Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-25
EASE CONGESTION
AT LONDON PORT
Volume Of Business Increases With
Relation In the Custom House
Regulation.

London. May Correspondence
OF the Associated Prcss.-The conEes-
zion lu the port OF London. which for
Ia time threatened 20 tic up oommercs
indefinitely. IS beiuE relieved gradual
a few weeks ago so or so vessels
frequently were waiting their turn 10
60 90 the crowded docks. The num-
. her OF waiting ships is now reduced on
I the average 20 fewer than ten.
This Improvement is not due 20 de-
creased business. for the volume flow
ting into the port shows a steady in
crease. but there has been a relaxation
I in the custom house regulations in fa-
vor OF tile British colonies. Many i'm
. pr1vcmcut have been effected also in
the handling of lighters and in haulage
facilities. assuring more rapid dis
charge OF carEoes.
AT present the principal difficulty is
iu handling the enormous quantities
OF wool which have been coming into
the port since the beginning of Janu-
AIRY and are expected 10 continue until
the beginning OF July. The total num-
Der OF bales TO be dealt with Will reach
nearly two million.
In peace times part OF the wool is
transshippcd TO Germany and other
continental countries; part is forward
ga by rail or sea 20 the manufacturing
districts. and part is kept in London
for the public sales. In war times the
direct continental shipments have
ceased. Direct consignments 10 the
manufacturing districts continue. but
conveyance by the sea route is impos-
sible. owing 20 high freight and insur-
auce rates. The railways. moreover.
can take care OF only limited amount
OF this commodity. for they are hamp-
cred by heavy shipments OF war ma
terial which takes precedence over ev-
erything else.
The result Is that wool. which is US
ually out OF the London dock ware
houses within a few days. has TO be
kept In stock. This prevents the re-
ccption OF further shipments. To &C
commodntc these large accommodations
the port authority has rented all the
available sheds and buildings in the vi
ciuity OF the wool warehouses, and is
now erecting rough timber sheds. and
even storing large quantities OF wool
In open spaces and water front parks.
Z
Of refrigerated meat. The meat ware
houses have been filled for some time
past and new consignments have had
20 wait for vacant space. This has
meant that vessels bringing the meat
have had 20 be treated as warehouses.
Negotiations now are under way for
doubling the refrigerating space at the
command OF the government in the
dock district.
Grain warehouses all are reported
full and vessels with grain generally
are kept waiting some time. There now
arc % barEes lying IN London docks
loaded with grain. waiting for delivery
20 warehouses. The stock of wheat in
the port granaries Is now $1,000 tons
against 5000 at the same time last
year.
There has been much complaint OF
shortage OF labor In the London dock
district. but none OF the Sinking OF
work or of drunkenness. There are
five large saloons in the dock district
All are required at stated intervals TO
make statements OF their total receipts
from trade at the bar. The latest &C
submitted show that at each
saloon there has been a moderate in
crease in receipts. but il is below what
might have been expected from the
great increase in labor employed.