ITALY'S FIRST PORT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 10

ITALY'S FIRST PORT

GENOA'S INCREASED COMMERCE

CLEARING HOUSE FOR TRADE OF . ' MILAN.

An interesting report has been issued upon the trade of the harbour of Genoa during 1922, says a Genoese correspondent of the " Christian Science Monitor." Genoa is the premier port of Italy, despite some natural disadvantages. The hills come down so close to the water's edge, that tho railway has to be conducted through tunnels, and any enlargement of the quays is very difficult.

During the rule of D'Annunzio at Fiume, tho piratical seizure of a ship laden with Swiss goods and bound tor Uruguay, led to reprisals on tho part of Swiss merchants, who boycotted Genoa for a time and sent their goods to Marseilles, its great rival.

Last year, however, showed an increase in tonnage in the harbour amounting- to 735,601 tons, as compared with 1921. Italian ships caino first, with 40 per cent, of the traffic, followed by tho British, Spanish, and United States, in order named. The growing importance of Greek trade at Genoa should mako Italians reflect on the desirability of being on good terms with Greece. For Turkey is not a maritime Power, and the Turkish Rag never floats in tlio port of Genoa, whereas tho increase of Greek shipping has been one of the chief features of the Mediterranean since the war bogan.

Trieste in Austrian days depended upon the " hinterland," which was then also Austrian, whereas now the port belongs to one country and most of the " hinterland " to another. Arrangements havo been discussed between Italy and Czecho-Slovakia for facilitating Bohemian trade with Trieste. But Venice and Trieste are now commercial competitors, for both are Italian.

Genoa, on the other hand, has no Italian rival in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and is the port of Milan, the commercial capital of Italy. It seems unfortunate that the city which claims the honour of Columbus should have lost so much trade with North America.

The Genoese connection with South America, however, is evidenced by the prominence given to South American news in tho local Press. Now that D'Annunzio's friends no longer seize ships with Swiss cargoes aiid Mr. Mussolini has tacitly recanted his views about the annexation of the Canton Ticino, Genoese trade with Switzerland has shown an improvement, especially noticeable in the later months of the year. Genoa is not a tourist resort, for its climate is bleak in winter, but tho two Genoese rivieras have especially this year, become a considerable source of revenue to the enterprising inhabitants. Alassio, whence this correspondent writes, a small town fifty-seven miles west of Genoa, is practically a British colony. Originally " discovered " by Dean Alford, the learned commentator on the Now Testament, it at. present has about 1000 English residents, and possesses the best English library in Italy. As prices rule, very much lower than on the French Riviera, where the exchange 'is less favourable, Alassio is vory popular in these,days. On the eastern side of- Genoa, the so-called " Riviera di Levante," there are lovely winter resorts, Nervi, Santa Margherita Ligure, and Rapol'o, - and sunny Levanto. Rivieras are easily reached by the Milanese, tho Genoese, while even Rome is now only a night's journey from Alassio by tho direct service. Tho revenue derived from tho tourist traffic on this toast is a valuable asset to the Italian Treasury, as well as to the local authorities, and the British especially are the bees which make honey for their Italian hosts at these piaces.. Alassio witl-jut them would be a dead city in winter. One Englishman, Sir Thomas Hanbury, gave a hall to Alassio, an aquarium to Genoa, and did much for Ventimiglia. Another, Clarence Bicknoll, founded the library at Bordighera, where the novelist, George Macdonald, made his home. The famous Greek scholar, Lewis Campbell, made his homo at Alassio, while Lady Carnarvon has long had a villa at Porto Fino.