SHORTAGE OF SHIPS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 762, 20 July 1916, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS.

CAUSES AND REMEDIES. STANDARDISATION OF SHIPS. It is difficult at all times for a looker-on to get a true perspective view of vast operations such as those which are being conducted by the Government at the present time. The facts which he can assemble as reliable evidence of the successful or unsuccessful management of national affairs are few and often so isolated that it is difficult to generalise from them. In the matter of the shortage of tonnage this is not the case. Some steps will have to be taken,

and that soon, to remedy the shortage of ships (comments a writer in 'the "Observer"). i The most serious menace to GerImany is the blockade by the British Fleet of supplies to and exports from that country. One of the chief pieces jof evidence which clearly indicates I the importance to Germany of the submarine blockade is the indiscriminate manner in which she is torpedoling not only British but neutral shipping also. It would be practically true to state that the only Shipping | which Germany respects is that sailing under the flag of the United , States of America, for reasons that jare obvious. In the House of Comjmons on Thursday, l)r Macnamara (stated that in 12 months, ended May ,9, 191(5, .17 British and 22 neutral ships had been torpedoed without warning. It is not contended that the submarine blockade is the only ! cause of the trouble. The demands Jof the Army and Navy for mercantile tonnage are still very great, and |so long as our subsidiary campaigns are uncompleted the demand is not | likely to diminish. These demands, i however, must be met. The short-

age of liibour at terminal ports, both at home and abroad, the unwillingness of labour to do a fair week's work, also aggravates the apparent shortage of tonnage. Problem of New Construction. The particular aspect of the question it is desired to discuss here is the remedy to meet the depletion of j our margin of ships. This can only be met by new construction, including the completion of existing [partly-constructed ships now occupying the slips and preventing a proper | utilisation of the shipyards' rci sources.

How is this new construction to be |obtained? Sullicient indication of ; the complication of the problem of ; organising the effort of the shipbuilding industry has been revealed j by the answers to questions of members of Parliament made by the representatives of the Admiralty and Ministry of Munitions in the House of Commons. There are three main demands for ships to be fulfilled by | the shipbuilders of this country. The iNavy demands large numbers of i ships of several different types. The i War Oflice has similar demands, though the vessels are of a more ■modest description. Admiralty and jWar Cfflice orders take preference of jail orders for ordinary mercantile I vessels, which constitute the third demand. We have been told that certain numbers of mercantile vessels under construction have been classified as war work in order that their completion may be expedited. Ait these vessels pushed forward with the same vigour as the war |vessels which happen lo be in the same yard? If not. they might as .well be classed as ordinary mercanI tile work.

"Standardisation

Much has been written of the standardisation of ships. It is a fascinating expression, but what is its significance to us at the present time? In its more general application standardisation implies ships and engines of given standard type. There would be a number of" types with a substantial number of vessels of each type, each vessel of a class fulfilling certain definite specified requirements. It does not imply that every ship of a type should have identical hull and machinery. It simply implies standardisation of requirements to be embodied in a number of ships of a type. Such a standardisation in peace-lime appears to be quite an impracticable proposition. Hardly a single shipping company has more than tpute a small number of ships realising identical specified requirements. Hardly two shipbuilding or engine-building linns would recommend or agree to supply identical ships or engines for the same specified conditions. Kach firm has i!s own special fads, fancies, and devices, each acting as a bail to get orders, for obtaining the same object. Ships, then, of a given type built by different firms, could be standard only in their main qualities, not in detail. All ships of a type built by one firm would be standard in both respects. As a war proposition this is an expedient with enormous inherent advantages. The root of the present difficulty of replacing mercantile tonnage is almost certainly to be found in the presence of Government orders in practically every yard in the country. It is common sense and common knowledge, too, that "reduction can be made in taking a quantity," that repeal orders can be completed in far shorter time than original. Shipbuilders would lather build a large number of vessels of a given type than the same number of vessels each of different type. The case of supervision, the reduction of supervising stall', of drawing oflice staff, the reduction of the number of moulds, patterns and every device of the craftsman for performing special work peculiar to each class of vessel all lend to efficiency. The economy

of all kinds of labour, economy of administration, of brain power and nerve power would be enormous. The consequent increased output and reduction in cost cannot be estimated. Surely it is not impossible w

impracticable fo concentrate war work in certain shipyards and mercantile in the remaining yards, giving mercantile work a war status so that raw material would be supplied to them just as readily as to the "war" yards. A Temporary Measure. Is any justification for a standardisation of type required? The readiness with which all kinds of ships find a sale at enormous prices is a complete and sufficient practical indication that ships of a standard type would not lie on the builders' hands. The Board of Trade could in quite a short time determine what types of vessels would best meet our requirements, and, moreover, determine the required number. If these vessels were ordered by the Government from the smallest possible number of shipbuilders, our needs could be readily and quickly met. The Government should bo the owners of the vessels until built, when they could be sold to the ship-owners. There would be a ready sale. All risk to the shipbuilder would be removed. The same process of concentrating as large a number of vessels of given type in each yard would equally facilitate the delivery of Admiralty and War Office orders. With such a direction and organisation of effort the whole output could be increased. That the shipbuilding resources of the country can meet all the demands made upon it there can be no doubt if effort be concentrated and not divided as appear?;—from several indications, which are obvious to the careful observer—to be the case.

Standardisation of type, together wiih a large number of repeat orders, then appears to offer a good solution for our war time difficulties.