HARBOURS AND SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 9

HARBOURS AND SHIPS

HIGHER SPEED & INCREASED DiiAiJiiHT The Dominions Royal Commission has published its twonty-fourth blue-btfok, which consists of memoranda and tables "as to the chief harbours of tho British Empire and certain foreign nountrius, and us.to the Suez and Panama Canals." Tho iufprjnation contained in this publication was Iho basis of ihe ('/inclusions of tho commission upon the subject of harbour development, as stated in their final report nearly n your ago. The commissioners laid stress upon tho importance of cheap, regular and efficient transport by sea, and consequently upon the progressive development of the Empire's shipping facilities.

Tlie commissioners insist that the development of cheap, regular, and oflicient transport, and of quick transport, depends on increase in tho size and draught of ocean-going vessels, arid the uge of these vessels demands the .existence of harbours and waterways -having adequate capacity and depth. The improvement of isolated harbours, or the existence of certain naturally good harbours, is of little avail unless all the harbours on. a given route'aro brought approximately to the- same standard. Those points were mentioned a weeks ajjo by Lord D'Abernon, the chairman of the Dominions Royal Commission., in an address to the London Chamber of Commerce. ' Lord D'Abernon prbolaimed himself a convinced advocate of the large ship mi grounds of economy in cost of transport and increased speed obtainable Aship drawihi!- 40 feet, ho claimed, had nearly double tho carrying capacity of a ship drawing 30 feet, and a. comparatively small increase in engine power would give the same speed to / the larger ship. ;, A tiro-feet increase in the draught of. the steamer Deutsohland, formerly one of. the Crack German liners, would have'increased the-cargo--1 carrying capacity by about 1800 tons, arid would not have affected tho speed of. the vessel greatly. But the draught of the ship, was dictated by the depth of the.harbours that had to bo used.

If the doctrine of the big "ship is tn bo adopted, the harbours of the Empire must lie improved. Lord D'Abernoiv estimated that a total expenditure of £4,100,000 would provido accdmniodation for vessels of 38 feet draught in practically all the most important harbours, of the Empire. His estimate, which was .based on pre-war prices, was as. follows:—United Kingdom, £1,000,000; South Africa, £1,500,000; Australia, £i; 000,000; New Zealand, £600,000. The Canadian coastal harbours havo already the required depth.' Lord D'A"bernon added that it would bo nqcessary in .addition to spend £2,000,000" on, the .improvement of cliirks to meet; the requirements: of tbe bister steamers'.. The expenditure of between £6,000;000 and £7,000,000 nn -these purposes would give the Empire an im-.mediate-return in, the; form,of eheappr and faster transport.