NEW SHIPPING LINE

Otago Witness, Issue 3448, 13 April 1920, Page 29

NEW SHIPPING LINE

CANADIAN-AUSTRALASIAN SERVICE. WELLINGTON AGENTS APPOINTED. With Germany and Austria practically out of the world's shipping-, a great opportunity presented itself (says the Dominion) for other countries to obtain at least a portion of the shipping formerly carried on by these Powers, ihat opportunity hag been grasped by two dominions of the Empire—Australia and Canada, The Commonwealth Government has for some time been conducting a large fleet with marked success, but it is only of late that Canada has made her presence felt. Before the war, hi Canada, as in Australia, shipbuilding was a negligible quantity, but the war gave the necessary stimulus. The Canadian Government has a very ambitious programme, and the vessels built are to be sent all over the world. One trade marked out for expansion is that between Canada and Australasia; and with this in view four steamers have been allocated. This number will increase, of course, as trade warrants. The firm of Messrs "Murray, Roberts, and Co. announced on Thursday that they had been appointed Wellington agents for the Canadian Government Mercantile Marine, and that the first steamer to call at Wellington would bo the Canadian Importer, which is due to arrive about the end of the month from Vancouver, via Australian ports. After discharging a part of her cargo at Wellington, she is to load for Vancouver, and inland Canadian and U.S.A. points, proceeding to Auckland to complete discharge and loading. Already one of the Canadian Government's vessels ha s arrived -in New Zealand, the Canadian Raider now being at Auckland discharging a cargo of Newcastle coal. She has been fixed to load for Montreal and New York. This vessel, it is gtated, was not built for this trade, and it is understood that on her return to Canada she will be drafted into" the Eastern run. - The present fleet of the Canadian Govern, ment Mercantile Marine consists of 70 vessels of an aggregate tonnage of 425,000 tons These vessels are all cai-go-carriers, but recent reports from Canada state that the Government is the building of passenger steamers of 15,C00 tons in connection with the Canadian national railways. TYPES OF VESSELS. There are seven different types of vessels being constructed for the Canadian Government Mercantile Marine, Ltd., ranging in size a s follow :—2SOO tons, -3400 tons, 3750 tons, 4300 tons, 5100 tons, 8100 tons, and 10,500 tons, deadweight. The vessels 1 to be employed in the Australasian trade are of tlw 8100-ton type. They are of the twodecked type, with poop, bridge, and forecastle, are 413 ft long over all, with 400 ft between perpendiculars. 52ft beam (moulded), a depth of 31ft (moulded), and a draught when fully loaded of 25ft lip.