+-------------------------------------+ | TABLE OF YEARLY TONNAGE | +-------+---------+---------+---------+ | YEARS | CLYDE | TYNE | WEAR | | | TON’AGE | TON’AGE | TON’AGE | +-------+---------+---------+---------+ | 1860 | 47,800 | | 40,200 | | 1861 | 66,800 | | 46,800 | | 1862 | 69,900 | | 56,900 | | 1863 | 123,300 | | 70,000 | | 1864 | 178,500 | | 72,000 | | 1865 | 154,000 | | 73,100 | | 1866 | 124,500 | | 62,700 | | 1867 | 108,000 | | 52,200 | | 1868 | 169,600 | | 70,300 | | 1869 | 192,300 | | 72,400 | | 1870 | 180,400 | | 70,100 | | 1871 | 196,300 | | 81,900 | | 1872 | 230,300 | | 131,800 | | 1873 | 232,900 | | 99,400 | | 1874 | 262,400 | | 88,000 | | 1875 | 211,800 | | 79,900 | | 1876 | 174,800 | | 54,100 | | 1877 | 169,700 | | 87,600 | | 1878 | 222,300 | 126,300 | 109,900 | | 1879 | 174,800 | 139,800 | 92,200 | | 1880 | 248,700 | 149,100 | 116,200 | | 1881 | 341,000 | 177,200 | 148,000 | | 1882 | 391,900 | 208,400 | 212,500 | | 1883 | 419,600 | 216,600 | 212,300 | +-------+---------+---------+---------+ With the year just spoken of a first and very considerable rise in the tonnage output set in and continued till the year 1864, in which year it amounted to 178,500 tons. Various causes of an exceptional nature, or at least, causes apart from the natural progress due to the growth of shipping, were at work in bringing about this increase in the output. The most prominent of these was the necessity which arose for filling up the gaps produced by the withdrawal of many swift steamers from the river and coasting trade to meet the requirements of individuals interested in running the blockade of the ports of the Southern States of America. Between Aprils 1862-3 alone, as many as 30 vessels actively connected in some way with the Clyde and coasting service, were sold for that purpose, and the replacement of these vessels went a considerable way in occasioning the briskness. Another and more abiding cause, however, was the demand for vessels for the cotton-carrying trade. This arose chiefly from the blockade of the American ports, causing cotton to come right from the East Indies and China; and in consequence of the longer voyage many more ships were necessary to carry on the trade. The fact that more than an average number of wrecks had occurred during the two previous winters, together with an increase of the trade between Britain and France as the result of Mr Cobden’s commercial treaty, were elements lending impetus to the briskness in the shipbuilding of the time.