Ships and the Sea

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 132, 30 November 1929, Page 32

Ships and the Sea

Demand for Tankers.

Thero is one class of ship which lias dono well this ycav, and ono only, says tho "Shipping World." That is the oil tanker. An over-production of crude oil in the United States, with resultant low prices, has made it easy for the world to supply its ever growing demand for oil and oil products, especially motor spirit. The imports into this.country have been very heavy and all the consuming countries of Europe, indeed, have boon largo importers. 111 consequence, there has been abundant employment for oil tanker tonnage and freight rates have risen to- attractive figures. The slump in these freights which followed what appeared to be tho over-building of 1927, has this year ljeen converted almost into a boom. Tankers have made and are still making money. Hence the revival in building this class of tonnage, which at present is so important to the shipbuilding trade. Norway has led the way. Three-fourths of the numerous tankers now building in North East Coast yards are for Norwegian owners and, as wo write, there is a report of additional multiple orders being placed on the Tyno on Norwegian account. Wo anticipate that Lloyd's Register Eeturns for tho September quarter will show further expansion in tho tanker tonnage under construction largely as a result of these Norwegian orders. 3S Tor does it appear that tho demand is yet satisfied

Atlantic Liner Developments,

In his paper on "Atlantic Ships," read at the oponing meeting of the session of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, Sir John H. Biles gave a large amount of historical material dealing with the design and construction of early "cu-ey-houndV' (states the "Syren and Shipping"), and discussed the stops which were taken in Great Britain to produce faster and still faster vessels ™7V° 6 aavenfc of the Lusitania and the Mauretania. Coming to the years immediately after tho war Sir John said watertube boilers -were not specified for British Atlantic ships until « r i^ an Pacific Eailway Company ordered them in 1926 for their litest large passenger vessels. To improve on the thermal and propulsive effiS of. «! c Mauretania type of maenmery, boiler pressures had to be increased and the geared turbine adopted. boileis that any great increase of pressure could be obtained and the latest German-built Atlantic liner™«Bf men~haa watertube boilers and geared-turbines.-; At present the Atlantic problem seemed to be much the same as it was when the Mauretania

was projected. It was that of designing a ship which would attain tho highest possible speed, maintain her reliability for many years, and carry a sufficient number of passengers willing S* 7 * he fares necessary to make a profit for the owners. The question whether such a vessel would pay could only : be considered after the dimensions, horse-power, and type of machinery had all been determined: this involved the question whether it was more profitable to carry a large number of passengers at low fares or a small number at high fares. It was obvious that this depended largely on the number of ships of the same class that were in service, and on the means of the people who travelled. A ship 1000 feet long and 110 feet in beam, if built for' Atlantic conditions, with geared turbines and watertube boilers of 5001b pressure, would probably attain a speed of 33 knots fully loaded. Whether she would pay only •fhe owners could determine, but the fastest new vessel would always take the most profitable- part of the passenger trade available. A Remarkable Feat Recalled. The presence recently of tho Head liners Dunaff Head and Melmoro Head, of Belfast, side by side in the Alexandra Basin, Dublin, recalls a celebrated towing exploit in which these two vessels were engaged, states the '' Syren and Shipping." Some time ago the Melmore Head broko down a hundred and .fifty miles from Norfolk, Virginia, but succeeded in making Chesapeake Bay. There, however, satisfactory repairs could not be effected, and it was decided to wireless the DuuafE Head, her sister-ship, which had just left New Orleans with a full cargo of cotton. The Dunaffi Head proceeded to Chesapeake Bay and prepared to attempt the almost impossible task of towing the fully loaded Melmore Head to Belfast. The story of the tow was recounted by the chief engineer and Captain A. J. Twohig, assistant harbourmaster of the Port of Dublin, the latter of whom was at that time chief officer of the Dunaff Head. With a 7Jin steel cable a third of a mile in length between them, the two steamers left Chesapeake Bay. Very heavy weather was encountered, and the Melmore Head plunged at the end of her tow rope, each vessel frequently disappearing from the sight of the other in the troughs of the hu<*e seas which were running. Often it appeared that tho Melmoro Head must bo cast aSrift and left until the weather moderated, but the officers stuck to it grimly. Off the coast of Ireland fog descended ana nolight nor land was scon

until the fog lifted to show tho South Uock, County Down. All navigation up tho Channel hud to be done by sounding. At length tho two vessels arrived in Belfast Lough, having taken nineteen days to cover almost 4000 miles, at an average speed of 81 knots Only tho most skilful seamanship and dogged perseverance could have accomplished such a feat. When tho cable was examined it was found to be dangerously chafed for a distance of 50 fathoms through dragging on the bottom in,' the shoal water off the Virginia _Capes. The officers and crewwere given a month's pay in lieu of salvage. . . .

Dangerous Fumigation Metnods,

Reference to the safety or otherwise of _ methods of the fumigation of vessels prior to their entering foreign ports was made by Dr. Barker, Medical Officer of Health to the Tyne Port Sanitary Authority, at a meeting of that body at ■Newcastle recently (reports the "Syren and Shipping"). The question arose during the reading of Dr. Harker's report, when alluding to the result of the International Sanitary Convention of Paris (1926), where it had been agreed that all vessels should be thoroughly fumigated as a precautionary measure before entering port. Two methods were in use, he stated, the old one of fumigation by means of sulphur dioxide and the introduction of fumigation by cyanide. Although the former was slower, said Dr. Harker, ana sometimes injurious to tho drapings and furnishing of a vessel, it was safer in the human interest. Cyanide was more effective, but apt to linger about the boat in "pockets," which, if encountered by human beings, might tirovp fatal. He added that'he was a^pre! hensive of this method, though he, had not actually known of a fatality as tho result of it.

What Sailors Bead,

The crews who man British ships today have many more opportunities of Sii, T The passenger vessels a^ bett el -class cargo carriers usually have small libraries for the use of the eiew ana there are several societies through which suitable reading matter can be obtained. The library on the Walme? Castle contains about 40 books, which are auctioned as they become soUed At these auctions it is possible to get three or four novels for a couple of shillings About &2 worth of books are purcnased each voyage. Out of the funas a sum is set aside for plaviug cards, football an a cricket club and whist drives. When tho vessel was visiting Cape Town recently a sailor remarked that no highbrow stuff was

wanted in tho library. The men preferred a detective story or a good murder. Edgar Wallace camo first among authors, but was run close \>j Phillips Oppenheim. Other favourite authors were E. P. W. Eees, W. Townsend, and fane Grey. ,Tho Walmer Castle carries 14 deck boys, and for their edification the British Sailors' Society has placed on board about 24 books, which are in charge of the carpenter's mate Ihe latter stated that all the books with the exception of a Bible, an encyclopaedia, and. a Daily Mail year Book, were renewed each voyage J.ne list of authors contained such wellknown names as Thackeray, Merriman Oxenham, Bronte, Wegman, and Locke Asked if the books were much appreciated, the carpenter's matp replied that they.were fairly well receivedf but the boys wanted something with a kick m it; they liked detective stories and tales of adventure, but not books that helped m their education. The-Daily Mail Year Book was minus both covers and very much thumbed, but the Bible had not been asked for by any of the boys. The firemen on the Walmer Castle have no access to the lib?nJ7' , * the stewards possess about 100 volumes, which are provided by tho company. The Seafarers' Education Service, an organisation which started operations in a small way nine years ago, has accomplished splendid work among seamen in providing them with suitable literature. Twelve months ago at owned some 40,000 volumes, which are circulated in 290 vessels belonging to 33 different companies, while to-day, according to ah official who: addressed a meeting held with W 6,, 165, ently in connection with the Woria Conference on Adult Education, the stock of books was 50,000 and the vessels in which they are placed employed 16,000 men, twothirds of whom are regular clients of the librarians. Tho service has received valuable aid and encouragement from shipowners, the seamen's organisations, from public libraries and from the Carnegie Trustees, and it hopes an due course to equip with a stock of books available to the crew Ee7 E n°sS:" goillg V6SSeI flyin& the