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Shipping and Navigation

The foreign commerce of the United States is at present largely carried on in foreign bottoms. The shipping belonging to the United States was classed as follows for 1891 :-Sailing vessels, 17,683 of 2,668,495 tons; steam vessels, 6,216 of 2,016,264 tons; total, 23,899 vessels of 4,684,759 tons.

Of vessels registered as engaged in the foreign trade, the aggregate burden was in 1891 988,719 tons, showing an increase of 60,657 tons on 1890; while of vessels engaged in the coasting trade the total burden was 3,609,876 tons, or 200,441 tons more than in the preceding year.

The shipping is distributed thus (1891) :- Grand Divisions. Sailing Vessels. Steam Vessels. Canal Boats. Total.

Barges.

No. Tons.

No.

Tons. No.

Tons.

No. Tons. No. Tons.

Atlantic and Gulf Coasts Pacific Coast Northern Lakes 13,085 1,599,287 2,935 871 247,319 578 886,375 443 48,484 187,429 1,101 246,537 17,564 2,780,683 9 6,109 1,458 440,858 1,243 325,131 1,592 We tern Rivers 1,111 736,752 703 72,515 205,708 62 166 102,640 20,472 3,600 1,154,870 1,277 308,348 Totals, 1891 " 1890 15,199 15,164 2,109,413 2,171,737 6,216 2,016,264 1,146 120,999 1,338 375,758 23,889 4.684,759 5,965 1,859,089 1,097 114,953 1,241 341,042 23,467 4,424.497 During the year 1890-91 there were built:- Sailing vessels, 733 of 144,290 tons; steam vessels, 488 of 185,037 tons; canal boats, 57 of 7,059 tons; barges, 106 of 32,916 tons.

The total tonnage on June 30, 1891, was 2,016,264 steam, and 2,668,495 other than steam.

The tonnage entered and cleared in the foreign trade during the last three fiscal years was as follows:- - 1889. 1890. 1891.

Entered:- No.

Tonnage.

No.

Tonnage.

No. Tonnage.

American, Foreign, 10,459 3,724,325 11,217 4,083,121 11,046 4,380,804 21,387 12,227,794 22,231 14,024, 140 21,532 13,823,491 Total, 31,846 15,952, 119 33,448 18,107,261 32,578 18,204,295 Cleared :- American, Foreign, 10,878 3,988,454 11,000 4,066,757 11,182 4,455,402 21,498 12,354,693 22,297 14,082, 105 21,521 13,805,430 Total, 32,376 16,343, 147 33,297 18,148,862 32,703 18,260,832 In 1890-91 62 vessels of 108,206 tons cleared from Atlantic for Pacific ports of the United States, and 14 vessels of 23,812 tons cleared from Pacific for Atlantic ports via Cape Horn.

Of the total foreign trade in 1890-91, only 11.94 per cent. in value was carried in vessels belonging to the United States. The proportion has steadily decreased since 1856, when it was 75.2 per cent.