The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-24
They Are Opposed to Plan of Making Their Yes
 sels Unsuitable
STEAMER LUCIA STILL HELD IN NEW ORLEANS
This Is Steamer Which Has Been Equipped With Air Boxes, De- signers Claiming She Can
 not Go Down
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

On account of the appalling amount of food which has been sent to the bot tom of the ocean, the countries allied with the United States are demanding the construction of unsuitable ships.
 The deadweight tonnage sunk by submarines in 1917 was S.400,000, or 6.0o0,000 registered tons. The value of ship and cargo Is reckoned at $500 per ton. The money loss, however, was not so great as the irreplacable food loss At least 1,s0o.oo0 tons of food went to the bottom. Some esti- mates are as large as 2,500.000.
 The loss of food ship comprises double loss.
 FRANCE SENDS CONSTRUCTOR
 So serious has the situation be- come that France has sent its chief naval constructor. M. Andre, to America.
 He said today "ships can and must be made unsuitable"
 The appointment of naval commits sion. headed by Rear Admiral Winter halter, indicates that a decision re- specting the availability of the un- sinkable ship, matter which has been dawdled about since last July, will soon be reached.
 The shipping board has never taken a positive stand The one unsuitable ship equipped for service. the Lucia, is still at New Orlelans. She has been refused sailing papers. &h
 OWNERS OPPOSE PLAN
 It is the open charge in Washing ton that shipowners have successfully opposed the plan of making vessels unsuitable.
 If one of their vessels is smashed they collect full insurance. If one of their vessels is equipped with unsink- able devices it is deprived. of IA per cent of its cargo space. An unsink- . able ship. therefore, results in an ac- tGal net loss to owners.
 The cost of equipping ship with ug sinkahle devices Is about ten per cent of the cost of the ship. Treat ment Of the Lucia cost $150,000.
 RAISING THE LUSITANIA So serious has the shortage of ships become that the United States govern ment is preparing to cooperate with Lloyds of London in salvaging vessels. Last year Lloyds' salvage values eiiHQdAtCu tO plou,VUV,uuU
 Salvaging is accomplished by the gradual working of cables under the hull of vessels until they have been tcwed into water shallow enough to permit divers to ply their trade. Div CTS seal up the decks to prevent the admission of more water. Pumps arc then employed to emit the water all ready aboard.
 This is followed by pumping air | fxr. l. l. becomes bouyant enough to float. It is an interesting fact that an agent of the government is at pres ent aiding in salvaging the Lusitania. SHIPPING BOARD STUBBORN Regarding the Lucia. the shipping board is displaying certain unmistak : able stubbornness. the wisdom of which is not at present apparent The board insists that if the Lucia be sent to sea at all. it must bo conveyed. Those who made this ves- sel unsuitable desire that she go alone, openly. boldly, challengingIy in- to the submarine zone.
 They insist that if she is struck
 three times, squarely. by torpedoes, she will not sink. They are anxious that the Lucia be permitted to prove the efficacy of their craft.
 TREATMENT OF LUCIA Treatment of the Lucia has already been dealt with in more or less de : tail. She was prepared for experiment. tation and actual service in Mobile. Her inner skin and cargo space is lined with alright wooden boxes. | 1x2x3. These boxes occupy 14 per cent os the cargo space.
 The boat. formerly the property of Austria. is in drydock at New Orleans. lf she proves the practicability of the unsuitable theory all other food-b ing ships despite monetary loss to owners. will be similarly treated.