THE 8000, AND 10,000 TONNER.

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 143, 17 June 1916, Page 10

THE 8000, AND 10,000 TONNER.

One of the lessons arising out o£ ■ the war is that the 8000-ton vessel is essentially the most sui&ble typo and size of cargo carrier. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities there was a gr.eat diversity of opinion as to whether the limit in" size had been , reached, some contending it ha/d, whilst others wea-e of the emphatic opinion that the 100,030-ton vessel was within reasonable distance in the future. The conflict raged essentially upon the pas. senger liner in special trades throughout,, but still it affected the Australian- traffic inasmuch as the friendly competition of the companies engaged 'in this business had brought the 12.000, then the 14.0G0, and still later the 16,000 toiraer. Those that came this way were of the combined cargo and passenger type, and undoubtedly most suitable. As a matter of fact, but for the war there is no doubt we should have seen the 20,000-tonner. No _ doubt, once ■ conditions settle flown again and builders are able,to awept orders the 20,000-tonner will come, but as it is not {he combination steamer referred to that does not matter now. In every conceivable way the smaller cargo steamer has stood out alone. Her sire does not prohibit her visiting ports, as would b-: the case with a larger vessel, if engaged on war or other business, and perhaps more important still is that one of them can carry possibly twice as-much freight as. the combination 6teamor of 16,000 or 1/.000 tons. Again, there is economy in running cost, manning, and equipment generally, and an these three essentials alone the great vast united movements of shipping the last 20 months'lus witnessed were- sufficient to demonstrate it, if it was never done before. Of course, it can only bo a matter of conviotion whether the shipowners of to-day will profit universally by the experiences they have gathered, but the indications aro that thoio associated with the Australian trade will do so, and as far as possible meet their purely cargo requirements by the introduction, of the 8000.to 10,C00.ton steamer. —Sydney Shipping List.