The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-05-01
Conferences Between British Mis-
son and American Board Re-
suit in a Complete Understand
ing as TO Plans to Follow.
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS
is TO BE sPEEDEp UP
Balancing Power in the World
Struggle Is the Tonnage We
Can Supply; Entente Nations
Must Have Food 10 Win War.

Ny Assoe' e'at-d Pr,ss
Washington. May 1.-The United
states has already placed consider.
able amount of ship tonnage az the
disposal OF the entente allies Lord
Eustacc Percy. ship expert with the
British mission. said today that the
government had supplied certain yes
sels 10 De used according to the allies
needs hut refused to Indicate what
they were or 70 they we're the seized
German ships
Lord Percy declared that the pres-
ent rate OF British construction of
ships and the present estimated Amer
lean rate could not keep pace with the
present rate Of destruction by subma-
fines.
The balancing figure in the strug-
gle" said Lord Percy. ''is the tonnage
the United States can supply"
Lord Percy's announcement was the
first intimatloa that the shipping
conferences had actually resulted In
any agreement. II was taken as !,
forerunncr OF a very wide degree OF
co-oporatlon in which the present ton-
mage and the future building powers
OF this country win be pooled with the
allies 10 defeat the German submarine
menace
Lord Percy stated that the British
mission had supplied the American
government with every tietaH 90 shs
shipping problem including the total
allied tonnage. ,ha total destruction by
the U-boats. the irreducibie needs or
the allies; the present rate of construe-
tlon aboard and the standardized
building plans. The American ship
ping board he saId. had shown the
hearticst cooperation with the fullest
understanding of the urgency of tn,
situation
The shipping issues" said Lori
Percy. dominates everything else and
is very grave indeed Both the pres
ont British construction ana the es-
timated American construction cannot
keep pace win the present rate OF de-
structlon Both mrs be specded up
very appreciablv Il the seas are 10 M
kept open The war has resolved H.
SELF into race between the efficiency
OF the British and American ship
yards ana the German submarine.
Tho balancing factor IN the world
struggle II the tonnage the United
States can supply. Only IN case this
IL large can the present military serN-
ice and food supply be continued. This
Is the most vitality serious problem.
Cannot Ice exaggerated
The United states Lord Percy
went on. is one if the few countries
tina, Is absolutely self-sufficicnt ~
shipbuiiding Vol have here the men
the material the 'nvcntlveuess. France.
italy ana Japan also are building sam
what. hut unlike this country anus
use ships to build ships through the
need 81 IMPORTING raw materials
The shipping problem Is not "ulN
matter of tonnage. nut equally
matter ~ how fast that Tonnage is
used Every method possible T. helnr
used 20 save shipping for the vital pnr-
poses and keep II away from nou-ef-
souiials Each of the allied nation-
has instituted national Shipp'nF
board. while over them al Is the gen
cral shipping board sltting IN London
which attempts To- harmonize the de
mards ON shipping und direct u q"
the most efficient Use