Under the aillting caption of writer in one of the London dai bravely informs its readers that! With the multipliention of scientific zaidgets on board th up-to-date ship, there is really no need for any com-lander to possess navigational qualifications! It rather takes one's breath away when the writer of the article blandly assures us that he modern sen captain need never leat his luxurious cabin; he simp! presses buttons or, talks inc telaphore to make his ship) cross the econ. He sailor, sitting at ease drawing-room like a bank director oF a prosperous grocer. things were really as bad—or a8} ood—ox that, we should tremble ture of Britain's Merchant] we quote is not above for he saye=-and this with an air of authority—that, by making British sailor too comfortable and too aulontatic, British maritime prestige is seriously threatened, and that "the harder, and simpler conditions of sea life in Germany, Italy, yan and Holland are proving that maritime power is a question of instinct rather than instruments.' The gentleman wrote as above] after a visit to one of the big] GPSS. liners in port at Home, and one can only conclude either that he is gifted with a very awesome! Imagination or that some-one—on board the ship very successfully, pulled his leg." We in the Far} Eant, no less than those in other] parts, know and know well that the British Merchant Navy officer's lifo} ix not by any means an automatic) or an arm-chair job, apart from such Tittle matters as taking a ship round, the North-East Promontory when a howling nor'enster is blowing, he ott very little opportunity to do his job of work sitting in an armchair. And so it is on all the seas fof the world: it Is the man that) counts, not the machine, even taking into consideration the wonderful developments that science has brought about in regard to navigation, The China Merchants 'The statement by Mr. T. C. Chow, managing director of the China Merchants? 8, N. Ca, which we published to-day' carries with solid satisfaction not to be denied—that, in a word, of solid fact, of "something accomplished, something done" to meet the just' grievances of the staff. It is true, and Mr. Chow does not attempt to deny it, that arrears of pay prior to last February have still to be met; but fat least salaries for the last two y months have teen paid and as Mr.
Chow has also had to find Tls. 731,-
000 to meet interest charges on mortgages, his plea that for the moment he has no more ready money is reasonable. enough. One of our correspondents to-day says is openly asserted by some Chinese that they are not liable for what happened afore the Nationalist Government took over the affairs of the Company— in other words, that the new management will repudiate the debts of the old, We certainly would not accuse Mr. Chow of taking ce utterly despicable a position. On the contrary, it seems to us that he is genuinely anxious to rehabilitate the affairs and prestige of the Company. He has certainly read what has been printed in this paper about the cruel tent with ix or less hellish the hearth wit ins, oF to position in which a most loyal staff 'a buxom has been placed and something he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.