CONCRETE SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 2

CONCRETE SHIPS.

VESSEL OF THE FUTURE. Advices from the United States are to the effect that the Government of that great republic has ordered a concrete steamship to be made with 7500 tons dead weight capacity. The patents of the San Francisco Shipbuilding Company have been taken over by the United States Shipping Board as the basis for plans of a number of concrete ships which it is proposed to build The Redwood City yards are to build four of the freighters if the first one proves satisfaetory It is stated that perfectly good steamships can now be constructed of reinforced concrete at a rate hitherto unheard of in the steel construction industry. Should this prove to be the case in actual practice, then the concrete snip will be the vessel of the future. The "Coast Seamen's Journal," in ai» article re concrete ships, has the following: "One of the claims made for the concrete ship is that, barring accidents or gross negligence in its handling, it will, with reasonable care and upkeep, last practically for ever.' The article also refers to the fact that it is little more than 40 yearß since steel ships began crowding out the wooden vessels, and now the concrete ship threatens to replace the. former. The article adds: "It goes without saying that when the quicker-built and more durable concrete ship comes in, the steel ship goes out."