New-York tribune., 1920-12-13
Shipping Board
Extends Scope
OfItsServices
Operating ON 229 Routes at
End of Last Fiscal Year.
Admiral Benson Points
Out in His Annual Report
Great Fleet in Prospect
Expected TO Exceed Tonnage
of All Nations Combined.
Excepting Great Britain

WASHINGTON, Dec 12.-Estab,ish-
ment OF trade routes with government
owned tonnage has reached point
where 2-9 services are in operation.
says Admiral Benson, chairman of the
Shipping Board, in his. annual report
just made public
In distributing the tonnage of the
board. Admiral Benson says, the point
was reached when the amount avail
able permitted the establishing of new
services, where seldom before, If ever.
American merchantmen had been seen
except as occasional tramps. "In this
field Of development" he adds, "the
board followed to large extent the
former routes of the Germans, from
which in 1914 their ships had been
driven. That this policy was not ad-
hered to exclusively, but that it was
applied in g broader view for the en-
hsncement CT our merchant marine,
without national or international dis
elimination or prejudice, becomes ap-
parent from the latest statistics on the
growth and establishment of our COM
paratively new maritime industry.
"On June 80, 1920, the Shipping
Board had total of 209 established
general cargo berths, of which 202
were between United States and for
eign ports and between United States
ports, and seven between foreign ports.
These various berths afforded shippers
220 services"
Services Cover Wide Range
The government feet in operation
June so consisted of 1924 vessels. ply
ing to all quarters of the globe, includ-
ing sos to Northern Europe and 1926
vessels in the transpacific services and
1873 in the South American services
Forty-one direct service lines have been
established to South and Central Amer
lea from nine ports on the Atlantic
Coast, four on the Gulf and two on the
Pacific Coast
When the governments shipbuildng
program is completed, Admiral Benson
says. the United States probably will
have as much oeean-going tonnage as
al the other nations of the world COM
blned. with the exception of Great
Britain.
At the end Of the last fiscal year. the
chairman said, American merchant
ships, government and private owned
numbered 3,404, of 16.91S,212 dead
weight tons, not including more than
100000 tons Of shipping on the Great
Lakes The net program of govern
ment-owned ships, Admiral Benson
said. contemplated 2,315 vessels of 49,
575,7l1 deadweight tons and at the end
Of the last fiscal year 2,070 ships, ag-
gregating 1l,622,361 deadweight tons,
mad been completed.
Ch;rhv}IJ;ro Do.o-J.
During the year 1880 finished ships
OF c,3Ts,s23 deadweight tons were de-
livered, exceeding all records. They
were built without overtime or other
aids to rapid production, Admiral Ben
son said.
The shipyard worker Of the United
States has developed an expertness
which has raised the efficiency OF the
various crafts to II gh plane and pro-
ductlon has kept pace accordingly" :"
Admiral Benson said. The industry
has expanded $4,000 skilled mechanics
70 q force OF 355.000 men available to
the private shipyards, he added.
The credit for the accom- plishment
OF the aims Of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation is therefore due to these
men, who have surpassed all previous
performances in the shipbuilding of the
world he said.
The board sold during the year 426
ships for total of s279 ,914 ,594, includ-
ing l3l new steel cargo vessels, 81 new
wooden ships and 80 former German
cargo ships
Discussing the wooden feet, Chair
man Benson said the maximum number
IN operation was 240, during April. In
June there were l70 at work
Nearly all seized German cargo craft
have been sold or chartered with op-
ton TO purchase, while ali but eleven
o. the German passenger ships had
been disposed Of during the year, the
report said. No disposition has been
made, however, Of the one Austrian
vessel, the Martha Washington.
The chairman urged that Congress-
provide machinery to adiudicate claims
Of other than enemy citizens against
these seized vessels. in view Of the
delay in the peace treaties