INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

1079

Of the total number in 1911, 4,523 Dutch vessels entered with a tonnage of 4,082,328 and 11,105 foreign vessels with a tonnage of 11,416,500 ; 4,702"Dutch vessels cleared, with a tonnage ot 4,127,994, and 11,208 foreign vessels with a tonnage of 11,277,378.

The vessels with cargoes which entered at the chief ports were as follows : —

Entered.

1910

.,-1-1 — u-_i_^

1911

Port

Number

Tons

per cent.

Number

Tons

per cent.

Rotterdam Amsterdam . Flushing

7,713

1,962

782

8,914,428

1,961,514

766,056

66-4

14 6

5-7

,401

1,997

791

10,231,308

1,942,752 1 795,792

71-3

13-5

5-6

Cleared.

Rotterdam

Amsterdam

Flushing

5,867

1,436

801

5,909,676 1,424,850

761,808

59-8 14-4

5,854

L447

802

5,653,380

1,468,746

788,712

65-7

17-1

9-2

A great number of Dutch vessels is engaged in the carrying trade l)etween foreign ports. The coasting trade is of no importance.

Internal Communications.

I. Canals and Railways.

The total extent of the canals was in 1879, 1,907 miles ; of roads,2,943 miles.

In 1910 the total length of the principal tramway lines was 1,477 miles ; 169,345,000 passengers were carried, and 1,420,792,000 kilogrammes of goods. Their revenue amounts to 13,900,000 guilders.

In 1911 the railways had a length of 1,984 miles. The breadth of the railway gauge is 1'50 metre, or 4 ft. 11 in.

The results of the railway companies in the last five years were : —

Passengers

Goods carried

Revenue

Expenditure

Year

carried

(metric tons)

(guilders)

(guilders)

1907

40,972,000

15,208,000

i

54,106.000

47,936,000

1908

42,005,000

15,479,000

• 55,940,000

49,239,000

1909

43,156,000

15,494,000

57,539,000

50,804,000

1910

46,221,000

16,051,000

60,242,000

51,711,000

1911

44,874,000

17,739,000

1 64,679,000

54,418,000

All railway companies are private ; there is a State railway company, only so named because the road is owned by the State.

II. Post and Telkukaphs.

The postal traffic was as follows in 2 years : —