§ MR. ASHLEY ( Lancashire, Blackpool)To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total tonnage of British shipping actually trading to South Africa in the years from 1902 to 1906 inclusive; what percentage of that tonnage was chartered to American firms in those years; and what percentage of the total tonnage owned by British South African lines was lying idle in each year.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The following table gives the particulars asked for in the first part of the Question. I am unable to give the further information which the hon. Member desires. Statement showing the net tonnage of British vessels, including their repeated voyages, that entered and cleared at the ports of the United Kingdom from and to British South Africa in each of the years from 1902 to 1902 inclusive: —
| Entered from British South Africa. | |||||||||
| Year. | With Cargoes | In Ballast. | Total. | ||||||
| Sailing. | Steam. | Total. | Sailing. | Steam. | Total. | Sailing. | Steam. | Total. | |
| Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | |
| 1902 | 472 | 639,958. | 640,430 | 2,137 | 71,293 | 73,430 | 2,609 | 711,251 | 713,860 |
| 1903 | 2,499 | 775,226 | 777,725 | 2,334 | 105,574 | 107,908 | 4,833 | 880,800 | 885,633 |
| 1904 | 1,186 | 819,338 | 820,524 | 1,782 | 43,987 | 45,769 | 2,968 | 863,325 | 866,293 |
| 1905 | — | 735,143 | 735,143 | — | 1,938 | 1,938 | —. | 737,081 | 737,081 |
| 1906 | — | 726,930 | 726,930 | — | 23,849 | 23,849 | — | 750,779 | 750,779 |
| Cleared to British South Africa. | |||||||||
| 1902 | 125,205 | 1,013,736 | 1,138,941 | 2,124 | 84,545 | 86,660 | 127,329 | 1,098,281 | 1,224,610 |
| 1903 | 53,986 | 1,226,078 | 1,320,064 | — | 66,253 | 66,253 | 53,986 | 1,332,331 | 1,386,317 |
| 1904 | 33,817 | 1,096,951 | 1,130,768 | — | 45,804 | 45,804 | 33,817 | 1,142,755 | 1,176,572 |
| 1905 | 12,558 | 819,844. | 832,402 | 60 | 22,434 | 22,494 | 12,618 | 842,278 | 854,896 |
| 1906 | 17,306 | 678,767 | 696,073 | — | 8,322 | 8,322 | 17,306 | .687,089 | 704,395 |