§ 16. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the Order he has made as regards diverting traffic from railways to coastwise steamers; if the Order means in effect a payment or subsidy on every ton of goods that will be carried in this manner; can he give any approximate figures of the allowance per ton of goods carried by coastwise steamers; and what is the estimated cost of such subsidy for the present financial year?
§ Sir A. GEDDESNo Order has yet been issued owing to the extraordinary complexity of the problem of how best to relieve the strain on the railways by the resuscitation of coastwise shipping. I am hopeful that a satisfactory agreement may be reached at an early date.