or to 136,311 tons. This credits Belgium with a total vessel tonnage to and from western South America of 334,784 net tons.

A portion of the tonnage recorded by the Netherlands as to and from the west coast of South America is also included in the tonnage recorded as entering and clearing at ports of the United Kingdom and Germany. The situation as to the Netherlands entrances is similar to that of the Belgian, and the same method of avoiding duplications may be adopted. The recorded entrances of sailing vessels (31,007 tons) and those of vessels in ballast (1,860 tons) may be accepted without change, and this sum added to three-fourths of the remaining steam tonnage makes the total entrances 84,093 tons. The recorded clearances of the Netherlands are so small that they may be accepted without change. The total vessel movement between the Netherlands and western South America aggregates 90,645 net tons of entrances and clearances.

Ves

The recorded vessel entrances into France from the west coast of South America are almost as large as those of Great Britain, although the value of French imports from that section is much less than the value of the imports either of Germany or of Great Britain. The discrepancy must be due to duplication in the vessel entrances. sels bound for the United Kingdom or Germany sometimes call at French ports to discharge a portion of their cargo and in that way are recorded both in France and in the British or German ports where their voyages end. As in the case of Belgium and the Netherlands, France's recorded entrances of sailing vessels (109,370 tons) contain few duplications; and the figures for vessels in ballast (445 tons) contain none. Probably one-half of the steamship entrances, as recorded by France, should be deducted to allow for the duplication of tonnage in the German and British figures. Thus corrected, the total French entrances from western South America become 246,183 net tons.

The value of the French and German exports to the west coast of South America do not differ greatly in value, and their vessel clearances to the two countries are similar in amount. The exports from the United Kingdom to western South America are of large value; but the British clearances are disproportionately large in comparison with the exports. Ships from Great Britain call at French ports, partly loaded, and are thus recorded in France as well as in Great Britain. This is true to a less extent of vessels clearing from German ports. Probably one-half of the recorded French clearances to the west coast of South America should be deducted, leaving a total of 113,616 tons. This makes the aggregate net vessel movement, inbound and outbound, between France and western South America 359,799 tons. There are no clearances of sailing vessels or steamers in ballast from France to the west coast of South America.

The duplications in the Spanish tonnage figures are very pronounced. The value of the combined import and export trade of Spain with the west coast of South America is less than $3,000,000; yet the vessel entrances in this trade, as recorded by Spain, are over one-half those of Germany or Great Britain, and the clearances exceed those of Germany. The greater portion of this recorded tonnage is also included in the British, German, and French figures. The entrances of sailing vessels, vessels in ballast, and of steamers

ably one-fourth of the remaining recorded entrances may properly be retained. This reduces the net entrances to 93,104 tons. The Spanish clearances of sailing vessels, of vessels in ballast, and of steamers flying the Spanish flag aggregate 125,208 tons. This analysis credits the commerce of Spain with western South America with 218,320 net tons of vessel entrances and clearances, of which 145,303 tons consist of vessels moving in ballast.

The trade of Portugal with the west coast of South America is so small that most of the abnormally large vessel tonnage recorded consists of duplications. As in the case of Spain, however, the total tonnage of sailing vessels and of vessels in ballast may be regarded as free from duplications, and doubtless about one-fourth of the remaining entrances may conservatively be retained. By this reasoning Portugal is credited with entrances of 61,600 tons and clearances of 34,966, an aggregate of 96,566. Vessels of Portuguese nationality engaged in the trade with western South America are so few in number that they are not separately specified in the official reports.

The trade of Italy with the west coast of South America is sufficiently heavy to account for the small vessel tonnage recorded by Italy. The same is true of Hungarian tonnage. In both cases figures may be accepted without change.

The total net entrances into Europe of vessels engaged in the trade with the west coast of South America are reduced by this analysis to 1,553,887 tons and the clearances to 1,594,513, a combined total of 3,148,400. This reduction from the total tonnage as recorded is relatively greater than was made in the report of 1899-1901; but it is believed that the duplications have become more numerous because of the increased use of steamers instead of sailing vessels and because of the growth of line as compared with chartered traffic.

Though the entrances here given are slightly less than the clearances, it is to be noted (1) that 150,312 tons of the clearances consist of vessels in ballast and that a considerable portion of the remaining tonnage clears lightly laden; (2) that the recorded tonnage statistics show a similar relation between entrances and clearances; and (3) that the clearances from Great Britain are unusually large and consist partly of vessels which clear from British ports for South America later to return with cargo destined to continental European ports. Such vessels appear in the clearance returns of Great Britain and in the entrance records of other European countries. Some ships after discharging on the west coast of South America proceed to the Pacific coast of the United States or of British Columbia. Such vessels are recorded by Great Britain as having cleared for western South America and as having entered from the United States or British Columbia.

The tonnage of the sailing vessels in the trade between Europe and the west coast of South America in 1909 was 1,054,917 tons, or 25 per cent of the total recorded tonnage and 38 per cent of the tonnage after the deductions to eliminate duplications. The percentages for 1898-99 are not known, but must have been much larger.

The net tonnage of the vessels that entered and cleared the ports of Europe in 1909-10 in the trade with the west coast of South America was 3,148,400. The details as regards loaded vessels, vessels in ballast, sail and steam vessels are presented below in Table XI.

VESSEL TONNAGE OF EUROPEAN TRADE WITH WESTERN CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO, 1909.

The statistics of the vessel movements between Europe and the western ports of Mexico and Central America via the Horn and the Straits of Magellan are incomplete. The German figures alone distinguish between the eastern and western ports of Mexico and Central America, although Mexico and all the Central American countries, except San Salvador, have ports on both seaboards. Only France and Spain have separate entries for San Salvador. The total recorded European entrances and clearances for the trade with western Mexico and Central America, as stated in Table II, amounted to only 99,751 net tons.

TABLE II.-Net register tonnage of vessels operated between Europe and western Central America and Pacific Mexico (1909).

Most European countries trade with the west coast of Mexico and Central America, but to what extent is not known. The importance of Great Britain in the commerce with this part of America is such that the above figures for Germany and the partial figures for France and Spain ought to be doubled to secure a total equal to the probable actual European entrances and clearances of vessels employed in the commerce with the west coast of Central America and Mexico. By doing this the total entrances become 80,788 tons and the clearances 118,714, the combined total being 199,502 tons.

A portion of the trade of Europe with the western ports of Mexico. and Central America is handled via the Isthmus of Panama, and is discussed later. The tonnage included in Table II is that which moves by all-water routes around South America. In Table XI is a classified summary of this vessel tonnage.

TRADE OF EUROPE WITH THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, BRITISH COLUMBIA, AND HAWAII, 1910.

The recorded statistics of the tonnage of vessels moving between Europe and the west coast of the United States contain few duplica

12, 667

.....

1,824

Clearances.

Total.

navigation reports and not from the separate records of the various European countries. The figures for Hawaii are taken from the same source, and contain no duplications. The tonnage credited to British Columbia, with the exception of the tonnage of vessels from and to Great Britain, is taken from the Canadian records, and there may be some duplications, because vessels en route between Europe and British Columbia may call at Pacific ports of the United States. It is believed, however, that 118,407 tons of vessel movements were required for the trade between British Columbia and Europe, and that the amount of duplications must be small. The tonnage of vessels that entered Great Britain from British Columbia and that cleared thence from Great Britain was obtained from the British Navigation Report for 1909, and there could be no duplication in the figures.

The total entrances into Europe from the Pacific ports of the United States, Hawaii, and British Columbia in 1910 were 419,865 tons and the clearances 269,853, the combined total being 689,718. The detailed statistics are shown in Tables III and XI.

TABLE III.-Net register tonnage, entrances and clearances, vessel movements between Europe and western coast of United States, British Columbia, and Hawaii (1910).

1 Entered Europe from Pacific United States, British Columbia, and Hawaii. 2 Cleared from Europe to Pacific United States, British Columbia, and Hawaii, Data of United Kingdom for year 1909; total divided between cargo and ballast, according to figures the United Kingdom.

It should be noted that "Clearances" in the above table comprise clearances from Europe to the Pacific United States, Hawaii, and British Columbia. Vessel movements are heaviest toward Europe, for it is in this direction that grain, lumber, and flour, requiring heavy vessel tonnage, are carried.

VESSEL TONNAGE OF EUROPEAN TRADE WITH THE ORIENT EAST OF SINGAPORE AND WITH OCEANIA, 1909.

In the foregoing analysis of the entrances and clearances of the vessels employed in the trade between Europe and the west coast of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the United States and of the trade of Europe with British Columbia and Hawaii, the sole problem has been to ascertain from the records of entrances and clearances the correct tonnage of vessel movements. The saving in distance effected by the Panama Canal will be sufficient to cause all this trade, with the possible exception of a part of that to and from central and southern Chile, to use the canal. For the trade of Europe with the Orient and Oceania the Panama Canal will compete with the Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope route. In the following table, No. IV, the net register tonnage of all the vessels that entered and cleared European ports in 1909 in the trade between Europe and

oriental countries east of Singapore is included; but, for reasons that a e fully stated below, only a small share of this tonnage is to be included in the available Panama traffic.

TABLE IV.-Net register tonnage, European entrances and clearances of vessels trading between Europe and oriental countries east of Singapore and countries of Ŏceania (1909).

United Kingdom..
German Empire.

Cargo. Ballast. Cargo. Ballast. Cargo. Ballast. Cargo. Ballast.

Countries.

Total cargo and ballast.

1 Including Hongkong and foreign spheres of influence.

2 Year 1910. All vessels classed as vessels with cargo, except clearances to Japan and Australia.

* Port of Fiume.

All vessels classed as vessels with cargo, except clearances to Australia.

Other British Pacific possessions.

*Including Guam.

Other British and French Pacific possessions.