New-York tribune., 1920-09-20
In the World Of Shipping

Sale Of one LOT Of ter American.
built vessels, the purchasers sspre~
senting nine different foreign nations,
furnishes some interesting sidelights
on shs present shipping situation. Fog
one thing. the transaction indicates
that American shipyards have lost
precious time during which an extern
sive market for their products could
have been secured had not the policy
OF the government prevented.
Altar the signing Of the armistice,
when che demand FOR ships was world
wide, American yards were not per-
mitted to take foreign orders. For
months steps were taken to secure
governmental sanction without avail
and when permission was finally given
to build for foreign account priees Of
tonnage had risen to such on extent
and the foreign exchange situation
had become so adverse that 1t was
practically out Of the question 9os che
shlpbuilding interests OF this country
to get orders from abroad, although
than they could handle.
In the entire period since there has
been completed to foreign order in the
United States only one ship. A few
tankers are now under way, but che
proportion Of foreign orders TO deuaes.
tic contracts in this country is very
small: In contrast to this, British
yards Svork is stated te%be more thsu
80 per cent for foreign account. Ex-
change conditions are still unfavorable,
and another adverse factor is that the
demand for ships is far below what it
was earlier in the year.
With shipowners protesting that the
prices fixed by the Shipping Board for
its tonnage are much too high, IL ia
interesting to note that there are no
evidences Of recession in tonnage
values. The ships just sold to foreign
buyers brought $171 deadweight ton
which is greater than the figure asked
by the Shipping Board for its vessels
Of similar type. And the board has
announced sales Of it's Hog Island
ships at 1885, deadweight ton.
The fact that NO purchasers could be
found in the United States by the
American Shipbuilding Company TO,
ats ten ships is not surprising. These
shtips were originally ordered by the
Shipping Board, it is understood, but
the contracts were later cancelled. The
builders decided to 90 ahead with them
on speculation, however.
The ten vessels are small freightsrs
OF the Great Lakes type, not generally
considered as suitable for trarsoceanie
trade. There are great many of them
in the hands Of the Shipping Board
too many it seems evident to and q
market in this couAtry FOR use in the
Great Lakes and coastsng trades. They
are suitable, however, for use in the
European coastal service and in the
Baltic and Mediterranean trades. and
utilization will doubtless be made OF
them in this way.
With the leading oil companies urg.
ing conservation Of oil supplies. ship.
owners continue to acquire vessels
fitted for oil-burning only. Nearly 90
per cent of the freghters- being built
TO private order in American shipyards
are of this type, and less than is pc,
cent are to be fitted for using both
coal OF. oil as fuel. 1t is likely, how.
ever, that the near future will SEE
an increase in the construction of the
combination type. The conversion from
one kihh Of fuel to another can b.
made in comparatively few hours and
at comparatively small cost.