Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-11-13

modation. Liverpool's program Tor
Aredqing. for dock alterations, ex-
tensions for dry dock, ETC., during the
last ten years must have entailed an
of some e7,000,0OO or
IS. 600 900, largely incurred for
these big passenger carrying ships
Yet owing to the deductions which |
are made for propelling space, the
tonnage measurement on which dock
dues are paid is relatively small, and
So these enormous vessels get off cas-
i1v for charges. A recent amendment
an the law. however, chiefly brought
about by the action of the Mersey
Docks and Harbor board, will some
what ameliorate this hardship
A port cannot, however, live on
shipping dues alone. 1t looks to the
handling of cargo and to the ware
housing. marketing and financing OF
goods and it also looks tthough Lon
don and Hull do not get iD to toll
on all goods passing through 1t. Pas
sengers bring no such grist to the
mill. They do not require cranes 10
lift them ashore, they pay no dues
themselves, and though their bag
gage may be subject to charges
which annoy them, the return to the
dock owner is but small-except In
Icurses-and Il hardly pays the ex-
pense of collection. And so far as
the town people are concerned pas
sengers are no good, for ports are
never places where passengers linger.
A sandwich at the station restaurant
with a glass of milk to help It down
is the most custom the local people
enjoy.
There Is, therefore, no inducement
TO port owners to cater for such trat-
hc undess the port accommodation Is
owned by railway company which
looks to its passenger fares for the
Tourney beyond the port to recoup
it for outlay on expensive docks. This
IS the reason why the London and
Southwestern Railway company has
been willing to spend s4,00O,O0O in
lacquirlng and improving the docks al
Southampton, and is prepared to &c
on spending money, though the direc'
return on the docks, as their accounts
show. is less than per cent.
II will be gathered that in my opin
ion Il would be wasteful expendi
Itnre to adapt the docks OF London FOL
such passenger carrying vessels as thc
Lusitania, Hamburg. Antwerp and
Rotterdam are, equally with London
not catering for such vessels. They
no doubt realize, as we do, that II II
the cargo carrying vessel which II
the vessel worth having from a por
point OF view. Our endeavors II
London should therefore be concen
Itrated toward increasing the facilities
for the landing and distribution o
cargo and cheapening the port to th'
cargo ship owner. Good as th'
lInameS 49, We want uNNPNi NJ
proach TO the port, and this th'
Thames conservancy is now workinl
at by dredging the channel at Leigl
Middle down to thirty feet at low
water. We also want the channe
up TO the Albert dock deepened, al
though such a depth as thirty fee
at low water, suggested by tn
Royal commission, is not necessary
even If practically attainable. w
want a new-do to the south of tn
Albert dock, on land already pur
chased for the purpose, and we ough
TO spend money on extending the TIL
bury docks.
. These are the pressing items In tn
program of the Port of London, an
we are waiting for Mr.. Lloyd
Georges bill in the hope that it ma
provide the means OF carrying, on
these much delayed works.-Sydne
. Holland in London Mail.