[From Manx Quarterly, #25]

ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET CO.'S RECOVERY

TOTAL CARRYING CAPACITY STILL LESS THAN PREWAR.

The 1920 summer season returns of the Isle of Man Steampacket Co., which cover the period from May let to Sept. 30th, show that the Manx steamers have made 1,725 trips, covering a distance of 136,487 miles, an increase over laã year of 562 trips and 53,156 miles. This is, however, 706 trips and 41,471 miles short of the 1913 record, but 1,144 trips and 95,891 miles respectively above 1917, the worst year of war.

The Isle of Man fleet continue to operate the, premier channel service of the world. During the past twelve years, the period dealt. with in this particular mileage form, they have made 18,712 trips, run a total distance of 1,397,112 miles, and carried nearly nine million passengers without meeting with an accident with the name, which forms another enviable record in sea transport. During last season their steamers sailed between twenty-one sets of two different ports, which range between 1,005 trips, Liverpool to Douglas, to one each between Ardrossan and Liverpool, Barrow and Liverpool, Fleetwood and Barrow, and Castletown and Ramsey. Fleetwood and Douglas, almost entirely suspended during the war, now has 251 trips, while there were 103 between Ardrossan and Douglas, and 80 between Douglas and Ireland.

Liverpool is, of course, the premier station, being cred-iied with 1,005 trips, against 720 of all the others combined. During the past season the Manx boats have carried 1,010,000 passengers, without reckoning on those who went for day trips round the Island of the few short cruises from Liverpool. There frequently appear in the newspapers what are called "arrivial" figures, but these are, in a way, deceptive. They are compiled by the Douglas Harbour Board, who have a direct interest in them for the upkeep of the various harbours. They, therefore, include every person who reaches the Isle of Man by any source. Among these are, in some oases, day excursionists who do not even land. As a matter of fact, both the number of day trippers and the total of day excursions have been many fewer than in pre-war times, yet there can be no question that the past season has yielded a greater total of legitimate visitors, who have stayed and slept. on the Island, than ever before, and these should not be confounded with a more counting of heads for the purposes of the Harbour Board.

The Manx fleet this summer has consisted of eleven passenger steamers, as against fourteen before the start of war, but the fresh steamers purchased this year are all modem ones and have good carrying capacities, although net up to the total of the peace vessels, the loss of the Ben,-my-Chree and the Empress Queen being a severe one in this respect. On the whole, however, no oonceaei has recovered move readily from its international misfortunes, nor has any other been more efficiently managed or their steamers more carefully sailed.

The following is a summary of the strips and miles made during the past twelve years -

T. E. E.