Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-22
Great Dearth Of British Owned Ton.
mage Reflected in Present
High Freight Rates,
MANY SHIPS REaU1sIToNED
Correspondents Of the Associated rrcas)


LONDON. March 81, Grave concern f.
being felt IN British shipping circles res
sarding the future OF British shipping
Already something over 2S per cent Of
British-owned tonnage has benn reqnisi-
toned by the admiralty in connection
with the war. and the great dearth Of
tonnage ia reflected in the present high
rates Of freight
Ship owners have heen subjected 70 a
large amount Of criticism owing 70 Tho
high profits which they srs making but
prominent ship owner In London has
pointed out that the present condition of
affairs ia far from satisfactory from the
nhip owners point NJ Hew.
True he said 'wa are earning big
profits now. but we have The future 10
think of. There are not enough ahlps TO
so around and while wa are having to
pay extra wages and war bonuses TO the
crews, increased charges for bunker coal
and delaya in port owing to congestion,
tho neutral ls stepping In and getting the
carrying trade which was formerly in ths
hands Of the British ..... .
hT1nn there Il another vital point At
present nearly all tho ship repairing and
building yards are flili ~ with work for
The Admiralty. and We cannot ret our
boats oYerhaulea much les@ place orders
for new vessels. fos there Is not single
builder In England to-day who will guar.
antee delivery, consequently wa cannot
possibly replace our lossea caused by
submarines and mines ~ thHt the poet
ton NJ the ship owners In England "a
anything but pleasant Tho loaseA due "a
the war have been much greater than a
generally realized and scarcely one N
I The lost boats has been replaced.
Carriers Have Licenses.
K Again. there Ia tire question ~ LICENSES
4 While we IN England hays TO obtain q
\ license 70 carry certain goods and tfads
between certain ports, the neutral owner
can atep In and take the trade from im'
dor our noses. and there ara merchants
anxious 10 guarantee delivery ot ship
ments who are only too ready 10 send
them goods IN neutral bottoms. elrnpls
because the nsutrals are fros from reaui
fillon
Taks n eaae which occurred Ttlts 70.
eontly One of our cargo boats was
chartered 10 sail from London. ana va
had almost completed the loading whun
II was requisltionsd, We had another
steamer sailing from Liverpool. and the
cargo ~ the boat loading In London was
unahipped and forwarded 10 Liverpool b.
rail, and upon delivery there, our Liver.
pool boat was also placed under reauisi'
ton, and consequently the cargo Was IN
The end shipped IN neutral steamer.
The majority of boats which hefors
the war were engaged IN the coal trade
are under feqnisition. and IN consequence
neutrala have stepped in ana are beue
fitting by the high rates paid from Tyn'
to London. and Tyne to tbs Msditor'
ranenn Aa much ah % nhlllings per tor
has been paid for n voyage from the ryn'
TO Genoa with eoAi against thu avsrag'
~ ahiliinRs pence per ton for thl
same voyage twa years ago
IN We could obtain a guarantees Of de
livery, we should he quito prepared 4
place orders FOR new steamers, deaplb
tho high prices prevailing for all oiaAse
N building material. Unless the govern
ment take action very soon. tho outlool
for British shipping will be most crit
ieal
II ii learned In ship building oiroie
that there ara Numerous inquiries ~
new tonnage, hut very few contracts hay
been placed, pending the decision Of III
government regarding work on merohan
ships,