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168 MARINE consequently no foodstuffs are offered to ship. wee the shipping board rate to the United Kingdom an continent remains at $15, it is thought that ton- nage could be obtained at $14 in order to meet for- eign competition. Foreign ships are offering . at around 65 shillings. About 50,000,000 feet of lumber for export has been booked by a large manufacturing firm on Puget sound but aside from this, the foreign market has been extremely quiet. Lumber carriers to Sydney and Peru, Chile, are available at about $18 and other markets are in proportion. for United Kingdom have been booked. In line with other commodities, lumber freights are quite weak and practically no chartering has been done within the past month. Exporters find themselves handi- capped by the disparity of exchange. Oversupplied with tonnage, the charter market of the north Pacific is Conipedtion weak and inactive. Practically no Is G ' business has been done during the s "rowing month and with increased competi- tion in sight, the near future may witness a rate war. The various north Pacificlines are meeting at San Francisco in an effort to adjust existing differences as the situation is somewhat precarious. A general decline of freights has been in progress since a month ago but business has not improved. Reports from Japan indi- cate that conditions are somewhat more hopeful. Trade with China is working under a handicap be- cause of the disparity in exchange. The Australian financial condition, which recently seriously affected trade with the west coast, is slightly better and letters of credit are again in effect. Ten steamship lines now serve the intercoastal trade _ between north Pacific ports, New Orleans, Charleston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Strong competition for business has developed and it is likely that conference rates will shortly be discarded in the effort to get cargoes. It is generally admitted at pres- ent there is not more than sufficient business for three or four lines so that the situation may bring about a bitter struggle. While some reductions have been made in commodity rates on this route, lumber freights remain at $20 and ties at $18. The lines have made a considerable reduction in shingles so that this cargo is expected to move into the Charleston district ia - large quantities in the near future re-establishing a trade that was of some proportions before the war. The Dollar Steamship line has inaugurated a round- _ the-world service from New York. A vessel is to be dispatched every 30 days. The Canadian Robert Dol- More Keen No new lumber orders. REVIEW _ April, 192 lar Co. has purchased the German-built freighter Kur. LAND and she will be added to the New York-Van- couver-Orient service. Last month it was announced the Robert Dollar Co. had purchased some ex-German vessels detained at a Mexican port. It now is learned three of these vessels will be registered under th American flag and two will be British registered, Most Boston operators believe that the low point in activity at the port of Boston was reached about the mid. , pice _ dle of February. Conditions at pres. Begins at ont certainly are on the mend, Ip. Boston quiry from nearly all foreign markets is better. This applies particularly to Scandinavian ports. The first week in March showed a decided improvement not only in inquiry but also in freight moved, over any week of February. The C. S. Sprague Co. completed its first full cargo of grain to leave from Boston during the season. This was for Copenhagen destination. One or two other cargoes of grain have been taken. Contrary to expectations, the bulk of the export grain has passed through Portland, Me., rather than Boston. This is due largely to rail freight concessions, Grain shipments at both ports show signs of improve- ment and rates have stiffened. Freights to north Ev. , ropean markets have advanced from 25 cents to 27% | cents and in a few cases to 30 cents. An indication of the improved situation is shown in recent sailing of the W. JAFFRE, an 8800-ton vessel of the J. S. Emery line, loaded with nearly 7000 tons of New England manufactured products for east coast of South America destination. The line started last month by the North American Steamship Co. from Dian to Boston to Irish ports has been discon- ie New tinued, but several other new lines are : projected for the spring trade. An- Lines other line, however, to Irish ports has been started. This is the Moore & McCormack line with Rogers & Webb as Boston agents. The booking of freight for this line is said to insure permanency. The Anchor line has re-established a passenger and freight service between Boston and Liverpool and Glasgow. The J. G. Redshaw Co. will establish a new service from Bos- ton to the ports of Tampico and Vera Cruz, Mexico, with the steamer Lake Festus, 4700 tons, scheduled to sail March 15. The Canada Steamship Lines, Ltd. announces a service with the steamer Manoa, 5000 tons, between Montreal and Boston with stops at intermediate ports. Another service with the steamer KLAMARIMA is from Boston to Halifax. British Shipowners Seek Wage Cuts (From Our European Manager) London, March 10.--(By cable) The dominant question in the shipping trade is the proposed reduc- tion in seamen's wages. Shipowners suggest a reduc- tion throughout the deck and engine departments of £4 10 shillings a month and in the catering depart- ments of £5 10 shillings, wages still being double, or even more, prewar standards. Reconsideration of over- time payments also is sought. Some leaders of em- ployes are protesting reductions and have not yet ac- 'cepted the owners' proposals made at a joint confer- ence. More than 2,200,000 tons deadweight of shipping 1s now laid up at British ports. Ocean freight markets generally continue weak, this movement having ex tended to grain tonnage for the continent from gulf ports. Charter to a Greek port has just been made at 8 shillings per quarter compared with 8 shillings 6 pence recently paid. Indian liner freights have just been reduced about 5 to 10 shillings per ton. Some increased inquiry for Chilean nitrate to Europe at shillings per ton or slightly more, has developed.