"ALL AUSTRALIAN."

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 22, 26 July 1910, Page 7

"ALL AUSTRALIAN."

NEW SHIPPING COMPANY. By Telegraph. — Pre»» Association.— -Copyright. LONDON, 25th July. The Times, in its comments on the Merchants' and Shippers' Steam Ship lane, which proposes to conduct a service between Australasia and America, states that it is an interesting departure, constituting as it does the first Commonwealth-owned overseas shipping company. The steamers will be Australian-own-ed. Five steamers will be employed, ecah to hova a carrying capacity of between 10,000 and 12,000 tons, and they will be fitted with extensive cold-stor-ago 'space to meet the demands of the frozen produce trade. The first steamer, is expected in Sydney in six months' time, but the builders' names have not been disclosed. Some doubt has been expressed as to whether five steamers- would be sufficient to cany on the trade, but Mr. Moore, manager of the company, said that the promoters would charter additional tonnage. Mr. Moore has further explained that it is the intention 'of the company to send its steamers Home from Australia via New Zealand, tho Straits of Magellan, and the east coast ports of America and Canada. When the Panama Canal is completed in 1912-13, said he, ''our vessels will go Honie by that route, and' at a speed of 12 knots should make the voyage in 50 days." Mr. Moore has communicated with the Government on the matter, and a proposal ha* been made to train 15 or 20 Australian boys for the mercantile marine on board the new liners. The new steamers will not carry passengers. "But," concluded Mr. Moore, "they will be first-class cargo steamers, and cheap rates of freight wilJ be quoted for Australian product's."