200
18
The principal increase in 1938 as against 1913 was: —
Iron and steel and manufactures
199
Tons 21,818
(58) We draw attention to certain points arising on these figures.
(a) It is evident that even within so short a period as 25 years Glasgow has experienced marked fluctuations in certain of the main classes of traffic to be catered for. The decline in imports of iron ore and scrap and in exports of iron and steel manufactures may be recovered under peace-time conditions when the iron and steel trade is prosperous, but, for the reasons indicated in the Report of the Scottish Coalfields Committee (1944, Cmd. 6575), we are disposed to agree with the views expressed to us that the decline in coal exports from Glasgow is likely to be permanent.
(b) The coastwise traffic is relatively large in volume, and owing to the geographical characteristics of the Western Highlands and Islands it seems unlikely that this traffic will be seriously affected by air transport or road competition, at least in the immediate future.
(c) The re-export trade is markedly less than might be expected from the comparison with United Kingdom and Continental ports of similar size. The explanation is to be found in the relative remoteness of the Clyde from other commercial centres and its consequent unsuitability for entrepot trade. The typical cargo liner trading to the Clyde discharges and loads only a part cargo at Glasgow. The port has thus developed, in response to the pre- dominant demand, primarily as a terminal port for the service of industrial Scotland and the consuming areas within 50 miles of the docks; and, owing to their situation, the Clyde ports cannot expect to engage in wholesale distributive trade on the scale found before the war at certain ports in England.
(b) Greenock
(59) The registered tonnage of foreign arrivals with cargoes was:—
Year 1913
1938 (excluding Eire)...
Vessels
167 129
Tons 280,897 1,000,391
The apparent increase of 719,494 tons is truly illusory, for it is more than accounted for by the Atlantic liners which merely called at the Tail of the Bank in order to embark and disembark passengers by tender.
The registered tonnage of coastwise arrivals with cargoes was:—
Year
1913
1938 (including Eire)...
Vessels
4,605 3,763
There is thus an increase for 1938 over 1913 of 20 per cent.
Tons
502,740 602,336
(60) The value of Greenock's share of the trade of the United Kingdom was .23 per cent. in 1913 and .17 per cent. in 1938. Apart from arms and ammunition, the exports are negligible and there are virtually no re-exports. The Imports amounted in 1913 to 277,577 tons and in 1938 to 271,993 tons, so that the position has remained static. The Imports mainly consist of sugar, molasses, oil seeds and timber-sugar largely predominating-so that the port now depends to a considerable extent upon the local sugar-refining industry.
19
The bulk of the imports are used for local manufacture or consumption. There is a widespread coastwise distributive trade to the West Highlands and Ireland. The port is not normally used to anything approaching its designed
(c) Ardrossan
capacity.
(61) The registered tonnage of foreign arrivals with cargoes was:—
Year
1913
1938 (excluding Eire)
and of coasting arrivals with cargoes:
1913
1938 (including Eire)
Vessels
169
82
1,172 1,492
Tons 200,031
183,931
281,119
301,596
In the case of this port the figures for coasting arrivals with cargoes and in ballast are much larger, the tonnage for 1938 being 738,383 tons.
Measured in value, Ardrossan's share of United Kingdom trade increased from .05 per cent. in 1913 to .084 per cent. in 1938-Imports, which consti- tute the bulk of the trade, being then valued at £1,067,887 or .116 per cent. of the total for the United Kingdom. These imports consisted chiefly of petroleum, crude and refined (for which the port offers special facilities), scrap steel and limestone. The general coasting cargo trade is mainly with Belfast.
(d) Ayr
(62) As Ayr has latterly become predominantly a coal export port, the former import trade in ore and pyrites having disappeared, detailed compara- tive figures for 1913 and 1938 have little value. In 1938 the tonnage of foreign arrivals with cargoes in ballast was 126,827, and of coastwise arrivals with cargoes and in ballast 631,413. Ayr's share of the value of United Kingdom trade increased from .021 per cent. in 1913 to .025 per cent. in 1938. In 1938 the exports of coal, coke and patent fuel, which constituted much the largest item in the trade of the port, amounted to 1,531,670 tons, the principal destination being Ireland.
(e) Irvine
(63) Once again, comparative statistics are of little value, as Irvine has latterly become largely a specialist port, importing raw materials for the explosive works and miscellaneous goods, and exporting arms, ammunition and coal.
(f) Troon
(64) The position at this port is similar to that at Ayr, though the traffic handled is considerably less. In 1938 the arrivals with cargoes and in ballast totalled 18,873 foreign, and 155,931 coastwise, the great bulk of the traffic consisting of coal exports, which amounted in 1938 to 309,418 tons.
ESTIMATE OF FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
(65) While conscious of the extreme difficulty of attempting at the present time to forecast the probable future trend of trade at the Clyde and other British ports, we indicate certain of the factors to which our attention has been drawn in the course of this investigation. Whether, and how far, these factors will operate will depend upon unpredictable considerations of world policy, upon which widely different estimates may be made.
47051
A 7
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