to the competition of Polish Silesian mines, but that competition 
is assisted not only by low wages but also by the low freights 
charged by the Polish railways for export coal. 
There is no doubt that the basis of freights on continental 
railways is more favourable 10 users than in this country. 
The accompanying table shows how unemployment has risen 
and 1s rising in land transport :— 
NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES UNEMPLOYED. 
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION INDUSTRIES. 
(Ministry of Labour Statistics). 
Monthly Average. 
1927 ... i. . 
1928 ... ‘es ve 
1929 ... I~ 
1930 :— 
January ... 
February ... 
March 
April 
May wa 
June en 
July ee I” 
August... ee es 
September ... vee es 
October |... 
Total Unemployed. 
100,805 
110,621 
114.107 
129,913 
133,718 
142,040 
141,725 
142,450 
133,543 
139,043 
145,123 
149,558 
186 105 
Percentage. 
13-1 
14-1 
14-1 
16:1 
16-6 
17-6 
17-6 
17-7 
16-3 
16-9 
17-7 
18-2 
20-92 
Shipping and Shipbuilding. 
The relation between transport by sea and the British exporting 
industries cannot be too strongly emphasised. Itishardly necessary 
to elaborate the fact that if shipping companies cannot obtain 
profitable employment for their ships, and much merchant shipping 
is laid up idle, the companies have not the incentive or the money 
to build new ships. 
And the Shipping Industry is more directly and acutely 
affected by foreign competition than almost any other. If its costs