New-York tribune., 1919-01-26
n. Y. HarbOr Work
Is Years Behind,
Saws Commission
Anticipated and Inefficient
Methods Used.in Handling
Cargoes, Report to U. S.
Shipping Board Declares

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-According
to a report of the port and harbor
facilities commission of the United
States Shipping Board to the Senate
Commerce Committee, New York is
still wearing the harbor fashions of
1898.
"The loading and unloading Of cargo
is being conducted at that port to-day
just as it was twenty-five years ago."
says the commission.
Great Lakes. shipping men who have
seen the New York loading and unload
ing methods say the commission might
as we'll have said that they were inc
same as they were hundred years ago
This report, following one recently
submitted to the Commerce Committee
by the tariff commission on free zone
ports, gives some suggestion of the
manifold aspects of just two of the
numerous collateral subjects that must
be successfully dealt with to make the
20 ,000,0 900 tons of shipping that may be
flying the American flag within two or
three years real mercantile marine
instead of merely so many vessels.
Beaten by Great Britain
Although coal and ore are handled
on the Great Lakes in manner uusur-
passed anywhere else in the world, and
New Workers can see the devices and
methods used by merely taking
nights journey to a lake port, they
have refused to profit by the lesson
and have permitted the ports of Great
+oi, 10
modernity.
New York, however. is not worse off
in this respect than most Of the other
ocean ports of the United States, whose
methods are generally described as
'antiquated and inefficient" 1t re-
NAMED for the ports and harbor facili
ties commission to call in the manu-
facturers of loading and unloading ma
chnery and ask them to undertake to
produce the kinds required for general
cargo.
The commission finds that bunkerins
arrangements are generally poor and
wasteful Of time and labor. 1t is in
clined to think that coaling at piers
is more economical method than by
the use of lighters, but either way
modern machinery is needed
Enough for Some Years
Generally speaking, the commission
thinks the present port facilities will
be sufficient for number of years to
come, as the return of peace will re
lieve the North Atlantic ports of the
congestion caused by the concentra-
tion of too large proportion of export
traffic through them. New York Port,
however, requires additional piers un-
less the construction should be under
taken in the near future of "a big
modern terminal on the lower bay"
The commission has roughly prepared
plans for such a terminal, and also for
railway terminals in New Jersey.
Another relief measure proposed for
New York City is the zoning of the
city for the purpose Of facilitating the
handling of cargo through the streets.
The commission recommends that if it
be made a permanent organization it
should be authorized "to construct an
ideal terminal at one of our sea2orts."
More Drydocks Needed
The commission says there should
be one drydock for every $4,000 tons
of shipping, but that immediate re-
quirements can be met with an allow
has therefore, recommended the fol-
lowing programme of floating dry
docks: New York, 10; Boston, 5; Phila-
delphia, 3; Norfolk, and also a large
repair plant); Pensacola, 1; San Fran
cisco, 2; Los Angeles, /; Portland,
Ore, /; Seattle, l; Charleston, l and
marine railway at Astoria, Ore The
Emergency Fleet Corporation has au-
thorized the construction Of nineteen
drydocks, two of which are to be of
20,000 tons capacity
The tariff commissions report on
free zones in ports strongly favors the
introduction of this plan into all Amer
lean ocean ports. A free zone" is
definitely set off district within which
foreign goods may be landed, stored
and manufactured without payment of
duty or the giving Of bonds. It's use
greatly facilitates maritime trade in
which port is the basis of inter
change between foreign countries, and
also stimulates manufacturing for ex-
port of materials of foreign origin.
For such purposes it provides the
advantages of free trade without in.
tcrfering with established tariff sys-
tens. Without free zone ports it will
be difficult to build up a great trans
shipment trade the existence Of which
is held to be of the greatest impor-
tance to the successful operation of the
American merchant marine.