NEW AMERICAN FLEET.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 268, 20 April 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW AMERICAN FLEET.

NORWAY MAKES A BID. The shipbuilding yards in neutral countries, particularly America, are being .•ashed with orders for ships that will eventually be employed in the trade between Australia, New Zealand, and America. Since the war started there have been many strangers in port, (says the Sydney Sun) but in most cases they have been merey ships that had been chartered as a speculation, and after one trip scm-'i tried another avenue of business. One company, however, which controls the Luchenbach Liue, saw what tha prospects of 'he enterprise were, and before the first of its ships returned t.i America another was on its way to thesa shores. Within two months of the first boat's arrival the company announced that there would be a definite time-tablo for the Australian-bound vessels, and that time-table has since been established. Tine? big cargo-carriers wera then put en the service, and they hava already earned much money for their owners.

It was not long before it became apparent that those steamers could not cope with th? requirement* of the trade, and as the Australasian service was the mo>t profitable of all, something had to be done ia th? way of increasing tho fleet. Chartering at the ruling figures wa.s out of the question, and the conipai.v decided immediately to place ord(rs for a new fleet, which is to comprise at iea~t 11 vessels, with tonnage rai ?ing from 8500 to 15.000. These aro to be used exclusively i-i the Australian trade. lTie first of the vessels will bo known as the Julia Luekcnhach, and then the order of the launchiugs is to l,o: K. I. I.uckenbach. M. E. I.uckeniicch. and Walter A. Tuckcnbach. Names have aot yet been announced fr." the other seven. The four vessels named are to he in the water by February of rext year, a-.d the rest of them is to be ready by the end ef 1918. Obviously, tho-p fhips of the Luckcnbach Line which are to he of 15,000 ton* will offer keen competition to the ships of the Jlriti-h mercantile marine, when, the war is over.

| In N'orwav there are also maiiuv eye* turned towards Australia. Shipowners I theTc are anxious to get an opening into our trade, which, like that with America, is as good as anything offered '•' ether countries. Advices from Norway by recent mails were to the effect that 'a ! piv Hue of steamers owned bv Nor--1 vceians was about to enter into com- | iietitim with ships already coming to Australia. Six vessels are almost readv ! for commission, and each of them will I make two trips a year between Norway and Australian norta.