Untitled

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3908, 17 May 1877, Page 2

In reference to Russia's threatening reprisals in case of the Khedive assisting the Sultan, the Otago Times says : — " Reprisals can only well be made by an attack on Port Said or Alexandria ; and any attempt to attack these towns would probably be regarded by our Government as a sufficient reason for employing the fleet in their defence." Since the above was written, the British Squadron has been ordered to Port Said. We remarked yesterday that the British traffic through the Suez Canal was 70 per cent, of the whole. We were then citing statistics of a year or two back. The statistics of last year shew it to be even greater. The Pall Mall Gazette says : — The returns of the tonnage passing through the Suez Canal during 1876 show that England keeps its lead, while the trade of other nations with the East is on the whole decreasing. The tonnage of merchant ships of all nations using the canal last year was 1,986,698, agaiust 1,908,970 in 1875. Of the 1,986,698 tons, 1,510,198 belonged to British ships, leaving only 476,500 to be credited to the mercantile marine of every other country. Thus the British shipping which paid toll to M. de Lesseps was more than three times the total tonnage comprised under every other flag. In 1875 the foreign tonnage was 494,549 ; so that there was a falling-off last year to the extent of 18,049 tons. This falling off, however, was more than compensated by an increased British tonnage of 95,777. But for this increase in British trade the traffic of the Canal would have contrasted unfavorably with 1375. The total number of merchant ships which passed through the Canal last year was 1395, against 141 1 in the previous year ; but British ships increased from 1061 to 1092, or as nearly as possible three a day. After the British, longq inlervallo, comes the French mercantile marine, which sent a tonnage of 135,345 in 1876, against 129,466 in 1875. The Dutch, with their Eastern possessions and long-established trade, naturally rank next, sending through the Canal a tonnage of 101,031, against 88,116 in 1875. Then comes Italy, with a diminished trade of 60,998 tons last year, against 65,325 in 1875. Austria sent 65.280 in 1876, and 65,223 the year before ; Span, 37,233 and 31,878 ; Germany, 27.281 and 31,049, rather a serious percentage of reduction ; and Russia was in the same position with 16,627 tons last year to show, against 18,222 in 1875. It must be remembered that 1876 was a year of exceptionally bad trade, but 1877 promises to be no better, and, with war, may be worse. The Government vessels and yachts of all nations passing through the Canal represented in 1876 a total tonnage of 109,172. towards which England contributed 68,035.