It was in August, 1917, that the Government evioted the
private owners. " So far," says Lord Inchcape, " not a single ship has been laid down, and there is very little more, if any, plant or machinery on the place than there was when we were turned out." He adds : " If the seizure of our ideas and our yard had proved of any advantage to the country we should have at quiesced in it without a murmur." We sincerely hope that such painful lessons as these have now been fully learnt, and that Lord Pirrie will insist upon what he surely believes to be true—that there will be a great increase in the construction of shipping if British shipbuilders, who are the best in the world, are left to carry on their business in their own way. The Government must, of course, decide what is wanted, and lay their demands clearly and regularly before the shipbuilders, but they must not tell shipbuilders how to build ships.
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