SHIPPING AND FOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17112, 18 March 1919, Page 7

SHIPPING AND FOOD.

COMPACT WITH GERMANY. | THE SUPPLY COMMENCED. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Mar. 16. The Allies have arranged to Bend the Germans 370,000 tons of wheat, meat, and condensed milk a month, and to allow the Germans to fish in the Baltic. They are also forwarding 100,000 tons of potatoes immediately, the latter being for the occupied territories. Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss reported that the surrender of the German merchant ships was acquiesced in without discussion. The proceedings were of the most concise and frigid character. It is now announced that the merchantmen will be handed over without any ceremony. Vessels lying in neutral ports will be taken over there, and the vessels in German ports will proceed to various ports' in Britain. The surrendered vessels will be almost wholly manned by British, French, and American crews. Those which are used for the transport of troops will be entirely manned by British, French and Americans. The total tonnage involved, roughly 3,500,000, will be divided among the Allies, but as Italy possesses all the Austrian vessels, she will only receive a small portion of the German tonnage. Franco receives ocean liners to the extent of 75,000 to 100,000 tons, and the balance will be divided between I Britain and America, and will be used mostly to transport troops. As America is not interested in cargo carriers, Britain absorbs threefourths of these and France the remainder. An allied economic commission is being established at Hamburg to arrange freights and cognate subjects and adjust accounts. For the present freights will be mainly in accordance with British Blue Book ! rates . , i A large quantity of army food j stores has already been delivered in the occupied areas of Germany.