HL Deb 05 May 1902 vol 107 cc603-5
LORD MUSKERRY

My Lords, I rise to call attention to the fact that the coastal trade of our South African colonies is almost wholly monopolised by a "ring" of foreign ship-owners, comprising Germans running their steamers under the German flag, and Norwegians running steamers under the British flag, but without complying with any of the restrictions regarding certificated officers, etc., the prevailing language used on board of these vessels being German and Norwegian respectively; and in view of the fact that foreign countries debar British ships from trading under similar conditions, to move to resolve that His Majesty's Government take steps to afford due protection to British trade in the colonies in question, and thus give proper encouragement to the employment of British ships manned by British officers. I will read to your Lordships a letter which I have received on the subject, and which speaks for itself. It is dated from Cape Town, on March 24th of this year, and is as follows— You are aware, no doubt, that there are a great many small ports on this coast at which the large liners do not touch, and whatever cargo there may be for such places is transshipped either here or at some other port of call. This causes a pretty considerable coasting trade for small steamers, and such craft are kept very busy indeed, unless they have the misfortune to belong to a British owner and carry a British master and crew. This may seem, at a glance, to be a rather tough statement, but nevertheless it is a perfectly true one. The coast trade is controlled by a 'ring' of German and Norwegian owners, and no one outside of them has a look in. The Germans run their boats under their own flag, and of course do not employ anyone but natives of 'der Vaterland.' On the other hand, the Norwegian owners run their boats under the English ensign, but there their claim upon British recognition ceases, as their masters, officers, and crews are, without exception, Norwegians, and the work of these vessels is carried on in the Norwegian tongue. To show you how completely they hold the trade in their hands, I will just state one case in point. Some few weeks ago there came out from England a small steamer named the 'Dee,' hailing from Hull, I think. She was manned by English officers and crew, and the master, a man who knows this coast thoroughly, is also an Englishman. This vessel was intended for the coast trade, but up to the present has done little or nothing, for the simple reason that the 'ring' will not let her get a cargo; while at the same time the German and Norwegian boats are running full cargoes. Now, Sir, do you not think that this is a shameful state of affairs? While so many British vessels are laid up for want of cargoes here, a pack of foreigners, who hate the very sight of us, wax rich on the coasts of the very Colony that we are struggling even now to save from the hands of the Boers. We do seem to offer every facility to foreign vessels to compete against our own ships both at home and abroad, and, when the attention of the Government is called to this, their answer is that they have no power to interfere. If the state of the law is such that they cannot interfere to protect our commerce and our shipping, I submit that the sooner legislation is introduced which will give them these powers, the better.

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (The Earl of ONSLOW)

I think the noble Lord is somewhat misinformed, because there is no "ring" of foreign shipowners. No doubt there are a certain number of foreign ships plying along the coast of South Africa, but a very large proportion of the coasting trade of South Africa is in the hands of British shipowners. There may be some Norwegians who own shares in some of the ships that ply along the coast; but it would be impossible, without very great trouble and delay, to ascertain what proportion of such ships are owned, or partially owned, by Norwegians; and when the noble Lord asks that His Majesty's Government should take steps to afford due protection to British trade in the colonies in consequence, I presume he means that some sort of preference should be given to British over foreign vessels in the ports of these colonies. That is a matter which, in the first place, concerns not his Majesty's Government at home, but the Governments of the colonies themselves; and the noble Lord knows that opens up a very large question indeed. This country has, for many years past, adopted a policy of Free Trade with regard to shipping entering its ports; and if anything of the kind suggested were done, it would be a very serious departure from that policy, which I hardly think your Lordship would be prepared to make in the circumstances, and in consequence of the grievance which the noble Lord has brought before the House.