Guide 6th January, 1883

TRADE & SHIPPING AT ARBROATH HARBOUR IN 1882

The flax and hemp imported at the harbour of Arbroath were for the last years in quantity and declared value as follows:-

18821881

Tons. Declared Value.TonsDeclared Value.

12,231 £330,807 9645 £288,202

This shows an increase in quantity for 1882 of 2586 tons, or nearly 27 per cent, as compared with 1881; while the value is £42,605 more, or nearly 15 per cent. ahead of 1881 - exhibiting a depreciation in comparative price of flax continued from 1880.

The declared value of all other goods imported from foreign ports in 1882 was £6412, as compared with £8309 in 1881, showing a decrease of £1897. The declared value of all goods imported in 1882 was thus £337,219, or an increase of £40,708 as compared with the 1881 total imports.

The following is a detailed account of the flax and hemp imported classified according to the ports from which these goods were received, to which is added a note of the quantities of the various other articles of importation from abroad:-

1882 1881 Inc. Dec.

Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts

RIGA

Flax 7662 0 5843 8 1818 12 - - -

Hemp 69 6 298 7 - - - 229 1

Tow

&Codilla 94 0 17 0 77 0 - - -

PERNAU

Flax 842 5 973 10 - - 131 5

Tow

&Codilla 25 0 105 0 - - 80

St.PETERSBURG

Flax 170? 8 252 10 1451 18 - - -

Tow

&Codilla - - - 96 4 - - - 96 4

CRONSTADT

Flax 436 3 - - - 436 3 - - -

1882 1881 Inc. Dec.

Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts. Tons.Cwts

ARCHANGEL

Flax - - - 604 19 - - - 604 19

Tow&Codilla - - 369 12 - - - 369 12

REVAL

Flax 300 17 559 5 - - - 258 8

Tow&

Codilla 135 19 90 4 45 15 - - -

MEMEL

Flax 670 6 147 17 522 8 - - -

Tow&Codilla - - - 0 6 - - - 0 6

NARVA

Flax 96 17 103 5 - - - 6 8

Tow&Codilla - - - 0 16 - - - 0 16

KÖNIGSBERG

Flax - - - 156 9 - - - 156 9

Hemp - - - 26 7 - - - 26 7

LIBAU

Flax 194 1 - - - 194 1 - - -

1882 1881 Inc. Dec.

Timber 8099 loads 1464 loads 636 loads - -

Pyrites of Copper - 739 tons - - 739tons

Manures 420 tons 530 tons - - 110tons

Linseed - - 100 qrs - - 100 qrs

Apples 2064 bushels - - 2064 bushels

The total number of vessels entered from over-sea with cargoes was 84, the tonnage of which was 18,371. Ten of these were British satling vessels, with a tonnage of 1568 ; and 52 foreign, with a tonnage of 7600.

22 were steamers the numbers of British and foreign being equal - with total of 9203 tons or fully one-half of the total tonnage of sailing and steamships combined. The total number of vessels entered from over-seas with cargoes in 1881 was 56, with a tonnage of 1522, showing an increase for 1882 of 28 vessels and 3149 tons - a 20 per cent. increase of tonnage.

A feature observable on these figures which cannot be appreciated from a British point of view is the rapidly-growing displacement of British ships by those of other nationalities. In 1882 60 per cent. of the tonnage carried was in foreign bottoms leaving only 40 per cent. for British ships; while in the immediately preceding year 40 per cent. were foreign and 60 per cent British. During 1882 72 vessels brought flax and 12 other goods. Five vessels cleared for foreign, with cargoes of a total value of £4309. The total number of coasting vessels entered inwards with cargoes was 221, with a tonnage of 22,033; of which 177 were sailing vessels tonnage 14,946 and 44 were steamers, tonnage 7087.

In 1881 the total number of vessels entered inwards coastwise with cargoes was 222, with a tonnage of 22,034, showing a decrease in 1882 of one vessel and one ton. The principal import coastwise was 31,536 tons of coals, an increase of 2483 tons as compared with 1881.

The total number of vessels cleared coastwise with cargoes was 161 with a tonnage of 11297 and 17 steamers, tonnage 656. In 1881 the total number was 154, with a tonnage of 14,123 - showing a decrease in 1882 of 10 vessels and 2826 tons.

The chief exports coastwise were 14,969 quarters of grain (being a decrease of 1402 qrs. as compared with 1881) and 9811 tons of potatoes being an increase on 1881 of 674 tons). While much larger consignments of Riga St Petersburg and Memel flax have been received, there is no importation whatever from Archangel, which used to figure for an appreciable quantity in the returns. The coasting trade inwards shows an almost mathematically stationary condition in point of shipping employed. The outward coasting trade has continued brisk in the export of potatoes - the grain trade, however, having somewhat receded.