FAULTY WOODEN SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 80, 30 December 1918, Page 5

FAULTY WOODEN SHIPS

AN AMERICAN INVESTIGATION; Numerous mishaps befalling: thei woj ehips entering the service of the Unit; States Shipping Board: is likely to rest in an investigation which will extei along the entire Pacific, .coast, says fc Seattle. "Post Intelligencer," of Novemb '"Already John H. Rosseter," genei manager of operations for-the Unit] States Shipping Board, hns begun' an i vestigation of the loss of the steamshr Blackford and Coos. Bay,' which, we wrecked oft tho Mexican coast, and, is understood that an inquiry will al 1» made into tho several accidents wnij have befallen other wood vessels. i "Numerous arguments are advanced; to the cause-' of these accidents, whw have so for been unaccompanied bv 10 of life, and in most instances with b slight damage to the ships. ■ It issa that the dfelays experienced are tho mq objectionable feature in tho delays mat necessary by the necessity of ttahmf mo, or less extensive repair?. -.Hasty «* Btruction is another, cause said to be sponsible. , , J "Yesterday it became known that tl steamship Forstcr, en route to Honolul from this port, was in a disabled cond tion at sea about half-way to the H waiian group. The message anuouncH the mishap neglected to state whether t| shin was returning here or was procee 'in.' It reported that the vessels ruddj was broken, and that slip was being nav Rated by the use of a jury .rig. ~ "While several of the Ferns type snip of which thn Forster is one, have expei encpd trouble at sea, tho general coi! plaint has been rudder trouble. j "Some experts on eninmuWintf clai; that the rudders, as specified in the bull; in" plans, are too large and a confer™ may result in a decision to alter the plai in this respect. In the case of the stean shin Dnca, which returned to port hcj a few days ago, after rmttini; to se she was renorted as leakin? bndly fo ward, but'it is also asserted f( did not properly answer her helm undj cpvbin weather conditions ' j "\t any rate, an investigation may dj velop rhe faults nnd brir? about neco ■iary chanTP ,, . Compared to the lar< number ff these fhins rwentlr commi sionod, those nicotic with mishaps ai comparatively . few." ]