MERCHANT FLEETS

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18234, 19 November 1924, Page 13

MERCHANT FLEETS

DECREASED TONNAGE. OUTPUT OF NEW SHIPS STOPS. Lloyd's new Register Book, which ■was published recently, maken tho revelatioa that ia the past year the amount of merchant shipping afloat has declined—steamers and motor ships by 821,233 tons, and sailing vessels by 321,438 tons, giving a total decrcaso of 1,142,671 tons, in spite of all the new ships built during that period. This is a welcomo movement, declares Archibald Kurd in tho "Daily Telegraph," becau3o thero has for a long timo been far more carrying capacity available than tho international trade of tho world can employ, and tho result has been unsettled freight markets, which are unsatisfactory to everyone. The feverish output of now ships abroad has been arrested, and old and less cflieient tonnago is now being discarded, although tho rato at which the latter movement is progressing is still slow. Beforo tho war from 1.0 per com. to 1.54 -per cent, of tonnago in existonco was condomned or lost annually, while last year the proportion was only 0.82 per cent. The continued progress of the Germans and Japanese is significant. In tho past year tho former country, iu faco of many difficulties, added no less than 363,598 tons to hor merchant fleet, while in the case of Japan t}*o expansion was as much as 238,560 tons, at u timo when freights ruled so low that British and American ships, as well as tho vessels under a good many other flags, wero boing oporated at a loss.

Strength in Sea-Going Ships. The appended statement of sea-going steamers and motor ships, constructed of iron or stool, afloat to-day, reveals tho activity which most countrios had exhibited in tho past ten years, in adding to their carrying capacity in faco of tho shortago of cargoes and the fall ia freights:

Balance of Shipping Power.

The balance of shipping power has undergone a remarkable change since Juno, 1914, as those figures Nshow. Lloyd's Register supplies the following* commentary) "The sea-going 4 tonnage of tho United States has'increased by nearly ten million tons. Tho other countries in which the largest increases are recorded are: Japan, 2,013,000 tons; Franco, 1,275,000 tons; Italy, 1,248,000 tons; and Holland, 1,062,000 tons. Taken together the Scandinavian countries—Norway, Sweden and Denmark — show an increase as compared . with 1914 of 763,000 tons. In 1914 tho United Kingdom owned nearly 44f-per cent, of the world's sea-going steel and iron steam tonnage; the present percentage is just under 33. The United States occupies now second place with 11,823,000 tons—equal to 20.5 per cent. The other leading countries are: Japan, 3,655,000 tons; France, 3,193,000 tons; Germany, 2,856,000 tons; Italy, 2,676,000 tons; Holland, 2,533,000 tons; and Norway, 2,326,000 tons.' Notwithstanding recent increases in the tonnage owned in Germany, the table shows the change which has taken place in the maritime position of that country, where the tonnage now owned is some 2,242,000 tons less than in 1914." Germany is, nevertheless, destined at no very distant period to oust the United States from the position ol second place in effective carrying capacity. For the possession of a large volume of tonnage is not the only test of sea-power, as tho Americans are learning.. The Germans have at their disposal an ample supply of seamen, paid at a very low rate, whereas the Americans do not tako willingly to tho sea, except at times of severe industrial depression, and American sailors erpect high wages and conditions of living which comparo very favourably with those in most German ships. Tho German yards are still busy in turning out new vessels —mostly motor-ships—while in tho United States very little now work isin hand. Last year Germany launched 117 ships of 358,273 tons, but in all the American yards only sixty-nine seagoing vessels of 96,491 tons were sent afloat, apart from tho establishments on the Great Lakes, which are not, of course, concerned with the ocean trades.

Increased Size of Ships. The tendency is for ships devoted to the convevance of goods as distinct from ships devoted to passengers to become larger. It ia revealed that a considerable increase has taken placo in recent years in the number of sca-gomg steamers, and motor-ships of 4000 tons each and above. In 1914 there were 3608 such vessels, and now the number reaches 5916 ,of which 338 are of 10,000 tons each and upwards, including thirty-three of 20,000 tons each and upwards. Of the 338 vessels 198 are under the British flag. Apart from the fact that about thrco out of every five of thcße big vessels are under the British flag, it is consolatory to learn that in matter of age the British mercantile marine, in spite of the unprecedented activity of foreign shipyards during the past four or five years, still holds its own. There are 5059 vessels less than fivo years old, and their tonnage represents just under 27 per cent, of the total tonnage in existence. Vessels of 25 years and over amount to 6848, but their tonnage is only 12.6 per cent, of the total. Of the vessels built prior to 1900, 645 P« cont. are of less than 1000 tons each, and the average size of tho others w 2602 tons, while of 'the vessels built during the last five years lees than te per cent, are of less than 1000 tons each, and the avcrago of the others reaches 4679 tons. _ Of the tonnage owned m Great Britain and Ireland 26.1 per cent, is less than fivo years old. The merchant navies which have the largest proportion of new tonnage (less than five Tears old) are as follows: Germany 52 per cent., Holland 36.8 per cent., Denmark 33.7 per cent:, Franco 02.25 per cent., Canada 30.5 per cent., parted States (Sea) 30.4 per cent., and Norway 30.3 per cent.

Coal Versus Oil More than two-thirds of the ships now at sea are shown to rely on oil instead of coal—a matter of some importance to the miners, most or. whom can remember the time when every vessel under every flag burnt coal, unless it relied on sail power, and, if it was obtainable, British coal. One of our most important trades, the supply.

of bunkers is being seriously restricted; it is not only that less coal is being sold for shipping, but that we have no oil of our own to take its place winch can compete with the oil to bo obtained elsewhere. Consequently, fewer ships under foreign flags will visit our ports in future, and labour of various descriptions will suffer. The evolution from coal to oil at sea, en many railways and in factories, which is now taking place is certain to have very far-reaching effects on this country's economic position, for our coal measures constituted our fortune as a nation when the industrial era dawned at the end of the eighteenth century. When Free Trade was adopted we obtained food cheaply because so many ships carried coal cargoes outwards and came back with grain, and thus the incidence of sea carriage on "the breakfast table" was kept down. The influence of the oil-engine, whether used ashore or afloat, is a subject that will demand very careful consideration in the near future. One fact which emerges from a study of Lloyd's Eegistc'r Book, a publication without its rival in this or any other country, is, however, that the British mercantile marine is still supreme. It is as large aud as efficient as it was beforo the war, even if its relative strength is not as great as it was. All concerned ■with the shipping industry are justified in regarding the future hopefully, since this country has escaped from committing the manifold follies which sojr.e 'of its rivals have committed, with the result that they are resorting to acts of flag discrimination, subsidies, and other follies which have' to be paid for by the communities concerned in taxation.

Sea-Going Steamers and Motor-Ships. Difference between Countitr. June, 1921. 1&U&19M. Tons gross Tons gross. Great Britain „ ia,917,COO -10,000 Dominion* ., 2,213,000 806,000 tfnited States „ 11,823,000 9,986,000 Austria-Hungary • Nil — Belgium 655,000 214,000 Denmark ., 974,000 206,000 France .i 8,193,000 1,275,000 Germany , t 2,856,000 •2,2-12,000 Greece 751,000 •69,000 Holland .. 2,533,000 1,C<52,000 Italy .. 2,676,000 1,248,000 Japan .. 3,655,000 2,013,000 Norway ,. 2,326,000 403,000 Spain ,. 1,168,000 280,000 Sweden ,, 1,140,000 154,000 Other countries '„ 2,719,000 692,000 Total abroad „ 38,613,000 14,976,000 ■World's total 67,630,000 15,016,000 • Decreases.