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 colonialcountries
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-Magyarcountries
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
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).
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!!
Taken from Archiv für Eisenbahnwesen, 1892, p. 1229
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, AsiaAfrica 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, Siamand 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_millionmarks
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:
The disproportion between the development of ironand coal production, on the one hand, and railwayconstruction, on the other (monopoly = colonies),is very striking. This relates to the problem of monopolies andfinance capital!!
[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).