The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-05-03

II q ave TO up an HSnL IneIH LOT ILSy
are England's pride.
London.-Kipling's prophecy over
looked the fact that when the war
came Mrs. Liner would have to shift
for herself, because her man-o'-war
husband would have other matters to
look after. But his tribute to the
cargo boats was more than deserved.
They are England's pride; they are
her mainstay, her backbone, the guar
anty Of her ability to make the whole
world her ally whether it will or no.
When the story of this war is finally
written-as of course it is sure to
be-the narrative which will contain
more Of real, quiet, uninspired heroism
than any other chapter will be that
dealing with the work of the mercan-
tile marine. The cargo boats have
sailed with every tide, though the tide
might be thick studded with mines and
submarines might be expected to lift
themselves out of the blue and fire
their unwarned tOrpedoes any moment,
Though England never since 1S4S
has attempted to feed herself, yet dur
ing this war she has not only fed her
own people, but in large part has pro-
vided the supplies of the allies. The
cargo boats have attended to that.
The days bulletin from the admit
rally tells of two or three or four ships
sunk by submarines. The same thing
goes on day after day, and it seems
as if there could not be shipping
enough in the world to stand such
losses.
Losses Comparatively Small.
But the New York Suns correspond
ent recently has been privileged to
visit the shipping centers of Liverpool,
Manchester and London, to see the
passenger and cargo boats coming and
going, not always even waiting for the
tide, and at the end of the wonderfully
interesting day in the London dock
region I thought of comparison that
might enable an American to under
stand how very little impression the
submarines have been able to make
on the maritime establishments of
these islands. There are few major or
minor railway disasters in the United
States. One who has seen the ship
ping of the great British ports would
almost as readily believe that the
wrecking of freight cars in American
railroad accidents might stop the tides
Of our national commerce as that SUBJ
marines are likely seriously to inter
fere with the processes of British
commerce.
When the war started Great Britain
controlled approximately half OF the
merchant marine of the world; that
establishment has now been taken I'M
der government control, and by reason
of transfers to British registry, it is
quite possible that despite all losses
England now possesses q larger pro-
portion of the worlds seagoing capac-
ity than when the war began. Hun
dreds and hundreds of vessels owned
in neutral countries have been bought
or leased or contracted by the allied
powers. The production of new ships
has been interfered with by the re-
quirementS of the navy, but neverthe-
less new ships are being constantly
and with incessant rapidity produced.
Points on Harbor Work.
I could wish that an American con-
gressional committee on rivers and
harbors might take some day the trip
that was enjoyed by company of neu-
trail newspaper correspondents. The
government of Great Britain does not
undertake to finance the improvement
of harbors and streams. Instead a
harborage district is under the control
of local authority, with powers dele
gated to it by the national government.
Thus the Mersey Docks and Harbor
corporation has control of the harbor
and river frontage works at Liverpool.
1t must find its own money, and in
order to do that must conduct its bust
ness on a business basis. The Mersey
corporation was chartered by parlia-
ment nearly two-thirds of century
ago, and has spent about $225, 100000
on the vast works which mako Iiyar-