Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-15

Drastic action will be taken by the
British Government to break up n ship
ping trust" which has taken advantage of
a monopoly of merchant vessels to charge
excessive freight rates. This action is
expected daily and will be caused by the
difficulty of getting ships and the cost of
carrying war munitions from America to
foreign destinations.
Count Bertier de Sauvigny, agent for
the French Government, who is in this
city to buy horses for the allied forces
said today he had learned this from
official sources.
1.-THE British Government did not COM
mandeer all British merchant vessels and
some are now being used to carry muni-
tions, which are owned by individual
companies said the Count de Sauvigny.
About % privately-owned ships are now
being used as horse transports, all of
which are British, with few exceptions.
Most OF the ships which were com
n1andeered are used to transport troops
and so there is dearth of them for
munitions.
SITUATION is ACUTE.
"The situation has become acute. 1t is
very hard to get transports for horses
and 1t is getting harder every day. This
applies also to the shipment of other
munitions. Not only this. but / under
stand the Italian Government Is about to
take some action with respect to Italian
merchant vessels caused by the charging
Of excessive freight for coal shipments
TO that country. 1t Is imperative that
something he done to facilitate the trans
portatIon of war munitions to the allied
nations.
q eat the beginning OF the war 1t cost $40
to send one horse to France; now 1t
costs $50. man you would call coal
king said the other day that the cost of
shipping n ton of coal to Italy had in
which was the cost when the war started,
to 100 shillings (about $3.50 now,
BIG DEMAND FOR HORSES.
"The contracts for horses have been
allotted to five agencies in this coun-
try. OF which l am in charge of only one.
The contracts call for drafts of 10000
horses from each agency. My duties con-
sist of judging the animals and doing
the buying. and so l am not so familiar
with the shipping difficulties as those in
charge. But | do know they are having
a great deal of trouble in getting ships
and that the cost has gone up to the
figures l gave
There are few American merchant
ships on the seas and almost all the
munitions must be carried in British ships
and those of other nations. There Is
another reason besides the shipping trust
for the dearth OF vessels. This Is that so
many ships are needed for transport serv-
ice to Salonica, Egypt and other eastern
destinations. And as time goes on, these
ships which ply between England and
continental ports, especially those using
the channel routes, have to be greatly
augmented. 1t is getting to be u serious
problem.
"Of course, freight rates have been
increased since the capture and sinking
OF merchant vessels by German ships,
proving that German raiders are on the
seas. but the charges have increased at
disproportionate rate"
The Count de Sauvigny, who is lieu
tenant in the French army, in about a
year has bought horses which have cost
the French Government $4O5OOOO. He
said he had bought $1,000 horses and the
cost for each horse, including transpOrta-
tion and insurance, was S270.