SHIPS AND THE SEA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 12

SHIPS AND THE SEA.

GERMAN SHIPPING PROFITS. £1,600,000 IN ONE YEAR. Tho completeness with which German ■-shipping linea havo recovered from tho international depression of 1908 is revealed by tho 1909 balanoo-shcet of the Ham-burg-American Company, which was officially published on Bth February. Tho lino's profits in 1909 total £1,600,000, against £790,000 in 1908. After deduction of interest net profits of £1,450,000 remain, from which a dividend of 6 por cent, on tho share capital of £h,2&0,000 will be declared. In 1908 jio dwi- • dend wns paid. When the dividend is distributed and £85,000 added to the ;n-.-suranco fund, which will then aggregate £800,000, tho balance of about £1,0C0,000 will be written off and transferred to the reservo fund. At tho ond of 1909 tho company possessed £1,700,000 of current funcfa, .i^amst £900,000 at the cud of 1908. Ji. Hamburg correspondent telegraphs that tho balancesheet le regarded as highly lavourablo in. shipping circles, tho largo aicouirts written off and added to tho rciorvo being considered as materially strengthen-, ing tho company 1 !! position. RECENT COAL STRIKE. EFFECT ON BRITISH SHIPPING. Tho recent Newcastle coal 6txike ras had a wide influenco on British shipping, and is more or less responsible) for a bcarcity in Great Britain_ of large cargocarrying steamers ranging from 5000 to "7000 tons register. A London shipping journal just to hand cays: — "As a rule this class of steamer has been all too plentiful in recent years, and has not infrequently overcrowded the market to tho detriment of rates of freight. But in the last few months thero has been a notable diversion, of such steamers into long distanco trades, and in the fulfilment of their charters thoy are kept out of the market. The Australian minors' fttrike, for instance, has been responsible for absorbing a vast quantity of tonnage to carry coal to the Commonwealth from this country, from America, from India, and from Natal ; while incidentally the snino strike has created a demand from tho West Coast of South America for British coal, thus employing a good deal of tonnago oh a long Atlantic and Pacific voyage. Then the remarkable development of tho eoya bean trade between Manchuria and Europe has similarly drawn a largo amount of tonnage into another long-distance trade, and tho activity of the Eastern markets during the last three or four months has beou notorious, giving ship-owners tho first chance they havo had for many year 3of securing roally profitable business. Add to this tho effect of tho River Plate 'slump,' which has been followed by a wholesale despatch of steamers ill ballast from that centre to tho East, and it will bo perceived that a combination of circumstances has arisen to make large tramp steamers scarce. The result is now felt in tho conl trado, which has to bo content with smaller carriers — vessels of 2500 to 3500 tons withdrawn from the liny and Baltic trades. Those vessels ore not capablo of handling the quantity of coals which merchants find it necessary to ship from the Welsh North-East Coast, Yorkshire, and Scotch ports, and practically speaking, nearly twico the number of boats is Going employed to do tho customary work of the coal trade." SELF-ACTING LIGHTSHIP. A now and interesting typo of lightship has been constructed for Trinity House by Messrs. H. and C. Gray son, of Liverpool. It requires no attendants, tho lamps being lit at dusk and extinguished at sunrise by machinery, whilst its fog signal is sounded by tho same meant). The vessel inoroly roquires a visit ovory throe months or bo, to see that everything is < in order, and for tho replenishing of its roservoira. Tho vessel is 65ft in length, by 18ft 6in beam, and 10ft 6in in dopth, and carries a steel tow«r bearing tho lantern at a height of 26ft abovo the dock, whilo in tho hold aro reservoirs filled with gas, at a pressure of 1101b por square inch, thore being sufficient to kcop tho light burning continuously for 100 days. Tho light is 5100-candlc-powor. A great deal of interest attaches to this vessel, which ii tho firbt of its kind,_ and its adoption may lead to far-reaching reforms m coastal lighting. _ At the annual meeting of tho Association of Chambers of Commorce in London, which was held on 16th March, tho London Chamber of 'Joinmerco proposed to move: — "That in the opinion of this usaociation it is advisable that alt passenger ships for oversea traffic should bo fitted with wireless telegraphy, and that tho executive council bo requested to urge his Majesty's Government to introduce a Bill requiring that every *uch passenger ship should bo «o fitted." It has bppn a long-standing griovanoe of the British ship-owner that tho law was strict in requiring him never to load bib ship below tho due marked upon hci sides, whilo at the naina timo foroign ships could come into British ports laden practically as they pleased. This unfairness is now at an ond, for by a section of ' lht» Merchant Shipping Act, which came into operation last October, foroign a<t well as British ships trading hnro must now havo an approved loadJino marked upon them. Gejmany and Franoo havo adopted loadline regulations which our Boaid of Trado approves. Now it is btttted by tho committee of tho Liverpool Underwriters' Association that they understand that Sweden, Denmark, and tho Netherlands are adopting tho same or similar rule* to tho British rules, and that agreements with these countries will jprobably be mado in tho noar future. The committee also understand* that substantial progrens has boon made with tho negotiations with tho Govcrnrnont-> of other countries which havo not yot adoptod rules and tables equivalent to tho British regulations. This allround progress ia \ory gratifying to thoso who behove in fair play for the British owner. Taranto, in Southern Italy, will be a future port of call for Royal Mail Orient linoi-s. It is a naval port, and has been called the "Portsmouth of Italy." It is seldom that merchantmen of any gi/e visit thorc, and tho Ortora's arrival caused somewhat of a sensation. Tho residents boarded her for inspection by hundreds, and Iho naval commandant and 1113 staif of officers, and many friends, paid her an official visit. An "At Home" was given aboard, to which a lurg<; number of shoro people were invited. It proved a most enjoyable function. Mr. R. J. Dunlop, speaking at the annual mooting of the Clydo Steamship Ovvnors Association, said the optimiatic opinion* of tho president (Mr George Sloan) regarding trado prospects would have been quite justified were it not for tho clouds caused by labour troubles. Many of them woro, he lelt sure, suffering iust now by reason of the labour troubios in Australia. Any Jmprovemont which had bcon experienced had been destroyed up to thi» timo by tho additional amount thoy wcro paying for bunker coals in this country, and tho improvement they hnd from Australia in increased freight* had boon a disappointment to many pooplo whoso chips wero now unablo to get coals to toko them away. Tho stnko had. evidently devolopad so far that grain charterers worn not now enquiring for tonnago. 110 hoped tho now Parliament would realise iN responsibilities, and would not paw acts which would crpato strife or discord between masters and mon. No class of labour had suffered moro by logi&lativo intorferenco than shipping labour. Shipowltors had to employ foreign Reunion bficauso. of tho extent of the British mercantile iimrino, and becnuiu foreigners wero moro amunablc to di«cii)lino. A ?rent deal of tho blame was duo to tho .egisluturo for tukuig nway tho authority from th'j mubtorn and from tho (.lupowiiors, and in diminishing tho punishments for desertion and for not joining in proper June. Thnro was tulk of somo tnooauro of registration which would provide for tho identification of desprters Ho hoped aomo mesmro of this kind would be adopted, »o that they might I havu moro inUwctmtnU tp tniploy. Bri1 Juh «e«meOi