The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1917. OUR MERCANTILE MARINE
'• The Shipping Controller (Sin Joseph Maclay) is a man of big ideas, and it is clear that ho has made up his mind to grapple with tho shipping problem in a remarkably vigorous fashion. Those who knew.him expected that he would act promptly, radically and resolutely, and his shipbuilding programme indicates that these expectations «aro not likely to be disappoiuteclT But the vastness o£ his plans appears to have taken the Chancellor of the Exchequer by surprise. In yesterday's Dominion it ivas stated that Mr. BoUar Law had announced that a new vote of credit would bo asked for in order to enable the Government to meet increased and unforeseen expenditure. Later information shows that the Shipping Controller is 'mainly responsible for the additional outlay, and it is probable that most of the £200,000,000 required to wind up the financial year will bo spent in the building of ships for tho mercantile marine. The writer of a character sketch of Sir Joseph Maclay which appears in the London Observer remarks that the publio need not look to the Controller of Shipping for a policy of cheese-paring, but tuey may look forward confidently to a very substantial increase in tho tonnaga of Britain's cffectivo mercantile marine, because that is the work which Sill Joseph Maclay has been called upon to do'. He is a man of action, and has no uso for mere talk. "One thing is riuito certain," says tho writer we have quoted, "he will not ! talk about his plans or his work." And so little has he talked about what ho has been doing and what ho has in view that tho extent of his plans and achievements seems to havo exceeded tho expectations even of the Cabinet. The outstanding feature of his proposals so far as has been inado known is the building of a fleet of standardised cargo steamers. Tho Shipping Woiid states that these vessels are to be of ono type, single-deck, and of simple and inexpensive specification, so as to permit of rapid construction, and are to carry about 9000 tons doad weight. The programme is supposed to provide for some fifty vessels, to bo commenced without delay, nothing in the naturo of existing work to be allowed to stand in tho way of their completion. As soon as they are finished they arc to bo taken over by the Admiralty and utilised in trade essential to tho nation, chiefly grain and food carrying. Owing to these prompt and. effective measures Britain should soon be in possession of some 400,000 to; 500,000 tons of new shipping. This, oE course, involves very large expenditure, but an adequate supply of merchant vessels is of such vital importance to tho Empire that whatever money is required to provide it must bo found. But something moro than a sufficiency of ships is required to ensure ,tho efficiency of the British mercantile, marine. Ships must havo men to man them—and men of tße right type. These a.ro perilous times for British sailors, but tho attacks and ihc threats of a pitilessly brutal, and mosfi unscnipulouu enemy, who regards naval ness as his trump card against Britain, hatj not deterred tne mon of our mercantile marine from doing their duty. It is impossible to over-estimate-tho greatness of the debt of gratitudo which the Empire owes to these brave and hardy seamen. Their pluck, determination, and resourcefulness cannot bo overpraised. -As Sir Edwahd Causon recently reminded the .House oi Commons, the men on the minesweepers, risking their lives every moment, aro feeding Britain. But it_ is not merely the men on tew mine-sweepers that aro facing death daily for their country. The whelo mercantile marino is doing its work amid dangers of unexampled variety and magnitude. Sir John Jelijcoe did not oxaggerato the importance of tho task which is lie-, ing so well performed by the mercantile marino when . he roeentiv declared that without it the Navy— ancl indeed tha nation —couicl not exist. He went on to say that upon j the mercantile marine the nation j has been dependent for the move-i mont of our troops oversea, over i' seven millions of men having been | transported, _ together with all the guns, munitions, and stores required by tho Army. The Government has had to draw upon the personnel of the mercantile marine, not only for tho manning of tho transport ships,_ but also very largely for the manning of the whole of the patrol and mine-sweeping craft; nearly 2500 skippers being employed in the ■Royal Navy Reserve. The number of R.N.R,. executive officers has increased almost fourfold since the outbroak of war.
In the old days (said Admiral Sir John .Icllicoe) It used to be said that there was jealousy betweui the oiovcantilo marine and the Royal Nav.v, but whatevor may have, bcea tho case then, there is no room now in the Nar.y for anjt&ing kit tins awsi;
Binrcro admiration and respect for Hip olfirfid n tirl nirp of Iho moraiutile m.i - line. I. think 1 knoiv sufficient, of those officers and mou !o believe that the fcclI'cciproi'iileil. Those of u,s who hnvft been closcly associated with tho officers and men who man our armed mowhant vosscl.s ,«nd patrol craft havo realised from the first day of I,he. war how magnificent worn thoir serviced, how courageous their conduct, and how unflinching: their devotion to du.ty under the most dangerous conditions. Tho valuo of tho services of the officer,-, and men of tho mercantile marine goes also far beyond (heir work in armod vessels. When ont) thinks of tho innumerable cases of unarmod ships bring sunk by tonpedo or gun fire fur from laud, in a. heavy sea, with the ship's company dependent upon boat* ulone for their safety, od» is lost in admiration, of the spirit, of heroism of those who 1101. only endure dangers and hnrdshi<ps without, complaint, but. aro ever leacly to lake the risks again and again .in repeated voyages in other ships.
The more we think of the work which these men are doing and the splendid spirit ill which they arc doing it, the more wonderful their courago and endurance becomes. This war has proved that both in tho Navy and in the mercantile marina tho greatest traditions of British seamanship have been maintained. No higher tribute could bo paid to our merchant sailors than tho confidence of the nation that they would go on doing their duty jn spite of the enemy's campaign of piracy and murder. _ And they did go on without making any fuss about it., They run the ' gauntlet continually, and will continue to run it until the final victory to which they are contributing their full share has been won.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 4
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1,130The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1917. OUR MERCANTILE MARINE Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 4
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