WATER TRANSPORTATION "539
ship of such vessels, having 754,000 gross tons, followed by
Norway with 346,000, Sweden with 278,000, and Germany with
276,000. The United States ranks fifth with 267,000 gross tons.
Sales Prices of Ships.
Prices of second-hand cargo steamers followed the trend of freights
in 1925 and fell to a very low level. During the last half of the year,
8 steamers of 5,000 to 10,000 deadweight tons, not over 5 years
old, brought an average price of only $24 per ton. Few sales were
made during the first half of the year. In the first half of 1924, 8
vessels had brought an average of $27 a ton, while 3 sold during the
last half brought $38 a ton. Too much weight should not be placed
on these figures since in such a small number of transactions unusual
factors in one or two sales may throw the average out of line.

Table 28.—Net Tonnage of Vessels Entered and Cleared in Foreign Trade

Thousands of net tons of vessel capacity. Net ton equals 100 cubic feet of space. excluding cabins.
machinery, ete.)

Macg

Tatal..conununene
American. o.oo...
Foreign. ooo.
Per cent Ameri-Cano
 eee on.

With cargo (total)...
American. ....-..
Foreign __..._.__
[n ballast (total)...
American. .._.._.
Foreign. __..____.
Total seaports. -.._..
Total northern border

910-1914

\veraoe
 1

18. 819

1,328
as’ 091

4 3

2, 597
3042
“ 555
,022
5 286
Vas

5, Guy
1. 408

Entrances

Total

1093 1 1994

88, 319

88. 299

27,725
38. 594

29, 628
28. 664

41 R

42 4

‘8, 986
21, 125
37, 861
7,333
8, e00
1 an

8, 838
1, 652
7, 156
9, 454
"975
a7R

3 ha

, 26
2 ARS

Seaports

| only,
1025 1008

69, 378 | 55,636 |
21, 149
34 487

an’ W|®_n

30, 773
21, 202
19, 571
18, 605
8, 745
"_RAQ

13,450
17,033
26,417
12,186 |
4,116
3 069

6, 636
12 740

55,636 |

(910-1914

AVeraga
 1

46. 579

11, 590
24’ 920

a4 0"

10, 404
8, 996
31, 408
6,175
2, 594
3 58]

34, 065
11. 814

Clearances

Total

Seaports

| | only,
1024 1925 1925

1992 |

686.624 © 88.910

70,228 | 57, 160
27,808 ' 21, 304
12,420 + 35,766
s0al 37.4

27, 932
38. 692

30, 091
28 RIR

41 a

47 7

31, 912
8, 966
32, 946
14,712
8, 966
5.746
53, 216
13 408

53,720
20, 465
33, 255
15,190
9, 626
5, 564

45,750
14, 948
30, 802
11, 410
, "6,448
4, 964
57, 160 | 57, 160
13 068 | _

55, 294
13. 616

+ Fiscal years ended June 30.
Source: Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.

Entrances and Clearances.
The amount of space available for cargo and passengers in our
foreign trade is shown by the net-tonnage capacity of ships entering
and clearing (Table 28). The total net tonnage of vessels in foreign
trade entering American ports in 1925 was 69,378,000, a record
figure. This was 48.8 per cent over the average of 1910-1914, and
the tonnage with cargo was greater by 55.8 per cent. This difference
indicates more complete use of the vessels, although definite knowl-2dge
 on this point is precluded by the absence of data comparing
actual weight of cargo with tonnage capacity during pre-war years