INTRODUCTORY
open quays. From the annual expenditure per lineal foot
and the income per lineal foot of quay, we can, at once,
put our finger on the weak spot, and say that such and such
a quay must be worked at greater pressure.”
In the exercise of this analysis there must, of course,
be some discrimination between the various classes of work
carried on at the respective quays. It would be useless
and misleading to compare, for instance, the rate of handling
coal, or bulk grain, with general goods, and, even among
the last-named class, there is naturally some range of char-
acter which enables certain goods to be dealt with much
more expeditiously, and at a greater rate than others.
But comparing like with like, some very useful conclusions
can be drawn as to the efficiency of the component parts
of a port.
Sir John proceeds: ‘“ The importance of appliances for
handling raw materials and merchandise immediately
becomes evident. It is only by such appliances that you
can ensure the rapid discharge of the ship, make your port
financially sound, keep down port charges, and thus make
your port attractive to both shipowners and traders.”
In view of so incontrovertible a principle, it is not sur-
prising to find that the adoption, wherever practicable, of
mechanical appliances for goods-handling at the quayside
is now generally becoming recognised as an essential factor
to success. Yet there are still a number of ports, including
some even in the first rank, where crude and rudimentary
methods are allowed to persist in the face of their manifest
inefficiency. Such blemishes on modern enterprise will be
removed when the losses they entail are fully realised,
ANTAGONISM OF LABOUR.
Naturally, human nature being what it is, a considerable
amount of opposition to the introduction of mechanical
appliances has been encountered from the ranks of organised
labour, even though, with tactful propitiation, the designa-
tion of such appliances has been converted into “ Labour-
aiding ”’ in place of Labour-saving.” Still. tliere is no
