Pacific Phosphate
p. 58 · Read in the full issue
Dislocation of important Trade
WHEN it was known that the German raiders had destroyed the loading equipment at Nauru Island and simk no less than three of the Phos phate Commission’s fleet of phosphate carrying ships, the report was wide spread in Australia and New Zealand that this would have a serious effect upon the food-production capacity of the Dominions, because super-phosphate is now an important article in the opera tions of most primary producers.
Reassuring statements have been made, however. The possibility of an interruption of the phosphate supply had been foreseen for over a year, and very large stocks have been accumulated in Australia and New Zealand—sufficient to allow the fertiliser business to proceed normally for a long time. Furthermore, the equipment at Ocean Island has not been interfered with, and supplies still may be obtained from there.
It is possible, also, that supplies will be available at Makatea Island, in French Oceania.
Nevertheless, it stands to reason that the operations of the British Phosphate Commission will be seriously dislocated by the loss of the Nauru Island equip ment and the destruction of three big steamers.