Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-09-12

about o,0u0,OU tons Tor coaStWlSe, west Ihulan
and South American trade.
The navy overseas transportation service
started operations last autumn. It's first act was
to take over T. oil tankers to supply ships win
fuel oil. In the emergency it was necessary fur-
riedly to commission the shippers who hhd heeh
running ships under civilian auspices, put thelh
into lieutenant commanders uniforms and SEM
them on their way with Il book of navy reeu'a-
lions. 1t Is not strange that in the circumstances
the average new reserve officer was more or less
"in the air"
The service. starting in New York ana Nor
folk, was extended to Philadelphia. 1t now Is
expected that 80 additional offices Will soon De
opened, including those on the other side OF the
Atlantic. The navy overseas transportation seFF'
ice must not only operate its ships, nut IL Whst
see that they are operated ut their maximum
efficiency. They must be loaded In record time.
They must carry record cnrgoes. they must go
across in record time. They must arrive on the
other side In safety. The sinking Of one ship
would mean not only the loss OF the cargo she
was carrying at ;hc time, but of all other cargoes
that she might have been chilled upon to carry
on other trips.
Officers of the service figure that if by I'm.
proved efficiency In the engine room they can run
ten ships across the ocean at one knot better
speed than that at which Inferior engine-room
crews would put them over, one ship has been
created. In like manner. If they can put an ad-
ditional 10 per cent Of cargo on each OF the ten
ships an additional ship has been created,
The transportation officers figure also that
night and day II ship costs about 500 an hour.
In other words, every hour saved to a ship is 500
gained, A battle may be lost to the allies through
the sinking of q cargo ship.
In the matter of defense of cargo ships at sea
the service places particular stress Upon these
four elements: A sharp lookout, ability to
maneuyer, speed and guns. Expectation of life
is Increased 300 per cent by guns on merchant,
men. They force the submarine to operate under
the surface Of the water, where its speed Is
slower and its deck guns are useless.
The situation today in New York and the Other
ports Of embarkation In regard to the operation
of ships is more or less complicated. Not thu
navy alone Is operating ships, but the shipping
board, the quartermasters department and thu
navy supply department. Besides this, the ship
ming board assigns ships to private owners Il
operate, and certain ships manned by the nav!
are assigned to private owners. The general opin
ion with regard to these ships seems to be that
under current labor conditions, navy recruiting
offers the best means and the only real guaran
tee for manning most OF the great new Meet o.
cargo ships under construction.
There has been n disposition in certain quar-
tors to belittle the cargo-ship service. The No
ton prevails that there is no romance In some o
the old tramp ships being used in this service
In answer 1t Is shown by the men in the scrvic
that 1t is not only the most useful but the mos
interesting service In the war.
Outside of the destroyers. the men-o-war carr!
ing freight probably will be the only warship
that will see active service In this combat. As
clinching argument, this service Is about the onl
one that Is constructive and not destructive.
Is laying the foundation for n great America
merchant marine after the wal.
That America did not have an Immense me
chant marine at the outbreak Of the war was du
to several causes. Confederate raiders dealt It
severe blow. Metal ships and the developmer
Of railroads followed. Then came the blOckin
in congress Of all legislation for such a merchal
marine. Tho LII Toilette net was the blow til,
killed the project.
The transportation pressure due to America
entry into the war brought the realization Of Il
inndeauacy Of the number Of American Office
in tho merchant marine. Az the first step towni
simplifying the deficiency. a great school WINS Q
tnblished at Pelham Bay for the training Of DEF
officers. IN addition to the valuable nucleus
yorng officers already given to the naval reser'
from this school, accommodations have been pr
yided on q greatly enlarged scale for thousan'
more. Here the men take two months intensl
. practical ind theoretical training. followed
, two months Of reul experience At sea. The cadt