U.S “DRY” SHIPS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1920, Page 3

U.S “DRY” SHIPS.

HANDICAPPED IN WORLD’S COM I’EITION.

I N-BW YORK, December 29. i The Shipping Board announces (hat its prediction that the shipyards of thi.s country in the current year would, deliver 0,030,000 tons dead-weight has already been more than realised. Ihe djeli verier, up to December 20 numbered 1,130 vessels of the aggregate tonnage of 0,090,000.

i The .Shipping Board is now emit routed with the complex problem ol how to employ ships. It- will have in year 1920, 00 passenger ships which it bad intended to put into service on all the principal routes of the world, but its officials are now 1 rankly ventilating misgivings regarding the elleet of prohibition on their ability to compete with other nations. The Board’s decision fo suppress all homage to Bacchus on board Govern-ment-owned ships is. however, irrevocable. and it is therefore considering whether the sale of the vessels to private owners, free to do as they wish outside the throe miles limit, will not in these, circumstances be unavoidable It is accordingly announced to-day that the Board is contemplating sell-

ing as the first step in this inevitable process all the former German passenger ships, with the stipulation they shall he run under the American (lag. These ships, numbering 103, have an aggregate of 250,000 tons. Six of the former German liners have been allocated by the Shipping Board to the development of the service between the United States and South America, and it is indicated that the sale of these vessels will Ibe contingent upon the willingness of private owners to continue this service.