FUTURE OF THE SAILING SHIP.

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 103, 3 May 1919, Page 11

FUTURE OF THE SAILING SHIP.

Some interesting remarks on the future of sailing ships were made by Colonel George Milne, of Aberdeen, Chairman of the Clyde Sailing Ship Owners' Association, at the' annual meeting of tho association, held in Glasgow recently, states Syren. Sailing ships, he observed, wore so unimportant now that their prosperity depended entirely ,on the rates of freight steamers might bo able to establish. For the next few years, in all probability, freights would be high, and sailing tonnage would participate in the good business, but after that period tho increasing number of steamers would reduce freights to a living profit. The facilities for tho construction of new tonnage, and especially of large carriers,, had so increased during the war in Great Britain, in America and Japan; that it scorned evident that in a few years tho supply would overtake tho demands of the charterers. Owing to a revised agricultural policy it appeared likely that the supplies of grain required to bo imported into Great Britain would bo greatly reduced, but whother thM would affect tho quantity of wheat to be carried in tho world was not clear.. As the Shipping Controller had indicated that as many ships as possible were to be released on Ist March, every effort should bo made- to remove control so far as merchandise was concerned. Othorwiso there might be plenty of free ships with no cargoes for them to carry. Tho regulations existing to-day restricted tho operations of merchants very seriously, and had been tho cause of business going- past England, whereas in America restrictions had been, entirely removed, and tho Americans would not be slow to take- advantago of their freedom, &> tho detriment of English trade. Even though peace had not yet been proclaimed, it was, in his opinion, highly advisable that liberty of action should be granted with as littlo delay as possible.