§ Mr. LYLEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now give the figures for the first half-year of 1959W 1919, as compared with the first half-year of each of the years 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918, showing the number of tons of goods which have been carried by coastal steamers and by the railways, respectively; and what steps he is taking to relieve the railways of the increased burden of much of the traffic which used to go by sea?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe figures for which my hon. Friend asks are not available, but I am sending him particulars showing the net registered tonnage of vessels arriving and departing coastwise with cargo. I am afraid that as regards the last part of the question I can only say that the matter is being considered by the Government and the authorities concerned.
The following are the particulars referred to
STATEMENT showing the net tonnage of vessels that arrived and departed, with cargo, in the coasting trade, at the ports of the United Kingdom collectively during the first half of each of the years 1914 to 1919 inclusive. (The figures do not include vessels employed by His Majesty's Government in connection with the War.)—
First half of Arrived. Departed. Tons net. Tons net. 1914 … 19,331,744 19,288,932 1915 … 14,287,792 14,205,539 1916 … 11,138,498 11,112,596 1917 … 10,041,986 10,161,150 1918 … 8,342,566 8,110,758 1919 … 9,188,469 9,082,501