LATE SHIPPING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15317, 13 September 1920, Page 6

LATE SHIPPING.

j ■' \ ' <►;'." ; : — - : , PESSIMISTIC ON, ATLANTIC SHIPPING. GLASGOW, Aug. 20.— Sir Thomas Fisher, speaking at the banquet at the , launching of the Empress of Canada, gave a pessimistic forecast of prospects for Atlantic services; on account, of the j'apidly increasing cost of construction and intimating , that unless some cessation comes British shipyards may finH themselves without orders. 1 Under present conditions it is absolutely unthinkable to lay down another veßBel like the Empress of, Canada. Some years before the war a fine Atlantio steamer cost £550,000.- The Empress of Canada cost £1,700,000. The Empress of Canada cost £1,700,000. . I The increased cost of maintenance was still more serious and lie estimated the difference m the cost of running a vessel like the Calgarian as follows: Coal, per voyage, £4500, now £24,000; repairs for round trip, ibefore, £7700, now £17,000; provisions, (before, £3000; nowt \£8000; wases, before £2500, now £9000. 1 Passenger rates, he said, have not increased enough, rising only 185 per cent, against an increased .cost of 350 per cent. That could not continue, he said, and a very large number of first-olass ships would necessarily be laid up. Wellington: Arrived at 11.30 a.m., Tofua, from San Francisco, A matter that lias been considerably discussed among seamen of late is 'that of captains 9 reports as to seamen's characters on their discharge forms. On each form there is a space for, the captain to certify as to the seaman's charaoter for conduct, for ability, and for sobriety. A stipulation • printed on each form states that if the seaman does not require a certificate as to his character he can decline to have his discharge" endorsed by the captain. A section of the seamen are m favor of combining to decline any endorsement as to their character on their discharges. Many arguments have beeto brought forward by the men m favor of this combined procedure. \ '