At Stettin, on Wednesday, Count von Billow, the German Foreign
Secretary, made an interesting speech on the recent development of German shipping at the launch of the new Hamburg-America liner `Deutschland,' which is designed to eclipse all records in size and speed. After giving statistics of the growth of the Hamburg-America Steamship Company, founded in 1847 with a capital of 450,000 marks—it now
stands at 65,000,000 marks—and of the Vulcan Shipbuilding Company, which employs eight thousand hands, Count von Billow indulged in a historical retrospect, tracing the revival of Germany's marine importance to the backing of Imperial power. The establishment of the Empire led to a mighty economic development, which in turn resulted in Germany's policy overseas. Between 1860 and 1897 German trade had
increased from n to 81i milliards of marks from £125,000,000 to R425,000,000]; during the last thirty years the tonnage of the German mercantile marine had been multiplied fifteen times over ; and Germany now occupied the second place among the commercial and seafaring nations. From these facts Count von Billow deduced the conclusion that Germany must be strong enough at sea to maintain "German peace, German honour, and German prosperity, all the world over." The German Emperor, who was present, was " pro- foundly moved" by the speech, which afforded most effective and eloquent support to his new naval policy.
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