The sun., 1919-02-24

in feeding costs. which were given as
follows:
European crews. .............. .tsiI'o.s'as
Asiatic crews. '''''.'''''''''''' iSo'sV''oe
Difference. ...........,...'.'' 'tlss'fIl'LV
Other striking Com pa risons.
When the steamship Davis, running
fron Gulf ports was transferred from
the American to the Norwegian fag. the
monthly wages fell from 1925 to $3.50.
The Brindella, Standard Oil steam
ship had "A monthly wage bill of $1.765
under the American flag as compared
with $685. when It was the German
steamer Washington. Irving T. Bush
has stated that the operating costs of a
ship Of 5000 net tons, transferred from
British to American register and running
between New York and the River Plate
were 340,760 before the transfer was
made and s42.so0 afterward. This be-
fore the seanen's law was effective. In
1916 Mr.. Bush testified before the House
Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries:
THE average difference in cost Of
operating an American vessel which will
cost, we will say, 100000 under nor
NAL conditions such as existed before
the beginning OF the war. and an English
vessel of the same type, will be from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year. That Is a
high type OF vessel and the difference in
cost Of $4,000 or $4,000 a year is not
a large amount. But IL one considers
that vessels are not operated as single
units, but in fleets and II one takes a
fleet Of twenty or thirty vessels It will
be found that the difference per year
in the operi ton Of such a fleet will
amount to from $4,000 to $500. 900"
Difference in the application Of the
vessel measurement system OF the
United States and Great Britain tells
heavily against American ships. An in
stance of this was given recently by
Robert Dollar who said:
For example, take the standard
steamship OF $500 tons lightweight.
scores of which are being built for the
Shipping Board
Charges BASED on Net Tonnage.
The steamer Robert Dollar, of which
all those ships are duplicates. according
to British measurement was 9.420 tons
net. American ships OF this tonnage,
run an average of 4,2S3 tons net. a diff
ference of $50 tons net Sivce all port
charges. pilotage. drydocking, etc, are
charged on the net tonnage the Ameri-
can ship in foreign trade pays IS per
cent more than the ships OF any other
nation. and since this is paid in foreign
ports and to foreign nations. Is II not
UP to Congress to tell US why our ships
are thus penalized?"
Even in the examination tests OF the
two Governments the American ship
owner is peralized in cost
In the case OF the yearly inspection Of
a vessel, for example, under American
regulations It is required that the ship
shall be free OF cargo and all the boilers
filed with cold water. All handling of
cargo must therefore be suspended and
work cannot be resumed until the in
spection Is ended. With British ships.
however, the work goes on. One part
OF the vessel Is inspected at a time The
inspectors are instructed not to stop the
ordinary work OF handling cargo. II
the examination cannot he finished the
ship IL allowed to proceed to the next
port and the examination Is completed
there. Quick despatch OF vessels Is one
Of the most important points In the
profitable operation of ships.
Rigid Test for Boilers.
American boiler inspections are more
| frequent and much more severe than
those of other countries. and the rigid
, tests applied. shorten the life of the
boiler and add to the expense OF equip
ment, besides causing loss OF time.
At every turn the American ship
owner Is handicapped Marine ieg!sla-
ton is fruitful source OF difficulties.
frequently penalizng American shipping
without effecting the object sought
How many hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars have been sauandered without a
penny OF return because OF the charter
of vessels that never have been put into
: haCnroas I'm ~.
Shipping Board has finally to give a real
reckoning of its stewardship. Charges
| have been freely made that the piers OF
New York. Philadelphia and other Atlantic
| ports have been lined with idle vessels
, chartered by the Government and held
at an expense of thousands of dollars
daily. although the owners have made
every effort to secure their return The
case of the Southern Pacific Company
steamship FL Captain is cited as an in
stance of the waste of public money.
Here is the record as given:
August -. 1slS-Comman deered by
the Shipping Board while under con-
| struction.
| September 1s-Completed but tied I'd
at a Philadelphia pier.
November le-Emergency Fleet Cor
poration has vessel placed IN hands OF
the navy for gun equipment.
January 81, 19l9-Returned to South
ern Pacific dock
February FINALLY turned over 10 its
owners after persistent solicitation.
$1,000 n Day for Idle Ships.
Under the charter tSs Govern,as NJ
was to pay $1,000 a day TO the Southern
! Pacific Company, the owners, the total
exceeding $4,000. For the use OF an
other Southern Pacific vessel. the Frank
W. Buck, under somewhat similar cir
! cumstances, about 100000 was paid.
II the Shipping Board has been niR-
gardiy in its information regarding the
| question of expenses lack OF data cannot
be assigned as the reason For months
| past economic experts are understood 10
have been gathering a mass OF material
| for the board showing the comparative
| shipping costs OF all the leading mari
! time nations. None of this has yet been
| made public, nor is there any Indication
when II will be.
! Questions Of cost, however, have been
secondary in the history OF the Shipping
Board, That they are no longer so Is
| indicated by the announcement in Phila-
| delphia few days ago by Howard
! Coonley, vice-president Of the Emergency
| Fleet Corporation. that the cost plus,sys-
! tenn OF construction Is to be abandoned
and all contracts placed on a competi-
I tive basis. But In the very despatch
! that carried Mr.. Coonley's statement he
was credited with admitting that no
statistics were available az to the pres
ent cost OF building ships In Govern
! noent ards Records Lnpt IL