A Great Shipowner Scotland and the Empire lose an able
and vigorous personality in Lord Inchcape, who died suddenly on Monday while on his yacht at Monte Carlo. The son of a small Arbroath shipowner, he made his first voyage at the age of six to the White Sea. He loved the sea and ships, and it was appropriate that from the humblest beginnings he should work his way up to be chairman of the P. and 0. and the British India line. As a man of business, prudent and yet enterprising, he was ex- tremely successful. While in recent years many great undertakings have suffered through bad management, Lord Incheape's many concerns remain sound. To the public service he gave ungrudgingly of his time and experience from 1897 onwards, when he was appointed to the Council of India. During the War he took the leading part in the adjustment of shipping rates, and at the peace he disposed of the State's " standard ships " and many confiscated German ships for some £55,000,000. Lord Incheape's firmness was apparent in the proposals of the Geddes Economy Committee of 1921-22, and he as chairman of a similar committee for India a few months later saved the Indian Government £8,000,000 a year. Few men have worked harder, but Lord Inchcape found time also for sport. It was fitting that the end should come while he was aboard his favourite yacht.
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