The Washington herald., 1918-03-14
CHANGE MADE
TO SPEED UP
SHIPBUILDING
Wooden Ship Specifications
Modified to Use Available
Southern Pine.

appointment Of John. H. Kirby. OF
Houston, Texas. vice-president Of the
Southern Pine Association. as the gov
ernment's lumber administrator for
the South, and modification OF the
Ferris type wooden ship to meet limi-
tations Of natural growth of the South
ern forest stand, are announced here
following q three-day exchange on
views between representatives Of the
Southern pine lumber industry and
the United States Shipping Board
BuIIt-up TImbers Practical.
Word went out to Southern pine
mills yesterday that the Shipping
Board would no longer insist on frame
timbers wider than "a inches. This Ii
of "a inches. Southern lumbermen
have for months contended that the
laminated or "built-up'' timber Is en-
tirely practicable for the framing OF q
wooden vessel. and this view has been
sustained by actual shipbuilding op-
erations recently carried out with
great success in private yards. This
method Of construction will at once be
put into to effect on the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts. both as to Ferris ships
now building, and those to be built in
future along the GuIf. Original speci-
fications will be adhered to in build
ing Ferris ships on the Pacific Coast,
where large size timbers are easily
available.
Architects of the Shipping Board are
now engaged in designing a modified
form OF Ferris ship, contracts for 15O
of which will be awarded Gulf Coast
shipbuilders as soon as ways for them
are empty or new ways constructed.
These ships will be built OF Southern
pine.
Southern pine manufacturers who
have been attending the meetings
today pledged the industry to pro-
duce timbers sufficient to construct
at least 800 modified Ferris ships a
year. in addition to schedules on
which the mills are now working.
Timber Survey of South.
A timber survey of the South will
at once be undertaken by the new
lumber administrator, to ascertain
definitely the forest resources of
the section as they may be applied
to ship construction. Mr.. Kirby will
establish headquarters in New Or
leans, and will have complete au-
thority to take all necessary steps
to get out timbers needed for the
emergency fleet Plans are now be-
ing considered for the holding of a
mass meeting of lumbermen at
Memphis to consider means by
which the closest cooperation with
Mr.. Kirby will be assured.
Because of recent developments,
and the changed situation now ex-
isting, Southern lumbermen found
it unnecessary to appear before the
Senate Commerce Committee yes
terday. but merely presented a writ
ten statement briefly outlining the
salient facts of the problem.
A statement regarding the situa-
tion issued yesterday by the South
ern Pine Association says in part:
"As a result of readjusting tim
ber requirements, the Shipping
Board has made IT possible for us
to more adequately and practically
furnish the needed supplies. Due
to this situation we will be in posi-
tion to not only hasten the Ship
ping Boards needs more effective
ly, but aid the country's great ne
cessity. Southern pine forests are
so extensive that they readily pro-
duce enormous quantities of ordi-
nary size timbers. Shipbuilding
promises to be speeded up tremen-
dously."