796 VESSELS VANISH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 12

796 VESSELS VANISH

YEAR’S SHIPPING LOSS

“NATURAL END” FOR MOST

LONDON, Aug. 25.

During last year the mercantile marine of the world was reduced by 796 vessels of 1,502,813 tons. Of this total 700, of 1,421,006 tons, were steamers and motor ships and 96, of 81,807 tons, were sailing ships.

These totals are taken from the statistical summary of vessels totally lost, broken up, condemned, etc., which was published yesterday by Lloyd’s Register. The figures, compared with 1934, show a decrease of 650,656 tons as regards steamers and motor ships, and an increase of 39,911 tons for sailing shipev The total toimage broken up during 1935 was 1,214,621, as against 1,768,153 in 1934, a decrease of 553,512 tons, and actual casualties show a decrease of 57,233 tons.

The tonnage of vessels owned in Great Britain and Ireland, which were broken up, dismantled, etc., during 1935, amounted to 471,467, as against 557,540 in 1934.

Strandings and kindred casualties, comprised under the term ‘‘wrecked,” are the most prolific cause of disaster. To such casualties are attributable 54 pet cent- of the number of steamers and motor ships lost, and 34.3 per cent of sailing ships. Cases of abandoned* foundered, and missing vessels comprehend 28.6 per cent of steamers and motor ships, and 45.7 per cent of the sailing ships. A large proportion of the tonnage annually removed comes to a “natural end,” being broken up, dismantled or condemned for reasons not known to be consequent upon casualty or stress of weather. During 1935 the tonnage of vessels so broken up, condemned, etc , amounted to 81 per cent of the tonnage of the steamers and motor ships, and 77.4 per cent of the sailing slops. The tables show that two British vessels were abandoned at sea, four foundered, seven were posted as missing, three were burnt, four were lost, by collision, 27 were wrecked, and one was lost but cannot be classified, a total of 48 British ships.