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18 TAE Marine REVIEW have reached the United States of America, that an Anglo- Japanese shipping combine with a capital of $25,000,000 is about to be formed turns out to be untrue. As showing, however, that something is being thought of in this direc- tion, Sir Alfred Jones, the head of Messrs. Elder Demp- ster & Co., has stated that he has been approached with a view to forming a syndicate, having for its object the expansion of the shipping and trade of Japan, but so far as he is concerned nothing further has been done in the matter. As an observer of what was going on, he had long since paid special attention to Japan and China, and believed that the present opportunities for developing trade with these countries were immense. What his in- tentions were with regard to the Far Eastern trade, he declined to say, but the termination of the war offered an excellent opportunity for the exercise of enterprise and the investment of capital. Inquiries at the offices of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Co. in this country have elicited the statement that nothing was known there of the rumored combine. But there is no telling what develop- ments will be made in the Eastern trade in the immediate future. Doubtless the Nippon Yusen company will extend their European operations, but so far as Liverpool is con- cerned the Ocean Steamship Co., which was formed in 1865 by Mr. Alfred Holt, has a powerful fleet of steamers to the Far East. The North German Lloyd and the -Hamburg-American lines also have numerous sailings. The White Star Line in the Far East has also a Pacific line. : ce At the time of writing a most graphic description of the blowing up of the steamer Chatham in the Suez canal which was sunk on Sept. 6 with 80 tons of dynamite on board, is published from the special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at Port Said. At 9:50 on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 28, the dynamite expert having charge of the arrangements switched on his battery, when in- stantly an immense column of water, sand and debris rose majestically into the air to a height of over 2,000 ft., ac- companied by a distinct shock which was felt four miles away. AQ terrific report was heard some fifteen seconds later, and the time that elapsed from the rise of the column of water to its fall was 35 seconds. An examination showed that practically no damage was done to the rail- way permanent way, but the telegraph and telephone wires were blown down. A fissure of considerable extent and depth was torn ih the Arabian bank of the canal, and both banks were strewn with debris. A. buoy which lay close to the stern of the steamer was uninjured, and little damage had occured to the fresh water canal. Thousands of fish, many of them over a yard in length, were found in the desert three or four hundred yards away. The whole of the water of the canal for a length of some - 200 yards had apparently been lifted and thrown over the banks of the canal on either side. There was no explosive concussion noticed within three miles radius, and only the faintest sound of the explosion was heard in Port Said twelve miles away, the inhabitants of which port have now returned to their domiciles. Fortunately the steamer sank where the canal passes through the desert, the near- est buildings to it being the company's stations, one about three miles below it and the other about three and a half miles above. Lloyds agent at Port Said also reports that as a result of the explosion, the forepart of the steamer has entirely disappeared. What remains will be blown up afresh. The canal's Asiatic bank has been damaged, 250 by 7o yards being blown away. A hole rio ft. deep 'has been made under the vessel. The debris is within a circle of 750 yards--plates, frames and machinery. Traffic in the canal will probably be restored within ten days. \ An official message to Mr.- J. W. . Hughes, Liverpool, who is a director of the Suez Canal Co., says the traffic will be resumed in three or four days at the outside. The United States consul in Liverpool, Mr. John L. Griffiths, has just furnished to his government an inter- esting report on. strikes and other labor disputes in Great Britain. After pointing out that the number of disputes last year was 354 affecting 87,000 work people, he gives the returns showing that the number was far less than the annual average for the previous ten years, while the number of work people affected by these disputes last year was only about one-third of the annual average in the same contrasting period. Mr. Griffiths comments on these facts as follows: There are many 'unemployed in Great Britain at the present time, but misunderstandings between employers and employes seem to be diminish- ing, and to be more readily adjusted. Whether or not this is merely a passing phase of the labor situation in the United Kingdom or an indication of growing goodwill between the employers and the. wage-earners can only be determined by future developments. The August figures relating to the vessels added to and removed from the British Registry, which have just been published furnish some more or less interesting features. Altogether the gross tonnage of new registra- tions reached 93,593 tons, and the removals 68,097 tons, a very fair balance on the plus side thus being maintained. Out of 167 ships thus newly registered, 14 were pur- chased from foreigners, but on the other hand Britain sold no less than 51 vessels to her various neighbors, which leaves once more a good balance in her favor. Out of a total of 94,000 additional tonnage, no less than 84,000 referred to steel steamers, whereas out of the 68,000 old tonnage disposed of, only 32,000 had reference to this class of vessel. The feature of the table referring to the vessels whose registers have been closed is the record of a fairly large number as having been sold to Japan. The following list gives particulars of the steamers in ques- tion: : STEAMERS SOLD TO JAPAN. 3 Port of When Gross Name. Registry. Built. Tons. Gtrosmont, West Hartlepool'. ..22 2. 1899 2,840 hoping; 2G eo ee. 1889 2,352 hock Ktive, Dundee... ce 1886 2,148 Piazacall, Pavermool' = 45... is. See: 1902 1,697 easing. Glassow eee oes 1890 O15 its, Glaseowe oo. ee 1890 QI5 Eugene Krohn, North Shields. -:..:.... 1883 714 Peanora, (naseOw i. 2... su ek ee 1881 1,984 Bea ion Cork See 1870 1,040 merous, Nelpourme *s0.0 0 [yee 1888 2 9O2 Preraid, Dunedin' -.. 3 gee 1884 573 motoking:, Dunedin: 40. ek. 1890 2,004 Ban Sing Guan, Singapote...0.. 720+: 1886 8o1 Pockton, Sycney 2. ie Poe 1882 1,972 The Allan Line here have issued to their agents and 'shippers the following circular on their Glasgow-New York service: 'The lease of our New York pier expires at this time, and we regret that we have been unable to arrange for its renewal, or to secure other suitable accommoda- tion in New York. We are sorry, therefore, to announce that we must in the meantime suspend our New York service after the. Numidian on Sept. 28. We trust that circumstances may permit of our resuming sailings be- tween Glasgow and New York at no distant date. While the New York service is suspended, we are arranging to improve our Boston service, by which line, along with our fortnightly sailings to Portland, we can still offer good facilities every week for shipments to all points in the United States and Canada." In consequence of this decision of Messrs. Allan, the Anchor Line will. have a ssngttinegoarre tend ew Ln ccuetmneyarn dein Sere eben