The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-08
High Atlantic Freight Rates.

There IL r great deal OF mislnfOrma-
ton about the causes Of the high At
lantlc freight rates now prevailing.
Mr.. WILSON and his party coworkers
in the Senate who are trying to jam
the ship purchase bin through that
body hold the mythical shipping trust
responsible for the charges which
chartcrers have to pay. In the Joint
report which Secretaries MCADoo and
RrD-IrLD produced OF January Ok was
this Indictment OF the shipping
trust:
ocean freight rates have been arbi-
trarily increased 10 an unparalleled
height without regard 10 the interests
OF American trade"
Perhaps a good deal Of the respon-
slbillty for the rates which Mr.. VIII
SON and his Cabinet find excessive
belongs to British shipping interests,
and II appears that these interests are
victims Of conditions over which they
have no control. On the day the find
lngs Of the McAdoO- Redfield report
we're published In England state
ment dealing with the causes OF high
ocean freight rates was made by six
teen leading British ship owners at
the request Of the Board Of Trade, In
explana tion OF the fact that the de-
mands for oversee transport on par
tlcular trade routes exceed the supply
these British ship owners said:
THE primary cause Of this ir the alb
normal distribution OF shipping tonnage
brought about by the di,location Of
oversee trade which followed on the
outbreak OF war, q dlslocation which
was caused by the suspension OF inter
national credit. II has been accumulated
by the stoppage OF voyages on particu-
lar trade routes owing to the activity
OF the enemE's cruisers. The result has
been an accumulation of tonnage in
ports where II was not wanted and
an absence OF tonnage where employ
ment offered Such a condition is tho
most common cause for an advance In
freights."
They went on to point out that until
the equilibrium was established by
the flow Of trade many voyages in
ballast would have to be made, one
freight covering the cost of both the
outward and homeward passage. Rut
1t will he long time before the
equilibrium is established and the
supply equals local demand. The fol,
lowing valid reasons for high rates
apart from the excess OF demand over
supply, were given by the British shin
owners: The great advance In the
working expenses Of voyages, includ
Ing wages and coal the rise in the
cost OF shore labor: unavoidable de-
lays in port; the prolongation of voy
ages by Admiralty order to avoid wal
risks: war risk insurance; the loss OF
passenger traffic; the decline in Brit
lsh export cargOes.
The greatest factor in port delay,
has been, and continues to he, the con.
gestlon inseparable from attempting
to meet the military requirements OF
tho nation. Ships are held at the dock
for long periods before cargocs are
removed, There Is shortage not only
NJ labor but OF barges, trucks, motor,
and other appliances, Freight, after
being landed, accumuates in store
houses, taking up much needed space
because the railroads are blocked by
trains carrying troops and war ma.
tcrial. There is in consequence an
embarrassing deficiency In freight
cars. Ships and Quays everywhere
are short handed" Trade has IL
stand aside until the Admiralty /,
served, and Its demands are sometimes
enormous. There Is great difficulty
in obtaining officers and crews for