‘LIBERTY" SHIPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 228, 28 September 1942, Page 6

‘LIBERTY" SHIPS

ACCELERATED BUILDING IN UNITED STATES HIGH RATE OF DELIVERY Rugby, Sept. 25. A total of 488 merchant ships has been put into operation by the United States since the first "Liberty” ship was launched on September 17, 1941, states a Washington message. The scheduled delivery of 22 more ships in the last three days of this month will make the September total 92. which is the highest monthly rate in the programme. Eight million tons is the goal set for 1942.—8.0.W. London, Sept. 25. The rate of building in British shipyards compares well with American time. This is normally 40 days, but Mr. Henry J. Kaiser has reduced it in his yards to 14 days. British yards are now building 10,-000-ton cargo ships in 30 days, but they suffer from this disadvantage, they are unable to put in a 24-hour working day as in America. The working day in British yards is limited to 10 hours, as night shifts would invite bombing raids. Some indication of the gerat drive on both sides of the Atlantic is given in a statement from Washington. Since the launching of the first "Liberty” ship in the United States a year ago the United States has put to sea from its yards new ships representing over 5,000,000 tons. Sunday is being celebrated in the United States as Victory Fleet Day.