CXLVIII KOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



As the rates of the city are responsible for the payment of the 

 interest on these bonds, the managers of the dock property have found 

 by the experience of the last few years that the revenue is more assured 

 and the risk to the city lessened by the adoption of a generous policy to 

 the trade resorting to the port, by which I mean making all port charges 

 extremely low, and providing every modern convenience for the quick 

 and economical handling of cargoes, by which means the Bristol mer- 

 chants are able, and do, distribute their imports over as large, if not the 

 largest area accomplished by any port in the United Kingdom. 



I now give you just two or three brief tables of statistics, proving 

 the result cf an enlightened policy. 



In 1848 the corporation acquired the docks as municipal property» 

 It then had a very large coastwise trade, not far short of a million tons 

 per year. The railway system of the country was then in its infancy, 

 and water carriage was the principal source by which goods were trans- 

 ported. The quicker transit by railways in later years has killed much 

 of this traffic, but that to Ireland, Scotland, and distant home ports has 

 increased, with the result that the actual coastwise traflSc to-day about 

 equals that of 1848. 



But the imports from foreign ports show a marvellous increase, the 

 actual tonnage of goods in 1848 being very little over 100,000, whilst 

 that of last year was nearly, if not quite, 1,400,000. 



In 1848 the revenue was £ 34,052 



" 1897 " " 200,000 



" 1848 importations of corn 569,232 bushels 



" 1897 " " 28,484,160 " 



The provision trade, largely Canadian, and which began principally 

 in the seventies, has increased from 9,247 tons in 1878 to 41,739 tons in 

 1897, and for some branches of Canadian provisions I believe Bristol is^ 

 assuming a premier position. 



Municipal Matters. 



The electric-lighting works are owned by the corporation and are 

 yielding very satisfactory results. Whilst giving very favourable terms 

 to the consumers, there appears to be every prospect of the city deriving, 

 within a very few years, a considerable margin, which will go to the 

 relief of the general rating. Most of the main thoroughfares are lighted 

 by electricity ; the less important streets and suburban roads are still 

 lighted with gas. Both gas and water are in the hands of private com- 

 panies, although there is a committee of the corporation appointed for 

 the purpose of advising as to the propriety of negotiating for the pur- 

 chase of the water- works. 



All the paving and cleansing work is undertaken by the corpora- 

 tion directly, and not let out to contractors, as was formerly the case ; 



