AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1925, Page 2

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] FORD’S BICi BARGAIN. WASHINGTON. August 5. In selling the two hundred merchant marine vessels to Mr Henry Ford, for the sum of 1.70G.000 dollars, on Tuesday hist. August 4th. the United States lost some millions of dollars.

Ihe ships were built in war time at a cost of between seven hundred and eight hundred thousand each. These vessels were sold to Mr Ford for BG3O dollars each.

Mr Ford will scrap most of the ships shortly. He lias the permission of the Shipping Board to retain and fit out with Diesel equipment fifty of the vessels for the trans-A tlan tie and the South American trade, hut it is understood that he will retain only one or two.

Ihe disposal of these vessels to Mr Ford leaves 321 merchant vessels still on the market, for which the U.S. Shipping Board will soon ask for bids clearing up these surplus vessels, which are now clogging the harbours and lagoons of the Atlantic.

INTERVIEW BV RADIO. NEW YORK. Aug. G. A message from Arlington Heights. Illinois, says the first Arctic radio interview ever attempted siietessfully, was completed on Thursday by the Associated Press when Lieut. Commander E. F. McDonald. .Jttnr.. with the Macmillan Arctic Expedition, answered five questions. The first question was sent and answered within a few minutes. The MacMillan ships arc anchored at Etah, 3700 miles distant.