The sun., 1919-01-17
81 SHIPS RELEASED
FOR NORMAL TRADE
Total of 275,I94 DeadVeight
Tons Made Available.

A big part OF the immense recently
created and acquired tonnage or the
American merchant marine will be put
in service soon to relieve the freight
congestion in nearly all of the Atlantic
ports of the United States. The port
most seriously affected liz New York. and
naturally the United States shipping
Board ini allocating number OF YES
sells yesterday to various lines and snip
ping firms gave precedence to this port.
The board announced that all Amer
lean owned reQuisitioned steamships are
released to their owners except those In
war or other Government service.
Steamships retained in Government ser
vice will be replaced by an equivalent
amount Of tonnage made up of Shipping
Board vessels. which tonnage will be
given to their owners to operate on their
own account"
\. c. Clegg, assistant director Of OPP
creations for the Shipping Board, at 40
Broadway. said last night that all Amer
lean owned tonnage would revert TO its
owners on the completion in American
ports of the present voyages Of the
steamships TIKI action is an extension
Of that taken by the board recently.
when 1t returned to their owners fleet
Of tank steamships that had been in
Government service
Taken in conjunction with the alloca
Ton yesterday of thirty-Tour steamships
TO lines and firms. the return OF requsi-
toned ships to their owners and the al.
| lltment TO owners Of ships to take thc
place OF those requisitioned by the Gov
| eminent the fastest action of the board
means a great revival OF shipping in the
Immediate future.
The thirty four steamships assigned
Yesterday have combined dead weigh
| tonnage OF 275.l94 The total numbe
/ of ships owned by the board is 636. OF
which 534 Of 1.e94.9l3 tons are new YES
! sells. SO Of 257.s62 are former German
ships OF 24.4lT tons are former Aus.
| trian ships. and 81 OF l0o,a62 tons for
ner great lakes vessels.
Following is an official outline OF the
| new policy which is considered OF great
| Importance TO American business Fnd Of
| vital influence in obta lining for America
| her part OF the worlds ocean trade:
"Inasmuch as one Of the very impor-
! tant factors in ship operating costs is
| that part of the overhead cost repre-
scented BY interest and depreciation. II is
recognized that a readjustment OF ship
values should be made. 1t Is also evil
! dent that SOUND commercial PRACTICE
! and proper accounting methods require
| reduction in values at which ships al
ready built and now building under war
conditions are carried. II is estimated
| from the figures so far obtained that the
proposed write of OF from 80 to 40 per
cent. would be the minimum amount
properly chargeable to the cost of the
war
The operating cost OF the United
States Government owned ships is nee
essarily high because OF the high con-
structon cost due TO the war. The
| question of future rates. therefore
makes necessary readJustment OF the
values at which American shipping Is
carried.
THE proposed reduction should pu,
American. shipping on an adequate post
war footing b. Tn as to values and cost
OF operation. Similar methods it seems
might we'll be applied to reduction
| in shipyard values.
THE proposed new valuation OF
ships would be to put the United States
in so far as the present Government,
owned ships purchased or built during
I the war are concerned. in position tc
name rates in competition with such
rates as may be offered by ships OF
other nations and st is the intention
of the United States Government that
it's people shall have ocean rates a
| least as low as those offered by for.
eign shipping.
Referring to the question whether
operating costs OF commercial vessel,
privately owned and those not at present
! Government owned are seriously AZ
| tected in an adverse way by the wage,
! paid II Ia now known that 50 per cent
OF the oceangoing tonnage OF the world
| to-day Is being operated within from
) to 10 per cent, of that wv being PAID
by American private ope. .,tors and the