OUR PORT AND ITS SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 6

OUR PORT AND ITS SHIPS.

THE RETURNS FOR .1908. INCREASE OF OVER 190,000 TONS. The return of the shipping of Port Nicholson for the year, a barometer of the progress or otherwise of the port, is invariably of interest to the mercantile and maritime community. The returns for the year just closed (which are given below, in; a; comparative j table with those for 1907 ( ), will no doubt le gratifying to .all who take an interest in our rapidly expanding port. .. In analysing the figures it is found that i although there is generally a falling off in ] the number of steamers, there is .an increase • in tonnage, which would ; indicate that ' ■smaller vessels are giving way to steamers of greator tonnage, and consequently of bet- 1 terclass. On the tqtal figures there' is a falling off of nine steamers arriving, ■ but an increase of 191,837 tons net. The day of the sailer is passing no doubt, ; but the past, twolve months shows little alteration\on the previous year/; In the class of vessel there was a'decrease of .5 in the. arrivals, although,, as in the .case of steamers,.; the tonnage, in-creased-by-1085 tons'./ The-total departures under steam fell off by 13 in number, but the tonnage shows an' inorease of tons'. , Sailers outward decreased'by/one, but; in-. ' creased in tonnage' by"7639',tons. . The inward steam ,coastwiSe;:figures denote- ■ an'all-round increase, And an increase of 4 in the number-of sailers,'but 'a slight decrease in tonnage. Outwards steam increased in-tonnage,' but there'wa's a drop of 2 in the numbers '.of vessels. Sail ...increased all round. ' Foreign trade shows !a, slight falling ; off in the number of steamers arriving, but, as in other classes, an increase in the tonnage. , The sailers also decreased in number, but increased in tonnage. There was a decrease in-.the number'.'of .steamers' outwards, both in the number of vessels and their ton-nage,'and-the same remarks apply to sailers in, this class of trade.. Detailed..' figuresare:— ''•" ' ■ V'-' ; TOTAL SHIPPING. : INWARDS: ■ ' Steam— . , ,'■ , 1908. ; '1907.:, No. of vessels :... - - 3,386 . 3,395 . Net tons- '1,2,856,734 2,664,887 No. in crew "... 113,572 109,097 SailNo. of vessels ... 83 88- • Net tons ' " 29,301 ;' 23,216 No: in'crew 869; ' 753 OUTWARDS. Steam— ; . . No. of vessels ... ' 3,364 3,377 - Net tons - ... 2,848,211 2,653,895 No; in.crew .... 116,662 •' 106,120 Sail— . '-' / ! 'No. of vessels .... 85 86 . Net tons 20,0-45. .22,406. No. ■ in crow ■ ... ■'. 839 754 COASTWISE. ' INWARDS. Steam— : : ... 1908. ,- • 1907. ..No, 1 of. vessels 3,257 ■ '■ 3,255 . Net tons .v.',.. ....: - 2,461,733 - 2,282,523 No. in crew ... 103,983 ' 99,882 .Saii-T-;.-.: - ' ; : No., of vessels ■...' CO ' .56 Net--tons -' 7,356 . 8,447 . No. in' crew . .... v '-. 360 , ■''. '340 OUTWARDS. - Steam — ' ■. ... . No. of vessels ... ' 3,231 3,233 . Net tons ■ ' . 2,397,750 :. .2,184,128' No. in crew , ... . 106,325 95,654-sail-:.v.,-... . No. of.vessels 79 ' .•■■■74 . Net tons. , ... ' ' 23,382 - 14,653 No. in crow ... . 710 \ . 607 ' :. '■ FOREIGN. ■ INWARDS. Steam— v' <I9OSI • 1907. , No. of vessels ... 129 140 . . Net tons , . '-. 395,001 •'•'. 382;364 ■ No.-tin oret# ■ •".... ■•• 9,589 - 9,215 Sail- ■ ' No. of vessels ' ... '' :22 , 32 , ' Not tons ' .... , 21,945 -- \ 19,769 No. in crew , ... . , ; 509 ,/'■'■ -, ,413 OUTWARDS. •Steam— : . "..No. of vessels. :...• , 133 -\ 144 I Net tons -'- , 450,461'' '469,767 No. in,crew ...:, . 10,337 10,466 • ;Sail- ■ No. of vessels ... - ■ 6 12 Net tons -. . ..." , v, 6,664 - 7,753. , .. No. in crew 1 "129 ■ ■ '''147