The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-02
BRITISH EXPERT
Continued from Page one.)

first Intimation that the shipping con
ferences had actually resulted in
agreement. 1t was taken as the fore
runner OF a very wide degree OF CO.
operation in which the present ton
mage and the future building powers
i of this country will be pooled with the
allies to defeat the German suoma-
ripe. n,.
Lord Percy stated that the British
mission had supplied The Amerlcan
government with every detail Of the
shipping problem. including the total
allied tonnage. the total destruction b.
the U-boats, the irreducible needs or
1.-The allies, the current rate OF coli,
struction abroad and the STANDARDIZED
building plans. The American ship
ping board, he said. had shown The
heartiest cooperation with the fullest
understanding of the urgency or me
situation.
The shipping issue" said Lord
Percy, dominates everything else ana
! is very grave indeed Both the pres
! ent British construction and the est!'
mated American construciionr~Sanno
keen pace with the present rate OF 'ie-
struction. Both must be speeded Up
very appreciably if the seas are 10 b."
| kept open. The war has resolved IL
self into a race between the erlciedC?
| of the British and American shlpSaruS
| and the German submarine.
THE balancing factor in the woitC
struggle is the tonnage the United
States can supply. Only in case THIS
| is large can the present military ser
vice. and food supply be continued
This is the most vitality serious prop
| lem which cannot be exaggerated.
The United states. Lord Percy Went
| on is one of the few countries that IS
! absolutely sclf-suiricient in shinbuilh-
! ing. You have here the men, the ma
! terial, the inventivennSs. France. ltaiF
and Japan also are building somewhat,
| but unlike this country. must use ship:
/ 10 build ships. through the need OF IN
: porting materials.
THE shipping problem is not only
matter of tonnage. but equally mat
Ter Of how fast that tonnage is used
| Every method possible is being used l."
save shipping for the vital purposes
and keep it away from essentials. l;arn
! Of the allied nations has instituted Il
: shining board. while over them all ~
the general shipping hhard sitting IN
| London which attempts to harmonic"
! the demands on shipping and direct II
to the most efficient use.
| For months we have been cutting
! down the need for ships until prnctl-
cally every vessel is now on an import,
| an, mission. The british empire "n"l"
| 10 quite comfortable alnn" II IL yer,
not necessary 10 tluSlu'l ~ hr'''N -
! lis allies and tn" ncUtrnls: for inStnnr"
! there are ten million ions OF cNn"rlaDl'
| wheat in the empire. which would eas'I!
sunrlv EugIand's need or h,Onh.pOu TOM
unless We were under The rigid nbllcI
| lion to supply our al ~ France atone
/ has been allotted II q cent oil oh'
! tninl tonnage for direct military SerN'
irn including 900 vessels carrying oats
| wheat and steel from the United states
| alone. .,,, .,,+
Lord Percy gave figures 20 ShnT that
! y, the end nj March - per cent az Eng
| lands tonnage WAS in direct naval ana
military service. 81 per cent under re-
nuisjtinu for government supplies: -
Ter cent reserved through the big lines
rnr quasi government work and only :?
rcr cent subject to the general needs or
! industry.
! ''rakc tho colonial situation" Lord
! Percy suggested. where over 20" large
: British vessels. largely passenger ear
/ riars. arc engaged In keeping alive the
. Industries Of the dominion and of the
United States. All your juta from In
! din rubber and tin from the Malay
! gtaieS and wool from Australia Is being
! carried in British bottoms. Much of
/ vuur trade difficulties have arisen from
: the absolutely unavuida hl" diversions ri
! former British tonnage from tn" Far
| East Ia England itself. Tn" %nD vessels
: remaining We earnestly nope we may
: continue To hold in that trade. as tho
, continuance Of your industries Is equal
! ~ vital To us. The situation explains
some Of the difficulties your importers
| l,n, ,NDpri,.urSI