SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION
537
The following table gives the tleclared value, in pouiuls .sterling, of the eight staple articles imported into the United Kingdom I'roni France in each of the last four years : —
Staple Imports into U. K.
1894 £
1895
1896 £
1897
£
£
Silk manufactures .
8,774,495 11,140,003
12,123,661
12,480,421
Woollen ,, . .
5,628,545 6,373,340
5,923,308
6,159,977
Butter ....
2,351,867
2,443,734
2,537,695
2,330,576
Wine ....
2,744,873 | 2,887,409
3,462,214
3,751,763
Sugar ....
2,849,422 1,736,041
1,812,035
3,235,437
Leather and manufactures
1,455,779 1,806,888
1,770,732
1,715,220
Eggs ....
982,800 1,069,580
1,273,200
1,022,869
Brandy ....
1,402,299 1,139,884
1,195,279
1,300,182
These eight articles constitute about two-thirds of the total imports from "France into the United Kingdom, The total quantity of wine imported into the United Kingdom from France in 1897 was 6,605,077 gallons, being 37 "6 [)er cent, of the total quantity of wine imported into the United Kingdom.
The following table exhibits the value of the princi]:)al articles of British )>roduce exported from the United Kingdom to France in each of the la.st four years : —
Staple Exports from U. K.
1894
1895
1896
1897
£
£
£
£
Woollen manufactures and
yarn ....
2,453,644
2,609,731
2,495,257
2,068,359
■Nletals (chiefly iron and
copper)
789,536
936,305
882,168
977,907
Coals . . , •
2,462,139
2,206,349
2,137,209
2,363,721
Cotton manufactures and
yarn ....
1,087,079
1,090,260
1,057,217
875,544
Machiuei-v
1,139,833
1,265,933
1,324,729
1,288,452
Chemicals
408,262
505,685
698,468
670,401
Shipping and Navigation.
On December 31, 1897, the French mercantile navy consisted of 14,352 sailing vessels, of 421,462 tons, with crews 68,132, and 1,212 steamers of 499,409 tons, and crews numbering 20,234, Of the sailing vessels 176 of 17,239 tons were engaged in the European seas, and 297 of 177,998 tons in ocean navigation; of the steamers 240 of 185,014 tons were engaged in European seas, and 171 of 266,820 tons in ocean navigation. The rest were •employed in the coasting trade, in port service, or in the fisheries. Of the sailing vessels and steamers 12,971 were not over 50 tons. Government assistance (prhnes) is given for the con- struction, equipment, and navigation of vessels, amounting to 12,500,000 francs annually.
