West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-02-11
SHIPPING CARRIED ON
UNDER DIFFICULTIES
Department of Commerce Gives In
formation on Trading with Ger
many-Dansefs of Navisation In
North Sea Largely Responsible
tor High Freight Rates

WASHINGTON. Feb. 7.--Soms OF
tho difficulties affecting tho chipping
trade with Germany are sct forth by
the Department OF Commerce which
obtained its information from the Of
hcers of the steamer A. A. Raw
which arrived at Rotterdam I'M
latter part of December with q ~
OF cotton from Wilmington. N. G. Al
though cotton is admittedly non-con-
traband tho Raven was boarded NJ
Dover by British naval officer. who
examined the ships papers and allow
cd her to proceed after delay OF "a
hours.
The prompt release of the ship was
due to the precautions taken before
sailing. The captain OF the vessel
LETT Wilmington with a certificate
from the British vice-consul there at
testing that his ship was free from
contraband. accompanied by a similar
afiidavit from the supervising stoye-
dore. These documents were oxam-
ined carefully by the British naval
Inspector at Dover, who asked the
captain why ho did not also carry n
certificate from the Dutch consul.
Upon being informed that there was
no Dutch consul at Wilmington. the
inspector suggested that the vessel
should have called at some American
port where there was one.
Tho rate paid on this cotton from
Wilmington to Rotterdam was 2 cents
pound, or the equivalent of SO n
baie. Although this ratio was about
i've times the normal freight rate, Il
has been greatly exceeded by en-
gagements made recently. Secretary
McAdoo stated last week that the rate
on cotton to Bremen, Germany. had
advanced 100 per cent since the out
break OF the war.
Undoubtedly tho dangers attending
navigation In the North Sea are large
ly responsible for the high rates, as
vessel owners are loath to subject
their vessels to the risk of navigating
the mined areas of these waters.
The captain of the Raven stated
that hc could obtain a pilot only to
take his ship out OF the harbor of Dow
er, and that he had to make his way
across the North Sea as best he could
with the aid of some fishermen.
The problem Of securing return
cargo is also difficult and tents to in
crease the shipping rates from Ameri-
ca to North Sea ports. Tho most
available cargo is potash for fertili-
ger, which is needed I'm the United
States, and many OF the ships carrying
cotton to Holland and other countries
In Northern Europe will carry potash
on their return voyage.
In the matter OF contraband and
conditional contraband cargoes con-
signed to neutral countries steam
ship companies are having consider
able difficulty owing to the strict pre-
cautions taken by the British govern
ment to prevent such articles from
reaching Germany. The captain of a
Norwegian steamer states that his
ship was held up at Falmouth, Eng
land. for three days at an expense of
$l,2OO, because he had on board with
other mixed cargo. eight hundred bar
rels OF cotton-seed oil for which there
was no certified declaration that It
was for Dutch consumption only. The
captain cabled his agents In Rotter-
dam and they made sworn declara-
tion before the British consul there,
who in turn cabled the British au-
thorities at Falmouth. whereupon the
vessel was released. This expensive
delay occurred Notwithstanding the
fact that cottonseed oil is not listed
among the contraband or conditional
contraband articles. A number of
other articles not so listed may n
held up because OF the absence of a
declaration specifically showing that
they are not destined to enemy coun-
tries Of Great Britain.