§ 72. Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of steamers, British and foreign, other than steamers fitted for the conveyance of frozen meat, which entered United Kingdom ports during the last twelve months for which he has a record, and the date thereof; and what percentage of the total the foreign vessels were?
Mr. RUNCIMANIn the calendar year 1915, 13,200 British steamers, with an aggregate net register tonnage of 22,632,000 tons, and 12,550 foreign steamers, with a total tonnage of 9,900,000 tons, entered with cargo from abroad. The foreign steamers were thus 48.7 per cent. of the total number, and their net tonnage was 30.4 per cent. of that of all steamers entered with cargo. These figures include the steamers equipped for the conveyance of frozen meat, which cannot conveniently be separated.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMIn view of the fact that only 75 per cent. of the total trade was carried in British ships, cannot the Government consider the desirability of opening a compassionate fund for British shipowners?
§ Mr. HOUSTONCan the right hon. Gentleman ascertain the tonnage of the meat trade steamers?
§ 74. Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that several American-owned freezing companies in the Argentine and Uruguay are buying cattle from German sellers, while British companies are, by our Government restrictions, prevented from so doing, with the result that American freezing companies, through absence of competition for these cattle, are able to buy them at cheaper prices than the British companies, who are restricted to buying from British or neutral sellers; whether a great portion of the German-owned animals purchased by American freezing companies are brought to this country in the form of frozen meat and 1986 purchased by our Government; whether the meat from these beasts bought from Germans is sold to the British Government at a lower price than the British freezing companies sell at; and, if not, whether he can adopt measures which will prevent prejudice to the British-owned meat companies?
Mr. RUNCIMANMy information is that the British meat companies in the Argentine and Uruguay are not limited in their purchases of cattle as compared with the American companies owing to any Estancieros being on the list of prohibited firms. There is no condition in our contracts with frozen meat companies as to the source from which they obtain cattle and the same prices are paid to all our contractors for the same description of meat.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill my right hon. Friend make inquiries as to the purchase of cattle by these American companies from German sources?