Ships and the Sea

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 14 May 1927, Page 28

Ships and the Sea

E.N.V.E. Changes. Commodore the Duke of Montroae, C.8., C.V.0., V.D., commanding the East Scottish Division of the Boyal Naval Volunteer Keserve, has been placed on the retired list at his own request. Commander William Mitchell Small, V.D., has been appointed commanding officer of the division. Lord Inchcape's Donation. In response to an appeal by Sir Arthur Yapp, national secretary of the V.M.C.A., for funds to help that institution to establish its work with the Shanghai Defence Force, Lord Inchcape sent an immediate donation of £2000 to start the fund. Ships' Models. At Christie's sale last month there were put,up 15 ships'.models of various' sizes, moßt of which fetched good prices. During the, last year or two a great number of such models have been placed on the London market, and many are believed to be of recent German manufacture: The highest price last week was 62gns, paid for a model of a threemasted vessel with; bone hull, 3ift long: another, chiefly of ivory, 29in long, sold for 46gna; and a model of the Great Harry, with painted wood hull, 24in long, exhibited at the 1851 Exhibition, 22gns. . ■. . ' Conway's Commander Retires. Prior to severing his connection I'ast month with H.M. Cadet Ship Conway, Captain H. W. Broadbent, R.D., R.N.8., who has had command of the ship for 28 years, was presented by a number of old Couway boys with a water breaker (barricoo), made from the oak of the Conway, to be .used as an umbrella stand, together with.'a handsome cheque, and a gold wrjstlet watch, for Mrs. Broadbent. The .presentations wore made by Admiral Sir Sackville H. Carden, president of the Conway Old Boys' Club, who, in the course, of his remarks, said that during Captain Broadbent's service in the Conway 2900 cadets had passed through the ship, many of whom had achieved fame in the mercantile marine. . Dockyard Discharges. Over 500.'men, forming the first batch to be under the Admiralty's decision to reduce 'persbnnel; by 2000, have .ceased .their employment in the Koyal Dockyards. . 'Two hundred went from Portsmouth, 150 each from Devonport and Chatham, and .30 from Sheernoss.. The remainder were under notico to leave at the end of last month. Lifeboat's Novel Trial. The Eoyal National Lifeboat Institution ■ has carried out novel tests at Cowes with a new motor-lifeboat of tho Watson cabin type, reports the ''Shipping World." She is tho first of the typo to have twin screws, and her twin motors of 4.0 h.p. each are also the first to be built of a 1 new type of engine. The cngino room wan flooded witfi fresh water up to the' outside water 'level, tho water weighing the equivalent of 83 men. In this, condition, and with 17 men on board, so that tho total weight represented 100 men, the liftboat was taken to sea. and for'two hours she ran at her. full speed of' 1200 revolutions a minute, with tho water in tho engino room washing hoavily over and round tho motors and against tho bulkheads. A moderate wind was blowing with a slight sea. At the end of the trial tho water was pumped out, mid tho lioxt day tho lifeboat was taken out tor tho endurance trials in a southerly gale, with v very heavy sea. Sho wan tried with the sea ahead, on the bow, abeam, and astern, and, although nothing whatever, had been done to her engines since the flooding, she ran at full speed, under"theno 'difficult conditions, for 81 hours without a hitch. Statondam to be Completed. It is now definitely anuonnced thnt the Statendam , is to bo completed, states "Tho Shipping World.". She was launched by Aicssrs. Unrlnml and Wolff, Ltd., two and a half years iigo. The contract for tlio completion of tho vessel has beon awarded by tho ownors, tho Holland-America Line, to Messrs. Wilton's, of Rotterdam. Tho Statondiim has a groan tonnage of 28,125, with v, length of 697 feet, n breadth of 81 foot, and a depth of 00 foot 0 inches. Bho is also the largont vossel launched from a British shipyard sinco the war. An Old Tinier. After 126 years' service in Southampton Water the .wooclou ketch Bco, bolonging to the firm of Mesßrn. Rhopard Brothers, carriers to and from tho Ihlo of Wight and Southampton, will bo sunk in tho Medina River after boing filled with cement. The utout old craft ■will there act an a breakwater, so that her period of usefulncsn is rMI! not ondod. Tho Bee, one of tho oldest voshclh in England, was built in* 1801, and was ono. of tho original flcot of her prcsenjt owners. The ketch rnado three round trips a week forlSO, years. She has passed between Southampton and Cowos about 40,000 timos, which gives a mileage of about 566,112.

Dispatch Pinnaces. . In Marcli.^Mcssrß. John I. Thorny- [ croft, and Co., Ltd., loaded in tho Cu'nardor Cyprin, employed on tho Livor-pool-Mediterranean sorvico, four 42ft' steel pinnaces, built in their Woolston yard for tho Greek. Navy. The Cypria was in port only four hourH, (luring which time tho pinnaces wore floated from Woolston to tho vessel's sido and lifted on to tho dock, where they will remain during tho voyage. They each weighed 10 tons, but were' suf\lcionMy, bulky to constitute 110 tons moasurouicnt each. Chilian Destroyers, The'six destroyers, for tho construction of which tho Chilian Government recently took tenders from British, 'Jfr.o'nch, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch firms, arc to bo built by Messrs. John J. Thornycroft and Company, Southampton. Tho vessels are to be, it is understood, a little larger ■ than the British "S" class—which is composed of 36-knot vessels of ■ 1075 tons dis-> placement. Tho main armament of the' Chilian ships will consist of three 4.7 in guns. ■ Newcastle's Floating Dock. It is again reported from Australia that a 15,000-ton floating dock is to bo built at the Walßh Island Dockyard, Newcastle (N.S.W.), for the Government of New South Wales, at n cost of £400,000, to which the Federal Government will contribute £135,000 states "Tho Syren-and Shipping." The construction of the dock, it is added, will extend over three years. It will be capable of taking tho new Commonwealth cruisers, and of being towed to any Australian port, if necessary, in time of war. ■ \ ■ Fall in Prices. Some five or six years ago a fourmasted schooner was ordered from tho Odenso Shipyard, Odcnso. When tho vessel was in course of construction tho purchasing company failed, and the yes ncl was completed for the yard's own account. When ready the vessel had cost 400,000 kroner. Tho shipyard tried to dispose of the vessel, but could find no buyers at such a price, and the yard preferred to await better times and better prices. However, prices kept falling, and the vessel has now ' been sold to Finnish owners for tho low price of 10,000 kroner. In the meantime, the Odohse Shipyard (not to be mistaken for the Odonse Bteel Shipyard) hue gone into liquidation.

Soviet Shipping. • An order has been placed by the Soviet Government Department of Ways and Communications with the TJutcrweser A.G. Shipbuilding Company, at Wesermundo-Lehe, for five new steamers. The vessels will be of 800 tons gross each, and will be fitted with twin screws driven by triple-expansion engines of 900 i.h.p., giving a speed of 10 knots. They will be constructed according to the rules of the German Lloyd for coasting vessels. Fire Detection. The- Hamburg-American Line's new steamer New York is fitted with the Rich system of smoke detection, combined with a steam smothering arrangement for protecting the various^cargo, , holds and similar spaces. In the Rich | system a detecting cabinet in the wheelhouse is in communication by means of pipes with the various holds, and J samples of air are continually drawn.! through to it by an arrangement of motor-driven exhaust fans. Lenses and a beam of light in the cabinet magnify the slightest trace of smoke in a hold, so that the promptest possible detection of fire is obtained. Improved Trade. . . It is reported that, during the first nine months of last year, the Canadian Government Morchant Marine had a surplus of 77,225 dollars, as compared with a deficit of 816,114 dollars during tho corresponding period of 1925. Another Pleasure Cruise. ' , One of tho most attractive pleasure cruises, and one that is unique of its kind, is that provided, by the Booth Line,'embracing a 6000 miles trip from .Liverpool to Manaos, which lies 1000 miles up the Amazon River. This cruise-is made by the Booth liner Hildobrahd, a steamer of about 7000 tons gross. She sailed from- the Mersey on her first trip this year on 15th March, and she is scheduled to make four other voyages before the year comes to a close. Among passengers who have' booked accommodation for this trip- is a party of undergraduates belonging to the Oxford and Cambridge Travel Club. The most attractive feature, of the trip is undoubtedly the voyage of 1000 miles up the River Amazon from Para to Manaog, which penetrates tho most beautiful equatorial- forest in tho world. The Hildebrand is fitted with every convenience for tropical travel. A special games dock is provided, and a swimming tank is available, while the vessel is in the sunlit waters of tho South Atlantic. Right from leaving the Mersey the cruise is full of interest and restful enjoymont. New Sydney Ferries. The Port Jackson and Mauly Steamship Company, Sydney, is in the market for two fast passenger steamers for service between Sydney and Manly, and Mr. Walter L. Dendy, the general manager, is at present in Great Britain for the purpose of receiving and considering tenders. Each vessel is to carry over 2000 passengers and to have a speed of 17 knots. Burnt Forries Sold. Tho" Sydney ferry steamers Rose and Una, partially destroyed owing to a iiro when at thoir moorings on tho Parramatta Rivor, were offered at auction rocontly in Sydney. They wore bought by Mr. W. Waugh, of Waugh and Co., Balmain, for £215 and £105 respectively, lie proposes to convert the il.iHo into a tug, and tho Una probably will be broken up. Now Shipping Company. It is proposed iv Canuda to start a now shipping company, to be called tho "Canadian National Steamships, Ltd.," to bo controlled "by tho Government through ownership of tho stock. A foi'tnightly passenger service is proposed between Canada and the West Indies, in accordance with tho terms of the trade agreement negotiated" Inst year, states "I'aiiplay." The lino'will bo undor tho management of tho Canadian National Railways, and it is proposed to start it with five new steamers, in' addition to such vonhuls of tho Canadian Government Morchant Marino as can bo advantageously fitted for the cold storago trade. Varied Construction. Of all tho shipbuilding yards in Great Britain nnd Northorn Ireland, nono is at tho prcnont tinio engaged in such varied construction as that of Messrs. Harlnml and Wolff, Limited, Govnu. Tho vessels building thoro include fivo motor-ships, four ..oil-lunkorH, several barges, and a stoam tug. Tho samo ynrd has just completed a floating dock for tho imtro'RioK Railway 1,; a caisson i'or Montevideo, and a vessel of special construction for tho Far East, while its output for last 'ear included a watercarrying boat for tho Pacific Stpam Navigation Company, a floating crime pontoon, and 16 barges. Tho Govah yard has been most fortunate durintr tho depression of tho last three yearM— tho order for 21 motor-ships for the Bunk Lino, now coraploted, and various other contracts having kept the employees working steadily while other! establishments liavo Buffered vorv severely. ' ' Dlcnel-Electrlc Tanker.

A contract has been placed by tho Atlantic Refining Company, of Philadelphia, a company which already no.ssosscs a numbpr of Dicscl-oloctrie ves-' ™ "'• f°r l' ,?r D f ics('l-oloctric oil tanker. • hT ol £ V' ?™ {}yk > bui't in America in 1918, is the largest Diosel-olectric ship in operation at tho present time. Hho has a gross tonuago of about 5000 but tho now ship to be built at Grecnock will bo at least 5000 tons larccr Tho vessel will bo tho lust cqfifctrjicted on tho Clyde for propulsion by machinery of tho DicHel-clectric lypo. The Diesel engines aro to bo cf fno Carols-Tn-gorsoll-Band typo, and will i, O COll . structcd by tho Carols Company, of Ghent. The electric transmission near will be provided, as already stated? by tho British Thomson-Houston ComP*"*!l^.?^* -All-the machinery ; will be fitted m the vessel at Greenock by tho shipbuilders, Messrs. Scott and 00. New Oil Tankers. Last year tho Anglo-Persian Oil Company decided to strengthen the fleet of its British Tanker Company, Limited by 18 now oil-carriers, and the first of I these was launched on the Tyne on 4th April, states the "Syren and Shipping " Since the war tho company has built no fewer than 44 vessels of this type, and tho fact that all those have been constructed at Home is a striking tribute to its enterprise and the virility of British shipbuilding. When the tonnage ou order is completed the fleet will consist of over 80 units aggregating over 750,000 tons dw. America and Alien Crews. The BUI dealing with crows on board foreign vessels calling n .t American ports, although it passed the Senate, did n6t come up for consideration by the House of Representatives beforo the close of the session. Tho Bill sought to prevent any vessel from -brincine into a port of the United States -m member of her crew, any alien, who if ho wore applying for admission into the United .States as an immigrant would be subject to exclusion. There was however, an exception in the Bill wheroby a foreign ship manned entire- I ly by nationals of tho country under whose flag she was sailing might bo allowed to do business in- an.-American I port on ordinary terms. ' I