HOLLAND AND GERMANY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 33, 25 September 1914, Page 4

HOLLAND AND GERMANY.

Not very long before war broke out the English newspayers published a state,i enl that the Dutch Government had conceded to a German undertaking, the Vulkan Company, a license for the construction of a private harbor on the New Waterway, near Ylaardingen, a few miles west of Rotterdam. This harbor is to bo available for ocean-going vessels, and the space ceded to the German company will be largo enough to allow for repairing shops and a repairing wharf. The point at which the harbor is to be built is little mere than a hundred knots distant from the East Anglian coast,. Tt will diminish by more than one-half the dis-

taiice between England and the nearest German port. The Vulkan Company is under the control of the Ger-' man millionaire, Herr Thyssen. The concession is recognised as holding pos« ' si'bilities for German shipping development; and it is felt that large > questions are involved. The announcement of the concession caused much ' corcern in several quarters. Com-, moi'ting upon the matter, the London Times stated that the New Waterway was an artificial -cut made about fifty years ago, and capable of floating thej largest sea-going vessels. The Vulkan-' Company build., Dreadnoughts for the German Navy, as well as the great Atlantic liners which are the pride of the Hamburg America Company and the North German Lloyd, it has also to be noted. The relations between the company and the German Government are so intimate that it is difficult to regard their apart. Mr Thyssen bought the land for his harbor two years ago, and evei since has been urging the Dutch Government to permit him to cut 'through the foreshore. The public of Rotterdam protested against his scheme; the Ministry promised legislation placing all harbors under pub]'c control; and it was only when the Dutch Government went into recess that the bargain was secretly completed. The Times went on to say: "We a.-e not surprised to learn that Rotterdam is furious at the revelation Irow made, and that the Chief Magistrate (Mr A. R. Zimmerman) should },;.ve taken the unusual course of provoking British interest in the matter. Apparently Mr Thyssen proposes to. construct a harbor capable of accommodating Dreadnoughts, with a coaling station and the usual accessories, for purely private objects. However engrossed the people of Great Britain may be just now in their domestic affairs, they are not so pre-occupied as to ignore this development, or to be unmindful of the significance of the moment chosen to announce it."