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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1510, 7 February 1901, Page 55

The increase of late in the mercantile steam fleet of Germany has been attracting very considerable attention in Great Britain, as well as in the many other centres it now affects. The extension and improvement of the Australian and Eastern services have already been rir>ted, but the terms of the contract recently . entered into by the German Gcvernxnerit and the German East Africa Steamship Company point the adoption of a policy that' should claim lq<?al attention. Summarised, the inost important conditions are as follows :—-“The now vessels to he acquired by the company for this service must be built in. German yards, arid German ! jmaterials are, as far as possible, to be employed in their construction' and eqwpmesrvt. In addition to the three new. .. steamers already prepared: for. the extended sailings. nine others ar-e tq.be built and paft on the rentes at varying dates, from. April Ist, 1901, to April. Ist, 1908. The supply of coal is to be exclusively from German sources, when the vessels are in German, Dutch, or Belgian ports, and this rule is to apply also. as far as possible, to provisions and ships’ stores. Is'o agreements are to be made with foreign Governments as to thfi carnage of mails without the oonsept of the Imperial Chancellory who retains power to forbid the import, by vessels, into German, Dutch,; or Belgian ports of .all agricultural produces which com pete with similar products of German agnpulture, with the exception of tobacco, beeswax, skins, hides , and wool. , Preference, is to be given to German goods, or those destined for Germany, oyer all others, if their shipments. are notified, to. the r company at the same time. All ; persons by the company, as well as their agents in foreign places, must be German subjects, . except when from v except! caaail circumstances this is possible. The various tariffs, and rates of freights U’ 2 '® to be settled in agreement with the imperial Chancellor, and. are to he subject to any regulations which he may make. There are other minor conditions, out the special , feature -of the contract is the extraordinary precautions* f to protect everything German* ;The Imperial Chancellor evidently m determined that if the policy of largely subsidising a mercantile marine is to be adopt-ed,'-care shall bo taken that possible of the outlay shall go into German pockets. is no reason bo cavil at this desire, only, ft will be we’l to recollect that a' mercantile marine clainjiipg projection from unfair will; ohly be following yE urop ean : exampies Af ; .§udh ©oraditions should be laid down in conne©tion with the coastal service' to r make competition'fair. v :,.\ :,r.