PRIMACY ON THE SEAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20989, 28 September 1931, Page 4

PRIMACY ON THE SEAS.

BRITISH ENTERPRISE. REPLY COMPETITION. MERCHANT FLEETS REVIEWED. BY SIR ARCHIBALD HURD. I Though the world's trade has not expanded as population has increased, there are now 26,963,000 tons of shipping available for the carriage of passengers and goods on the trade, routes in the two hemispheres, with the result that 10,000,000 tons are now laid up in idleness in the harbours of the world, a continuing expense to the owners. A shipowner recently stated that he had an ocean-going vessel of 9000 tons tied up pn the north-east coast of England and earning nothing, which was costing him in maintenance £IOO a month. "\Yhen charges on this scale are calculated for all the ships which, though now put of commission, have to be kept efficient, some idea is obtained of "the strain which the present depression is imposing on the industry, with the result that the reserves built up in years of prosperity are being drawn upon to an extent unknown in any previous period of scarcity of cargoes and low freights. So many vessels are swinging at their buoys because they cannot be run at a profit fend the laying up costs, though heavy, are less than the expenditure if they were at sea. Indeed, it is asserted that there are few ships at sea, whether built for the carriage of passengers or cargo, which are making ends meet, if adequate provision were made for the depreciation of hull, engines and equipment, which should be at the rate of at least 5 per cent, per {annum. /' More Ships Being Built. In spite of these unhappy experiences, >rhich are not confined to one country, but are universal, the shipyards of the world efczli continue their activities, though on a somewhat more modest scale than they ,were a few years ago. Nevertheless, according to the latest statistics, vessels of 1,825,987; tons are now under construction. The proportion of world tonnage pn the slips in British yards is smaller than at any time since 1887, amounting to only 555,603 tons, or 30.4 per cent, of the world total. It is true that about one-third of the tonnage under construction in the United Kingdom and abroad is intended for the carriage of oil in bulk, and will not compete in the carriage of passengers or ordinary cargoes. But, when allowance has been made for all these oil tankers there remains a large balance which will be thrown on the trade routes at an early date, making it more difficult for older, and therefore less efficient, vessels to keep the seas. New ships, with their higher speed and better equipment, inevitably take business from older vessels, which are slower, less well fitted, and jnore expensive to operate. This is the position as far as oceangoing ships are concerned, but when account is taken of everything afloat, small ships as well as big, but excluding sailing vessels, the development has been even more remarkable. During the 17 years 1897-1913 the net increase in the world's steam and motor tonnage was 26,797,000 tons, equal to 144 per cent, of the tonnage in existence in 1897, and the net addition during the later period of 17 years, 1914-1931, amounts to 23,319,000 tons, equal to 51.4 per cent, of the prewar tonnage. If a shorter period be taken for comparison, it is revealed that, while during the five years 1909-1914 the world increase (8,931,000 tons) amounted to 24 per cent, of the tonnage owned in 1909, the increase (6,051,000 tons) during the five years June, 1925, to June, 1931, represented only 9.6 per cent, of the world tonnage at June, 1926, an average yearly increase of less than 2 per cent. Alone of all the maritime countries Germany has less tonnage since her fateful year, 1914,/ and, though strenuous efforts have been made to add to the German Merchant Navy, it is still much smaller than it was. The significant fact is that in the lifetime of men and women of the present generation, a great change has occurred in the relative importance attached in foreign countries to the possession of merchant ships in relation to other econpraic factors. British Preponderance. In 1897 Great Britain and Ireland owned Bearly 85 per cent, of the world's steam and motor tonnage, but the proportion in 1914 had declined to 41.6 per cent., and has now been reduced to 29.4 per cent. percentages for the same three years respecting the next seven leading countries are: — 1897. 1914. 1931. United Stales .. 4.0 4.5 15.1 Japan .. .» 2.2 3.8 6,2 Germany .. » i 8.3 11.3 6.1 Norway . * >. 3.0 4.3 5.9 Frarce .» y. 5.1 4.2 5.1 Italy .. .. 2.2 3.1 4.8 Holland .. . . 1.8 3.2 4.5 But though the proportion of British tonnage of all sorts and sizes«has fallen to 29.4 per cent., when comparison is restricted to vessels which compete in ordinary international trade, the percentage rises to as high a figure as 38.43; the "runner-up," the United States, has only 18.95 per cent., Germany coming third with 7.91 per cent., Japan fourth with 6.51, Holland with 6.30, France, Italy and Norway bringing up the rear, while all other countries, "the field," can claim only 8.38 per cent. When all is said, the proportion of world tonnage of all sorts and sizes which flies the British flag is smaller than it was, but on the other hand, there has been no falling off in the quality and age and, therefore, in the efficiency of British tonnage. Of the tonnage owned in Great Britain and Ireland. 22.5 per cent, is less than five years old, while of the United States sea-going vessels only 5.7 per cent, is less than five years old. It is a matter of British pride that of the tonnage registered in Great Britain and Ireland 83.1 per cent, is 'under 20 years old, while the percentage for the tonnage owned abroad in the same category is about 60.5. British Flag's Primacy. The 6ize-group of vessels under all flags with the largest aggregate of tonnage is that of between 4000 and 6000 tons each, amounting' to 19,490,239 tons, equal to 28.4 per cent, of the world's total steam and motor tonnage. The big liners, those of 15,000 tons each and upwards, represent only just under 5 per of the total tonnage, but 53.4 per cent, of this liner tonnage is owned in Great Britain and Ireland. As national prestige rests largely on the big liners which make their furrows on the great trade routes of the world, British shipping, it will be seen, is maintaining the/ maritime reputation of the British peoples in face of keener compeliton than ever before. It is no slight matter for congratulation that, though in all types of ships the British percentage has been falling during the present century, in the largest and swiftest vessels designed for the carriage of passengers as well as goods in "parcels," the "red duster" still holds the primacy on the seas. When it is added that all these vessels were designed by British naval architect?, supplied with British-made machinery, whatever its type, steam or motor, equipped by British firms in every detail and decorated by other British firms, it must be a matter of no surprise that the people of the British Isles are proud of these products of the highest craftsmanship, moving liko shuttles to and fro on the trade routes and reminding all and sundry that the sea prestige of this great nation of islanders is not a thing of the P'ist, but is a source of gratification jn this year of grace. j