The Press WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1903. FOOD SUPPLIES IN WAR-TIME.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11499, 4 February 1903, Page 6

The Press WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1903. FOOD SUPPLIES IN WAR-TIME.

The appointment of an association "to pro"mote official enquiry into the question of " safeguarding Great Brit lin's food supply " in time of war' should do much towards removing the uncertainty which at presentexists regarding this important phase of national defence. The new association, judging by the names mentioned in a cable message this morning, will be well qualified to deal thoroughly with both the naval and the economical aspects of the subject, and its recommendations will carry weight "with a Government which is already aware of its responsibilities in this matter. The importance of the question lies in the fact that the United Kingdom is dependent upon British colonies and foreign countries for the bulk of its food supplies. The stock in the country does not average more than a three months' supply, and if the outside sources were cut off in wartime England would speedily be faced with the prospect of stamvtion. To realise this it is only necessary to remember that three-quarters of the wheat and flour consumed in the United Kingdom, half the meat, a large part of the vegetables and fruit, witbsa!l the sugar, rice, sago, tea, coffee, and cocoa, ar<s carried into the country by sea. Some of the possibilities involved in a maritime war are set out in a suggestive article contributed to a recent number of tlia "National Review" by Mr Spenser Wilkinson, who is v. member of the new association. Hβ poitte out that Great Britain, although Dy for the strongest naval Power, has not euffick'nt cruisers to protect her huge mercantile marine without detracting from the eflieieocy of the great fleets upon which the iteue of a naval war

be .protected in war time, it will be necee- ] eory to build a sufficient number of extra cruisers for toe purpose. Presuming, Blow- j ever, that these extra cruisers are not avail- j able, the only alternative is apparently to lay up those vessels -which are not speedy enough to elude a hostile cruiser. Lord Gtvrge Hamilton, when First Lord of the Admiralty, in 1894, assumed that on the outbreak of war all British sailing j vessels, and all Britlsa steamers of less \ than twelve knots speed, would ha.ye to be laid up. In other words, out of some j 11,000 British YesseJs only abotffc 1000 couid be protected in war time. Deducting also the vessels required fay the Admiralty as j auxiliary cruisers, it is estimated that the steamOTS available for the oversea trade would be reduced by four-fifths. This, however, according to Mr Spenser Wilkinson, is not the vital question connected, with the food su-pply in war. "It is hnrdly j '• probable," he says, "thai so long as the "British Navy is undefeated the import of "food into the Ucited Kingdom wHI be, "or can be. prevented. The British "steamers able to ply uadtr war conditions ! "•could oarry the great part of it, and "the neutral vessels which may be expect-"e-d still to trade with British porta could ■" carry the whole supply." Thid argument, it should be borne in mind, rent* upon the assumption that I neutral ships would be available for the carriage of supplies, but there is no saying what would be the consequences of the dislocation of trade certain to follow upon » maritime war in which Great Britain was* engaged. The main source of danger, however, lies in tho fact .that a sudden reduction of imports and exports would not only, throw many branches of trade completely oui of gear, but would at the same time cause a general rise in tho prices of food and many other necessaries. Nob only would the purchasing power of tue people be reduced, but prices would floon become prohibitive for the poorer classes. As Mr Wilkinson puts it, "with bread at "three times its present price, with other " foods and clothing correspondingly dear, " and with the earnings of the working " class suddenly diminished by the disloca- '• tion of traJle, a quarter of the population " would be face to face with starvation. "UiJkfes the Government weiv* able promptly "to meet &uni» a condition with effective "remedies, the continuance of war would "be impracticable." It will be seejj that the Government have htra a very serious problem to xleal with. Upon the maintenance of the food supply and its distribution i.i war time depends the existence of the Empire, and no time should be lost, ard no effort spared, in organising defensive meaeures wi(h a view to meeting any such emergency. As a means towards this end the formation of such a body as that preeided over by Lord Sutherland is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.