SHIPPING IN NEW YORK

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15454, 17 September 1914, Page 2

SHIPPING IN NEW YORK

IMMENSK GERMAN TONNAGE IDLE.

yes-kls obliged to retain CREWS.

(From lite Now York "Post").

Even though 'European merchant vessels are securing safely from capture by fleeing to neutral ports, t'liero to lie (hiring the war, the loss to foreign sl'ipp.ng which this paralysis of ocean trai'iic enta Is is incaluiable. Germany anil Eng.and have both issued warnings to ail vessels of their merchant marine lo tie tip in the nearest neutral port to avoid capture. Groat. Urliain and France, because of their preponderant combined strength, aro not so likely to abandon then- usual trade routes. It is conceivable, 'however. that the German Navv might prove formidable to the enemy's shipping if it should come out of the tirsb clashes with France and England with out be:ng too badly crippled. Seme idea of toe linancial burden which Germany will be called upon to bear in various parts of the world, where her merchantmen aro interned, can be gained by survey of the German, ships now bottled up "in flip ports of the United States. In the Gulf ports, where lumber consigned chiefly io Germany and England is loaded, German tramps and liners ;ire always to bo •I'oiuul in numbers. The German eoii-t sill m Mobile has already warned them to safety. Others wiil be tied up in Pacific Coast harbours. Baltimore, is I koly to lh> a haven for a goodly num. Im-v of Gorman merchant vessels, but the port of New York will hold the bulk of them. In gross tonnage, more than 300,000 tons of German merchant shipping is tied lip at New York docks, and the prospect is that, it will remain there lor some tune. During this interval, except tor the singlo cost of coal consumed. the expenses of the vessels are as great as during the time that they are actually earning an income foV their owners. Even in the matter of coal, there is considerable consumption, i'or on most'of the boats steam is kept iip constantly in order that all may bo in readiness for hurry orders or in ease of such an emergency as a lire among neighbouring shipp.ng or on docks. .As for t-iie other expenses, they are very heavy. Each German ship must retain its complete crew, and pay/and prov.de i'or tlio men during the t-imo they are held there. Every member of the crew is s:gnecl for a voyage beginning in a German port, and" 'his contract is made out to cover the time until he shall return. This, according to an officer of one of the big German lines, is a burden "which every ship here is bearing To cite only the vessels of two lines: The North Gerinan Lloyd and the Ham-burg-American, the German fleet hero represents the flower of the Kaiser's mercantile marine. The list includes, with tonnage: Tho Armenia, 5500; Hamburg. 10.500: Koenig Wilhelm If., 10,003: Nassoviii, .101)0", P-ensylvania, 13.300; Pisa, 10-OO: President" Grant. 18.000: Prinz Joachim, 5000; Vatcri'.ind, 51.50(1; Allemannia, 4600; Graocia. 3000; Prinz. Eitel'Fr/odrich;: 5000; President Lincoln, YTIS.ODO; George; Washington. 25,570: " Kaiser Wilhehn 11., 19.360; Rarbarossa, 10,915: Grosser Kucrtuerst, 13,102; Friedrich dor Grosse, 10,675; Prinzess Irene, 10,SSI.