The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-16
PROPOSES COMPLETION
OF MERCHANT MARINE
U. S. Shipping Board in Annual Report
Describes the Tremendous Fleet
Now Operated By the
Government,

Washington, d. c., Dec l6.--Ccmple.
ton of the great merchant marine con.
struction program as it now stands mod
| flied 10 meet the coming of peace and
still further extension of shipbuilding il
recommended by the United States ship.
| ping board in its second annual report To
Congress, made public to-day. The ques-
tion Of permanent merchant marine
program is left for future determination
the board indicating that it will have
suggestions regarding both development
and operation at the conclusion OF in.
vestigations now in progress.
Describing the tremendous fleet now
operated by the government, the report
shows how enemy tonnage was secured
not only by taking over vessels interned
in United States harbors, but by pur.
chasing and chartering from other ma.
tions which likewise had seized German
and Austrian ships. Cuba, China, Siam,
Brazil, Uruguay and Peru all aided the
United States and the allies in this re.
gard. The cost OF repairing the German
and Austrian vessels amounted to ap.
proximately Sll ,194 ,S6270.
The Emergency Fleet corporation Of
the board owned on Nov ri, according
to the report, total of ass new ships, Of
2,64S lightweight tons; so former Ger.
man vessels of 343 pos lightweight tons
six former Austrian vessels aggregating
1862 lightweight tons; and 80 other
ships of 1877 PAS tons.
OF the 81 Dutch vessels taken over u.
der presidential proclamation, 80, of 1885,
trrkE Il.
the shipping board and the others by the
navy. There were 1928 foreign ships Of
] ,366,36l lightweight tons under charter
to the board on this date and 450 Amer.
lean ships of 2,9l0,766 lightweight tons
under requisition, making total feet
of 1886 vessels aggregating 7,49s,M5
lightweight tons owned, managed or
chartered by the shipping board.
With regard to the requisitioning Of
American tonnage, the report says;
Perhaps no phase of the shipping
boards work has been more difficult to
adjust fairly and satisfactorily than that
involved in the requisitioning of ships
for use Nevertheless, most owners have
co-operated with excellent spirit"
Contracts and commitments of the
Emergency Fleet corporation for the con.
struction of ships made during the wear.
provided for 1896 steel cargo ships Of
S,S77 sos lightweight tons; so steel tank.
ers, of 737 900 lightweight tons; "a steel
troop ships, of 1877 900 lightweight tons
two steel hospital ships Of 10000 dead.
weight tons; four steel refrigerator ships
of 81 500 lightweight tons; l04 ocean.
going steel tugs and eight steel harbor
tugs; and 10 steel barges, of 81 800 dead.
weight tons.
The wood and composite ship contracts
called for lSl complete wood ships Of
707 800 lightweight tons; 5l9 hulis, Of
Sal 900 lightweight tons; l40 barges Of
659,500 lightweight tons; l62 wood tugs;
and 80 composite ships, Of 10000 dead.
weight tons.
From the time of its organization up
to Aug. 81, 1918, says the report, the cor.
poration had negotiated 495 contracts.
aggregating 2,29S vessels, with total Of
l4,ll9,l30 lightweight tons, involving an
estimated cost of $2,3l0,2l6,204.
Dealing with the steel ship program,
the report states that efforts of the steel
ship construction division have been de.
voted to accelerating the construction of
ships, obtaining ships suitable for war
purposes, improving the quality Of new
construction, and obtaining ships at rea.
sonable prices. During the year ending
Aug. 81, 500 keels were laid, 35s ships
launched, and PSI ships Of / 800 900 dead
weight tons completed.
The report declares that materially
better accomplishment is confidently ex
pected during the coming year and that
gratifying progress along technical lines
was made, particularly in the simplifca
ton and improvement Of ships, and
standardization Of the many fittings re-
quired.