Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 36th year, 1915, Berlin, 1915 (2 marks). “International Surveys”, table 31 (p. 46). “Railways of the World, 1890 and 1913” (Source: Archiv für Eisenbahnwesen (published by the Royal Prussian Ministry), 1892 and 1915).
| The three groups (1, 2 and 3) are mine | ||
| Σ (and ΣΣ are mine, as also the lay-out | ||
| 1890 | 1913 | ||||||||
| (1) | Great Britain and Ireland | } | 32,297 | 37,717 | |||||
| (1) | Malta, Jersey, Isle of Man | 110 | 110 | ||||||
| (1) | Portugal | 2,149 | 2,983 | ||||||
| (2) | Spain | 9,878 | 15,350 | ||||||
| (1) | France | 36,895 | 51,188 | ||||||
| (1) | Belgium | 5,263 | 8,814 | ||||||
| (1) | Netherlands(+Luxemburg) | 3,060 | 3,781 | ||||||
| (1) | Switzerland | 3,190 | 4,863 | ||||||
| (2) | Italy | 12,907 | 17,634 | ||||||
| (2) | Sweden, Norway and Denmark | 11,566 | 21,354 | ||||||
| (1) | West-European, old colonial countries |
82,964 | 109,456 | ||||||
| Western Europe. Σ | 117,315 | 163,794 | |||||||
| (2) | Germany | 42,869 | 63,730 | ||||||
| Western Europe. ΣΣ | 160,184 | 227,524 | |||||||
| (2) | West-Europe. Bulgaro-Magyar countries |
77,220 | 118,068 | ||||||
| (3) | Austria-Hungary (+Bosnia+ Herzegovina) |
27,113 | 46,195 | ||||||
| (3) | Russia (European) (+Finland) | 30,957 | 62,198 | ||||||
| (3) | Rumania | 2,543 | 3,763 | ||||||
| (3) | Serbia | 540 | 1,021 | ||||||
| (3) | European Turkey | } | 1,765 | 1,994 | |||||
| (3) | Bulgaria | 1,931 | |||||||
| (3) | Greece | 767 | 1,609 | ||||||
| Balkans. Σ | 5,615 | 10,318 | |||||||
| (3) | Eastern Europe. ΣΣ | 63,685 | 118,711 | ||||||
| All Europe (Europa): | 223,869 | 346,235 | |||||||
| America | 1890 | 1913 | |||||||
| Canada (+Newfoundland) | 22,712 | 48,388 | |||||||
| United States (+Alaska 1,054 km.) | 268,409 | 410,918 | |||||||
| Mexico | 9,800 | 25,492 | |||||||
| Central America 1) | 1,000 | 3,227 | |||||||
| Antilles 2) | 2,338 | 6,022 | |||||||
| North and Central America | Σ | 304,259 | 494,047 | ||||||
| Colombia and Venezuela | 1,180 | 2,020 | |||||||
| British Guiana | 35 | 167 | |||||||
| Dutch ” | — | 60 | |||||||
| Brazil | 9,500 | 24,985 | |||||||
| Paraguay and Uruguay | 1,367 | 3,011 | |||||||
| Argentina | 9,800 | 33,215 | |||||||
| Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador | 5,276 | 12,603 | |||||||
| South America | Σ | 27,158 | 76,061 | ||||||
| Total for America | 331,417 | 570,108 | |||||||
| 1890 | 1913 | ||||||||
| All French possessions | 40 | 224 | |||||||
| All British possessions | [23,181] | 49,185 | |||||||
| All Dutch” | — | 60 | |||||||
| United States | 268,409 | 410,918 | |||||||
| Puerto Rico | 18 | 547 | |||||||
| Mexico+Central America+Antilles | 12,646 | 33,340 | |||||||
| South America (except colonies) | 27,123 | 75,834 | |||||||
| Total | 331,417 | 570,108 | |||||||
| 1913 | |||
| 1) | Guatemala | 987 | km. |
| Honduras | 241 | ||
| Salvador | 320 | ||
| Nicaragua | 322 | ||
| Costa Rica | 878 | ||
| Panama | 479 | ||
| Σ= | 3,227 | ||
| ⋕ | 1890 | |||
| Cuba | 3,752 | 1,731 | ||
| independent 2) | Dominican Republic | 644 | 115 | |
| Haiti | 225 | |||
| Jamaica | 313 | British | ||
| Puerto Rico | 547 | U.S. | 18 | |
| Martinique | 224 | French | ||
| Barbados | 175 | British | 474 | |
| Trinidad | 142 | British | ||
| Σ= | 6,022 | 2,338 |
The very first issue of the International Survey for 1903 gives the following figures for 1890:
| Cuba | 1,731 |
| Dominican Republic | 115 |
| Antilles | 492 |
| (km.) | 2,338 |
(⋕) I have taken these figures from Archiv für Eisenbahnwesen, 1892, p. 496, in which the figure 474 refers to Jamaica and Martinique and Barbados and Trinidad.
The following can be assumed for 1890:
| French (Martinique) | 40 | km. |
⎫ ⎬ ⎭ |
Σ=2,338 |
| British | 434 | |||
| United States (Puerto Rico) | 18 | |||
| Independent | 1,846 |
| Asia: | 1890 | 1913 | |||||||||
| Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia and British Cyprus (98 km.) |
800 | 5,468 | |||||||||
| Persia | 30 | 54 | |||||||||
| British India | } | British | 27,000 | 55,761 | |||||||
| Ceylon | 308 | 971 | |||||||||
| Dutch Indies | { | Java | } | 1,361 | 2,854 | ||||||
| Sumatra | |||||||||||
| Malay states (Borneo, Celebes, etc.) 4) | 100 | 1,380 | |||||||||
| Portuguese India | 54 | 82 | |||||||||
| Siam | — | 1,130 | |||||||||
| Indo-China and Philippines (United States) 1) | 105 | 3,697 | |||||||||
| Russia (Siberia and Central Asia) 3) | 1,433 | 15,910 | |||||||||
| China | 200 | 9,854 | |||||||||
| Japan (+Korea) | 2,333 | 10,986 | |||||||||
| All British possessions (Cyprus, India+ | 27,408 | 58,204 | |||||||||
| Ceylon, Malacca).... | |||||||||||
| All French possessions | 105 | 2,493 | |||||||||
| Total Asia | 33,724 | 108,147 | |||||||||
4) British Borneo (the British part of it) in 1912 according to The Statesman’s Year-Book: 130 miles (idem for 1915).
(Dutch) Celebes?
N.B. Apparently, all the “Malay states” should be included in British possessions
439 km. is shown for 1901
| 1913 | ||||
| km. | ||||
| 1) Cochin-China, | Cambodia, Annam, Tonkin | 2,398 | French | |
| Pondicherry | 95 | French | ||
| Total French | 2,493 | |||
| Malacca | 92 | British | ||
| Philippines | 1,112 | U.S. | ||
| Σ= | 3,697 | |||
The figure 105 in 1890 refers to Cochin-China, Pondicherry and Tonkin (all of which are French).
3) The Chinese-Eastern Railway (1,480 km.) is listed under China (in 1913 table).
| Algeria and Tunisia | 3,104 | 6,382 | ||||||||||
| Belgian Congo | — | 1,390 | ||||||||||
| { | Egypt (+Sudan) | { | 1,547 | } | 1902 | { | 1,390 | } | ||||
| Union of South Africa | 3,825 | 17,628 | ||||||||||
| (*) |
⎧ ⎪ ⎨ ⎪ ⎩ |
British colonies | [98]6) | 1,503 | 3,790 | |||||||
| German ” | — | 470 | 4,176 | |||||||||
| Italian ” | — | 27 | 155 | |||||||||
| Portuguese ” | [292] 6) | 992 | 1,624 | |||||||||
| French ” | [520] 5) | 1,160 | 3,218 | |||||||||
| (*) | [910] 2) | 12,963 | ||||||||||
| Total Africa | 9,386 | 44,309 | ||||||||||
| { | Total British possessions | [5,470] | 27,364 | |||||||||
| ” French | 3,624 | 9,600 | ||||||||||
| { | 6) | approximate distribution | } |
| For 1885, Neumann-Spallart gives 147 km.(!!) | |||
| for Mauritius; 440(!!!) for Angola + Mozambique!! |
5) Taken from Archiv für Eisenbahnwesen, 1892, p. 1229
2) refers to:
| 1902 | 1890 | |
| 169 | (British) Mauritius | |
| 127 | French Réunion | 126 |
| French “Senegal Region”? | 394 | |
| 543 | Portuguese Angola | |
| 449 | Portuguese Mozambique |
| Australia: | 1890 | 1913 | |||
| (British) | } | Australian Commonwealth | 15,769 | 30,626 | |
| Empire | New Zealand | 3,120 | 4,650 | ||
| U.S.A.: | Hawaii (with Maui Island: | ||||
| 11 km. and Oahu: 91) | — | 142 | |||
| Total Australia | 18,889 | 35,418 | |||
| Total | 617,285 | 1,104,217 |
| (Together with colonies) | 1890 | 1913 | |||||
| United States | 268,427 | 412,719 | |||||
| British Empire | 107,355 | 207,856 | |||||
| Russia | 32,390 | 78,108 | |||||
| Germany | 42,869 | 67,906 | |||||
| France | 40,664 | 63,505 | |||||
| 491,705 | 830,094 | ||||||
| Four small colonial powers (Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Italy) |
25,086 | 39,377 | |||||
| Eleven non-colonial countries (rest of Europe) |
57,362 | 98,080 | |||||
| ⋕ |
⎧ ⎨ ⎩ |
Japan | 2,333 | 10,986 |
⎫ ⎬ ⎭ |
||
| Semi-colonial | { | Asia | 1,030 | 16,506 | |||
| countries | America | 12,646 | 33,340 | ||||
| South America (10 countries) | 27,123 | 75,834 | |||||
| Total | 617,285 | 1,104,217 | |||||
| ⋕ but deducting the first five | 125,580 | 274,123 | |||||
| Independent and semi-inde | |||||||
| pendent countries of Asia and | |||||||
| America | 43,132 | 136,666 | |||||
| Total colonies (America, Asia Africa and Aus- tralia) |
Asia, Africa and Australia | |||||||
| 1890 | 1913 | Colonies: | 1890 | 1913 | ||||
| 74,948 | 170,029 | . . . |
⎧ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎨ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎩ |
British | 51,767 | 120,844 | ||
| 3,769 | 12,317 | . . . | French | 3,729 | 12,093 | |||
| 1,361 | 2,914 | . . . | Dutch | 1,361 | 2,854 | |||
| 346 | 1,706 | . . . | Portuguese | 346 | 1,706 | |||
| 1,433 | 15,910 | . . . | Russian | 1,433 | 15,910 | |||
| — | 1,390 | . . . | Belgian | — | 1,390 | |||
| — | 155 | . . . | Italian | — | 155 | |||
| — | 4,176 | . . . | German | — | 4,176 | |||
| 18 | 1,801 | . . . | United States | — | 1,254 | |||
| 81,875 | 210,398 | . . . | Total colonies | 58,636 | 60,382 | |||
| . . . | Japan | 2,333 | 10,986 | |||||
| { | Asia Minor, Persia, Siam and China |
} | 1,030 | 16,506 | ||||
| Semi-colonies: | ||||||||
| Total | 61,999 | 187,874 | ||||
| Europe | 223,869 | 346,235 | ||||
| United States | 268,409 | 410,918 | ||||
| ββ all colonies | 81,875 | 210,398 | ||||
| ⋕ | { | semi-colonies: Asia | 1,030 | 16,506 | ||
| ” ” America | 12,646 | 33,340 | ||||
| (Mexico, Central America+Antilles) | ||||||
| Japan | 2,333 | 10,986 | ||||
| South America (without colonies) | 27,123 | 75,834 | ||||
| Total | 617,285 | 1,104,217 | ||||
| ⋕αα | 43,132 | 136,666 | ||||
| αα+ββ | 125.0 | 347.1 | ||||
The main source is Archiv für Eisenbahnwesen. I have gone through the 1892 edition (15th year of publication) and have inserted additions in the preceding pages
The 1890 figures for the “Malay states” are given only in total; there is nothing in brackets (not even the words: “Borneo, Celebes, etc.”, which occur in the 1915 edition of the Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich).
There are data by decades: 1840 and subsequent years (up to 1890)—which appear also in the Brockhaus Encyclopaedia.
Value estimates (mostly 1888-91) are given:
| Europe | average | 302,500 | marks | per | km. | } |
| Railways outside Europe | ” | 160,600 | ” | ” | ” |
| Σ= 131,000 million marks |
World average = 212,100, i.e., about 131,000 million marks (212,100 ✕ 617,300) 212,100 ✕ 200,000 = 40,000 million[1] |
A comparison of these railway data with the following figures (Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 1915) is revealing:
| Coal Output (mill. tons) | |||||||||
| Germany | France | Russia | Great Britain | United States | |||||
| 1892 | 92.5 | 26.1 | 6.9 | 184.7 | 162.7 | ||||
| 1912 | 255.7 | 39.2 (1911) | 31.0 | 264.6 | 450.2 (1911) | ||||
| Pig-iron Output (mill. tons)[2] | |||||||||
| 1892 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 6.8 | 9.3 | ||||
| 1912 | 17.6 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 9.0 | 30.2 | ||||
| N.B. | ||||
|
The disproportion between the development of iron and coal production, on the one hand, and railway construction, on the other (monopoly = colonies), is very striking. This relates to the problem of monopolies and finance capital!! |
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[1] See present edition, Vol. 22, p. 274.—Ed.
[2] Ibid., p. 275.—Ed.
[3] In the preface to the French and German editions of Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism Lenin particularly mentions the importance of data on the world’s railways for a characterisation of monopoly capitalism: “The uneven distribution of the railways, their uneven development—sums up, as it were, modern monopolist capitalism on a world-wide scale” (see present edition, Vol. 22, p. 190). The railway statistics quoted in this volume on pp. 484-90 and 492-95 show how Lenin collected and analysed extensive data on railway development in different countries (Great Powers, independent and semi-independent states, and colonies) in 1890 and 1913. Comparing these data with figures of iron and coal output, Lenin revealed the disproportion between the development of the productive forces and railway construction in various countries (as a result of colonial monopoly). The results of his study, summarised in two short tables, are given in Chapter VII of Imperialism (see present edition, Vol. 22, pp. 274-75).
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