SHIPS AND THE SEA.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 114, 9 November 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

SHIPS AND THE SEA.

The fine steamers of the German-Aus-tralian, line do a large business between Germany and the South African ports, and 1 it is stated that the German Government has decided to grant liberal subsidies for 15 years service of steamers between that country and South African ports. The new steamers must be of German build, and the employees as. well as agent of this proposed subsidised line are to be German subjects. The coal supply must be from Germain sources when the steamers are in German, Dutch, or Belgian ports, and provisions are to be supplied from German sources. No agreements -^an be made with foreign Governments concerning the carrying of mails, etc., without the sanction of the Imperial Chancellor. The Chancellor is authorised to prevent the importation by means of these subsidised vessels' into German, Dutch, and Belgian ports of all agricultural products which compete with similar products of German agriculture, with the exception of tobacco, skins, hides, beeswax, and wool. A painful accident happened the other day to Captain Austen, of the Northern Company's Gairloch. The steamer hafl been beached at Onehunga for repairs to her propeller, and while the work was going on the captain, who was assisting, had his fingers jammed between the propeller and the sling-chain. Two of the fingers on his left hand were severely crushed, which necessitated the amputation of a portion of each. Here are some curious coincidences in connection with the recent disaster to the torpedo-destroyer Cobra. The only three British warships which have been named after the snake family — the Serpent, the Viper, and the Cobra— have all been wrecked. Also, the Viper and the Cobra, the two fastest vessels in the world, were the two first turbine steamer built for the Navy. Finally, half the stokers on board the Cobra when she came to grief previously served on board the Viper. Improved economy in the oversea trans port of commerce is being sought for now in the greater size of cargo steamers, the fuel consumption of which does not increase in the same ratio as the cargo capacity. The immersed midship area increases at a slower rate than the load displacement, and the power necessary for a given speed advances at a correspondingly lower ratio. Thus, a^ ship to carry only 5000 tons requires machinery of 3475 indicated horse-power to propel her at 13 laiots ; while, in the case of a ship of treble the capacity, the power is scarcely' double. In other words the, consumption of coal per hundred ton miles in a now relatively small ship taking 5000 tons of cargo, is Blb, while the vessel taking 16,000 tons uses only 4,41b per hundred ton miles, the rate of consumption per unit of power per hour being assumed in oil cases -at 1.51b. The total number of vessels of over xj.ooo +ons in existence ten years ago was two : now mere are^ 51, of which ten are over 13,000 tons. Ten years ago there were only ninety-one vessels which exceeded 5000 tons register; at the end of last year there were 505. An official of one of the largest steamship companies declares that the day of small vessels is passed, simply because it is found much more economic to run huge ships like the Cymric and Saxonia. "Since 1896, when the North German Llcyd Company brought out the Frederick der 'Grosse and her three sia'ter ships, the various steamship companies have added at least forty "essels or over 10,000 tons each, and lines which formerly were barely known, now compete successfully with their more powerful rivals by reason of the size and popularity of their new vessels." It is intended to deepen the Suez Canal. At a dinner on board the North German linar Kronprinz Wilhelm, while on the passage from Bergen to Leith, in the course of her trial cruise «D 9th September, Prince d' Arenberg, President of the Suez Canal Company, proposed the toast of the North German Lloyd Company, and Herr Plate, the President of the latter company, that of the former. Prince d' Arenberg, in the course of his speech, promised that the Suez Canal would.be steadily deepened and widened in order to make it passable even for vessels of the dimensions of the Kronprinz Wilhelm. A Napisr paper tells how while the Rotomahana 'was recently skimming through the water off the East Coast, with every prospect of breaking the record on the voyage between Gisborne and Auckland, a large boat was espied out in the open, and the order was given first to slow down and then to stop. Passengers, curious to know what was the matter, went up on deck and heard that a boat had put out with some passengers to board the big steamer for Gisborne. "Good morning" was the cheery salutation from the Maoris in the boat, who, it was then seen, were merely out on a fishing expedition. There were many clergymen about, , and wicked laymen stood by anticipating a display of lurid nautical language, but Captain Smith* merely smiled, and good-naturedly responded to the salutation. Among the passengers was a tourist from Glasgow, and he now joyfully tells the story of the politeness of New Zealanders, when a record-making steamer slows down so that good-morning salutations may be exchanged with Maoris in a boat. The Melbourne Age of 10th October reports the decision of the Chief Justice on' the claims made by Andrew Weir and Co., of Glasgow, and Stephen Shotton, master of the steamer Boveric, against W. Howard Smith and Sons Proprietary, Limited. Plaintiffs' case was that in December, 1898, defendants entered into a charter party with them at • Glasgow, under which they were to hire the steamer Boveric for 12 months, at the rate of £1600 per month, and have the option of purchasing the vessel at £43,000. Four months after the vessel had been taken over by defendants, Captain Shotton surrendered command to Capt. Downie in the employ of defendants. Id August, 1898, defendants stated that they would exercise the option of purchase at the end of the 12 months'/ char-, ter. When that period had expired, however, the money was not paid over at Glasgow, according to charter, but at London in June, 1899. Plaintiffs now contended that they were deprived of the use of the steamer during the intervening months, and claimed £4975. Claims were also entered by the plaintiffs for damage done to the steamer through the negligence of Captain Downie in allowing her to go ashore in Adelaide Harbour (£575), and for interest on the deferred purchase money. For the defence it was stated that the vessel was subject to a mortgage of £20,000. Defendants were always willing to pay the purchase money in Melbourne on condition that they received in exchange a transfer of the title, freed and discharged from mortgage. They 'admitted the minor claim for £160, unpaid charter money, but made a counter claim for money incurred in docking the Boveric, expenses which were to hay been incurred by plaintiffs, and whiph amounted to £1458. Defendants denied liability, and paid £1000 into Court in satisfaction of' the claims. Judgtnent was awarded to the two plaintiff companies on their claim of £160, with costs, and to the defendant company on its counter claim lor £602 with costs.