THE WORLD’S SNIPS

Otago Witness, Issue 3542, 31 January 1922, Page 18

THE WORLD’S SNIPS

YEAR OF GREAT ACTIVITY. LONDON, January 24. Lloyd’s Register, in its annual shipbuilding summary, calls attention to to© enormous recent increase in the tonnage launched compared with pre-war periods. During 1918-21 the total addition to the world’s merchant fleets bv new construction was nearly 3,000,000 tons, which is considerably above the combined output for the nine years from 1905 to 1913. The merchant vessels launched in the world in 1921 totalled 4,341,679 tons gross, being a decrease of 1,500,000 tons compared with 1920, but an increase of over 1,000,000 tons compared with 1913, which was the pre-war record year. The United Kingdom launched 1,538,052 tons in 1921, a decrease of 517,572 tons compared with her record year—l92o. Other large outputs were; United States, 1,006,413 tons; Germany, 509,064 tons; Holland, 232,402 tons; Japan, 227,405 tons; France, 210,663 tons; and Italy, 164,748 tons. Germany’s launchings in 1921 included 40 vessels of between 4000 and 7000 tons, 13 vessels of 7000 to 10,000 tons, and one vessel above 14,C00 tons. COMPETITION WITH BRITAIN. WASHINGTON, January 24. President Harding has launched a campaign to establish the American merchant marine on a permanent basis. It is understood that he has approved of a plan providing for direct subsidies to private owners, the money coming from diverted Customs receipts on goods carried in American bottoms. The plan also provides for indirect subsidies. The United States Shipping Board has made a statement that the object is to put American cost of operation on an even basis with British. The latter is taken as a standard of comparison because Britain is America’s nearest competitor in the cost of operation. REDUCTION OF WAGES. LONDON, January 23. There is a crisis in the mercantile marine. The shipowners have intimated to all ratings that if no settlement on the wages question is reached within a day or two they will have no alternative but to make their own arrangements when engaging men, and they must insist on the proposed reduction of £2 a month in the case of sailors and firemen. OWNERS’ TERMS ACCEPTED. LONDON. January 25. The seamen have accepted toe shipowners’ terms, with corresponding reductions for officers.