The subject matter of this dispute was whether the Defendant had breached a charter party when it failed to supply the ship on the date specified. The reason the Defendant could not supply the ship is that it had been detained by Canadian Coast Guard. The Plaintiff argued that the arbitration clause was inoperative because, at the time it was entered into, the parties did not contemplate that the dispute would relate to Canadian Coast Guard. The Court disagreed and referred the matter to arbitration in London.