Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-09-14
GERMANY ADDS TO A SUBSIDY.
How she Has Built Up Trade With
Africa by That Means.
London Fairplay, August q.

London Fairplay, August q.
The German Government is contem-
plating an important extension of the
steamship services between the Fatl-erland
and East Africa. The contract with the
Deutsch Observation-Disclosures Dampferges-
rllschaft, concluded in May, 1890, for a
period of ten years, expires next year, and
after that date it is intended 10 establish a
fortnightly service of boats to East African
ports, including Cape Colony. This step
is said to have become necessary on &C
count of the increased traffic between Ger
many and Africa.
Graf PosadowskY, Secretary of State, has
drawn up programme upon which the
new contract is 10 be based, and his plan
is to institute fortnighlly voyages with
steamers of about 5000 tons gross register,
and to run them alternately along the east
and west coast of Africa. The main line
would provide regular four weekly con-
nection with all ports outside of Europe
called at. For Delagoa Bay and Durham,
however, lying as they do in pretty nearly
the center of the round voyages, fort
nightly connection would be formed by
this main line, as each Of the boats can
call there both on the outward and home
ward voyages. The speed of the vessels
in the eastern line is to be ten and half
and in the western line twelve knots. Cape
Town would thus be reached from Ham
burg in about twenty-four days. In con-
nection with the main line it IS proposed
to establish a branch intermediary line
with steamers of smaller draft and ca
pacity of at least 8, 400 register tons, run
ming on the east coast as far as Beira at
four-weekIy intervals in either direction,
and touching at the smaller ports; by this
means regular fol nightly communica-
ton between these east coast ports will be
secured. This intermediate line will do
away with the present system of transship-
ment of goods in the traffic with the
smaller ports of the German protected
territory and Portuguese possessions.
For the carrying out Of these new ar
rangements the Government proposes to
increase the yearly subsidy from 900,0OO
marks (the present amount) to l,2OO,0 600
marks, the extra sum of 100000 marks
not being considered too much for Sc
curing not only fortnightly communica-
ton with East Africa but new four
weekly service to the Capes. Graf Posa-
dowsky states that the want of direct
communication between Germany and the
Cape has been patent for years past, and
the Consul General at Cape Town has re-
ported home that "the extent to which
our import and export trade to and from
African territories has developed renders q
connection with Cape Town itself ex-
tremely desirable. This trade is increas-
ing year by year. The German export
trade in the Transvaal, for example, shows
an increase of twelve and two-thirds mil
lion marks in something less than six
years" Graf Posadowsky asks that the
opinions of the shipping and mercantile
community as to the desirability of the
contemplated extension of the African
steamship service from German trading
and industrial point of view may be sent
to him before the first Of October next.