New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09

tween December l and January TO-
53,500,000 bushels went abroad, most
all Of it being carried in the new
American ships.
Much Meat Shipped
The accumulated products of the
cattle growers required cargo space
urgently. Here was a commodity un-
der handicap with other commodities
OF less bulky character, and especially
so at time when foreign shipping
could pick and choose among the multi
tude OF bidders for space. But as more
and more American vessels came out
Of the army service, and new vessels
were delivered by American shipyards,
sufficient shipping had been placed in
the export service by January 10 this
year to decrease the surplus stocks of
meat products by nearly 3OOO 900 tons.
Meanwhile the American dairyman
protited from the fact that 10000 tons
OF surplus butter, cheese and milk were
carried overseas by our new ships.
These vessels also began carrying
abroad 100000 dozen American eggs
monthly.
On February the requirements Of
the newly organized European food re-
lief service, as announced 20 the Ship
ping Board through the food admins
tration called for the immediate export
chiefly TO European ncutrals. OF half
million tons OF American -four, pork
products and milk, and of a quarter
million tons OF various foodstutfs for
Belgium. The December and January
programmes for Belgian relief totaled
another half million tons of foodstuffs.
1t was expected that foreign shipping
would be available to carry q consider
able share of this tremendous quantity
of American foodstutfs, but so many Of
the foreign ships returned to their
ante belum trade routes Immediately
after the armstce was signed the bulk
Of the task fell TO the new American
merchant marine.
100 Ships in Fleet
There were in the European food re-
lief service on February II Of this year
a total of l09 vessels of 858,957 dead
weight tons. By nationality they were
as follows:
Dead weight tons
American (os) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 7s3oA3
Norwegian (D OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 2l5oo
OF tho American vessels engaged in
this export service, seventy-nine of
654780 dead weight tons, came into
existence during the past year. Dur
ing February there were twenty-three
citic Northwest ports to Europe laden
with Montana, Oregon, and Idaho -four.
Only two vessels Of this feet antedate
1918.
A unique chapter in the history OF
our new merchant marine began with
$500 ton frelghters proceeding directly
from Seattle shipyards to the docks
of that rapidly growing port, there
loading with wheat. and then steam
ing away for Saloniki and Trieste.
On the Atlantic coast another novelty
was in the departure, one after an
other, from Philadelphia, Of the Hog
Island fabricated steel ships, carrying
on their maiden voyages surplus prod
ucts of the grain belt.
Plus all the new vessels in the food
carrying feet, there have also been
alocated to Belgian relief fifty-nine
foreign vessels under charter to the
Shipping Board, and they comprised
on February H., 20 per cent of all the
tonnage in that service.
What L. S. Has Done
A report from the Food Adminstra-
ton serves further to show what the
new American merchant marine, with
scattering other vessels, has done
since December !, 1918. in carrying
overseas the accumulated farm prod
ucts of this country Of all relief
foodstufs scheduled for departure by
the end of February, there remained
in this country by the middle of Feb
ruary less than 100000 tons. The
grand total exported by March 1 will
be 100000 tons. More than 80 per
cent will have been carried in Ameri-
can vessels--and, with few exceptions,
in cargo carriers built in American
shipyards during the last year.
This unprecedented export service
has been provided for the American
farmer and cattle grower at a time
when army needs absorb between
100000 and 100000 dead weight tons
of the American merchant marine. Up
to February II the army had in trans
atlantic service 354 vessels of 1852, 942
dead weight tons, out of q total of
l ,ll2 cargo carriers of 5,838,095 dead
weight tons Another million dead
weight tons was absorbed by other gov
ornamental work.
New Record Made
Thus, by the end of February-less
than four months from the signing of
the armistice-the new American mer-
chant marine will have provided for
the expectation OF more than 500 600
tons of the surplus farm products of
this country. 1t will be the means of
carrying overseas the greatest ship
ments of foodstuffs in the history Of
American commerce.
According to a bulletin just issued
by the Department Of Commerce, Jan
uary exports exceeded in value the
total for any previous month in the
history of Anne rican commerce.
The export figures announced for
January is S623 900, 600, as against a
total Of $685. 900 900 for December and
S505,000,000 for January of last year.
/ Only twice before have exports reached
the 100000 mark. During the
seven months Of the fiscal year ended
with January the exports totalled 49,
98.000,0O0, as compared with $780,
100000 for the corresponding period of
the previous year.
Imports Increasing
The value of imports in January was
1913, 000, 600, as compared with SILL
,000 in December and 1924, 900, 900
in January, 1918. For the seven months
ended with January imports totalled
Sl,e98 100000, which is a slight gain
over the 1891 100000 for the similar
period of the previous year.
The~eXcess OF exports over imports
4 in January was $40 600 900 an i'm