SHIPPING

Evening Star, Issue 16663, 20 February 1918, Page 4

SHIPPING

IMPORTANT ENGINEERING DEAL. An important engineering deal is announced as having taken place on the Clyde. Messrs Russell and Co., shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, have acquired the extensive engineering establishment of Messrs David Rowan and- Co., Glasgow. The exact price has not been stated, but it is rumored that, not far short of half a million sterling is involved. Messrs Russell and Co., although their output of tonnage has been for several years larger than that of an/ other single firm on the river, have not hitherto supplied the machinery for the vessels built by them. They will now be able, however, to engine the vessels they build. Prior to the war these consisted mainly of high-class cargo steamers. The firm has considerably enlarged the scope of its business withni recent vears by the purchase of two additional yards at Port Glasgow—those of Messrs A." Bodrov and Co. and Messrs Robert Duncan and Co. TROUBLES OP SHIPOWNERS. The war has brought troubles on owners which were never anticipated (says 'FairP'ny')' At Cardiff recently a shipowner had an experience which might be very expensive for someone. His steamer was loading at that port, and it became necessary to ascertain her draft. It being dark, the chief officer endeavored to secure this information with the aid of an electric torch; but one of the colliery company's trimmers on the quay, in order to assist, threw some lighted straw aft into the water so as to render it more easy to see the draft. In the meantime the chief officer had ascertained- the draft aft, and had gone forward to ascertain the draft there, when, turning round, he observed huge flames all round the vessel, which were ultimately extinguished, but not before very serious damage had been done, it appears that for sonic time the Admiralty have been requiring vessels to carry a certain amount, of oil in their ballast tanks which,;when discharged, were refilled with water. On arriving in dock to load a cargo these ballast tanks were Dumped out, and a certain amount of oil was discharged at the same time. Owing to the large number of vessels which had discharged their ballast water in this way in the Cardiff dock, sufficient oil had apparently accumulated on the surface of the water to cause a fire immediately on the lighted straw touching it.