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es | es oi any os are Ne ea INA y IGOROUS preparations for the “war after the war” are being made by shipping interests of both the central European and . allied groups of nations. Whether this post bellum war will be waged between two hostile commercial groups or will be merely a keen economic battle along recognized lines of commerce, is im- possible to foretell. Representative opinion in England seems to be divided upon the question of whether an eco- nomic war between closely allied trade groups would be sensible or suicidal. From Germany, Herr Heineken,. director of the great North German Lloyd line, scouts the probability of such a war and ridicules the possibility of its success. Regardless of what the future may disclose, however, the big shipping com- panies on both sides are busily prepar- ing themselves for the battle for the world’s trade. Herr Heineken points out that at the close of the war the North German Lloyd will unleash a big- ger and better fleet than it had when the war opened. While merchant vessel construction by both groups has been hampered by the war, signs continue to multiply that this condition is being rectified and that ship builders are be- ing permitted to bend their energies to the construction of new merchant ships. K 2k of HE surface indications of Great Britain’s preparation for carrying the post bellum trade are seen in the policy of consolidation now in such high favor there. As outlined in The Marine Review last month, British hopes of continued maritime supremacy rest on a “careful co-ordination of plans and effective co-operation between ship own- ers.” Hints of how far it was thought necessary to carry out this co-operation were gained a few weeks ago when the Cunard line took over several smaller companies and laid the basis for an “all-red route around the world.” Closely following this consolidation, come announcements that Furness, Withy & Co. will take over the Prince line; that the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. will absorb the New Zealand Shipping Co.: that the London <<“ RG SS A Review of the Month on Coasts and likes Ui Pointers for the Men Who Get the Business eee eee eee eee eee eee eee eee ee eee cc ll Start New & Northern Steamship Co. has changed hands; that the Australian government has purchased 15 ships; that the Taylor & Sanderson Steam Shipping Co. will probably change ownership. cone Wren” ATCHING. these plans are recent announcements of French, Belgian, expansion by Japanese and Nor- ‘ wegian lines, and what is of more in- terest, that American capital is backing new lines from American ports. Rep- resentative ship owners all over the world are staking their fortunes and reputations on the assumption that post bellum competition on the seas will be keener than was ever witnessed in the past. And in preparing for this com- petition they are building up their com- panies to a position far stronger than they held in the period before the war. x ok Ok A N announcement of the merger of the Prince line with Furness, Withy & Co., Ltd., is expected at any time. Reports from London concerning the merger have indicated definitely that the Furness-Withy interests have ac- quired control. Such a consolidation, it will be noted, would be in general line with the tend- ency that has lately developed in British shipping. This trend, as explained, is the result of war earnings on the part of many of the larger companies and a realization of the desirability of pre- _senting a united front in the competi- tion that will follow the war. The Prince line is considered by shipping men to be more important than any property that has come under the control of the Furness-Withy interests. While the number of vessels is less than that owned by Furness, Withy & Co., directly, the tonnage is greater than that of this fleet. Other com- panies controlled by Furness, Withy & Co. are the following, the number of vessels owned by each being indicated: The Argentine Cargo Line, Ltd., two ships. The British & Argentine Steam Navi- gation Co., Ltd., four ships.. Empire Transport Co., Ltd., Naamlooze Venn. Furness’ 18 ships. Scheep- * 391 =U att0O0Oii€_., CCOCCCCACKRRARMRON tcc — Trade B attle vaarten Agenthur-Maatschappij, ships. The British Empire Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., nine ships. British & Irish Steam Packet Co., Ltd., seven ships. Furness-Houlder Argentine Lines, ietd., three ships; four ships building. Gulf Line, Ltd., eight ships; two ships building. Hessler Shipping Co., seven Ltd., one ship. Houlder Line, Ltd. 12 ships; one ship building. Johnston Line, Ltd., 15 ships. London Welsh Steamship Co., Ltd., two. ships. Neptune Steam Nivicntoe Coe Eta 11 ships. Norfolk & North American Steamship Co., Ltd.,.nine ships. H, Ee“ Stocks: & Co. Ltd, Geo. V. Turmball &- Go. ship. White Diamond Steamship Co., three ships. Of the vessels owned by subsidiary companies, 32 are of more than 5,000 gross tons. The acquisition of the Prince line fleet, numbering 38 vessels, would bring the total of ships owned by, or building for Furness, Withy & Co. or its subsidiaries, to 199 vessels, plying in trades all over the world. The regular services of the Prince line are between New York and South African ports, between New York and the Far East, between New York, London and Antwerp and the River Plate, between the United Kingdom and the continent and New Orleans, between Brazil and New York and the River Plate, and be- tween British and Mediterranean ports. The vessels of the Prince line, as listed in Lloyds Register of Shipping, two. ships. Ltd., one Ltd., 1916-17, are as follows: : ‘ , Gross Name— Built tons. Afohan. (Prin¢ege: cr. aaeta se 1903 4,923 African=2Prince %. 2 wie fe 1903 4,916 Asiatic: Prince: 7c. sco. oe es 1910 2,887 ‘Belgian 2 Prince: sa eoene 1901 4,765 Black -Princey:, atuecn sen 1903 3,925 Barmese. «Prince: onesie css 1911 4,825 Caribe Princes Saree ees 1893 1,975 iChinese “Prince é:....3%5 e.05 1911 4,834 Corsican. Princesse ee 1900 2,776 ‘Creole. Princé:: ses ae 1893 1,988 Bastert, Prince sawed. acieu 1910 2,885 Epyptian “Prince: seu. : 1902 3,117 Prench: Princes 34.43 coe ee 1900 4,766 Georgian.) Prince:226- 5 1893 3,245 Highland: “Prince: as es se oe 1901 3,390