SHIPPING FOR FRANCE

Taihape Daily Times, 10 January 1919, Page 5

SHIPPING FOR FRANCE

According to an official statement, the British War Cabinet lias agreed to proposals laid before it by the Shipping Controller at the request of the French Government regarding the cession to France of important tonnage in the shape of vessels either recently constructed or in course of construction fin Brit,ishl Mhipbuifrdbig yards. This arrangement is the outcome of negotiations which have been proceeding since January, 1918, between M. Clementel, French Minister for Commerce, and Sir Joseph Mackay, the British Shipping Controller, and has reference to the cession of 500,000 gross tons of shipping, onethird to be delivered at the conclusion of hostilities, (another flhirjil in the course of the first year after the war, and the remaining third during the succeeding year. This amount of tonnage now sailing under the French flag. In the course of an interview. M'. Bouisson, Commissioner for Maritime Transport for the Mercantile Marine, sketched out the Government's programme for the future. Ho said France will have a tonnage of six million within five years, double her pre-war tonnage. The. greater portion of this fleet will consist of new vessels.