The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-13
P P0RT FACILITIES
Of j. 5. N j ST
BE ING REASEO.
New Merchant Marine And
Big Commercial Growth
Will Require Improvement
fBy Associated Press to The Bannerl

1By Associated Press to The Bannerl
WASHINGTON, Aug. Port and
harbor facilities along the Atlantic,
the Gulf and the Pacific must be ex.
panded two or three fold to provide |
for the maximum service of the Amer.
lean merchant marine, now in the
making, when once 1t is released from
war traffic. Immediate expansion is
necessary at many ports so that coal
for New England war industries can
be made by water.
| These facts have been establish
ed in the preliminary study OF port
conditions made by the recently ere.
ated Port and Harbors Facilities Com.
mission of the Shipping Board, head
ed by Edward F. Carry. Present
facilities are shown to be inadequate.
and in time new ports may be ere.
ated.
New York and Boston harbors
have been examined by the Commits
sion, and similar investigations at
1
will be made soon by Mr.. Carry and
experts attached to the Commission
They plan to make visits soon to the
rapidly growing ports of the south
Inspection tours also will be made
to obtain information on proposed
new ports.
The first complete inventory of
port facilities in the United States
is now being made under the direc-
tion of Mr. Carry. Authorities at all
ports used by oceangoing traffic
have been requested to supply data
covering the last five years regard.
ing docks, marine railways, termin.
al arrangements, repair plants and
entrances and clearances in domes.
tic and foreign trade. Every dock
and repair plant has been called on
to answer QUESTIONABLE regarding
the type of its facilities, present con-
ditions, exact location, whether this
location is advantageous for the most
efficient handling of ships, the terms,
rates and conditions on which ships
; are docked. the number of ships dock
ed in the past five years, the average
period each ship was in dock, and a
brief statement of the work done on
it. Special information also is sought
, regarding ports where coal and oil
are handled.
The cOastwise trade in coal and oil
is perhaps the most important that
has been handicapped by inadequate
facilities. At present, this trade is
limited only by shipping and port
facilities. The survey shows these
ports are taxed to capacity at pres.
ent, and in many instances overtaxed
and in almost all instances facing
, expanded.
New York harbor particularly is
overtaxed, and some southern ports,
especially Galveston, New Orleans.
Jacksonville, and Charleston, need
expansion. All southern ports, it is
expected, will be enlarged because
signs of congestion are already in
sight. This condition results from
heavy traffic being diverted by rail
, roads from overland routes north to
southern ports either for shipment
north or to the West Indies and
South America.
The Commission, besides its plan
for port expansion, will consider the
diversion of imports and exports from
northern to southern ports, particular.
ly shipments to and from the middle
west, which now add to the troubles
of congested railways along the North
Atlantic seaboard and in Pennsylyan-
la and Ohio Relief is planned by
transit through southern ports to
railways and waterways.
Trade with South American cOun-
tries, which has increased enormous
ly during the war. will be considered
by the commission in relation to the
ports of the south. The diversion of
this trade, as also that of the middle
west, is regarded as demanding vast
increase of water front facilities
there.
Enlargement OF Pacific ports is re-
garded necessary with the expansion
of trade with the Orient.
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