New Britain herald., 1915-01-25
OCEAN FREIGHT RATES
 SCORED IN REPORT
Advances in Some Instances Have > Reached ll5O Per Cent.

Washington, Jan. 25.-EWidence of extra raordinary advances in trans Atlantic freight rates since the out
 break of the European war amount ing in some instances to 800 and even 1,150 per cent, was presented to the senate today in joint report from Secretaries McAdoo and Redfeld.
 While this report is being written,' the statement says, information Is received that rates are higher than those given in some of the tables pre- sented, and that even at these extra ordinary figures 1t Is difficult to obtain Cargo space for earlier sailings than March and April"
 Contains Numerous Tables.
 The report contains numerous tables of rates on various commodi- ties from American to European ports and summarizes the principle ad- vances since August 1.
 The report declares that in one year, if American exports maintain the December, 1914 level. the in creased rates will make q charge Of s216,224,400 on American shippers and that the imports be included on the same basis of calculation, the amount would reach the sum of $311,s64,4OO Or 141.6 per cent. over the usual cost. If normal rates are taken in conjunction with the ab- normal on the December basis the freight charge on both exports and Imports in year would make the grand total $532. 0,000.
 Unable to Get Bottoms.
 The report contains several score letters from business men over the country declaring their inability to ret bottoms for their freight, and charging discrimination by such car riers as are in business against freight that pays a low rate and the break dng of contracts by at least one of the big trans Atlantic steamship com panies.
 The report concludes with an argument in favor of the ship pur- chase bill in which the senate is re- minded that such unusual freight charges, if continued, may result in creating a big balance of trade against this nation. It points out that of American ships in all trade worth about $500, 100000 the Bureau of Navigation says that only ships valued at $69,000,00O are in the foreign trade By some the argument Is made, report says, that the gov ernment should not do anything to cause competition with this $69,o0o,- GOO of private capital invested in ships, although foreign trade IS left thereby entirely at the mercy of foreign shipping interests and the relatively small amount of American capital invested in ships engaged in the foreign trade" ...,.,,
 tior,S oor1, ed exnorfS and imports for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1sl the report says, totalled s3,7S5,4 725. Can IL Promptly Secured.
 'It has beex: tated that if the shipping bill is passed, additional tonnage for our foreign trade. cannot be quickly obtained. This is incor- rect. While we have made no effort to test the market for ship offerings, we have been assured by no less au- thority than Bernard N. Baker, of Baltimore. man of the best charac- ter and standing, who developed to a high degree of prosperity the .Ameri- can Transport line, of which he was for many years president, and who is thoroughly familiar with the ship ping trade, that many suitable and admirable ships for the purpose can be promptly secured.
 Some of these ships are already completed and can be had immediate ly, some are partially built and can be finished in a few months, and others can be bought and transferred from st mship lines or routes where the demand for accommodations Is not so great to the service of Ameri can commerce. Others can be secured in reasonable time from American ship yards which are well equipped