The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-30
u.s.. EMERGENCY
ships SOON TO
Be GIVEN TEST

The emergency SHIPS puilt under
contract for the United States Shipping
board, authorized and rusned to compile
ton in the greatest industrial drive of
the, war, are soon to be put to the test
LOT their ability to compete on purely
commercial basis with ships of pre-war
and postwar construction and the ships
of other nations
Many of these ships quilt under the
urge of war. aggregating about 1000, 0uD
gross tons, are now in overseas service
upnder control of the Shipping board
following regular trade routes. and are
rendering good account of themselves
v lille others, of an aggregate of s33 33s
gross tons, are engaged in overseas food
relief work, the last tour of war work
they are expected to perform. Chairman
Edward n. Hurley has announced that he
expects the greater part of this tonnage
to be released from fooo relief work
by July 1. The .emergency'' ships of
the United States are more than holding
up their end of this WORK which closely
follows commercial lines, in comparison
With ships of other nauons likewise en-
pioyed.
The desire of the shipping board to
balance the fleet and grve it elasticity
and tine highest commercial strength
chiefly affects future construction. with
a trend to larger ships arIordng accom-
Hoeations for passengers ana freight and
possessing speed and a wide Streaming
contract are the types mat must be used
i'll finding the peace ea:ue of the fleet
that accomplished its predestined pur-
pose i'll the winning OF the war.
American shripyards in operation when
the United States was drawn into the
great conflict had their ways chokcd
with vessels building for private and
foreign account. The ships were of the
merchant class and were designed for
trade under normal conditions. They
Were. therefore, OF APPROVED types IN
no sense war or emergency craft but OF
economy of operation in the open corn-
petition Of the seas.
Great britain had, under construction in
American yards % Steel cargo steamships
of less than 1000 gross tons and 3S OF
between 200e and 2, 6ev gross tons Dem
mark had four cargo carriers of between
1000 and 2,666 gross tons; France of
less than 1000 and 5 OF between 2. 600
and 1860 gross tons. and Norway of be-
tween 1000 and 1866 gross tons.
In addition there were under construc-
ton or under contract for roreign account
in American yards scores of smaller
vessels, bckh steam ana sail. Some were
completed and delivered but most of
them had to make way for war construc-
ton on behalf of the United States
he Shipping board was concerned only
with vessels of approximately 1000 gross
tons and over, and these ships were re-
auisioned and put into operation as rap
IDLY as they could be delivered. There
were 188 of such ships OF which 176 were
freighters. Four were reconyeyed to
French and British owners. OF the liz
remaining IS were of less than 1905
gross tons. and SO of these of less than
IL knots speed. The other two were OF
more than IL knots.
OF 24S vessels OF less than 1850 gross
tons delivered to the Shipping board
uk4fc w0G
IL knots; ~ with IL to IL knots speed,
and of IL knots and over.
There were IL requisitioned vessels of
1855 to 1866 gross tons. Eight Were un-
der IL knots and had IL TO IL knots
speed.
There were 1877 vessels of the same ton
mage delivered to the shipping board on
Its own contracts. Sevengk-sevenA were,
under IL knots; los had II to IL knots
and were OF IL knots or over.
Requistioned ships of 1886 to 6,6Ss
gross tons numbered IS. Thirty-nine
were under II knots; % OF II to 10 knots
and of Il knots or over. OF the same
tonnage the Shipping board had deliveries
of 81 ships None were under IL knots;
%. or II to II knots and Q were of II
knots or over.
Nine reuuistionad ships were each Of
slightly more than 6.666 gross tons. Two
had. 10h knots speed; had II to IL
knots or over. Deliveries of vessels of
this type now under contract to the
Shipping board will soon begin, and they
will compare favorably IN the matter Of
speed with the requisitioned vessels.
or the "a freighters Of under 1888 gross
tons reQuistioned by the United States,
~ had been contracted for by the Brit
ish That experienced maritime nation
deemed it advisable to place orders for
small boats of low speed. None of the
small boats ordered by the British had
a speed of aver II knots and So of the ~
had a speed of 10 knots or less.
Practically all OF the vessels requisticn-
ed were of comparatively low speed. Only
10 were of IL knots or over and half
were of less thanu l0h knots.
A better line on what the future holds