604 MAIZE 



CHAP, wattle-bark and wool, direct to other large centres of consump- 



XII ■ . ■ . . 



tion, and avoid the heavy railage rates now paid in effecting 

 distribution to these markets through London, as at present, 

 which severely reduces net returns. 



During the last two years insufficient tonnage has been 

 available in Durban from time to time, resulting in quantities 

 of 8,000 to 10,000 tons of maize being held up in the wharf 

 sheds for weeks at a time. When applications were made to 

 the Conference Lines for additional tonnage, the}' generally 

 replied that the rate was too low to attract outside shipping, 

 and further that before they could agree to put on an extra 

 steamer of their own they must be given a guarantee that 

 a full cargo was available. This guarantee no individual 

 shipper was in a position to furnish. It is quite evident, from 

 the difficulties experienced during two seasons, in securing 

 adequate shipping as required, that the solution of the problem 

 lies in producing- more maize. When South Africa produces so 

 much maize for export, that tramp steamers can always be sure 

 of a cargo on arrival at her ports, she will be able to command 

 the shipping situation. 



558. Importing Ports of Europe. — England is the largest 

 consumer of imported maize, and Liverpool (Alexandra Docks) 

 is the leading port of import, her supplies coming chiefly from 

 the United States. Glasgow is also an importer from the 

 States. South African maize is landed at London, Southamp- 

 ton, Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam, and South European 

 at London and Hull. 



The principal European distributing points for maize are : 

 Liverpool, Glasgow, Hull, Bristol, Manchester, Rotterdam, 

 Hamburg, Antwerp, Bremen, Christiania, Copenhagen, Havre, 

 Marseilles, Genoa and Naples. 



559. Bulk Handling at Ports of Import. — The warehouses 

 at Liverpool, London, Southampton, Antwerp, and Hamburg 

 are so situated that grain can be sucked from the hold of the 

 ship by elevators, floating (Fig. 208) or otherwise (Fig. 209), 

 and discharged into the warehouse at the very minimum of 

 expense. This can be done only where the grain is shipped 

 in bulk. Where it is shipped in bags, it is often necessary to 

 open and empty the bags into barges lying alongside the 

 vessel, from which it is transferred by elevators to the silo 

 (Fig. 207). 



