The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-19
War Managers Speed Up Ships

Washington, D. c., Aug. 19.-American ships
have increased so per cent in efficiency, two YES
sells now doing the work Of three before the war
according to transportation records kept by the
shipping board. This increase results from a ma
rine skipstop system, which includes direct rout-
ing, unification of caTgoes full loading and re-
duction of time in port.
This work of the shipping board is the first in
the history Of American shipping of centralized
organization watching the work Of ships, con-
trasting their performances and striving all the
time to speed them up.
Vessels in the coastwise trade are working with
hitherto unequaled speed. Two round trips a
month between Norfolk and Baltimore and Bos-
ton considered good service in the past for
vessels in the New England coal carrying trade,
Now the pace is four trips. The British recently
made the turn around in five and a half days.
Nitrate from Chile and manganese from Bra,
Eil, both in great demand because Of the war, arg
being brought to the United States in record
time. -Four voyages to Chilean ports in yea.
was formerly regarded as good service, but the
Commodore Rollins recently made the turn
around between New York and IauIque in Al days.
which included a stop at Norfolk for a cargo of
opal to the Canal zone The Santa Luisa on her
maiden voyage, established a record Of is days
between New York and Valparaiso.
In pre-war days the long voyage to Rio de
Janeiro and back took three to four months, but
now only IS days Is the time, according to the
shipping board standards, The Saga recently
days. Wool for soldiers uniforms is being
brought from BueRos Aires and Montevideo, the
round trip being 100 days average time.
Sailing vessels. before the war made the round
trip to South America in six months, but one
schooner built for the shipping board was back
in New York from a delivery Of a cargo OF coal
at Buenos Aires in III days. The George s. Smith,
another sailing craft in the South American
trade, made the round trip between Norfolk and
Para in n days,
Diversion of fast ships from the Cuban trade to
trans Atlantic service has handicapped rapid
operation between New York and Cuban ports,
but the shipping board records show the aver
age, including time in ports, to be about rs days,
The average turn around in the Mexican oil
trade has been reduced to IL days, and some
tankers have made the trip in a week.
In the Pacific the average turns-around are
steadily approaching the fastest times of pre-war
schedules The swift ships there, as elsewhere,
have been sent to the Atlantic for transport
tation to Europe, but the vessels alocated to the
trade with the Orient and Australia have saved
time by fewer ports and by loading and unload
ing more quickly than in the past.
The Ventura made the voyage to Honolulu,
Sydney, Pago Page, and back to Honolulu and
thence to San Francisco in 81 days, which feat
was duplicated by the Senoma.
The average round trip between San Francisco
or Seattle and China, including days In port, has
been cut to 81, and only SO days are required for
the round trip between the Pacific coast and
Japan. New vessels to be placed in the trade are
expected to reduce the time.
Round trips between San Francisco and the
Hongkong Shanghai, Kobe Yokohama, and
Honolulu range from 81 to 100 days. Between
New Fork and Manila the round trip lis t65 days,
long voyage for these war days which is only
made because of the vital need OF some conInodi-
ties. The round trip In the British Indian trade,
between New York and Calcutta. holds a recent
record for elapsed time an ayaraFa Of 2O7 days.