NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 125, 19 February 1921, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

The greatly increased' price of coal ns compared with pre-war days is in many ways affecting industrial development, and nowhere more notably than in the domain, of sea-transport. The comprehensive statistics presented in Lloyd’s Annual Report disclose, for instance, a remarkably rapid increase of late in the proportion of oil-burning steamers in comparison with those which continue to depend on coal as fuel. The increase, indeed, suggests' that it may not be very long before the use of oil ’or the propulsion of ships becomes universal. The new ships classed during the year 1919-20 which were fitted for burning oil fuel, the official publication states, numbered 426 vessels of 1,995,788 tons, as against. 211 vessels of 1,193,650 tons classed during the previous twelve months. Jn addition, a. very largo number of steamers which had previously burned coal have also come under survey with a view to being converted to burn, oil fuel. The aggregate rate at which change is proceeding on these lines is indicated in the following table;—

WORLD STEAM TONNAGE OF 100 TONS AND UPWARDS CLASSIFIED BY FUEL CONSUMPTION.

1919-20. 1918-19. Per cent. Per cent. Coal 76 82 Oil fuel 16.3 10.5 Oil (internal combustion engines) ... 1.7 1.5 The growing preference here indicated for oil as fuel in marine propulsion is the more noteworthy in view of the present: increasing scarcity and high price of petroleum and the improbability of these conditions being improved appreciably for some years to come. No doubt it is a. material factor that the adoption of oil-fuel, apart from its immediate advantages, does away with ihe stokehold labour problems which so often occasion Double on coal-burning ships.

Motor bandits, who are reported in this morning’s cables to have made a haul estimated at one million-dollars in value, appear to be almost as common in America these days as pickpockets. It is in crimes of violence, however, that the United States holds a position of special pre-eminence. A compiler of criminal statistics has produced some startling figures comparing crime records in America with those of Europe. For instance, New York City in. 1916, with a population of less than 6,000,000, had six times the number of homicides that London had, with its population of more than 7,000,000; while in 1917 the homicides of New York exceeded by 56 the total homicides of England and Wales, with a population of 38,000,000. In 1918 the position was even worse from the point of view of the New Yorkers. Other big American cities appear to have equally, if not still more, unenviable crime records. Chicago, with a population one-third of that of London, in 1916 had 105 murders, or 12 times London’s total. In the three years 1916-1918, Glasgow had 38 homicides; Philadelphia, which is only a trifle larger, hail 281. Liverpool and St. Louis arc approximately the same size, bi.t St. Louis in 1915 hail eleven times the number of homicides that Liverpool had, and in 1916 it had eight times as many. Burglary statistics are equally striking, and one of the consequences is that the householder in Britain can insure against the visits of burglars a good deal cheaper than can

the American citizen. Robberies with violence appear to be a speciality in some parts of the United States. New York City, for example, in 1915 recorded 838 robberies and assaults witli intent to rob, where London had only 20, and the whole of England, Wales, and Scotland together only 102. A great many more figures of a similar nature could be quoted, but sufficient have been given to indicate that there is good, ground for the agitation that is being carried on in the United States just now in connection with the wave of crime that is sweeping over the county’• However bad the past may have been it is completely eclipsed by the crime records of the. past few months.

Though the nautical inquiry into the Mss o' the schooner Omaka 'threw little new light on the tragic happening, one fact was clearly demonstrated. That is that it is necessary that there should always bo signalling apparatus available at the- Heads to attract the attention of passing vessels. The evidence does not suggest that in the case of the Omaka the steamers that passed by the scene of the wreck shortly after the vessel overturned could have rendered any immediate help- The heavy sea running up the harbour entrance at the time would have prevented the steamers turning about until well down the harbour; but even had the conditions been more favourable the absence of signalling apparatus would havei left the masters of the vessels in ignorance of the tragedy occurring in close proximity to them. The Nautical Court has made recommendations on the subject, and no doubt they will be given effect to. .

Australia is looking forward to the completion of the Imperial- trans-oceanic wireless scheme, under which ‘here is provision for a high-powered station in the Commonwealth. This scheme is the result of a report by the Imperial Wireless Committee, and involves the erection of high-powered stations in England, Cairo, India, Singapore, and Australia. These stations, which will include the results of the latest developments iu radiotelegraphy, are being designed by a special wireless commission, and will be erected by the officers of the .British and Dominions Dost Offices. The stations in England and Egypt are already in course of erection, and are expected to he ready by the middle of the present year. No definite information is yet available regarding the erection of the Australian station, but the preliminary steps are being 'taken for the- selection of a site in Western Australia. The Commonwealth is arranging also for a number of wire less stations for internal communication Tho idea Is to establish these stations in outlying districts whore it would be too expensive to erect telegraph or telephone lines. Private installations are also to bo

permitted under license, with a view to meeting the needs of back-blocks settlers. It is the intention of the Commonwealth Postmaster-General to in due coarse arrange foil a radio-phone service, and in the meantime apparatus is being obtained to carry out experiments. Evidently f?ley are very much alive to the possibilities of wireless in Australia.