COMMERCE AND WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 41, 11 October 1912, Page 4

COMMERCE AND WAR.

In the course of an address delivered at Aberdeen the other day on “Problems of Commerce and War,” Mr F. W. Hirst, editor of the “Economist,” said that all recognised the absurdity of privateering as a method f warfare, but thought privateering had been formally abolished, it still existed under another name, and was jealously guarded by the Foreign Office and Admiralty against criticism. He was referring to the practice of cruising for prize money. He was firmly convinced that the reform of that law would open the door to a good understanding with Germany and a general reduction of armaments. Mr Hirst dwelt on the danger of war which, he said, provocative speeches on friendly diplomacy and articles in the yellow press had brought so horribly near. “What,” he asked, “does war with Germany mean to the whole country, and especially to the East Coast ports from Aberdeen to London, which represent a full half of the whole

shipping trade? First, there is trade with Germany worth 70 or SO millions a year, of which about halt consists of manufactures, while our shipping, of course, docs tal' more than half the transport. But Germany is not the only country on the North Sea. ar in tin 1 North Sea (for which the Admiralty and the First Lord seem to bo preparing with such avidity) will mean the dislocation and temporary ruin of our trade with other countries of the North Sea and the Baltic. Lvery British merchant-ship in the North Sea and in the Baltic will stand a good chance of being captured or sunk by the enemy’s cruisers. It will be small consolation to the shipowner that a similar danger threatens German merchantmen. And if his ship escapes a cruiser it may meet with a floating

mine and never be heard of again. What do you suppose the rate of insurance would be against such risks for a voyage to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsingfors, or Antwerp? However much, however fast we buildeven if we double our navy and our income tax in the next twelve years, as rve have doubled them in the last twelve—you must expect trade to come to a standstill. If there is war with Germany, grass will grow in the streets of every great port, British, German, Belgian, Dutch, Scandinavian, or Russian, for which the North Sea is the highway. Yet the Government, instead of preparing for peace, instead of seeking to make such a catastrophe impossible, is preparing for war.”