CONCRETE SHIPS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14572, 6 April 1918, Page 8

CONCRETE SHIPS.

\ . «»■ . , ... VESSEL OF THE FUTURE. Advices from the United; State's"arei>tb the effect that the Government of that great republic has ordered a concreto steamship to be made with 7500 tons dead weight capacity. The patterns of the San Francisco * Shipbtiilding Company have been takeii ov#r by the United States Shipping Boardyas tho basis for plans of a number of concrete ships which it is proposed to build. The Redwood City yards are to build, four of the freighters if the first. one proves satisfactory. It is stated •- that, perfectly good steamships can" now bo constructed J of reinforced concrete at a rate hitherto I unheard of in the steel, construction in- 1 dustry. Should this prove to be the case in actual practiceythen kthe concrete ship will' be the.' vessel of the' future. ' K ' -'i-t.; '•.■"■; ;•'.'. The Coast Seaman's Journal) •in an article re conci*ete ships," has tho ! . foi-' lowing: "Orie of >the 'claims j-made for the concrete ship's -is. that^; barring accidents or gross negligence in : its •hand-* ling, it will; Avjtli', reasonable^ care arid upkeep, last practically ■•fotr'*.*evev.-" •- The: article refers to the* facti that it' is little ' more than 40 years since steel ship9 becrowding out the wooden 'vessels, and now the concrete ships* threaten to replace the former. The- "article, adds: "It goes without sayi-ftg l thjatv when the quicker-built and more durable concrete ships come in, the steel ship goes out.":