THE BLOCKADE DISCUSSION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15500, 29 January 1916, Page 9

THE BLOCKADE DISCUSSION.

MILITARY SERVICE BILL PASSED THE SHORTAGE OF SHIPPING. DRASTIC STEPS BY THE government. PARLIAMENT PROROGUED. inspiring speech by the king. (544 th DAY OF THE WAR,)

ON THE SEAS.

SHORTAGE OF SHIPPING. DRASTIC MEASURES ADOPTED. RESTRICTION OF NONESSENTIAL IMPORTS. CONTROL OF BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE. (By C*ble.—Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, January Hi- r In the House of Commons Mr W. Runciman. President of the Board ot Trade, said that iu order to relieve the shortage of tonnage, the Go\ernmcn had decided to cut down non-essentnu imports. Paper pulp and other papermaking materials would be first dealt with., These materials absorbed U,CWU,UW> tons of space annually. , The wnole British Mercantile Marine was being placed . under Government control in order to be used to the best advantage of the Allies. Tho Government would be.assisted by a small committee, of which Lord Curzon was chairman. , Tho importation ot raw tobacco, building materials, furniture woods, veneer, and some fruits might shortly bo prohibited. A full statement of the method to be followed would be announced as soon as possible. The export of waste paper and rags would be prohibited, and tho list might be extended until the strain on tonnage was eased. RESTRICTIONS ON WOOD PULP IMPORTS. EFFECT ON NEWSPAPERS. LONDON, January 27. A deputation from the Papcrmakers' Association met Mr W. Runciman, Prosidqnt of tho Board of Trade. lit is rumoured that tho Government intends to prohibit 60 per cent, of the importations of wood pulp, in order to keep money in th o country and to cope with the shipping difficulty. The newspapers aro considering the question of reducing their size 40 per cont., and prohibiting the return of unsold papers from agents. The Government similarly contemplates the prohibition of tho importation of cinema films. (Received January 28th, 9.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 27. In the House of Commons, Sir R. \V. Essex said lie hoped tho prohibition of the importation of paper pulp would not operate adversely on newspapers, which had not their own means of supply. Sir Runciman said all arrangements would bo on equitable lines, which would not give an unfair privilego to arybody. DELHI, January 2". The authorities are in favour of extensive experiments for the manufacture of paper from sabai grass and bamboo. CANADA'S TRADE. SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS. LONDON, January 27. The Ottawa correspondent of "The Tir.'jev'' . ; ;ays the Hon. J. D. Hazen. Minister of Marine, explained to the House the steps that were taken at the outbreak of the war to secure ocean transportation of Canadian products. Forty commandeered vessels had been regularly carrying munitions to Britain, and arrangements had been made for 1916 to transport 1,500,000 tons .of freight. ~ Recently three German prize vessels were released for the Atlantic trade. The shipments from Canadian winter ports were 200 per cent. in excess of any previous year. Canadian grain had been carried satisfactorily, and with little complaint under the circumstances of the extraordinary freight service maintained between Canada and Britain.

PRISONERS OF WAR. IN THE H ANDS OF SENUSSITES SURVIVORS OF H.M.S. TAR A. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, January The Admiralty announce that Oo survivors of the Tara arc in tlic hands of the Senussites. They are being well treated, and efforts arc beine made to send them clothing and comforts. • On-November Bth the Admiralty.announced that H.M. armed bcaraing-

steamer Tarn, commanded by Captain Rupert Gwatkin Williams, R.N. (retired), was attacked by two enemy submarines in tho Eastern Mediterranean and sunk. On November 25th it was announced that Captain Gwatkin Williams, Lieutenant Tanner, R.N.R., and the rest of the survivors of the ship had been seen at El A/.iat, two days west o_f the Guli' of Solium (in Western Egypt). They were all well. The Tara, which was commissioned in August, 1914, was a twin-screw steamer of 1802 tons gross register, built in 1900, and owned by the London and North-Western Railway Company. The Germans, in announcing that the steamer had l>een sunk, describe*! Her as a vessel of (J322 tons. There is a. Tara of that tonnage belonging to the Rritish-Tndia Company, but evidence that the ship .which -was sunk was the smaller vessel is supplied by the fact that Lieutenant JO. B. Tanner, 11.N.R.., who is mentioned in the Admiralty statement, -was the master of the London and N.W. Railway Company's ship before the war. The Tara was a sister ship to the hospital ship Anglia which "was sunk by a. mine in the English Channel some months ago.

THE GERMAN FLEET. THE LATEST STORY, AMERICA'S PREDICTIONS. (Received January 28th, 11.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 27. Mr Millan, President of the American Aeronautic .Society, in an interview, stated that Krupp's were perfecting a pneumatic tube capable of launching an S-ineh torpedo from an airship. The torpedo will strike with an impact of fourteen tons, and will be able to accurately overcome the- influenco of cross currents of air at a height of 15,000 feet. He predicted that the German Fleet would soon come out to give battle to tho British Navy with ships mounting tho new 17-inch guns. Ho based his predictions on information received from a. satisfactory source. The air-torpedo had been successfully tried under practical conditions. An air raid could be looked for in from two to three weeks, and upon the result of' the venture would depend the dash of the German Fleet from Kiel.

THE BRITISH BLOCKADE. SIR EDWARD GREY'S SPEECH. NEWSPAPER COMMENT. (By Cdblc.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, January 27. ' The "Daily -Mail'' states that Sir Edward Grey's attack upon the "scaremongering Press" was an impudent invention based upon grotesque figures. The "Daily Chronicle" says the attacks on the Foreign Office represent a policy of fouling our own nest. ... The "Daily Telegraph" Expects that Sir Edward Grey's statement will silence impertinent and ignorant criticism. "The Times'" maintains its belief that the Government should establish a regular blockade. If the public misunderstands the Foreign Office, it is because the public is kept in mischievous ignorance. The "Daily Mail'' and the "Siorning Post" remain convinced that a largo quantity of goods is going into Germany, despite the arguments of Sir Edward Grey. The "Slornirig Post" says that the silence of Sir Balfour (First Lord of the Admiralty) is very remarkable. The country will hold Sir Balfour responsible for any failure to use the full power of the Nr.vv.

HOUSE OP COMMONS DEBATE. MOTION TALKED OUT. LONDON, January 27. In the House of Commons, the debate upon Mr A. Shirley Bonn's motion urging the Government to enforce as effective a blockade as possible, without interfering with the normal requirements of neutral countries for their internal consumption, was continued. Sir R. B. !• inlay (Unionist) proposed that food should be declared absolute contraband. Lord Robert Cecil, in reply, admitted that the blockade was imperfect, but said the complications were great. The Government had not lost sight of the possibility of a blockade in the Baltic. We wcrp trying what no nation had ever tried before— we were trying to blockade Germany through neutral countries. It was not a case for high-handedness, but was one for jrreat caution and circumspection. It was easy to makemistakes which would turn out so seriously as to prevent us from winning the war. The motion was talked out.

IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

A SUGGESTION RESENTED. LONDON, January 27. In the House of Lords. Lord Devonport- stated that from the commencement of the war to the end of 1015, 30L) cargoes oi' iron ore. amounting to ] ,500,000 tons, had arrived at Rotterdam. The inference was that they were intended for Germany. Lord Devonshire, iu reply, stated that the average annual imports into Holland for the years 1911-13 •3 -">OO.OOO ton.-, nearly the whole proceeding to Germany. The imports of Holland in 1015 were (550.000 tons. Lord I.an?downe said ho resented the suggestion that the Foreign Office, the "War Office, and the Admiralty required waking up. GERMAN EXPORT TRADE. LONDON, January 27. The Hollnnd-Amerika Line is opening n service from Rotterdam to Germany, via the Rhine, in order to tarry good® from Germany to America.