New-York tribune., 1919-06-22
Announces the Opening of
= Sole Sales Department
= Under the Management of
= Fleet Corporation Official
=.
Oi-Burners Are Retained
Chairman Hurley Defends
r Prices of Tonnage; Says
j They Reflect the Demand

Beginning tomorrow the sale OF
government ships will be conducted
in New York. Edward N. Hurley
chairman of the United States Ship
ping Board, announced yesterday that
Offices had been established on the
fourth floor of the Custom House
with John E. Barber, vice president
Of the Emergency Fleet Corporation,
sales manager, and credit depart
Bankers Trust Company, who has
been lent to the board for the selling
campaign. At the present rate of
saies 1T will take a year or two, it is
said, to dispose of the 1000 odd ships
belonging to the Emergency Fleet.
Mr.. Hurley repeated yesterday q
previous announcement that nineteen
vessels had been sold, although a
number. Of those named as buyers said
that sales had not been consummated.
He also stated that negotiations are
now being carried on for the sale of
between thirty and forty more ves-
sells to Americans to be retained under
the American flag, while foreign gov
ernments are seeking to purchase most
OF the smaller ships One govern
mtnt is seeking 100000 tons.
- Government Retains Oil Burners
The majority of these vessels are
coal burners. The ships to be re-
tanned under the American flag are
all oil burners.
There is not ship on the ways, or
IN the wet basins now that is not an
Oil burner" said Mr.. Hurley, who in
dicated that officials and private ship
owners alike are planning an Ameri-
can merchant marine made up almost
entirely of oil burning vessels.
III WAS cuCUactod fo M, II,,,Io,.
ahipping men are reluctant to buy, be-
heving that the prices asked are based
on profit to the government, whereas
previous statements, such as the pro-
posal of writing off $1,000 100000 of
the cost of the emergency feet had led
them to expect greater concessions.
Answering that, Mr.. Hurley said the
prices now ruling, $210 to 1925 per
dead weight ton, are the result of the
demand.
Britons May Buy Cheaper
"A good buyer always objects TO the
price" said Mr.. Hurley. He admitted,
however, that British buyers were
likely to buy ships from their govern
ment cheaper than Americans from
theirs.
The ships which Mr.. Hurley said
were sold last week ranged from yes
seis OF $500 tons at $21O q ton to
$500 tonners priced at $215 to 1925.
Those for which the foreign govern
ments are said to be negotiating are
practically all of 1920 tons. Mr.. Hur-
ley said he was not prepared to give
she names of these governments.
!. When he was told that a number of
the firms named as purchasers last
week had denied the transactions, Mr.,
hurley said it was probable that some
OF them had not actually signed the
contracts, but as their credit had been
found satisfactory the Shipping Board
considered the sales as made.
I'VE are establishing the sales de-
partment here because it is more con-
venient," said Mr.. Hurley. "This will
be the only sales department, except
perhaps, should need arise, in some
foreign capital. Each sale will be an
nounced here, giving the names of the
purchaser"
Mr.. Hurley said that 25 per cent of
the purchase price would be required
at the signing of the contract, to be
followed by further payments of 1914
per cent in six months and one wear.
with the half then remaining in in
stalments covering a period of four
years.
Mr.. Hurley was asked if ship pur-
chasing companies had not been or
were being organized by men con-
nected with the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration or the Shipping Board.
''If they are, l don't know it," he re-
piled.