BRITISH SHIPPING.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16324, 23 September 1918, Page 8

BRITISH SHIPPING.

i OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE. | A DEPARTMENTAL REPORT. No. 1. (FROM OtTR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, July 26. The committee appointed two years af r 0 under the chairmanship of Sir Alfred A. Booth, to consider the position of British shipping after the war, has now produced its final report. A good deal of the document (Cd. 9092}" refers to pre-war conditions, and incidentally tho indictments of the various shipping commissions and ot tne Dominions Royal Commission are emphasised. EMIGRANT CONTROL. Under the control action of Germany of the European emigrant tralnc liritish lines had very limited scope, and had to bring their passengers by the sea routo lrom Libau. Consequently British ships only carried 20 per cent, of tho emigranis before the war, ana enemy ships 50 per cent. The Germans made it practically impossible for emigrants from Central Europe and Russia to travel in a British ship after P a . ss " ing through Germany. They demanded not only good Lealth, but the posses6ion of a proper contract ticket, and of 400 marks in cash, and all manner, of pressure w**s put upon the emigrants while passing through Germany to travel by German lines. In some cases their tickets wero forcibly taken from them and held for many days untd the unfortunate emigrants wore either cajoled into buying German tickets, or forced to return to their homes. "There is no doubt in our minds," says the committee, ''that the policy of intimidation was deliberately meant to discredit British competitors among the ignorant population. Ultimately the control of Continental emigrants was m tho hands of the German lines. We consider it of great importance to the future of British shipping on the Atlantic that the control barrier should definitely ■be broken down as a condition ! of peace. It is idle to suppose that J Germany would willingly give up an instrument which can be used to such advantage." Control stations in the Central Empires should be abolished except for purely sanitary purposes. THE SHIPBUILDING OUTLOOK. The committee considers that shipbuilding competition, notably from the United States, Italy, Holland, Scandinavia, and Russia will be much greater after the war, sine© foreign nations have clearly seeu the advantages of a national mercantile marine, and mnch new. shipbuilding plant has already been nut down. Moreover, in the United States, iron and steel will probably be obtainable as cheaply as in Great Britain. For some time after the war the denrnnd for tonnage will be so great that the competition will not be severe, but the tost will come later. Discussing the supply of shipbuilding material from foreign countries in the past, the committee finds that prices wore generally lower, and in some cases considerably lower, and "we are satisfied that the imported materials have ■been, as a rule, fully as good as those supplied by British makers. German makers showed great enterprise in undertaking the manufacture of any new forms of casting t followed-up ana dealt with complaints in a thorough and businesslike manner,: and thus created good relationships between suppliers and TIBBIS POLITICAL DUMPING. As regards dumping of rough machined forgings and finished crank shafts, from Germany, tho committee says that this was done systematically. _ "We feel ccrtain," they add, "that this. was governed by political considerations, the object being to cripple our forges with a view to reducing the potential output of guns and other war material. The German steel works were constructed after observation of British practice, and they were all of very large size, ana intended for an output far in excess of Continental requirements. Dumping was then deliberately arranged for, and was effected by means of their special selling agencies on the 1 Kartel system." Combination among British iron and 6teel producers is strongly urged" for the dual purpose of pushing sales abroad and producing more economically. Labour restrictions on output in Great Britain are seriously commented upon, and while wages paid in Great Britain are much above those ruling in Germany per ton output, "there was a considerable conflict of opinion as to whether British labonr was, as a setoff, really more efficient than German labour." INDUSTRIAL RESTITUTION. While the committee, deprecates the perpetuation of economic conflict after the war. for its own sake, it recommends that, all countries which have been overrun and pillaged "by Germany and her Allies should nave their plant and tools replaced from commandeered enemy stocks, all enemy munition factories being dismantled, and the tools taken without payment. Moreover, if I Germany and her Allies are found to | have manufactured stocks and material ready for dumping, they should bo seized and eold to the Allies, ! NORWAY AND FINLAND. * RELATIONS ENDANGERED. (By Cable.—Press Aesociation.—Copyright) (Australian and N.'Z. Cable (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 20. TTie "New York Times" Copenhagen correspondent reports that friendly relations between Norway and Finland) are endangered because Finland wanta to seize part of Northern Norway south of Varanger Fiord.

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