Mr. Raikes has won his battle with the Steamship Companies
of the American routes. Warned by his readiness to employ foreign vessels, the Cunard Company and the others have now accepted contracts under which four mails may be despatched to America every week, instead of three. Moreover, the Govern. ment obtains the right of hiring the steamers of the Companies in wartime at a fixed rate, for employment as transports or cruisers; and any new steamers built are to be surveyed by the Admiralty, to ensure that they shall be fitted for this purpose. This arrangement, which is a very old one, having been in force on the Indian line forty years ago, secures to the country a powerful reserve fleet of first-class unarmoured steamers, and may, in the event of war, save more than the cost of the contracts, the practice having been to hire steamers in an emergency at monstrous rates. It is stated, also, though not on the same authority, that a reduction has been made in the total expendi- ture for the service; but that is an unimportant detail com- pared with the legal control of the steamers at a fixed price. We have never understood why all British steamers should not be held at the disposal of the State in war-time at a fixed rate, say 10 per cent. above valuation. That is not a form of conscription which would hurt anybody, and it would be strictly analogous to the right claimed by Parliament to take any land it wants, subject to compensation, which is usually settled as we have said.
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