18 Flux, Costs of Sea Transport in proportion to Values. 



or 2 %, even when there is no systematic error such as 

 have been referred to. 



Will such figures as these just enumerated agree with 

 the deductions made in the tables I have drawn up ? I 

 have applied a partial test on the following lines. The 

 Colonial trade is concerned in about 25 % of the value and 

 15 % of the entrances and clearances in British ports. 

 The trade with Northern Europe (Northern ports of 

 Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, 

 Belgium, and France) accounts for some 36 % of the 

 value and 44 % of the shipping, leaving 39 % of value and 

 41 % of shipping for the rest of the world. 



If we may suppose the Scandinavian figures to give a 

 fair average of charges in the Northern European trade, 

 then, allowing about 2\ % on the export values as com- 

 missions and insurances, the Colonial and European 

 trade, 60 % of the whole, would give an average freight in 

 1880-84 of about 24s. 6d. per ton register. Seeing that 

 we are here dealing with practically the same proportion 

 of value and of tonnage, we may fairly compare this with 

 the estimate of 30s. on imports and 20s. on exports, and 

 it appears not to seriously disagree with them. 



A similar calculation for 1890-94 shows an average 

 freight of no more than 20s. per ton. 



A recent writer in the journal American states that 

 it is customary to estimate the freightage on American 

 imports at 8 %, on exports at 12 % of their value. 

 Comparing these figures with those deduced for the 

 Australian trade, and allowing for commissions and 

 insurances, a rather remarkable agreement results. 

 Difference of distance appears to compensate differences 

 in the nature of the trade. 



