SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1916, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

NEED FOR ECONOMY OF

TONNAGE

CAUSE OF INCREASED FREIGHTS.

LONDON, 19th January.

When the handling of the Commonwealth harvest was being considered, the question* was raised whether Britain would commandeer the whole of the shipping tonnage. Mr. Runciman, in • the House of Commons to-day, said the question was considered with a view to regulating freights, but it was decided that it would only aggravate the shortage. The Government took steps in November to restrict the employment of British ships at foreign ports, and was now arranging for the closer co-ordina-tion of the tonnage used for military, I naval, munition, and food nurposes for the Allies and ourselves. He hoped that there would be further economy in she use of requisitioned tonnage and an increase in the ships available. The recent rise in freights was due to the large number of steamers which" the Argentine trade had suddenly requisitioned for bringing nitrates from South America. We had replaced them. with neutrals, which brought about the higher freights. Need for economy of tonnage in every department was imperative. Arrangements were being made to return some of the dock workers from the front. (Received January 21, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, 20th January. The newspapers are discussing the freight question. The Daily Mail says that possibly maximum freights must be fixed by the Legislature.