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    amajorsourceofforeigncurrencyforBritain.TheyarealsotheroutesonwhichtheThirdWorldandtheRussiansareouttomakethebiggestinroads.MostemergingcountriesintheThirdWorldareouttocarryabiggershareoftheirtradeintheirownships.Developingcountriesregardamerchantnavyassomethingofastatussymbolthenextthingtogoforafteranationalairline.Singaporehasexpandedtheirfleetby6000percentinthelast15years,Indiaby400percent.ThechallengefromtheThirdWorldhasalwaysbeenforeseenbyourshippingcompanies.PO,forexample,whilestillouttoincreasethetotalfreightitcarries,isplanningforagradualreductioninitspercentageshareofthetradewiththenewshippingpowersoftheThirdWorld.ButPOhasnointentionofthrowinginthetowel.ThekeytacticbehinditsstrategyofholdingontotherichestsliceofthetradehasbeentomoveupmarkettogowheretheThirdWorldcannotfollow:intohightechnologyinvestment.Containers,forexample,wereanAmericaninvention,butitwasBritishshipownerswhoputupthemoneytopioneertheinternationaldeepseacontainerservice.Containerssavetime,becausetheloadingisdoneinthefactoryorwarehouse,ratherthanonthedockside,andtheyareverysecureagainsttheft;exceptforacodenumberontheoutside,thereisnoindicationofwhatisinsidethebox.Tocashinonthecontainerrevolution,youneedasophisticatedsystemofroadsandrailways,somethingthatmostThirdWorldcountriesdonothave:Andcontainershipsareexpensive,around￡50millioneach.PO'shightechnology,highinvestmentstrategy,however,isfarfrombeingthewholeanswertotheThirdWorldthreat.ThedevelopingcountriesarenotouttocompetewithWesternfleetsbycommercialmeans;theywanttoimposeasetofruleswhichwillguaranteethemamajorsliceoftheshippingtrade.ThisdemandhasfoundofficialexpressionintheUnitedNationsConferenceonTradeandDevelopment,UNCTAD.TheUNCTADlinercodelaysdownthatbetweentwotradingpartners,80percentofthefreightshouldbesplitequallybetweentheirrespectivemerchantfleets.Thatleavesonly20percenttogointothenumerouscrosstraders,allfightingforashare,anditisonthesecrosstradesthatBritishlinercompaniesearn40percentoftheirrevenue.NotenoughcountrieshaveratifiedtheUNCTADcodeyettobringitintoforce.Butifitdoesbecomeuniversal,itcouldstrikeasevereblowtoBritain'slinertrade.TheIronCurtaincountriesrepresentanevengreaterandmoreorganisedthreattothefutureofBritain'slinerships,anditisathreatthatismuchmoredifficulttocounter.Russiahasexpandeditscargolinerfleetfarfasterthanthegrowthineitheritsowntradeorworldtradewouldjustify.Today,ithasthelargestlinerfleetintheworldandanotheronemilliontonsshouldcomeintoservicebefore1980.Andwithitspolicyofexcessivelylowfreightrates,theRussianmerchantnavyhasalreadymademajorinroadsintoWesterntrade.Russianowcarries95percentofitsseabornetradewiththeEECinitsownships.Moreimportant,itisbitingdeeplyintothemajorcrosstradingroutesoftheworld.EasternbloccountriesRussia,withPolandandEastGermanyhavealreadycaptured20percentofthecargotrafficonthebusysealanesoftheNorthAtlantic,almost25percentofthetradebetweenEuropeandSouthAmericaandjustabou,tthesamepercentageofthetradebetweenEuropeandEastAfrica.,HowcantheRussiansaffordtoundercutbyupto40percent?Well,Sovietshipsarenotnecessarilyouttomakeaprofit,inoursenseoftheword.Thenameofthesame,forRussianships,ishardcurrency.TheSovietUnionisbecomingmoredependentonWesternimportsfromgraintotechnologybuttheWestwillnotacceptroublesinpayment.SoRussianeedshardcurrencies,tikethedollar,themarkortheyen,evensterling,topayforitsimports.ItisthesecurrenciesRussianshipsearnascrosstraders.Itdoesnotmatterverymuchiftheyareoperatingataloss;thatcanbemadeupbytheSovietgovernmentinroubles.ButthereismoretoitthanthatfortheRussians.TheSovietmercantilemarineobviouslyactsasasupporttotheSovietnavy,verymuchasWesternfleetsusedtodo.Butthereareimportantdifferences.TheSovietmerchantfleet,whichhasnowbeenalmost20yearsingrowing,hasdevelopedthekindsofshipswhichwouldcertainlyexpandtheSovietreachwellbeyonditsperimeters.Forexample,muchoftheheavyequipmentfortheCubansandAngolanswasbroughtinSovietmerchantships.SothismercantilemarinecapabilityiscertainlyagreatadvanceintheSovietabilitytoprojecttheirpoweratsomedistancefromtheirownfrontiers.AndthisisalsopartofageneralSoviethydrographicpolicytomaptheoceansoftheworld,togettoknowtheportsand,aboveall,todeepencontactswiththestateswithwhomtheRussiansaredevelopingclosetradingties.HowcanWesternshipownersreacttoundercuttingof40percentthatwoulddrivethemoutofbusinessiftheydidthesame?Thereisalimit,ofcourse,towhatanyBritishgovernmentcandoonitsown.Shippingisanessentiallyinternationalbusiness,andBritaincanonlycounterthechallengesofthedevelopingworldandtheRussiansataninternationallevel.Butwhomcouldwecountonforsupport?TheEECissodividedaboutshippingthatitisalmostpowerlesstoact.Takethechallengeofthedevelopingworld.TheFrenchdonotmindtheUNCTADcodeonlinershippingbecauseitwouldhelpthemtoincreasetheirshareofthelinertrade;thesameistruefortheGermansandtheBelgians.SoBritaincannotrelyonconcertedEECactiononthatissue.AsfarastheRussiansareconcerned,Britain,alongwithWestGermanyandDenmark,hasbeencallingforacoordinatedresponse;themonitoringofRussianshipmovementsandrestrictionsonthenumberofRussianshipsallowedtocallatEECports.But,lastJune,theFrench,becauseoftheirRussianties,blockedplansalongtheselines.ItwillbeNovemberbeforethequestionisconsideredagain.BritishshipownersaresofarhappywiththestrengthoftheBritishgovernmentattemptstoforcetheEECintoaction.TheybelievethattheTradeDepartment,whichlooksaftershipping,understandstheirproblems.Buttheyarefarlesssureaboutothergovernmentministers,especiallythoseinthepowerfulIndustryDepartment,whichoverseesshipbuilding.ShipownersfearthatsavingjobsinBritain'sailingshipyardscomeswellbeforesavingitsmerchantfleet.Britishshipyard,sarecurrentlychurningout24vesselsforPoland.ThePoleswereluredtoBritainbythegiftofa￡28millionsubsidyandthepromisethatBritishshipbuilderswouldraiseallthecredit;sowhileourshippingfleetisunderattackfromcommunistships,ourgovernmentisusingBritishtaxpayers'moneytoouttheirshipbuildingcosts.Wearedoingthesamefordevelopingcountries'fleets.IndiaisnowamajorThirdWorldshippingpower,yetBritainistobuildsixshipsfortheIndiansfornothing.Intheend,Britishcompaniescouldbedrivenoutofshippingaltogether.Some,suchasPO,havealreadymovedintootherfields,fromhousebuildingtooil.Smallershippinglinesdonothavetheresourcestodiversify.Theyfaceextinction.Andwhentheygo,sodoesahugesliceofthefewtraditionalindustriesworthkeeping.

    文章对英国航运业的分析还是比较中肯的，对英国一百年前曾经辉煌的海运业为何能够称雄于世界的原因进行了总结，也对现在受到的来自两方面的威胁进行了剖析，也预言了英国海运公司最终将有可能被完全挤出海运行业。

    孙荣然边阅读课文边给一些生词查着英文词典并在一旁写上注释，心里也有着很多的感悟。

    是啊，世界的发展总是在竞争中往前进步，正如帆船与汽船之间的竞争虽然当时是非常激烈的，但最终肯定是能跟上时代进步的站在这个历史舞台上的了。人也一样，只有能够适应这个时代潮流，适应这个世界发展的人才能立足于社会的。

    正在孙荣然埋头投入在文章学习中的时候，一个熟悉的身影坐在了孙荣然的身边，一只手靠在桌子上托着脸腮，歪着头看着孙荣然。

    孙荣然抬头一看，不禁有点惊喜地要喊出来了：鲁隽。

    鲁隽赶紧将右手手指按在自己的嘴上轻轻地“嘘”了一声，然后将手指了指坐在角落里正在看报纸的阅览室管理老师。孙荣然硬生生将那声大喊咽了回去。

    孙荣然赶紧拿起书本和鲁隽一起走出了阅览室。一出阅览室，孙荣然便耐不住地问鲁隽：“鲁隽，你回学校来了？日语培训好了？以后不用再去上日语课了？”

    孙荣然一口气问了好多问题。

    鲁隽有点忍俊不禁：“你这人咋这么多问题的，我一到学校见教室里没你，问男同学知道你也不在寝室里的，操场上也没你，想想你一定在阅览室了，才赶紧到那来找你的。”

    孙荣然不好意思地说道：“对不起，鲁隽，好久没见到你了，你的突然出现怎能不让我惊喜的。你还回去吗？”

    此时鲁隽停下了脚步，低着头一声不响，两个人都沉默了，孙荣然意识到估计不是他想的那个答案了，但他不愿自己说出来。

    过了良久，鲁隽抬头看着孙荣然，说道：“荣然，我语言关算是过了，但我还是需要继续去上强化班的，所以这个学期我已经在学校办了退学手续了，估计明年一出年我就要去日本了。今天我是来和你说一声再见的，顺便把我的还有一些东西也带回去。”

    孙荣然知道分别的日子早晚会来到的，却没想到会来得这么快的。他心中又不禁掠过一丝心伤。但他却只能笑着对鲁隽说道：“鲁隽，好事啊，真的该好好恭喜你的了，呆会我请你一起去食堂吃最后的一顿午饭，好吗？”

    鲁隽点点头道：“好的，我也的确没有饭菜票了，自然要你请我吃的了。我这次来给你带了两本我爸爸的书，一本是中华五千年文明中的未解之谜，一本是唐宋词中的朦胧诗解。你好好看看，送给你了。以后我怕是不能再给你一些书了。”边说着话，鲁隽从她的包里拿出两本厚厚的书递给孙荣然。

    孙荣然喜出望外地接过书本说道：“鲁隽，你又送书给我，我真不知道该怎么谢谢你的了！”

    孙荣然和鲁隽两个人便一起去食堂吃饭了，孙荣然给鲁隽买了她最喜欢吃的霉干菜扣肉和红烧鲫鱼，两个人一起边吃边聊。

    孙荣然对鲁隽说道：“鲁隽，你一个人去日本那么远真有点担心你的。”

    鲁隽微笑着说道：“嗯，没事的，我姐姐鲁蔚在那边，她会照顾我的。只是估计在那读书我也不能像国内一样衣食无忧的，我爸爸已经交待我了必须在那勤工俭学养活自己的。”

    “你这么一说，我倒更担心你的了，你一个女孩子怎么去参加那些累活脏活的，就怕你到时吃不消的。”孙荣然不无担心。

    鲁隽却依然轻松地带着微笑说道：“荣然，其实你不也是一直在勤工俭学的，你不要以为我不知道，我知道你干的农活可是很累累的，你不也过来了吗？”

    孙荣然回道：“我和你不一样，我是男的，你是女的啊！”

    “你看你又开始激动了，你就这毛病，总是这么轻易露出声色的，一激动就喉咙响起来。”鲁隽有点嗔怪。

    孙荣然赶紧赔不是：“对不起，鲁隽，我也是关心你，担心你！你别介意啊。”

    鲁隽见孙荣然有点急了，便柔声说道：“好了，荣然，我根本没介意的，我知道你关心我，其实我更担心你，你总是容易激动，眼中揉不得沙子的，说的好听点是爱憎分明，说的不好好听点你总是喜怒于形的，容易得罪人的，我就担心你和别人搞不好关系的。”

    孙荣然被她这么一说，感觉也的确是让她说中了自己的不足处了，他有点挂不住的沉默了。

    鲁隽知道孙荣然有点挂不住，便赶紧安抚道：“好了，荣然，我知道你人真的很好，我没有怪你的意思，我是希望你能听我和你所说的，别那样，既然改变不了世界，那就去适应世界的。好吗？”

    孙荣然知道鲁隽是希望他能好好地过日子的，知道鲁隽其实也是好意的，自然也没生气的，缓了口气说道：“好了，鲁隽，我懂你所说的话的，我也知道我的确存在着这个缺点的，主要还是自己总爱义愤填膺，爱打抱不平，以后我一定会注意的。好好吃饭吧。”

    这顿午饭吃得时间很长，但天下没有不散的宴席的，鲁隽终究还是要和孙荣然分手的了。孙荣然把她送到了车站，一直陪着她等到汽车过来。

    临上车时，鲁隽对孙荣然说道：“荣然，临走了我送你两句话：好相处的随随便便点，难相处的客客气气点。千万要记住！”

    孙荣然点点头响亮地说道：“我记住了！阿隽。”

    鲁隽听孙荣然这么叫她，羞着脸赶紧上了车从车窗向孙荣然挥挥手：“你回去吧，我会给你写信过来的。”

    随着汽车一阵青烟，汽车绝尘而去了，留着孙荣然孤单地站在那车站上，天似乎不再那么冷了，孙荣然甚至感到有点热。

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