The Charge of Purposely Spoilt Cargo: British Chamber of Commerce Takes Action The British Chamber of Commerce gives us for publication a copy of the letter it addressed to the American Chamber of Commerce on the subject of the speech made by Mr. Denby, U.S. _Secre-tony of the Navy, in Yokohama some three weeks ago, which appeared to reflect on-the honour of British shipping companies.
It will be remembered that when Mr. Denby was shown the report of the speech, especially the parts quoted in the British Chamber of Commerce letter, by our representative, on the day following Mr. Denby's arrival in Shanghai, he admitted that although the speech had not been written, the report was substantially correct.
The British Chamber of Commerce lotter is as follows:—J. H. Dottar, Esq., President, American Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai.
Dear Str,—I write to draw your attention to the enclosed report of a speech made by Mr. E. Denby, Secretary of the U. S. Navy, published in the "North-China Daily News" of the 19th instant.
The remarks to which I would specially draw your attention are the following "Aside from national defence, we must carry a good portion at least of our commerce under our own flag, or suffer the constant annoyances and impediments that ensue when our goods are carried under the flags of other nations. Instances have been known of the deliberate rough-handling of American freight to prejudice foreign markets against it. No such instances, I am happy to say, have I ever heard of in connexion with the Japanese merchant marine. It is difficult for one who thinks so much in terms of ships and loves ships as I do, to understand how any company could so debase itself as to fail to discharge an honourable duty entrusted to it. When I put my goods aboard a foreign ship, and pay the freight for their transportation, I have a right to safe and careful handling of those goods, and if I do not get it I cannot avoid a feeling of deep resentment.
"It is such things as that whereby trade may be indirectly the cause of war. I hope neither the Shipping Board of the United States, nor any private company operating vessels unier oun will ever so demean itself and dishonour its. colours as to rough-handle freight, or to deny space when space is plentiful, for the purpose of endeavour-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.