Having now shown, both generally and in detail, how absolutely void of foundation are many of the most gloomy statements in “Made in Germany,” we can dismiss Mr. Williams and his fanciful forebodings, and examine instead the direct and abundant evidence of the growing prosperity of our country. The first point to notice is the immense development of our shipping industry. In the last quarter of a century the tonnage of shipping engaged in foreign trade entering our ports has more than doubled, and this increase has been steady and persistent, with no retrogression worth noticing in any year. But that is not all. Twenty years ago the proportion of British ships engaged in this foreign trade of ours was only 67 per cent. of the total; it is now well over 72 per cent. In the same period the number of tons of shipping per hundred of the population, taking entries and clearances together, has risen from 130 tons to 200 tons. No other country can point to such figures. Germany, starting from small beginnings, has improved rapidly, but her totals are insignificant compared with our own. Only 43 per cent. of her foreign trade is carried in her own ships, as against nearly 73 per cent. in our case, while per hundred of the population the shipping to and from her ports is less than a quarter of ours. If we turn to France we find that while the total shipping to and from French ports has increased as rapidly as with us, the proportion carried under the French flag has appreciably fallen. In the case of the United States there has been a still greater fall. Twenty years ago 33 per cent. of the foreign trade of the United States was carried in United States ships, now the proportion is only 23 per cent. The following table shows the growth of shipping of all kinds to and from British ports:— TWENTY-FIVE YEARS’ SHIPPING TO AND FROM PORTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Entries and Clearances together, in Millions of Tons. ------------+---------------------------+----------------------------- | FOREIGN TRADE. | COASTING TRADE. Average of +-------------+-------------+----------------------------- Five Years. |Under British| |In this Trade practically all | Flag. | Total. | the Shipping is British. ------------+-------------+-------------+----------------------------- 1870-74 | 28 | 42 | 38 1875-79 | 35 | 51 | 46 1880-84 | 43 | 61 | 50 1885-89 | 49 | 67 | 54 1890-94 | 55 | 75 | 58 Year 1895 | 59 | 81 | 61 ------------+-------------+-------------+-----------------------------