The Washington times., 1914-09-14
OF SHIPS,
NO CARGOES, CLAIM
Check on Commerce Declared
Due to Breaking Down of
Foreign Exchange.

That complete paralysis of the COM
merce of the world is not due to The
lack of bottoms, but to the breaking
down of facilities for international ex-
change Is the claim that is being made
by agents of steamship companies
whose ships are finding their only rev.
enue in bringing back to America
This movement of passengers is rapidly
nearing its end and already several of
the companies have been compelled to
cancel announced sailing dates for lack
of business.
Port officials in New York have es-
| Der :. inclusive. 1000 Americans
were brought to that port from England
alone. A marked falling off of book
| inSs is already evident and unless the
movement Of freight is revived some
of the lines will have to suspend oper-
atoms. they claim.
With the high rates Of transportation
incident to war risks involved. and the
uncertainty Of payment, exporters have
found it preferable to suspend business
operations to all European points until
bankers can rearrange their AFFAIRS SO
as to extend financial aid and thus re-
store conditions upon which the COM
merce Of the world depends.
South America Suffers.
ucally at a standstill according to the
reports Of the steamship lines operating
to that part Of the world. In a letter
to representative in this city the
agents of the Lamport and Holt line,
which operates ships flying the British
flag. to Bahia. Rio Janeiro. Santos.
Montevideo. and Buesnos Ayres, the fol-
lowing appears:
''Our own opinion regarding South
America is that the revival of business
will be slow and step by step. At the
moment the fleets that are in this busi-
ness, which are, as you see. very large
and represent probably between $1,000
900 and 800 900 worth Of capital. are
only partially employed; that is, a large
part of the tonnage Is laid up in port
waiting for business or sailing with
part cargoes.
You have a list of our steamers, in
addition TO which We have seven or
eight new steamers building, intended
primarily for the frozen meat trade.
These represent an outlay OF nearly
steamer under construction costing be-
tween 81 10000 and 100000.
You will see. therefore. that business
Is prttty well established, pretty well
ty well anticipated. and If the Govern
ment is going to replace and improve on
the present service in the South Amer
ican trade. they should spend at the
start s100.0O0.00o. and they should make
some provisions for putting the 800, co.,
900 already in the trade invested by mer-
chants and private capital out OF busi-
ness.
Find Little Congestion.
Even more pronounced are the views
of the agents OF the Royal Mail Steam
Packet Company. which operates n line
of steamers to Porto Rico. I'VE do not
find anv cargo congestion at United
49, 81
of shipping facilities-except to points
in Germany and Austria
I'm view of reports in the papers"
the statement continues. that many |
United States officials. especially Sec |
retary McAdoo, are strongly of the opin- |
ion there is not sufficient tonnage |
at the present time to take |
care of traffic. we may say the Royal |
Mail Steam Packet Company has six |
or seven vessels regularly employed in |
trade between New York. Jamaica,
West Indies, Central America, and |
England.
Ships are not getting anything
Ike the cargo they can carry.
teamers from New York to Hull.
We have already written the Secre-
airy of the Treasury steamers are
eaving our port far short of their
equirements in the way of grain and
;eneral cargo. If the situation does
lot improve. the service will have to
'e materially reduced"
The Red d line. which operates five
teamers between New York and
'orto Rico. reports Our service has
uttered no interruption. but we have
oticed a decided falling off of
reiSht for all points during the last
wo weeks"
Experienced shipping men are OF the
pinion that it would be impossible
o secure American crews for an in
reased American merchant marine
[ the present time. and cite the case
T the Red Cross ship. which was de-
aimed in Nav York harbor for sew
raj days because of inability to
lake up a crew OF Americans