The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1934. THE MERCANTILE MARINE

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1934, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1934. THE MERCANTILE MARINE

Oit eat Britain has been regarded as a rigid opoonenc 0 f scate-aiued shipping. The UccisiMii to contrihut'j oy jK'cuns or a loan to the building of trie u-'W is tnereiore ail rue mote Sigmncant. But thei'c is a tangible ie(ison. Actually, the iiiteniutioiilil riVauy for trade in the North Atlantic is very intense and Britain has btfiL 'dropping back. According to i<aoords fcqic, tne companies have shared 111 tne uarhc in exact proportion to the speed or the chief ships engaged, it will be a surprise to learn taut Italy eras the two fastest boats, and last year wrested the lead from Germany carrying nearly eighty thousand passengers on lid voyages. The German tally was 77,0ut) passengers on 152 voyages—being fewer ‘ passengers and moie voyages to reach the total. Britain represented by the Cnnard Company, came third v.ith 65,000 passengers. France was fourth, and the United States fifth. France is now to attack the Italian record with a . boat of great speed, arid the vessel belongs to the State. The Italian advance, however, has been' remark ..file, and lias miade more strides in shipping than any other nation. The aggressive policy of - Mussolini is the key to that situation. The United States, in turn, is to challenge the leaders, so that tile , rivalry grows more, intense, and explains tire reason for Britain’s action. A leading statesman at Home has said'that a merchant fleet commensurate with its requirements is the concern of the whole Empire. 'ln 1914, 'Britain possessed nearly 42 per cent of the worla’s shipping. That figure has since fallen to 48 per cent, while shipping of other; countries luis .doubled 1 ne-'-rly. Foreign countries have been liberal wijj’i subsidies to promote shipbuilding. The Uut'ed States has spent six,hundred mil ions to create a mercantile marine since the war, and at the , present subsidies to , shipping in teat country total seventeen millions. Other foreign countries expend up to thirty millions a year in subsidies to their shipping. It can be well conceived that the rivalry is now intense. Great Britain has come to realise b-ie (position—hence the special ■and direct assistance to the Atlantic liner traffic. New Zealand derives great benefit from tho splendid fleet of British ships which now trade to the Dominion. Actually this country has a wonderful overseas service, due to the infiative of the large companies at Home.. The country is placed most fortunately in that respect. British ships should have all encouragement. and to that the public should lend all suppo’ t. The economic-position of the world has affected shipping as much as -any other industry. Already there are' signs of recovery, particularly in passenger .traffic. Tariffs .have affected the exchange of goods, pud except for the variable exchange, the ready traveller need net be deterred in his craving to sec other countries. Actual’y the passenger traffic is the saviour of the big shins nowadays, and gives bore for the future. That condition of affairs encourages the building of the best .and speediest shins, and in the race, Britain is destined to take again a leading part.