THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1918. SHIPPING AFTER THE WAR.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14877, 27 September 1918, Page 4

THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1918. SHIPPING AFTER THE WAR.

The statement of Mr. McAdoo in our cables to-day concerning the .post-war position of tho - United States' as a maritime nation shows how the war has accomplished for America in a brief space what, had been a baffling problem, to'the genius of her statesmen. The endeavour of the ' United States to found a great mercantile- marine was until the present year a story of failure. The war provided the incentive which shipping subsidies and preferential rates did not, and as the Secretary to the Treasury says,. has shown the way, to a great maritime industry when the necessities of war have passed away. Whether the American merchant fleet when completed will be "the largest, mast efficient, and most modern in the [ world" remains to be seen. In the last' respect at least it will not be far if at; s all. ahead of the British fleet which-is being concurrently built. American war. ' shipbuilding is, however, an achievement to which we can'pay an \ingrudging tribute of admiration, and after the war there will be room on the waters of the world for Britain and America to share the trade of the world's carriers. The after-war position of British shipping has been engaging the attention of a departmental committco which recently issued a report, for some details of which wo are indebted to the London correspondent of "The Press." When war broke out the British Empire hold 48 per cent, of the mercantile tonnage of the*world, the Allied countries 17 per cent., and the United States 7 per cent. Thus the Allies had at their disposal over 60 per cent, of the world's carrying capacity, while a further 20 per cent, was under neutral flags. At the same time, possibly.half of the enemy shipping was unable to reach homo ports. Up to the beginning of this year about half of the British shipping was available for provisioning Britain and for overseas trade-. There were three distinct phases of enemy war on shipping. .Up to the end of 1914 the Hun relied upon .^.'iiisers to raid our trade routes, but when the last of these had been cunk, in December, 1914, the damage had only beeii trifling, viz., about 150,000 tons net. The second phase, lasting throughout 1915 and 1916, was the gradual development of the submarine operating on trade routes, and it destroyed 1,300,000 tons in those years. Then came unrestricted submarine "warfare, coupled with a ruthless attack on neutral shipping, in. order, by the policy of intimidation, to prevent neutrals from trading for the benefit of the Allies. By the end of August, 1917, Norway had lost half her'pre-war tonnage. The gradual reduction of tonnage has seriously handicapped British, carrying all over the world, particularly in the Eastern trades. Vessels of a high class, built for specialised trades, Have to. a great extent been lost or utilised for other purposes. Companies trading to the East Lave bem-.specially, hit. by the. withdrawal^ of shipping-for'-toe.. Atlantictrades, which has left'-their. business 'at the; mercy of Japanese competition. Another serious rapt Mit is the disposal of tramp 'steamers to liner companies. The tramp is a vessel of pre-eminent value in foreign trade, and very many tradjng interests are being endangered by its.gradual withdrawal. To meet the position at the end of the war, the Committee strongly urges the Government to release as soon as possible all privately-owned shipping, and to charter at market rates thoso that are required for Government purposes, while it is recommended that standard ships' built by the Government during the war and any other merchant vessels owned by the State should be sold under open competition to British owners directly they can be released. The Committee is also insistent upon the forfeiture of the mercantile marine of the Central Powers being made a condition of peace. If the enemy were allowed to retain his ship's, the report says, "his submarine warfare,- whatever its effect on the war, .would have acliaev v ed an important part of the war* aim. It is absolutely -essential that'the i enemy countries should be requirea to, surrender to-tho Allies all.,their mafV chant shipping, and to restore to the' ■Allies.1 all Allied shipping that may hare < I come into 'their possossiorr. Shipping taken over iv this manner should be ', utilised to assißt in the general process [of demobilisation, and to release for purposes of trade Allied shipping absorbed in transport work. We attach, less importance to the actual distribution of enemy tonnage among the. Allies; than. to. its removal from the enemy. Enemy vessels should be sold at auction in the various countries to the highest bidder. Neutrals and enemies should not be permitted ,to purchase, and conditions should be attached to prevent re-transfer jto enemy flags." The seizure of enemy shipping is, in the opinion of the Committee, ju.st as vital to Britain as is the recovery of Alsace-Lorraine to Prance.