AMERICAN LINERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22934, 12 January 1938, Page 13

AMERICAN LINERS

PACIFIC SERVICE NEW SHIPS SUGGESTED BIG BUILDING PROGRAMME Reports that the Matson Navigation Company is making tentative plans for the construction of two express liners for the Pacific trade ore being circulated in San Francisco. It is stated that the suggested ships, which will be larger and faster than the Mariposa and Monterey, will serve as the American reply to the proposed two new Canadian-Australasian liners. No information on the project has been received by Mr. R. Jose, New Zealand passenger representative of the American line.

One factor which may lend some support to the suggestion is contained in decisions reached by the United States Maritime Commission, which has granted Government aid in the construction of a large number of merchant ships. An announcement was made in August that aid would be given in the building of 95 merchant vessels, including 25 passenger ships, at a cost of 256,440,000 dollars. A further cablegram published last month stated that the commission would call tenders for the immediate construction of 12 steel cargo ships, the largest peace-time order for merchant tonnage ever placed in the United States.

Further emphasis for the support of expansion of American shipping, based on the commission's findings, was given in a cabled message published yesterday, which announced that the United States Government had signed longterm subsidy agreements with seven steamship companies for tho immediate construction of 20 ships and the preparation of plans for 23 more. Negotiations are under way with an eighth company for 10 ships. Whether the Matson's service to the South Pacific will benefit from the great increase in American tonnage is a subject of conjecture at Auckland.