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Show SHIPPING PURCHASE mm REPORT Assert Rates Have Been Exorbitant Since Outbreak of the War WASHINGTON Dec 39 F dence of Inadequate ocean transportat on facM es and unreasonable and exorbltan n creases In rates sin etbe Luropeau ar communlcated to tte senate today In a report by Secretaries Hedf t d and M Adoo is to be ubM b himplons of U e pending go ernmont ship pu chase bl 1 In urging upon thOj fen ate t e ne ess ty for faorabl action on the n oasure. Senator Fletcher a ting chairman of the commerce comm ttee It preparing a report on tbe s lp p base bill al eady e commended for action tn whl h will be embodied portions of the Information furnished by cabl et offlcla s Tbe com niittee will seek t in press upon the sen ate the need of enlarged sh pplng fact! 1 ea for adequately taking care of An er i an commerce abroad and w 11 ur;e that the 110,000 900 goeroracnt Investment contemplated In the ship purchase raeas u e would very soon be compensated for by economies in ocean transportation rates that could be effected The report oC the cabinet officers dJs closes a shipping condition minimum as to a allable vessels and raaxl num to a speculative degree on freight charges which have been Increasing constantly since last August Only 1V0 per cent of ordii arl available thtp tonnage for ocean transportation Is now In use for mer can Ule purposes, the report discloses and the secretaries assert that the only rem edy for the present situation is to In crease the available tonnage In order that the Increasing demand for cargo space can be satis fled. r In estlgatlon of price cond Lions, the report said, disclosed, among many other increases since last Julv the following Rates on cotton from New lork to LI erpool jumped from 20 cents a hundred pounds in July to 40 cents in September and t cents In December Rates on cot ton to Bremen nen from 20 cents a hun dred in Jul) to H n De ember Grain rates rose from 4 and 6 cents a bushel to 16 and 17 cents on provisions to Eu ropean ports the n reases were from 14 87 to i 30 a too flour from 1 and 13 ents a hundred to 0 and 35 cents cottonseed oil from 9 cents to a barrel, and on other commodities corres ponding! |