THE LOSSES OF FRANCE.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 February 1919, Page 4

THE LOSSES OF FRANCE.

EYES ON GERMAN VESSELS,

“Pertinax, ” in the Echo de Paris, discussing the situation of the French merchantmarine, writes: —“Of all our s modern passenger liners only two or three remain, The present available French merchant tonnage is •estimated on paper at 1,700,000 tons, but the greater portion will be immobolised because of repairs, which cannot at present bb carried out. It will, therefore, be necessary for us to claim among the peace conditions the handing over of a certain number of Germas liners, in order, to enable

us to resume at once our normal overseas trade, and to compensate us fer the difference between the vessels seized by the other allies. ■ which are respectively: —Great Britain, 412,000 tons; Italy, '229,000 tons; United States 736,00 tons; and France 340,000 tons. The low level of onr shipbuilding construction, in consequence of the general military necessities of the Allies, which were met by France is an additional justification for France being favoured in the partial or total distribution of the German merchant fleet.”