New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-12
Efficiency Afoat
From tho United States Shipping
Board
1.-TWO ships to-day are now doing the
work that three did before the war.
Thus the use of ships, like the build


work that three did before the war.
Thus the use of ships, like the build
ing Of them in this country, is breaking
records. Under the direction of the United
States Shipping Board this increased SER
vice has been obtained by accelerating the
"turn-arounds," otherwise the curta1ing Of
time spent in port by fastening the dis
charge of cargo and the taking on of
new one.
Although many fast vessels have been
taken out of their old trade routes to be
placed in the transatlantic service, yet by
the introduction of what may be described
as a marine skip-stop system, by direct
routing, unifcation of cargoes, full loading
and cutting down of time in port, the slower
vessels have made some of the fastest
"turn-arounds" in the history of American
shipping.
Despite the submarine menace, vessels in
the coa3twise trade are working for their
country with hitherto unequaled speed.
Two round trips month between Norfolk
or Baltimore and Boston was formerly con-
sidered to be good service for vessel in
The New England coal carrying trade The
pace is now four trips and one vessel, the
Bristol, makes the journey in five and one
half days. The famous speed ship Tucka-
hoe, recently built in the record breaking
time of thirty-seven days, has been making
four round trips a month. One day in port
two ct the most-is all she has required
for loading or unloading.
Inc most important trade of the United
States to-day, with the possible exception
of the coal carrying, is the nitrate trade
with Chile. Nitrate is necessary in
gredient in the manufacture of explosives:
it is also the base of fertilizers The United
States is absorbing practically the entire
output of Chilean nitrate, which is the
greatest in the world. Formerly q shin
making four voyages year to Antofogasto
lquique and other Chilean ports was re-
garded as rendering good service The
Commodore Rollins recently made the
turn around" between New York and
lqulque, even though stopping at Norfolk
TOR cargo of coal for the Canal Zone, in
the remarkable time of forty-four days. On
her maiden voyage last month tn newly
built Santa Luisa established record Of
eighteen days from New York to Valparaiso
Her sister ship, the Santa Anna, is doing the
round trip between those two ports in fiftv-
seven days or under
To and from Buenos Ayres and Monte
video carrying wool for the soldiers uni
forms, the ships accordin, to the charts IN
the Shipping Board, are doing the turn
around" in the average time of one hundred
days. The swifter ships in this essential
trade are setting a pace of four turn
arounds" year. And an even faster one
for this trade will be set when tho bic
freighters now being built by the Shipping
Board Emergency Fleet Corporation are
made ready for service.
Inc traditions for American sailing ships
IN the trade with that part of South Amer
lea have been maintained during the war in
a remarkable manner. All seafaring men
Will admit that round trip between New
York and Buenos Ayres in six months is
pretty fair sailing. In late December the
schooner Luther Little was completed for
the Shipping Board. On January 90 this
year. she sailed from New York for Norfo1l,
Va, TO take on cargo of coal for Buenos
Ayres. She arrived back in New York ON
June IT, having made the round trim in
liz days, only fifteen days less than the
Time taken by steam vessels. In contrast to
such performance the Calumet. of the
same size as the Luther Little sailed from
Norfolk for South American port on SEN
TENDER 13 last year, and has not vet re-
turned.
mere are two interesting recent perform
ances IN the trade with the Far East. as
shown on the charts kept by the Shinnino
Board
The Ventura went from San Francisco to
Honolulu, to Sydney, Pago Pago, back to
Honolulu, and then to San Francisco in
slXty-two days. The Sonoma, another cor.
blnatlon freight and passenger steamer
duplicated this feat
Inc average round trip between Sa,3 Fran
cisco or Seattle and China, including DAVIS
IN port has been cut to eighty-one DAYS.
Ihese hgures cover performances during the
last tour months. Only sixty-eight DAVIS on
the average are required for the round trim
between the Pacific Coast and Janan This
time will be reduced when soma If +bo no,,1..
QUILT ships go into that trade.
Inc ''turn-around" between San Francisco
ana the Philippines, including as it does
stops at Manila, Cavite, Hong Kong. Shane
hal, Kobe, Yokohama and Honoln1u-or
time consuming factors in the schedule
ranges from 81 to 1870 days. Between Now
York and Manila the average turn around"
IS 100 days-a long voyage these DAYS. when
only the vital need for certain commodities
releases shipping to get them. The "tnrn-
around" in the British Indian trade ho+woo..
New York and Calcutta holds Tho rooont
record for elapsed time, an average If oo7
days. -''