GERMAN SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 208, 28 May 1921, Page 13

GERMAN SHIPPING

SERVICES TO AUSTRALIA MAY BE RESUMED SOON Information received by a Melbourne shipping official (states tho "Argus”) indicates that as soon as a settlement is reached between Germany and the Allies on the reparation question, tho GermanAustralia Steamship Company will make au early effort to re-establish its prewar shipping services between Australian, German, and other oversea ports. Tho official said that ha had obtained w formation that this company, which would /probably adopt another name, would bo running cargo steamers to Australia within the next six or twelve months, and that it would make determined efforts to recapture thq whole of tho trade which it had won before the war. The official’s statement is strengthened by the fact that a cable message was received in Australia recently ah" nouncing that the Blohm and Voss Company, of Hamburg, was building four steamers for tho Woormann Line, end seven for the German-Australian Steamship Company, and that the Reiherstieg Schiffawerft was building two steamers for the A. Kirsten firm, and the Vulkan yaUd two for the Gdrman-Austnalian Steamship Company, and thm for • the German Levant Line. There were two large German shipping companies trading to Australia before the war—the Norddeutscher Lloyd, which had a fleet of about 30 or 35 cargo steamers, 12 large mail steamers, and a small fleet of vessels which traded between Australia and Japan; and the German-Australia, or Black German Line, which, at the end of 1912, had a fleet of 48 cargo steamers calling at Australia. , , .. The Progress of tho German-Australia Line in the capture of the tast of the Australian oversea cargo trade was almost dramatic in its suddenness. A hen the company first commenced operations in Australia some few years ago, it established a service of one steamer every three months, but before the war its steamers visited Melbourne weekly, and it was not uncommon to see as many as four or six largo German liners in port at the same time The company a steamers wore built on the most modern lines many of them having a tonnage of 10,000 tons, and fitted with refrigerated space. They were equipped with the latest cargo-handling appliances, and the newest steamers of the line had seven hatches, which assured the PromP* discharge and loading of cargo. Another feature of tho steamers was the comfortable accommodation provided for officers and men. Although only established a comparatively short time the company, at the outbreak of war, had its large fleet engaged in six of eeven different oversea trade routes. In addition, the company controlled the steamers of the United Tyser Line, which ran from New York to Australian ports, taking wool and general cargo from Australian ports on the return voyage. With the expansion of the company’s activities before tho war, a regular monthly- cargo service was inaugurated between Scandinavia and Australia, and the fact that five moro large steamers were under construction for the company at the outbreak of hostilities indicated that the exploitation of other trade routes was contemplated. A meeting of the Hamburg-American Line, in which the N.D.L. is interested, was called recently for the purpose of approving an issue of 100,000,(JOO marks 6 per cent, preference shares. To insure that control of the line remains in German hands, the company previously issued non-transferable preference shares, with multiple voting power. As there was also a danger of the control of other German shipping concerns falling into foreign hands, the Hamburg-American Line’s new shares will be used if necessary, for affording such concerns assistance, and already the Hamburg-Ameri-can Line has effected an exchange of a large block of preference shares with the Hamburg-South America Company. When announcing that the HamburgAmerica Line had decided to increase its capital by 100,000,000 marks (nominally A 5,000,000), in 6 per cent, preference shares, the chairman of the company said that "it was the intention of the company to exchange from time to time the new shares with the shares of other companies." It is hoped by this process to create a huge German shipping monopoly, which can make a determined bid to regain its old position in the mercantile marine.

In her struggle to regain her old position Germany will no doubt be severely handicapped by lack of money, but it has to be remembered that her mercantile marine of tho future will be composed of new vessels, most of the obsolete vessels having been disposed of to the Allies, and if Great Britain an dher Dbminione are to progress, and not be beaten in the fierce competitive, maritime battles of the future, these obsolete vessels will have to be discarded, and replaced by modern fleets; further, present intermittent industrial unrest among maritime unions, which brings its train of disaster in the loss of markpts, loss of employment, and increased operating expenses, will have to cease.