COMMERCIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13202, 13 June 1906, Page 8

COMMERCIAL NOTES.

SHIPPING CASUALTIES IN 1905.

Thu Liverpool Underwriters' Association have issued their usual statements dealing with the casualties to shipping. The losses during the year totalled 294 vessels of 517,689 tons gross, compared with 225 vessels of 379,300 tons in 1901. These included 30 British sailers of 48,016 tons (against 29 of 41.862 tons) and 60 British steamers of 138,547 tons (against 57 of 138,064- tons), aud 72 foreign sailers, of 77,293 tons {compared with 54 of 59,189 tons) and 132 foreign steamers of 255,833 tons (against 85 of ; 140,185 tone). ADVANCE IN ENGLISH STEEL BOILER PLATES. At, a meeting of the Lancashire aud Cornish Boiler Plat© Association, held at Carlisle, the* price of Lancashire steel boiler plates, for delivery in England, was advanced by 10a per ton, the quotation now being £8 12s 6d per ton, less 2$ per cent. At the same meeting, at which representatives of the Scotch producers of boiler plates who are allied with the English makers were present, it was resolved to raise the price of marine boiler plates, also for delivery in England, with the exception of the North-east Coast, by 10s per ton, quotations being graded according to district of delivery.

ENGLAND'S FOREIGN TRADE IN CLYDESDALE HOUSES. One feature of the English foreign horse ',>'ade last year was the extraordinary number of Clydesdales which were sent abroad, especially to Canada, where they were preferred.to the Shire-bred. Why this should be is not so easy to tell, for to the unprejudiced man the Shire horse in his modern development is in all respects the equal of his Northern relative. When, however, we come to look at the history of the foreign trade, and to consider the class ' of horses exported a few years ago, a little light is thrown upon the subject. At the time of the great boom in the horee trade, which was at it* height, from 1834 to 1888, men of every trade had. a " dabble " in importing horses into America, Glass manufacturers, dry-goods merchants, and many others, all possessing a little surplus capital, much enthusiasm and energy, but not much knowledge ■of tho subject, began to buy horses. They came to England with .so much money, for which they had to purchase a given number of horses. Of course, t,he extraordinary demand caused many torses to be kept entire that would have only made very moderate geldings, and a dreadful lot were exported—many of them horses that had not a "class" at all. Especially was this the case with yearlings and two-year-olds, the most difficult horses to buy of any if a man is not a good judge.

■VICTORIAN WHEAT'CROP. The Victorian wheat crop for this season was? estimated at 23,600,0c0 bushels, being an increase over last year's return of 1,156,850 bushels. ' Tho amount- required for home consumption is 6,500,000, and for seed 1,900.000, leaving about 14,600,000 bushels available for export. With present market price at about 32s per quarter equal to 4s per bushel 3d per bushel would be realised after defray in freight, commission, and exchange, making the value of the wheat available for export £2,275,000.