ACCUMULATION OF CARGO AT MELBOURNE.

Evening Star, Issue 16847, 24 September 1918, Page 1

ACCUMULATION OF CARGO AT MELBOURNE.

An accumulation of inward cargo at th* river wharves such as she not been known since pre-war days, when the volume ol shipping entering the port was much greater, is at present causing shipping companies considerable inconvenience (reports the Melbourne ‘ Argus). Two factors are held to be responsible for the congestion. They axe the preliminary operation of the new Customs regulation, which has since been modified, and which, caused consignees to hesitate to remove their shipments from tire wharf sheds; arid the action of the Central Wool Committee in seeming the rental of the most commodious sheds for the storage of wool. The result has been endleess confusion, both in the discharging of inward cargoes and the, acceptance of delivery by importers. The only relief possible appears to be either the speedier removal of merchandise by consignees, or the transfer of tho stored wool to some other premises. _ The present congestion is facilitating pillaging to a marked degree. The South wliarf has long been regarded by shipping men as being unsuitable for discharging overseas cargoes, but during the past few weeks vessels from New York have had to bo accommodated with discharging berths on that side of the Tarra. FIRST RIVETLESS VESSEL LAUNCHED. * Syren and, Shipping ’ reports Cha first steel vessel buili. without rivets has just been launched somewhere on tbs souts coast of England. The vessel was built in a shipyard operated by the Inland Waterways and Docks Section of the Royal Engineers, and as her production may mark an epoch in the shipbuilding industry, it is satisfactory that the initial experiment has taken place in this country. Instead of riveting and caulking the plates, they are joined in one process by electric welding. This means that the plates are held together temporarily by bolts and that the joint is then submitted to local heat by means of an electric arc, so that the two plates are fused together. Though the process itself is not new, as certain auxiliary work on ships has been don© by electee welding in the past, considerable developments nave been made in the last 12 months, and this is the first time that a vessel has been produced entirely by the new method. Its general adoption would speed up production, more particularly in the assembly of bulkheads, deck structures, fitting, and other interior work. It is computed from the results obtained on this experimental vessel and other Admiralty work that a saving of 20 per cent., or possibly 25 per cent., could bs effected in both 'time and material. Tho United States Shipping Board has been in close touch with this experimental work, with the result that arrangements are in hand for the manufacture of a number of 10,000-toil standard ships, in the production of which “ riveters * will become “ welders.” SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. WESTPORT, September 23.—8.15 p.m., Kiri, from Port Chalmers. WELLINGTON, September 23. —6.5 p.m.. Manuka, from Svdney. LYTTELTON, September 2/1.—7.5 a.m., Maori, from Wellington (connected with exnress). NEW PLYMOUTH, September 24. 6.30 a.m., Kittawa, from Dunedin. IFor -'■rntinuation see Late Shipping.)