MERCHANT MARINES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 3 September 1934, Page 5

MERCHANT MARINES

SUGGESTED WORLD CONFERENCE FRIGID RECEPTION IN UNITED STATES (United Press Association—By Electric. Telegraph—Copyright) NEW YORK, 31st August. The New York “American’s” Washington correspondent declares that Administration leaders to-day gave a frigid reception to Britain’s proposals for a world agreement on a reduction of merchant marines.

Although the State Department merely admitted receiving such a suggestion from Sir John Simon (Britain’s Foreign Minister) high officials intimated there was little prospect of the country agreeing to any restrictions. It is believed that America would be the loser in any possible plan for limitation, as this Nation’s flotilla is dangerously inadequate, while Britain’s is far larger than her needs, thus any horizontal or proportional tonnage cut would he detrimental to America. america’jTrefusal CONSTERNATION IN EUROPE LONDON, 31st August. Tlie “News-Chronicle” says that America has refused to attend an international shipping conference in London in October. This has caused consternation in European maritime circles, and has led Sir John Simon to ask the leading mercantile Powers for an exchange of views on restricting tonnage. A prominent shipowner states that if America persists in the refusal the conference is doomed, even though France. Germany, Italy and Japan are willing to attend. It is felt that :an Anglo-American rapprochement would solve the whole problem, as tlie remainder of th e world would conform to their action. BUILDINgWtHE TYNE 409 PER CENT GREATER THAN 1933 (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, 31st August. Following reports that shipbuilding on the Tyne shows a 400 per cent, improvement over 1935, statistics of Clyde shipyards show the August output, oi 11 vessels of 33,211 tons, were the highest month since October 1930. The trade output for the first 8 months of 1934 was 36 vessels of 67,786 tons, already exceeding the 1933 total by 12,000 tons: The •new 73,000-ton Cuiiarcler-'White Star liner is also under construction, and in each month since last August, more tonnage lias been ordered than launched. At Govan, where last year construction was at a standstill, 5,000 men are now working and the improvement is general throughout the district. SISTER SHIP TO “NO. 534” KEEL TO BE L AID THIS YEAR LONDON, Ist September. The keel of a sister ship of tlie Ou-. naixicr “No. 534” will probably be laid before Christmas. The new liner will be longer than “No. 534” and indisputably the world’s biggest. The Cunard Company intended “No. 534” to participate in a two-vessel service at first-, alternating with the French liner Normandie, but it is unlikely the company will permanently allow France to share the Atlantic cream.