The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-04-27

An II she meets an accident they count
1t sore disgrace;
The man-o wars 'er 'ushand and 'e's al
ways andy by.
But oh. the little cargo boats! They've got
TO load or die.
The liner she's lady, and II war should
come,
The man-o'-war's 'er 'usband and ED bid
'er stay at 'ome;
But oh, the little cargo boats that fill with
every tide!
ED ave to up an fight for them, for they
are Englands 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 ehe
cargo boats was more than deserved.
They are Englands 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 1t 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
carsa boats have attended to that.
The days bulletin from the admi-
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 thought of a 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 sub
marines are likely seriously to inter- ,
fere with the processes of British .,
commerce.
When the war started Great Britain 8
controlled approximately half OF the O.,
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 a larger pro-
portion Of the worlds seagOing capac- =
ity than when the war began. Hun =
dreds and hundreds of vessels owned 7
In neutral countries have been bought :
or leased or contracted by the allied 9
powers. The production of new ships a
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. y =
I could wish that an American con- G,
gressional committee on rivers and r
larbors might take some day the trip n
hat was enjoyed by company of neu- p,
raj newspaper correspondents. The v
of Great Britain does not ri
Undertake to finance the improvement n
If harbOrs and streams. Instead q
district is under the control ~
# local authority, with powers dele y,
,ated to it by the national government. y,
Thus the Mersey Docks and Harbor
corporation has control of the harbor hi
ind river frontage works at Liverpool n,
t must find its own money, and In in
rider to do that must conduct it's brr f.
less OD q hucfnncc bocie Tho NJ,