THREE POINTS 6i 



of Agriculture Report fairly indicates the limitations 

 in this direction. They will not meet the demand. 



Three points present themselves for serious con- 

 sideration: (i) Freights, (2) Other sources of supply, 

 (3) Prices. 



(i) Freights.-^At the beginning of last season, as 

 we have seen, the bulk of the supplies for war purposes 

 were procured from Archangel. Freights were sup- 

 posed to open at about 60s. to 70s. per standard (165 

 cubic feet), but shippers, realising the scarcity there 

 would be in tonnage, held out for 80s. to 90s. which 

 was gradually increased until it reached the figure of 

 £9 los. per standard in November 1915, as against 

 30S. to 45s. in pre-war times. Even in September 

 1914 the highest freight paid to this country would 

 not exceed 65s. per standard, which was considered a 

 high rate. 



Much could have been done at that time had 

 Government been wide-awake enough to have placed 

 the matter on a business-like footing. Last September 

 shippers were ready to pay £8 15s. to £g los. and even 

 £10 for ship room. In February 1916 shippers were 

 quoting for the present season at £10 per standard from 

 Archangel to this country. Last spring (1915) battens 

 were £11 per standard f.o.b. They had to carry a 

 £9 los. freight with in addition about 30s. insurance, 

 freight and insurance being equal in value to the f.o.b. 

 article ! The trade remarked that the like has never 

 been known before from the Baltic and White Sea ports! 



That some one has blundered, and blundered badly, 

 is only too obvious. We are simply throwing away 

 good money owing to our complete ignorance as a 



