MERCHANT SHIPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21602, 3 January 1945, Page 4

MERCHANT SHIPS

U.S. WAR FLEETS USE IN PEACE-TIME VAST PREPONDERANCE (9 a.m.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 2. The U.S. director of war mobilisation, Mr. James Byrnes, has reported that from 1942 to 1944 inclusive. American shipyards produced 4500 cargo ships aggregating 42,700,000 deadweight tons. American construction alone thus exceeds the losses of United Nations ships from all causes, and the American merchant fleet will exceed 5700 at the end of the war. compared with 1100 vessels in 1929. Great Britain was the world's greatest maritime power in 1939, with 24,000.000 tons of shipping. The United States had about 12.000,000. It is estimated that at the end of the war tiie United Stales may have thrice as much tonnage as the British feet—GO.ooo.ooo against 20,000.000. "This problem has international implications.” Mr. Byrnes states. "Before the war, United States' use of foreign ships, paid for in American dollars, provided other nations with exchange for buying United States goods, but if we use our war-buiit merchantmen to the utmost we may reduce (lie world's supply of dollars. Therefore we must weigh carefuliy (lie effects a great merchant Heel would have on our trade." Mr. Byrnes, however, added that r ongress will soon consider measures to ensure the continued operation of a great U.S. merchant fleet after the war.