PRESS COMMENTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14976, 25 May 1914, Page 7

PRESS COMMENTS.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Received May 24th, .3.5 p.m.)

LONDON, May 23.

The "Daily Tolcgraph," after commenting on the amalgamation arranged between tho Peninsular and Oriental aud British India Shipping Companies and their capacity for fighting foreign competition, adds: —"Tbp.v havo histories of which they may bo proud. Meanwhile* Britain's problem of safeguarding sea fronts to the Mediterranean and the East is becoming urgent. Our manner of solving or failing to solve it may decide tho future of our rule and commerco, besides vitally affecting the position in tho Persian Gulf, whence the Navy hopes to secure oil."

During tho past two or three years there havo been several important amalgamations of great British shipping companies, but this latest one is of outstanding importance. The British India Steam Navigation Company owns 128 large steamers, representing in round figures about 600,000 tons. This company controls a great part of the Indian coastal trade, besides running important services between England India. Burma and the Persian Gulf, and between India and Australia. Tho P. and 0. Company owns 73 large •steamers, chiefly high-class mail and passenger liners, aggregating about 550,000 tons. This company operates a fortnightly mail service to Australia, and mail services between England ancl Egypt, India, China, and Japan, besides which it runs a branch sen-ice from London to Australia, via Capo Town and Durban, having acquired some three years ago the Blue Anchor Line, and having built four 11,000-toa steamers for this trade.