It is to be hoped that Captain Euan Wallace's statement in the House of Commons will put heart into the shipping magnates who are depriving Woosung and Shanghai of the pleasure and advantage of beholding their vessels Mr. Adrian Moreing has once more performed a public service by his vigilant question on the subject. To many people here the diffidence which permits coastal stearhers, French, Italian, Netherlands and some American liners to mono-police the privilege of keeping the stream of Shanghai's commerce running is inexplicable. It cannot be that British shipowners have suddenly developed an inordinate affection for the doctrine of "safety first" Neither the Empire itself nor the Mercantile Marine was built up on that principle, Li the present policy is inspired by any inhibitions other than those which Captain Wallace so firmly repudiated it would be well if they could be clearly explained to the public. For the moment there is considerable mystification which is irksome to those who have faith in British enterprise.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.