Ships and the Sea

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 19, 23 January 1926, Page 24

Ships and the Sea

Motor-ship Progress.

It is well known that the past three years have represented a period of the utmost depression in shipbuilding. It is, therefore, all the more remarkable to note, as recorded in the December issue of "The Motor Ship," that there has been a veryrapid increase in the tonnage of motor ship constructed. In 1923 the motor ships built throughout the world totalled 356,925 tons dead-weight, in 1924 the figure was 649,265 tons deadweight, whilst for the first eleven months of 1925 it amounted to 861,355 tons. At the end of 1923 the gTosa tonnage of motor ships building throughout the world was 460,868. At the present time the corresponding figure is about 1,100,000 tons gross. It is to be remarked that the output of motor Bhips from British yards this year is greater than from any other country, although the United Kingdom is very closely followed by Germany in this respect. New Direction-Tinder. A new type of Marconi directionfinder is being installed on the Cairngowan at Leith by the Marconi International Marine' Communication Company, Ltd., at the request of Messrs. Cairns, Noble, and Co. A number of recent installations include the Cunarders Alaunia and Carinthia, and the steamships Ballarat, City of Nagpur, Hetto£» Athelehief, and others. The "fixed-frame" direction-finder as it is called, maintains the same high standard of accuracy as the previous type, but recent research has led to a redaction in the size of the aerials required, with consequent economy to the shipowner in the. cost of installation. No longer are triatics or posts required to suspend or extend the aerial loops; bat the whole aerial system is contained ia an open teak frame, approximately 9ft high by 4ft square. This structure can be rigidly fixed in any suitable space on deck, «-s the position of the direction-finding instrument is not restricted by the position of the aerials. Transylvania's Wireless. The Anchor liner Transylvania is said to have the most efficient installation of wireless on the North Atlantic. The set is ao powerful that the operator can communicate right across from one side of the ocean to the other. Besides, the vessel carries two motor lifeboats with sets having a range of 250 miles. The Transylvania has a gross tonnage of 17,250, and was built in 1923 by the Fairfield Company, Ltd., Glasgow. Ship Musicians. Music on shipboard is not confined to the playing by the ship's orchestra, or the numbers rendered by passengers at the concert for seamen's charities. Seagoing men find the music they produce for their own pleasure, in their private quarters, a never-failing scarce of comfort in their lighter hours off duty. " , • There is scarecly a ship in toe whole 106 owned and operated by the International Mercantile Marine Company lines that is without a musician or two in its personnel, says the American journal, "The Ocean Ferry." Even the players of the lowly jewaharp and the concertina do their duty as dispellers of dull care in the crews' quarters, while more,ambitious instsuments are seen there as well, particularly in the "foo-foo band" maintained, on some ships, by the firemen and coal passers. Among the stewards' staff on some ships are musicians of more than ordinary ability, and. it is not nneommon, when one of the big liners is in part, alnd all is quiet on board, to hear the soft notes of a -giolin, or the tinkle of a banjo or similar internment, coming from a steward's room. Officers also count among their numbers some excellent players, as wa<s stown last winter when a quartette from the navigating staff of the Majestic gave a notably fine concert for broadcasting by station WJZ, in, New York City. | Large Timber Shipments. Exports of iunber from Portland (Oregon) according to records compiled by the Traflie Department of the Port of Portland, during the month of October amounted to 25,535,236 ft, making a total for the first ten months of 214,369,116. Of this amount,' 83,077,594 was delivered in Japan, 36,228,732 delivered in Australia, 31,554,259 feet to China, 20,----099,682 feet to the United Kingdom, 13,056,098 to Peru, 8,288,020 feet to Holland, and the balance to other countries in Europe, South and Central America. During the month of October, shipments to Australia were heavier than to any other country, and shipments to. Australia for the year will probably be greater than to China, although during the year 1924 more than twice as much was sent to China'as was to the first-named coun-. try. ■- ■ • ■ . ■ ' Tonnage Regulation. Much has been said and written of late in European countries concerning the adjustment and regulation of the supply of tonnage to the world's requirements. The laying-up scheme appears to appeal to many, says the "Commercial News and Shipping List." One well-known ship owner, however, who has been ,very successful, and whose company is still earning dividends for its shareholders, says that many writers of letters dealing with the depression and its remedy have somewhat missed the mark. He considers that what is required is not a general laying-up scheme, but an agreement amongst owners not to send any steamer to sea unless fixed for the round voyage at a rate which leaves a profit. He maintains that the present situation is largely due to managers sending boats out unfixed home in the hope of something good turning up, with the result that charterers have taken advantage of their policy, and rightly so. It is, he says, all very well for the owners to complain of losses, but, if a decision were come to by those in England and abroad not to let any of their vessels go to sea except on terms, which showed a sure profit, we should have payable freights within a month. In his case the whole of his fleet, which is a modern one, is laid up, and he definitely states that he would not think of joining in a laying-up scheme, because, whatevor other owners may do, he will not risk his boats on unprofitable ventures. Nor will he contribute towards enabling other owners to carry on, seeing that what he has saved in the past will be needed for his own business*