[81] Mr. L. Cohen--Debate on Railway and Canal Traffic Bill, 6th May, 1886.--Hansard, vol. cccv., 428.
[82] See Second Report, Minutes of Evidence, Mr. Muller, page 38, Q. 1889.
[83] Compare Sir Lowthian Bell’s statement. “The results of my enquiry on the continent of Europe, and in the United States, justify the assertion that foreign iron manufacturers as a rule possess no advantage over ourselves in these respects ... That railway accommodation for the transport of fuel, ore, and limestone is afforded on terms somewhat cheaper in Great Britain than those charged on the Continent for like distances.” (_Appendix to part 1 of Second Report of the Royal Commission on Depression of Trade, pages 345-361._)
Charges against Railway Companies are, generally, of a vague character. But this statement is sufficiently definite to make it possible to test its accuracy by comparing the rates charged for conveying the articles referred to, viz., iron and coal, to some of the chief ports in this country, with the corresponding rates of other neighbouring countries. The following is a comparison of a few of the rates charged for coal and iron in England with those to Belgian and German Ports:--
COMPARISON OF RAILWAY RATES CHARGED FROM VARIOUS BELGIUM AND
-----+-----+--------------+------------+--------+-------------------- | | | | Rate | |Arti-| From | To | per | Remarks. | cle.| | | ton. | -----+-----+--------------+------------+--------+-------------------- | | | | s. d. | ENG- |Coal |Cwmbran |Newport | 0 4⅜ |In owner’s wagons. LAND | | | | | | |Risca |Newport }| 0 6 |In owner’s wagons. | | | (Old Dock)}| | | | | | | | |Flimby |Maryport | 0 6⅔ |In Company’s wagons, | | | | | including tipping. | | | | | | |Camerton |Workington | 0 7 |In owner’s wagons, | | | | | including tipping. | | | | | | |Cockett |Swansea | 0 9 |In owner’s wagons, | | | | | including tipping. | | | | | | |Gilgarran |Whitehaven | 0 10 |In Company’s wagons, | | | | | including tipping. | | | | | | |Dynevor |Swansea | 0 10 |In owner’s wagons, | | | | | including cost of | | | | | shipment. | | | | | | |Coedcae |Cardiff | 0 11½ |In owner’s wagons. | | | | | | |Mountain } |Cardiff | 1 0 |In owner’s wagons. | | Ash } | | | | | | | | | |Felling |Monkwear- }| 1 0¾ |In Company’s wagons, | | | mouth Dock}| | including cost of | | | | | shipment. | | | | | | |Abertillery |Newport }| 1 1 |In owner’s wagons. | | |(Old Dock) }| | | |Londonderry } |Tyne Dock | 1 2½ |In Company’s wagons, | | Colliery } | | | including cost of | | | | | shipment. | | | | | | |Burradon | ” ” | 1 4¾ |In Company’s wagons, | | | | | including cost of | | | | | shipment. | | | | | | |Collieries in}| | | | | St. Helen’s }|Garston | 1 5 |In owner’s wagons, | | District }| | | including use of | | | | | dock and tipping. -----+-----+--------------+------------+--------+--------------------