KEEN SEA COMPETITION

Grey River Argus, 22 October 1943, Page 5

KEEN SEA COMPETITION

U.S.A. Versus Britain POST-WAR PROSPECTS.

(Rec. 11.40.) NEW YORK, Oct. 20. The “New York Times” says:. It has been learned, for the first time to-day, that Britain, at the beginning of the war, attempted to have the United States agree to freeze the international shipping situation on the pre-war basis, with an understanding that no new lines would be established, but the United States refused. Tne British contention was that a big merchant marine necessary for Britain’s very existence, and, that the need of the United States for shipping was considerably less. The “New York Times” points out that the American position has been given prominence by Admiral Vickery’s recent revelation that the United' States intends to have a bigger merchant marine after the war, regardless of British co-operation. At the beginning of the last war,the United States carried less than eight per cent, of her own overseas cargoes. In 1940, however, she was carrying almost thirty per cent. The U.S. Maritime Commission expects that America will want to carry fifty per cent, of her cargoes after this war. About twenty million dead-, weight tons of fast ships will be needed for this task. If the war against Germany is over by the end of 1944, the United States merchant marine will be at least this large, and the American ship-building capacity is at present twenty-two million deadweight tons yearly. The Maritime Commission and the War Shipping Administration has appointed a Post-war Planning Commission, which is now conferring with the American industrial and commercial leaders on the question of which routes should be opened up first, and whether or not they should wait till the end of the war.