South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-16
SEMI ANNUAL
REPORT MADE
ON SHIPPING
u. S. Shipping Board Com
pIeteS Great Merchant Ma
Tine Construction Program
as 1t Now Stands.

WASHINGTON. Dec rs. - Com
pletion Of the great merchant marine
construction program as il now
stands. modified 90 meet the conf M
OF peace and stnl further extension
OF shipbuildnE. is recommended by
The Jn6ed States shipping board In
ITS second annual report to congress
made public today. The question of
permanent merchant marine pro-
gram is left 90 future determination.
TIE board Indicating that 30 viii have
suggestions regarding both develop
ment and operation 40 the conclusion
~ investigations now i'm progress.
Describing the tremendous fleet
now operated by the government. the
report shows how enemy tonnage
was secured not only 10y taking over
essels interned iu United States
harbors. bat by purchasing and
chartering from other nations which
likewise had seized German and
Austrian ships. Cuba. China Siam
Brazil Uruguay and Peru. all aided
the United states and the Allies in
This regard The cost OF repairing
amounted 90 approximately all Sill
I94.8G2.7O
TIE emergency Fleet corporation
or the board owned on November 81.
according 20 the report a total of
f55 new ships of 2.64S.S92 dead
weight tons, 50 former German ves-
sells OF 342.206 lightweight tons. six
former Austrian vessels asgregatinE
$500 lightweight tons. and 90 other
ships OF 1925 tons.
Foreign Ships Taken.
or the 81 Dutch vessels taken
over under Presidential proclaim
ton. 80. Of 226.34O lightweight tons.
were managed by the Shipping board
and the others by the Navy. There
were 32S foreign ships of 1.366.361
deadweight tons under charter 20 the
BOARD on this date and $50 American
ships OF 2.91O.766 lightweight tons
under requisition. making total
fleet Of 1856 vessels aggregating
1.4gS.075 deadweight tons owend.
managed chartered by the Shipping
board
with regard TO the requisiuoning
says.
Perhaps no phase Of the ship
ping boards work has been more
difficult 10 adjust fairly and salts
factorily than that involved In the
requisitioning Of ships for use
Nevertheless. most owners have
cooperated with eXcellant spirit"
Contracts and commitments of the
Emergency Fleet corporation for the
construction Of ships made during
the year provided for 1896 steel car
go ships OF S.S77.605 deadweight
tons: so steel tankers. OF $4,000
lightweight tons. "a steel troop ships
of $4,000 deadweight tons. two
steel hospital ships OF 10000 dead
weight tons. four steel Refrigerator
ships. Of $1,000 deadweight tons: 10i
ocean going steel tugs and eight
harbor tugs. and is steel barges OF
54.S0O deadweight tons
From the time Of it's organization
no 20 August 81. 1918. says the re-
mort. the corporation had negotiated
f95 contracts. aEreEating 2.29S YES
sells. with a total OF 14t1913O dead
weight tons. involving and estimated
cost Of S2.3f9.216.2O4
Dealing with the steel ship pro
gram. the report states that effort.
~ the steel ship construction divi-
sion have been devoted 70 acceIerat-
ing the construction of ships obtain
ing ships suitable for war purposes
improving quality of new construc
zion. and obtaining ships at reason
BILE prices During the year endinl
August 81 $50 keels were laid. S5i
ships launched. 2S7 ships OF $500.
600 lightweight tons completed.
Expect More Next Year
The report declares that a ma.
teriauy better accomplishment s.
confidently expected during IN,
coming year and that gratifying
progress along technical lines wa
made. particularly i'm the simplihca
lions and Improvement Of ships. anC