RUSSIAN SHIPPING.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 50, 27 August 1904, Page 13

RUSSIAN SHIPPING.

A letter from Odessa, published in Lon- 4 don, describes the blight which the ' Japanese war has cast upon Russian shipping interests. Tho steamship lines which camo into existence- as a result of tho introduction of tho "Flag law" of 1901 aro now completely idlo as far as trado with Vladivostock, Shanghai, and Singapore are concerned. In tho terms of that law, which was conceived by the Grand Duke Mikhailovitch, Vladivostock, thirty-six days' voyn.go from, tho Black Sea by I Etoamor of thirteon-knot speed, was arbitrarily convorted into a Russian "coasting trade" port. As tho natural result of the annihilation of foreign competition several new Russian shipping services were immediately organised betwoen Russian home ports, principally Black Sea ports, and the Far East. The Russian Steam Navigation and Trading Company, among others, built a fleet of special vessels, and tho Northern Shipping Company owes its oxintonco entirely to tho creation of this law. As for tho Russian volunteer floet, tho principal subsidised shipping concern under tho protection of the Russian Government, it is in a still worse plight. Tho Kkatoriuoslaff, of more, than 10,000 tons, has boon captured by tho Japanese, tho Kazan is shut up in Port Arthur, and no fewer than twelve more volunteer fleot cruisers and transports, some of them ships of 12,000 tons und 20 knots speed, aro lying in Russian homo ports with scores of officers and hundreds of men "waiting for orders.' The Russian toa import trade with China is suffering very seriously in consequence of tho enforced idleness of tho volunteer lleob.