IMPERIAL CUSTOMS UNION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9012, 26 January 1895, Page 7

IMPERIAL CUSTOMS UNION.

The London Times, commenting on the Btatut's offer of a prize of a thousand guineas for. the best scheme of an Imperial Customs Union, considers it impossible that rich a Union could exclude the United States. '• We are customers of the United States of America," it says, "for exactly half of their domestio produce, and it may be assumed that tho United States will not lose such a customer without being willing to make concessions in the direction of a mutually advantageous Union. The gradual shifting of the centre of the coal and iron uduttry from Great Britain to the United States, believed by some economists to be occurring, is another serious reason in favour of commercial union. The conditions are such that the United States and England tnuat either compete for or unite to possess the command of the world's commerce. United we might safely defy competition from any other source. The peoples of the colonies would also have an insuperable objection to join any Union which excluded the United States. By these and many other reasons we are driven to conclude that

colonial and imperial interests would beat be ■erred by keeping question* of political •nd commercial union entirely distinct. If .» Customs Union should be formed on any . other buia than that of freer rade for revenue , .purposes, it hardly appears to admit of V' geeetion that such a Union would have to &sf* formed to include the United State*."

BIGGEST CARGO EVER CARRIED. The twin cargo steamship Cevic, 8315 tons register, of the White Btar line, the largest freighter afloat, when she sailed on her maiden voyage carried the largest cargo ever stowed in a single vessel since Noah'e time. Exclusive of 820 head of Western •teere, the cargo consisted of 14,000 tons of merchandise, including 150392 bushels S° r *' ,22P . b * lee cotton ' 320 ° quarters of beef, 1956 pig. of copper, 2328 pigs of lead, 3491 bags of flour, 56 logs of iahogany 511 bales of hay, 3338 boxes cheese, 1955 barrels of oil, 1999 barrels of green bides, 639 barrel* of wax, and 408 boxes of bacon! Ihe value of the entire cargo was computed at somewhat less than 500,000d01a. tf.Y, World.