IDLE SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 410, 20 January 1909, Page 7

IDLE SHIPS.

REGULATING OF SUPPLY TO DEMAND , ANNUAL HAYING-UP. A PJIOPOSITION BY SHIPOWNERS. (dt TKLaanAi'ii—rues? association—copyr-ion , !.) <Rec, January 10, 1116 pin ) London, January 10 In connection with tho offort (cabled on January 15) by Jsorth-oast Coast to regulate tho supply of tonnage to the dc» mnnd—liecavise-of the. quantity of idle shipowners liavo drafted a tentative scheme to lay up airtqnnago annually for tivo consecutive periods of a month each, because Lloyda and the insurance clubs calculate rebates only after a ship hae boen out pf commission for a month. Tho scheme has been well received at Cardiff, Liverpool, and other places, though it has not evoked much enthusiasm on, tho Clyde.

, ~ A HUGMDLE CAPITAL : . At this season of the year (writes an English paper of December 10), when the Baltic and other northern seas are,.usually .closed by ico, it is no uncommon thing to find, a: larse number: of British ships '.'{aid up," But, this year the condition, pf affairs: is .unprecedented » the: experience, pf ship-owners. ■_ ■■:.■',. ■■■.. ■.. Inthe British Channel, the-Olyde, iheiMereey, tlia |Tyn?t apd the Thameg'there is an ejitvaordlnary demand for mooring aoeominodfc' tloii for ebips withno worfcto do, The Ty.ne, fov instance, ie Jitero-Uy ■ congested with idle ships. A return shows that there are no fewer than • ninety-three vessels, with a total .regietered. tpnnngq of 180,000, Mi, up in this.river alone. :• • ■...• . ,:' • ■■, . ' ' ■ ' According to ope estimate there are at the present time in' Home'and foreign ports between gOO andSOO Idle British ehips! totalling between 400,000 and 000,000 tons. At a rough estimate the value of.such'a fleet h 'between 42.00Q.Q00 and and tWa j Inige- aggregatipn of owHal a not onfy, producing no. thing, but is costing wney fpr, npHe?p. In addition, the' inactivity, of bo many, vessels means ,lapfe ,of emploympnt for spraetnouganti? <)( seanien and firemen. ,•.,. , r : T " Sir Walter-Elinolinan (liead of the Moor Line of cargo steomphips, and ■ father of. the'Preai. duntot the Board of Education) recently stated that nearly two:million,tous of wore idle, and dividends hftd dropped nearly 30 millions. ,Another tuner■:said;that s.hip. owners -were short pf ,a living freight .by 234 millions. , , . ■.-. .. \ ' ■••