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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 145082, 6 September 1916, Page 2

Herr Balliu is an exceedingly capable business man who is managingdiroctor of tho largest shipping company in the world, the HaraburgAmerika Line, and the company owes its great growth chiefly to tho good management of Herr Ballin. Tho real opinions of such'a man about tho war 'would bo very interesting, but they aro -not likely to reach us in an interview ,/ iron by the German shipping magnate an American reporter, such, as appeared in our cablegrams on Tuesday. ■ Tho curious part of the interview is that, with no restrictions as to the truth of his statements, Hen- Ballin not bo able to make out a better case for Germany. He states confidently that the war will last for another year, and merely remarks „that tho German motto is to stick it ant to the end. There is no promise of vicHart Ballin. knos» 6eHtsny Can-

j not win, and he does not care to pre- | tend that she is going to do so. Ho j turns to the period after the war and assorts that Germany will begin the peaceful reconstruction of her trade more easily than Britain owing to the fact, that Germany’s dobt is almost antirely due to her own people, while Britain will havo an enormous dobt to America., Germany would accept with Joy a loan from America, hut cannot float one and could not got the goods which would really form the loan shipped, if she could persuade American financiers to give her a loan. England and Franco havo borrowed 100 millions in tho United States, and England i,s now arranging for another 50 millions, hut these axo mero bagatelles to a country as rich as sho ,is. Tho Germans try not to see tho fact that Germany will ho invaded before the war ends, when they must either surrender or sco their country seriously damaged during tho progress of conquest. They think they can make peace at any moment if they put their demands low enough, but it is just beginning to dawn on them that it may bo the enemy that will settle the peace tcmis, not tho Germans at all. Thus even Herr Babin cannot make it clear that Germany will win the war.

In a paragraph in our last issuo it was stated that a continuance of high prices for meat was predicted in a letter received by a local resident from a correspondent whoso opinion is entitled to some weight. As bearing this ont it is interesting to note tho result of inquiries lately made by tho Government Statist of Victoria into tho position in European countries. Tho statistics are necessarily not brought right up to date, tho latest being over a year old (except those relating to Germany), but it is probable that, if tho figures for tho current year were known they would show a still further decline in tho number of stock. Tho position in Use several countries is as follows: In England and Wales tho total number of cattle for 1915 was 6,064,154, being 183,210 more than in the previous year, while sheep on June 4, 1915, numbered 17,522,577, an increase of 262,883. In the Netherlands in May, 1915, there were 2,390,000 cattlo and 1,487,000 pigs, an increase of 293,000 and 137,000 respectively. In Denmark there was a small falling off in cattle and a small increase in sheep, but pigs numbered only 1,910,000, or 578,000 less than in 1914, Those figures are not so bad, but whep we come to those relating to France and Germany a very heavy shrinkage is disclosed. Taking Franco first, at the. eud of 1913 there were K,507,000 cattlo. falling to 13,121,000 at tho end of 1914, and to 12,287,000 in July, 1915. Of sheep there were 16.213.000 at tho end of 1913, falling in 1914 to 14,560,000, and in Jnly, 1915, to 13,483,000. When Germany started the war sho had 23,500,000 cattle, of which 8,250,000 are needed for breeding milch cows, bull, etc., and 6,000,000 calve*. A census of live stock was taken in April, 1916, which gavo a total of 19,800,000 of all kinds of cattle. Tho same deductions of 8,230,000 for breeding cows, otc., and 6.000,000 for calves being mado, that leaves 5.550.000 rattle for consumption, of which a largo proportion under two years are not fit for use. Tho pig position is still less favourable owing to the largo number of slaughtered for tho want of fodder. It will take four years, if peace bo declared at tho end of this year, to restore the cattle supply to its normal and necessary number. There is not enough meat in the world for this. They will want 5,000,000 cattle and tho equivalent of 4,000,000 pigs per annum for four years from abroad, if they can get them, , but they cannot.