The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-10

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ON BRITISH PLANNED
BY UNITED STATES
Washington, March O.-Measures
to meet Great Britain's action in fore
ing American ships to carry British
supplies are under consideration by
the Federal Shipping Board. Presi-
dent Wilson's proclamation prohibit
ing the transfer of American ships to
foreign registry without the boards
permission. it is said, will be used as
a weapon to stop the British prac-
tees.
The situation has been made acute
by the continued detention Of the
schooner Matte Newman of New
York, held at Liverpool for several
months by inability to make needed
repairs, because her master will not
agree to carry war supplies.
American ship owners have made
bitter complaint against British ef-
forts to coerce them into the coal
trade between Britain and France mad
against attempts to force them to car
ry munitions American ships that
have run short Of coal in British
ports, it is declared, have been COM
PEELED to agree to take coal cargoes
to France before the British author
tiles would allow them bunker coal.
One purpose Of amendments to the
1oo ~, ho 40 Of
the last Congress-, was to give the
board more power in this respect.
They would have permitted the board
to refuse foreign registry to ships
now being built in American yards.
AS many Of these vessels are being
constructed for British capital, the
board it is pointed out, would have
had a powerful weapon with which
to compel Great Britain to respect the
rights of American owners.
The Shipping Board, it is under
stood, also intends to take up the ques-
ton Of coaling American ships in the
Pacific. Vessels sailing from San
Francisco to Manila have been forced
to take note of British Admiralty re-
strictions because they had to coal at
British coaling stations in China be-
fore reaching their destination.
It became known to-day that Will
liam Denman, Chairman Of the Ship
ping Board, had gone on record in a
letter written last month in strong
disapproval Of blacklisting arrange
! ments, and coal bunkering agree
ments instituted by some Of the bellig-
erents. Theodore Brent Of New Or
leans, another member of the Ship
ping Board, has Joined with Chair
man Denman's views as presented in
this letter, which was written in ex-
pressing his regret that he could not
attend a dinner given at the Ritz
Carlton in New York city for Lord
Furness of the, great shipping firm of
Furness, Whitby & Co., and the Pres
idents of some Of the Eastern trunk
line railways on Feb. IA.
An invitation was conveyed through
Claude N. Bennett of Washington to
members Of the Shipping Board to at
tend this dinner. The members of the
board were unable to attend the din
ner, and Chairman Denman, who was
asked to express his views in a letter,
did so with extreme frankness in the
communication which he sent to Mr..
Bennett to be read to the assemblage.
The letter, which has been brought
to the attention of Lord Furness. was
as follows:
"I am very glad to embody in let
ter to you the expressions of my at
titude in considering, with other men,
bers of the board, our relations with
our foreign friends and competitors in
overseas trade now and after the war.
It is my hope that, so far as possible
competition between nations in the
overseas traffic shall be based upon
the relative economic efficiency of
the competitors, unimpeded by the in
reference of governmental regulation.
I trust this is not to be mere fantas-
tic dream, incompatible with the in
stinct of self-interest of the nations,
which is taking more and more defin-
lite form in lending governmental for
ces the stimulation of their particu
lar trades.
"Such a hope finds scant support
in an economic world impeded by
bunkering agreements of a discrimin-
atory character and the blacklisting
of Americans, which not only stops
trade activities which may be sus-
pected to be Of benefit to military OPP
erations on one side or another, but
also in trades that have absolutely no
connection with the field Of HOSTILE
ties Our deliberations are already
embarrassed by the suggestion of
more or less disinterested parties that
we should not furnish to a nation dis
eliminating against us in the supply
ing of bunker coal to our ships col
liers to engage in the carriage of coal
for such a nation.
discriminatory regulation on the
part of one nation will inevitably call
for corresponding discrimination,
more effective If possible, by the injur-
ed nation. This is true, however,
much the injured nation may desire
to enter the field of competition on
the basis Of free play of pure econom-
ic forces.
"You are already aware from your
observation of the activities Of the
board that it sees no merit in the de-
struction or hampering Of any exist
ing economic activity concerned with
the overseas traffic, and that 1t de-
sires to make no more without delib-
Grafton on it's effect in all the interest
ed parties. In times of emergency