The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-11-12
BELG|ANS BUILDING !. MERCHANT MARINE New Corporation Has Capi-
 tai of S20,OOO,0O0 LA PARME IS PORT Will Have Government Aid in De- veloping One of Greatest Ocean,
 Carrying Organizations in
 Existence

Havre, France, October 21-(Corre- spondence of the Associated Press.)-The Belgian authorities here are going ahead with the formation of an extensive gov ernment shipping organization, known as the Royal Belgian Lloyd, which they ex- pect to take rank with the principal ocean-carrying organizations now in ex istence Of the $20, ,0O00O0 capital, all of which has been paid in, the Belgian government has subscribed $15,OoO, GOO and has guaranteed the payment of the bonds on the concern
 Already 39 steamers have been acquired and an ambitious programme of buying and building is laid out for the next five years, notwithstanding that Belgium IS supposed to be at present prostrate under German domination.
 The Belgian organization is something like the new American shipping measure. Each is 8 measure for developing the merchant marine of the country, and each has the principle of private oper ation of the ships, with government sur Yeilance over the administration. If the measure had gone before the Belgian Parliament there would probably have been a long debate, as there was in the American Congress But with the Belgian Parliament scattered, the Bel San executive authorities here took the more expeditions means of issuing decree which fully constitutes the ship ping concern and establishes all the main details of organization.
 NEED FOR SUPPLIES
 The need of ships to bring American relief supplies was the immediate cause for the formation of the Belgian com pany, although once formed for this pur pose it has now taken on much larger dimensions as one of Belgiums weap ons in the economic and trade struggles growing out of the war
 With the great Belgian shipping port of Antwerp occupied by the Germans, the headquarters of the new company had to be at the little port of La Parme on the short stretch of sea front still held by the Belgian army, lying west of the Yser river The organizers also have been Belgian refugees in London and Paris who had formerly been the chief bankers and shipping merchants of Antwerp These were Arthur F. Brys, Henry M Gyesen, Amand Grser, Emile Deckers and John Schobbens, former shipping merchants of Antwerp, now liv- ing in London; and Hector Carlier and Henri Borgers, former Antwerp bankers, now living in London and Paris. The government decree, confirming the act of organization makes the concern Belgian in every respect "and shall re- main essentially Belgian" All the of- ficers and directors must be Belgans. Contracts are prohibited which would permit the concern to pass into for eign hands or be controlled by foreign CTS. No stockholder can vote as the representative of a foreigner or under foreign influence. Belgian exports and imports are guaranteed as favorable
 
 uts. Freight rates are to be reduced one half on samples of Belgian commerce and industry sent abroad in soliciting trade
 USE BELGIAN SAILORS
 The decree also provides that Belgian sailors shall be employed as far as avail able; Belgian passengers shall have the fullest facilities and Belgian ports fla vored as far as possible in traffic ar engagements. The foreign agencies are to be run by Belgians, and two govern ment commissioners are to watch over this Belgian character of the organi- zation. Without the consent of these government officers the society is spe officially forbidden from taking a sud- sidy from a foreign government.
 At a meeting held later at La Parme- the organizers above named were chosen directors and auditors of the company. The ships acquired at the outset ln- cluded a number of ''tramps,' particu- larly useful just now when regular trade routes are interrupted. The purpose, how ever, is to secure liners for competition as soon as the war reopens the old trade routes and ports. With g steamers al- ready secured and three planned for early building, this new Belgian gov ernment steamship service is making good start to accomplish it's end of hav- i,,sr a1erio o,,t mt ing 600,0O0 tonnage. which will compare favorably with some of the oldest and best known shipping organizations.