Omaha daily bee., 1920-01-25
Fear Air Raid On
World Commerce
By Great Britain,

| {Csntinued from Page Ons, This sectaon.)
went out over the world in the early
days and established a series of coal
ing stations at every strategic point
along the great trade routes. These
coaling stations gave its ships the
| advantage over the ships of all ma
tions, for coal, in those days, was
the very lifeblood of the ocean car
rier's business. If he could not Sc
cure coal his voyaging was at an
end. Likewise if he had to pay
more for coal than his British COM
petitor, he was at . decided disad-
vantage. for coal is a big factor in
the cost If operating 4 ship and the
captain who could buy the cheapest
eQal and be sure Of his supply w5k
in position to underbid his COM
petitors for freight TO any point of
the compass.
Gambling Instinct Strong.
This fact should have been evident
enough to the business interests of
every nation, but it was only the
Britisher, with his gambling instinct
and pioneering spirit, that dared act
and act quickly. The result was that
the British merchant through the
British carrier gained control of
trade that he could never otherwise
have obtained, and with true British
tenacity, what he once had he con-
tinued to hold.
At this time an analogous condi-
ton confronts the world. Aerial
navigation is the new order, and the
nation that neglects that fact and
fails to secure aerial bases for its
commercial air fleets at the great
ports OF entry throughout the world
will lose out in the contest for for.
eign trade.
The American business man who
has been laying plans for foreign
trade business campaign in the far
places of the earth. particularly that
rich, undeveloped domain to the
south, with its myriad inland cities
and millions of population, must get
busy and his moves must be made
swiftly, for If Britain succeeds, in
establishing a series Of aerial bases
for the distribution of goods inland
by airships-like ito ccaling stations
that circle the globe-it will make
mighty inroads on our foreign COM
msrce, which our splendid merchant
marine will be unable to prevent
Ship to Remain Principal.
OF course, the ship will be the
principal means of Transporting the
heavy materials Of commerce for
many years to come; perhaps no
means of transportation will ever be
devised that will take its place as a
carrier Of the raw material Of coin
meree. At this time as in the past.
the ship is the cheapest method Of
moving goods. Data compiled by F.
Handley.Page, the great English air.
plane manufacturer, shows that one
horsepower driving 4 ship will move
II, 200 pounds at the rate of 10 miles
per hour; the same amount of power
will move 1870 pounds on 4 motor
truck It the rate of six miles per
heur; one horsepower on q locomo-
tive will move l,l20 pounds at the |
rate Of 80 miles per hour on rails, |
while one horsepower on an airplane |
will move 20 pounds at the rate Of |
100 miles per hour or 10 pounds at |
the rate Of 80 miles per hour. So |
while other means of transportation |
are swifter. the ship still has the
call when il comes to bulk and low
cost of carrying goods. |
II 10 therefore . source Of salts.
faction to note the growth of our
merchant marine. The latest avail
able data shows that Great Britain's |
tonnage Of deep sea carriers is ap-
proximately 100000 tons while
that of the United States is. about
100000 tons. The 100000 tons
advantage held by Great Britain will I
easily be overcome in the next two
or three years by the great ship
yards now In operation in this coun-
try and there is little doubt but that
in Eve ye3rs time, if the conditions
warrant II, the yards OF this country I
can turn out enough ships to give
the United States the mastery of the |
sea, measured in cargo-carryinR tom
nA4o at