The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1915. THE MERCANTILE MARINE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 8, 11 January 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1915. THE MERCANTILE MARINE.

That famous register of “ships that go. down to the seas”—‘‘Lloyds’ Register of Shipping,” shows the progress of the maritime world during 1913-14 to the end of June. The total number of vessels afloat was then 10,621 merchantment, registering close upon 24,000,000 tons. Of these 9636 were steamers built of iron and steel, that 871 were sailing vessels of the same materials, and that the wooden and composite vessels, steam and sail, numbered 114. The steam tonnage, of course, composed the great bulk of the total, these vessels aggregating twenty-two and a half million tons. Only 49 new sailing ships were built during the twelve months under review as against 664 steamers. There are 6270 vessels flying the red ensign of the British mercantile marine, with a total tonnage of 13,782,899, while all the other ship-owning countries can muster not more than 4351 ships between them all, a fleet registering 10,087,766 tons, nr about three and three-quarter million tons less than Britain’s fleet. In the matter of construction during the year about sixty per cent, of the new ships were built for the British Empire (United Kingdom, 1,164,519 tons and the colonies 39,592 tons), leaving the various other countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and America to divide the remaining forty per cent, between them. In referring to the refrigerator trade the fact is noted that it bad been computed that during the year ended June 30th last seven and a quarter million carcases of frozen mutton were imported into the United Kingdom, besides other refrigerated produce. The world’s frozen meat carriers now number 176, and in addition there were when the report was compiled thirty-two steamers, mostly very large vessels, being fitted with refrigerating machinery. The marked increase in the use of steam turbines and oil-engines for maritime propulsion is dealt with, and this is borne out by the great increase in the number of vessels constructed to carry oil in bulk. The outlook for Britain’s ship-building trade may be considered a good one, because so many merchant ships have been destroyed by the belligerents since the outbreak of war.