MERCANTILE FLEETS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16646, 3 September 1914, Page 10

MERCANTILE FLEETS.

THE ADMIRALTY'S RTGHTS. At tho end of July, Mr Winston Churchill was questioned in the House of Commons regarding the rights of tho Admiralty in tirno.of war, and, in answer, he stated Admiralty possess the- right of hire or pre-emp-tion by virtue of contracts with the following companies :-« Cunard Steamship Co.—Over all tho company's vessels. Mercantile Marine.— Over all tho British vessels in the association. • In addition, the Admiralty possess rights of hire or pre-emption over the vessels \ employed . under . post office mail contracts with the following companies :—- PaCifio Steam Navigation Co.—Service; Liverpool-Callao via Magellan, Panama-Valparaiso. Royal Mail Steam Packet- Company. Service: Southampton and West Indies, Southampton-Brazil and River Plato. P. and O. Steam Navigation Co.— Service" Angle-South Africa. Aldorney Steam Packet.—Service: Alderney - Guernsey; . Alderney - Cherbourg. Messrs Macßraync, .Orkney Steam Navigation Co.—North- of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Co. Glasgow and. South Western Railway Co. (purchase only).—Service: Scottish steamer mail service.