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ccc l A Review of the Charter Market on Coasts aot Lakes Powies for the Men Who Get the Business i KBRCRCBEC&(&GW.s Wy § | caicenmaal — alc HE probable shortage of tonnage I and general shipping conditions at the conclusion of the European war, are now the principal topics under consideration by American shipping in- terests. The view, freely expressed, that when the war is over there may be a great shortage of ships owing to the large quantity of raw material which will be required, has brought about widespread interest in suggestions as to what should be done by the United States government to meet post-bellum shipping problems, with special refer- ence to that tonnage which has already been transferred from foreign to Ameri- can registry, under the act of congress passed in August, 1914. Mail advices and cable dispatches from Norway, Swedén, Holland and _ other neutral countries in Europe, which have been received recently by shipping men in this country, contain interesting points as to how those nations regard the after-war shipping problems. In Hol- land, the Nymwegen chamber of com- merce, which represents an important commercial district of the Netherlands, has been in communication with the Dutch minister of commerce and agri- culture with regard to the mercantile shipping of the country. May Forbid Sale of Dutch Boats The fear that the close of the war will witness an acute shortage of shipping facilities caused the Dutch commercial organization to make the suggestion to the government authorities that it might be necessary to prohibit the sale of Dutch merchant ships. In reply, the Dutch minister of com- merce stated that the Dutch mercantile fleet on Aug. 25, 1915, consisted of 318 boats, with a total tonnage of 1,148,000, as against 325 boats, with a total ton- nage of 1,109,000 on Aug. 1, 1914. The change, it was explained, was due to 31 ships, with a total tonnage of 84,000, having been sold, sunk or captured in the first year of the war, while during the same period 24 new boats, with an ageregate tonnage of 123,000, have been built. In addition 38 ships, representing an aggregate tonnage of 122,000, are in course of construction for Dutch own- ers, and 30 more boats, representing 78,500 tons, have been ordered from the same interests. On this basis the Dutch minister of commerce maintains that there is no danger of a shortage in the Dutch fleet. When peace is restored, he says, a large number of merchant ships will be set at liberty; for example, the entire German fleet, the boats now being held up in the Black Sea and about -half the English fleet, say, a quarter: of the world’s tonnage, which is now engaged in service for the British government. The Dutch minister of commerce is stated further to have responded that he did not deem it necessary to take steps to prohibit the sale of Dutch ships to foreigners, as one of the direct conse- quences of the destruction caused by the war, in his opinion, will be a large re- duction in all goods not absolutely neces- sary, so that the demand. on shipping facilities for some time after the war will not be large. Similar movements to prohibit the sale of Norwegian and Swedish mercantile tonnage to foreigners also are said to be under consideration. In neither of the two countries mentioned, however, is it claimed that the step is looked on with favor by a majority of the shipping men: or the’ respective government officials. Interesting figures bearing on the ship shortage possibilities of the near and distant future, from the standpoint of available British mercantile tonnage, were given in a parliamentary debate re- cently. Out of 3,767 vessels owned by Great Britain of more than 1,000 tons net, it was stated, the government has taken up something between 1,500 and 1,800, in some cases practically whole lines of steamers being requisitioned, and within the past month no less than 500,- 000 tons of cargo space have been so requisitioned. *k * x NTERESTING data on the percent- ages of tonnage belonging to several of the largest British shipping concerns 67 litions After the \ a ss <S V SS <<“ all? under requisition on Nov. 1, 1915, com- pared with the percentages of the same under requisition on Jan. 1, 1915, have been received by The Marine Review. The information was given during a de- bate in parliament, in response to a question put by a member as to the per- centages of the tonnage of nine British shipping concerns which had been called into the service of the government. The particulars given are as follows: Up to On Jan. 1, ov. 1, 1915. 1915 —Per cent.— British India Steam Navigation Con tdi: Goa echoes 46.5 41.3 Canadian Pacific Railway Co.... 16.0 20.0 T. Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd.... 9:0 13:75 Raeburn & Verel, Ltd.......... Bae 25.0 Maclay & Mcintyre: 22. 22 35 2.1 24.5 By Des Radclitte ke Coe ee wee 3 36.0 Foster, Hain & Reed (E. Hain CSOn) econ Geemmtan ka 36.4 264 WicRuneiman & Co. sisae5 ss aie 1.6 22.6 Prince “bine, dtd onan nes TOTS: 1850 The figures given for the period from the commencement of the war up to Jan. 1, 1915, represent the proportion which the total time for which the ships requisitioned were on government serv- ice, bears to the full working time of the ‘ whole fleet for the period Aug. 4, 1914, to Jan. 1, 1915. The details given for Nov. 1, 1915, show the percentage of ships belonging to the respective firms which were actually on service at that date. Figures Are Incomplete No information is given in the above concerning the requisitioned number or percentages of the vessels under charter to or owned by Messrs. Furness, Withy & Co., one of the largest of the British shipping companies. From other sources, however, the fact is secured that at the present time, the British admiralty has placed under requisition approximately 48 per cent of the total tonnage of that company, or something over 50 vessels. An amusing incident in connection with the requisitioning activities of the British admiralty concerns the experience of the Nelson Line, which for many years has operated a large fleet of refrigerator steamers between the River Plate and United Kingdom ports. It is asserted that while the admiralty has com-