March, 1905) the amount of National capital embarked in State railways in Germany (including narrow gauge lines) was £686,300,000 and the percentage of net working; receipts to capital was 5.9 per cent. The ength of such railways was 31,600 miles, equivalent to a track mileage of about, 69,900 miles. The number of passengers carried in the year 1904–5 was 984,785,000, and the tonnage of goods, (inclusive of the weight of live stock) 382,203,000 tons. The net receipts of German State railways are paid into the Treasury and the published returns do not indicate any allowance for depreciation or sinking fund.