I PORT OF LONDON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 23 September 1936, Page 9

I PORT OF LONDON

ITS TREMENDOUS TRADE CITY IS EMPIRE’S STOREHOUSE TOURING FARMERS’ VISIT (By A. E. Max) One of.the most interesting days spent by the Farmers’ Touring Party, was that spent as the guests of the Port of London Authority (Harbour Board), Mr A. E. Max, the leader of the party which recently returned to the Dominion, stated to-day. The members of the party were taken by steamer for many miles up and down the Thames, and they were able to see the docks and wharves, besides vessels of all sizes from the humble barge to the stately ocean liner, alt busily engaged in loading or being unloaded. The party at 4 p.m. were entertained at afternoon tea, and an official welcome was given by the acting chairman, Mr Gilbert. The Port Authority consists of 28 members, ten of whom are appointed, while the remaining 18 are elected. All the members are men of business or technical experience, and they hold office for three years, receiving no payment for their services.

THE MODERN PORT OF LONDON The Port of London includes the whole of the tidal portion of the River lhames extending a distance of nearly 70 miles including large and wellequipped docks between London bridge and Tilbury, which are named as follows: St. Katherine, London, Milwell, West India, East India, Royal Victoria, King George V, Royal Albert, Tilbury and Surrey Commercial. All these except the last-named are situated on the north bank of the river. The docks cover an area of 4,247 acres, with a water area of 722 acres, and they provide 45 miles of quayage and accommodation for one million tons of goods. A summary of the annual trade shows: Shipping traffic, 00,000 vessels; goods handled (approx.), 40,000,000 tons; oversea trade, £445,000,000. Within 25 miles of the Docks there is a population of 9,000,000 in addition to a large floating population of business men and tourists. Within the economic distributing area of London there is a population approaching 20,000,000, and it can be readily understood that this enormous number of people absorb huge quantities of the foodstuffs and other cargoes pouring into the Port —approximately 40,000,000 tons. The value of the foreign trade of the Port (imports and exports) during 1934 was £445,000,000, while 214,471 passengers used the Port to or from places outside the British Isles. Vessels can be dealt with at the Tilbury landing stage at all stages of the tide day and night.

CHIEF IMPORTS IN 1935 The following are the chief imports for 1935: — Apples: 8,200,000 bushels. Fruit and vegetables: 860,000 tons. Grain: 3,000,000 tons. Meat: 087,000 tons. Metals: 592,000 tons. Oranges: 3,617,000 cwt. Paper and pulp: 1,480,000 tons. Petroleum: 3,270.000 tons. Provisions: 919,000 tons. Rubber: 266,000,000 tons. Sugar: 924,000 tons. Tallow and oils: 162,000 tons. Tea: 445,000,0001b5. Tobacco: 57,000,000 tons. 0 Wines and spirits: 12,353,000 gallons. Wood: 2,477,000 tons. Wool: 958,000 bales. The amount of meat imported, 687,000 tons, is the equivalent of 27,480,000 carcases of mutton, representing 70 per cent, of the importation into the United Kingdom. The vast amount of timber imported requires ample storage space, and over 140 acres is allotted for this alone. The import of wool is the equivalent' of 48,000,000 fleeces. There is storage accommodation for 1,000,000 kales, and show floors for 60,000 bales. The Port Authority has a staff of experts whose accuracy and impartiality in weighing and sampling wool are implicitly relied upon by the trade. The visit convinced members of the touring party that London is aptly named the Storehouse of the British Empire.