It appears from a very careful and full analysis of
British and German trade published in the Times of Thursday that although the increase in the latter has during the last five years been abnormal, it has not been at the expense of the former. In the carrying trade of the world, for instance, we are still far ahead, Germany having increased her gross tonnage by 480,000 tons, but Great Britain by 918,000 tons, while the total tonnage under our flag is five times that of Germany. It is in the production of iron and the sale of machinery that Germany has advanced fastest, her increase in the former article having been 76 per cent., while ours is Only 17 per cent. ; but then Germany began with much lower figures. Much, too, must be allowed for the growth of German population, which has increased since 1880 by 10,900,000, while that of Great Britain has risen only by 0,000,000. On the whole, the conclusion is that while the Germans are better educated and much more spurred to exertion by their Government, Great Britain still holds her position in the world as "universal provider," and needs only a little more alertness and readiness to meet the needs of the hour to keep it in the future.
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