SHIPPING SUBSIDIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2242, 18 February 1897, Page 38

SHIPPING SUBSIDIES.

The German Reichstag at its meeting on Decem* tier 8. 1896, discussed very fully the bill for granting'Mcreased subsidies to tbe German steamship IJne's'to tbe Far East, Dr yon Boettich'er., Secretary «f State' for the Interior, declared that the Eteatnship services in que-lion were urgently necessary, and had proved useful from an econo. mic point of view. The question was whether it was expedient at the present time to provide for their extension. The first object in view was to render German trade independent of foreign countries. ' The German steamship lines had proved very advantageous iv regard to Germany's commercial relations and the national industry, and had also been the means of cousiderably pro.rnoting shipbuilding. There would thus appear to be every justification for protecting the enterprises by "increased subsidies against competing undertakings. In Eastern _A»ia, proceeded Dr yon Boetticner, the competition between nations seeking new outlets for their goods was now keener than ever. The French and Russians had already despatched expeditions to seek for new outlets in <lhina, and the Japanese market also offered great prospects in this respect. The subBidies should therefore be_ raised to 1,50!),000 marks. Dr Stepban, Imperial Secretary of State forPostsand Telegraph*, dwelton thedevelopment of traffic with the Far East. The Government bad reaUano choice in the matter of assisting the Gernian line 3. Negotiations were going on at Copenhagen for the establishment of a new line from that port to East Asia. Belgium, France, and Great Britain were all making renewed efforts in "the same direction, and it was already intended to make the service between Antwerp Und Japan a fortnightly one.

H.M.S. Wallaroo, with the flag of his Excellency Rear-admiral ,Cypirian H. Bridge, arrived Bt Port Chalmers on Thursday. His Excellency the Commander-in-chief, accompanied by his fUg lieutenant and secretary, landed au soon as the Vessel arrived, and proceeded to Duaedin. The b.s. Manapouri steamed down to Port Chalmers on Thursday forenoon, and leftat 3.30 b.m. for Sydney, via Cook Strait, with caigo and passeneevs. The barque Kirkdale, from Liverpool, via Wellington, arrived at the Rattray street wharf on ierday at noon.- She- is consigned to Messr* i Neill and Co. (Limited), and brings about 500 tons ' pf cargo for this port. Captain Jones reports leaving Liverpool on September 30, with 1500 tons of cargo for New Zealand. The kirkdale reached Wellington on January 15 ; landed 1001) tons of cargo at that port, let again ou the 4th inst., and arrived here as above. The s.s. Ruapehu, from Timaru, arrived on Baturday afternoon, and was berthed at the eorge street pier to take in cargo for London. During the week ending February 14 the followiDg vessels have been at the Dunedin wharves :— Arrivals : Firth of Forth, barque, 830 tons ; Brunner, b.b , 332 tons. ; Manapouri, s.b., 1028 tons r Flora, s.s., 838 tons; Napier, s.s., 48 toni ; Kirkdale, barque, 840 tons ; Hauroto, 5..«., [2C9 tons; Anglian, s.s, 1301 tons;-total, 6421 ions. Departures : Mararoa, s.a., 1381 tons ; Waihorn, s.b., 1269 tons; Invercaigill, 8 8., 123 tons ; fsapier, s.s., 48 tons ; Manapouri, s.s., 1028 jona ; Brunner, s.s , 332 tons ;— total, 4332 tons. The Huddart, Parker Company's steaniship Kuglian, Captain O. Hood, from Sydney, via the East Coast ports, arrived at Dunedin on Sunday at 3 p.m. She left Sydney at 6.30 p.m. ou the 3rd. The Union Steam Ship Company's Hauroto, Captain A. Anderson, from Sydney, via Cook Strait, arrived at the Bowen pier. Port Chalmers, at 3 p.m. on Sunday. She left Sydney on tbe 13th mat. The s.s. Wakatipu steamed down to Port Chalmers on Monday afternoon, andleft for Melbourne, Via the Bluff and Hobart. The s.s. Anglian discharged cargo at the cross *rharf on Monday. She left again on Tuesday afternoon for Sydney, via the East Coast ports. The acow Whangaroa left the Clarence Hirer 'on February 4, with a cargo of hardwood timber for Dunedin. • On her trip to the Chathams last week the s.s. tCahu picked up a lifebuoy marked " Evelyn, liiverpool." This is supposed to belong to tbe )arque Evelyn, of 1135 tons, which left Newcastle or Lyttelton on November 20, 1894, ani is supjosed to have been wrecked off Cape Campbell vlth all hands.— Press. The barque Firth of Forth, from New York, lias returned to Dunedin, after an absence of jorae years, in her usual good order and condition. Captain Thorn, who has visited this port In the Bhias Dunedia and Taranaki under tho

command of our old friends Captains Whitson and White, is in command. The captain informs ub he brings 1671 tons general /> mericau cargo, the better part of which is consigned to Dunedin. Captain Thorn informs us that his passage has bean a very varied one, light winds, occasional gales, and very fresh to steady westerlies having marked his conrse from New York to this port, in which only 106 days wer«i occupied. The vessel left New York on October 25 The 30-kn.ot Russian cruiser Svetlana has been launched at Havre, where uhe was commenced on 7th January, 1805, at the works of her builders, the Forges et Chantiers. 'Ihis addition to the rapid steamers of the world's navies will be 331 ft 3in long, 49ft 2in beam, and 33ft 9in deep. The engines will be 8500-b.p., and, with a mean draught of water of 18ft 9in, are expected to propel the vessel at 30 knots. The Svetlana is armour-plated from end to end, and will receive an armament of six Canet 15 centimetre quickfirers, 18 47 m.m. Hotchki3s guns, and will be I fitted with two torpedo-tubes.