New-York tribune., 1920-11-10
Foreign Ships
Offered Here
At Low Prices
British.Built Vessels Quoted
at About Third of Ship
ping Boards Figures for
Same Type of Tonnage
Canadians Seeking g Orders
Many Ex-German Ships I'm
sold; No Buyers for the
Imperator and Bismarck

Vessels built in British shipyards
are being offered in the American mar
ke; At price about one-third that now
beinc asked by the United States Ship
ping Beard for the tonnage it is seek
.ng to sell This price is also only
about half the cost Of the same class
cf construction by British yards re
Gently.
The vessels are new ones, on which
spo. delivery is offered. They are
1000 tons deadvoisht. oil burning cargo
carriers. The SO a ton asked for them
works out for them at the current ex-
ea.nso rate. about S8.9S per pound to
s53.gg per desdwcight ton, in compar-
son u.,h the minimum Of about S175
per ton asked by the Shipping Board
!or this type OF vessel
On this basis the British-built ship
would cost the American buyer S567, ,430,
IS compared with S1690,o00 for the
Shipping Board vessel
Norwegian owners are seeking to
m4s, .rc sale here. Because of the
stump IN Scandinavian shipping condi-
Mons mUch Of the new tonnage built
for those countries by British yards
since the war is on the market The
price asked does not represents the cost
u reproduction by British builders.
Il is Indicative however, of the anxiety
of foreign owners to cut down their
fleets in anticipation Of d further re-
auctou in freight rates.
Canadians Seek L. 5. Orders.
Canadian shipbuAders have also been
trying to ind 4 market in the United
States, offer having been made to
Construct tankeIs for $ls5 per dead
weight ton American builders, how
ever, can match this price, and their
product has the additional advantage
o: being available for use in the coast
wise trade, which would be closed to
lore IN Dult vessels.
0t.eanes OF French and British
ships al low prices have also been made
in this marAet IN the last few weeks,
bl, ne sales are reported to have been
naaa as q result. SO far as cargo
yezse.s ale concerned, the general at
utcae OF srll."ners Is to hold oil on
slrchaee ,.e belief that the Ship
fr- Ao.rl NH make a material re
as..ioa l tie great volume OF this
cass OF tonnage ON its hands. 1t is
es9 tie belief that more liberal terms
Of payment can be secured from the
Beard .Aan from foreign sources. At
,omp-s To invade the American market
with Ioreien built tonnage have, there
fore. failed thus far
The British government still holds d
.arre number Of the eX-Germsn liners
and cargo vessels seized by 1t during
.he war and apportiOned to it since
tie agnlst.ce. While the vessels were
offered for sale some time ago to
British interests no purchasers have
been found for the larger liners.
Among the vessels still to be dis
posed Of are The 56,000-ton Bismarck,
the largest liner in the world. and the
s-010-on Imeurator. With thet "a 900
loa Leyiataan still in the hands Of the
United states Shipping Board, the
three biggest vessels Of their type ever
built are on the market at the same
time
To Operate the lmperator
cf the three only the Imeprator is
10 active service, and it is understood
That she viii not be withdrawn, but
yll continue to be operated by the
tcaali Line, which mas advertised sail
ng' for her as far aheai as January
% next. While British advices state
'.ai She has not been sold they do not
tate whether any bid for her was
received FROM the line Under the
meseat arrangement she is allocated 10
iae Cunarl Line by the British gov
lnmcnt
The Bismarck is reported + be still
sng at dock in Hamburg and to be
,ar from completion, no work having
peen done on her superstructure or
Interior furnishings. Recent advices
rom Hamburg were to the effect chat
Ne Germans We're urging that She be
eIoNen up and the steel in her used
ior the construction Of ships Of more
@l@bae size for commercial purposes.
be Bismarck. however, has ceased to
be German property.
mere have been no recent develop
Aents in regard to the Leviathan,
"Aicn remains docked at Hoboken with
ere" aboard her to keep her in re-
Aaih' with the organization Of the
new Shipping Board, however, it is
'egarded as probable that bids will
gam oe asked Tor from private
american interests.
Elaborate plans have been prepared
or the focoaditioning of the vessel
- lneV Of .ne highest type and for
er conversion to an oil-burner. There
ass oenr cons dorable talk Of late. how
s,eH o. tuning the Ieviathan into the
meerage trade, and if she is sold TO
pul'hasers with this purpose in view.
.oe reccnditoning will, Of course. be
W. mueh cheaper scale than that pro
'1ea for In the present plans.
Le'iathan Capacity Limited
reports that the Leviathan could be
Ted TO carry 1000 TO 5000 steerage
sssengefs rip are disputed by
pp'hg men. This would be impos-
," ~e Wa'e The vessel remains under
.|erieen registry they say, because il
,,l'a be an impossibility to fit her
w 'le hfe-savins equipment re
.'sea by law ii any such number Of
pse"gers was carried.
-..'qa'rements as to the number OF
o. ar space passenger could