SERIOUS VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1937, Page 9

SERIOUS VIEW

BRITISH SHIPPING

SURVEY BY CHAMBER

ITEM FOR IMPERIAL ■CONFERENCE

Cnitea Press Association —By Electric Tele- - graph—Copyright. ; (Received February 25, 9.30 a.m.) ' LONDON, February 24.

With two thousand fewer cargo and. passenger vessels than before the outbreak of the Great War, British ship-i ping is in a serious position. This is' the conclusion of the Chamber of' Shipping in its ■ annual report. >

The Chamber is undertaking a survey to enable the Imperial Conference' to determine action to defend shipping,; from foreign discrimination and uneco- ■ nomic competition. It considers there' is no indication that foreign nations, ; whose tonnage increased by 400,000 last ' year, contemplate any reduction -and intend to abandon the methods where-. by the present position has been, created.

The Chamber's survey will take the form of a memorandum which probab- ] ly will be first submitted to the British I Government and then forwarded to j the Dominions' representatives at thei Imperial Conference. There will not i be time to make contact with Dominion ■ representatives before their arrival in; England, but the High. Commissioners! may be consulted. Much of the information will be confidential.

The Chamber considers that - the gravity of the present position cannot be overrated. • ' !