---------------------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- |1884|’85|’86|’87|’88|’89|’90|’91|’92|’93|’94 ---------------------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Total Exports from Germany | | | | | | | | | | | (Metrical Measure) | ·8| ·7| ·8| ·8| ·7| ·7| ·6| ·8| ·8| ·8| ·9 | | | | | | | | | | | Total Exports from Belgium | | | | | | | | | | | (Metrical Measure) | ·4| ·3| ·3| ·4| ·4| ·5| ·4| ·4| ·4| ·4| ·4 | | | | | | | | | | | Total Exports from United | | | | | | | | | | | Kingdom (British Meas.) | 3·5|3·1|3·4|4·1|4·0|4·2|4·0|3·2|2·7|2·9|2·6 ---------------------------+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- The above figures undoubtedly show a distinct decline in British exports of iron and steel, but they also show that that decline is not due to the increased invasion of our own or of neutral markets either by Germany or by Belgium. It is due to a decline which subsequent events have shown to be temporary in the world’s demand for iron and steel goods. Even were this decline permanent, it would not be the fault of our manufacturers, nor—except as a device for reducing their personal expenditure—is there any reason why these gentlemen should sit in sackcloth and ashes. STATISTICAL LEGERDEMAIN. We pass to the subject of shipbuilding. Mr. Williams is good enough to admit that England is actually at the head of the shipbuilding trade. But having made this admission, a pang of regret comes over him, and he tries to show that he is justified in putting even the British shipbuilding trade on his “black list.” This is his argument:— “In 1883 the total tonnage built in the United Kingdom was 892,216; in 1893 it reached only 584,674; in 1894, ’tis true, it rose to 669,492, but this is much below the total even of 1892, which was 801,548.” Again one can only admire Mr. Williams’s ingenuity. Reading his paragraph, who would dream that between the years so skilfully selected for comparison the trade had experienced an enormous drop, and afterwards, to all intents and purposes, completely recovered itself; that then a smaller drop had occurred, and that this in turn was being fast made good? The best way to expose the above piece of statistical legerdemain is to give without further comment the whole of the figures for the past fifteen years. They will be found in the following table. With figures such as these before him—and they must have been before him—it is astounding that Mr. Williams should have ventured to put shipbuilding on his black list. FIFTEEN YEARS OF BRITISH SHIPBUILDING. Total Output of British and Irish Yards. In Thousands of Tons.