MOTOR SHIPBUILDING IN GERMANY.

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1925, Page 24

MOTOR SHIPBUILDING IN GERMANY.

An interesting fact is brought out iv "Lloyd's Register's" shipbuilding returns, and that is in respect to the number of Diesel-engined vessels which are being constructed in Germany. Out of a tcital_ tonnage of 405,476 of shipping which is being built in that country, no less than 324,155 tons is motor, while the quantity of that type of tonnage under way in the "United Kingdom comes to only 360,500 tons out of a total of 1,165,468 tons of shipping fn general Tt may be a mitigating circumstance, states the English journal "Fairplay." that 121,000 tons of oil tank tonnage is being constructed in C4ermany, mainly for the Standard Oil Company and intended for trading under the German I flag; but, seeing that in Denmark, Germany, Holland, and Sweden tho motor tonnage under construction greatly exceeds the steam, it is, to say the least, romarkable that in this country the adoption of the Diesel should have been allowed to lag so far behind. Presumably, owners know their business, and they are undoubtedly as enterprising as any in the world. On the other hand, it is just as well to remember that in 1913 Germany was running well up to our shoulder, and that if her shipowners are pinning their faith ta the internal combustion engine, and if the Continent is sharing their opinion to the detriment of our shipbuilding industry, it is not tor us to regard conservatism as the I one and only religion.