New-York tribune., 1920-09-20

These vessels will also have the ads
vantage Of being able to use one kind
o. zual when there 10 q shortage Of the
other. Also to be considered Is the
TACT chat coal is more easily obtainable
and cheaper than oil in some parts of
the world, and with bupkers at the
Yesse1s range Of prices o differential
In favor OF one sort Of fuel may easily
amount to thousands Of dollars for one
voyage Of good-sized ship.
The troubles Of the wooden steamers
eeefa to multiply almost daily. Recent
ships have lost one field of cargo
carrying. Until recently the wooden
vessels we're in demand by ore charter
ers, who needed any tonnage they could
get. The steamers were used IN
the trade from Spain and Medi-
terranean ports to United Kingdom and
Continental destinations. Now that
steel steamers can be readily obtained.
however, there are said to be very
few ore charterers who will take
wooden tonnage at any price. They
claim it Is generally found that cargoes
carried by che wooden steamers are de.
livered with sea water damage, owing
I to the hulls Of the vessels being leaky.
may be found for fair proportion Of
the wooden tonnage owned here,
through the great and constantly grow
ing demand fer oil carriers With steel
freighters being converted into tank
ers, there is also considerable work
being done in the way of turning
wooden ships into oil carH~rs. Coses
have been reported recently in which
some Of these vessels have been lined
with cement or sheathed with steel
for this purpose. In the majority of
cases the machinery has been removed 4
and the ships used in tow.
pressed into service by British in,
terests. The Shell Company, for in
stance, has bought from the British
government a number Of monitors and
has refitted these shallow draft vessels
into tankers. which it intends to use
for the transport of oil from the
Venezuelan fields across Lake Mara
calbo to the refinery at Curacao. AS
q, result of this step, it is predicted
Venezuelan OIL which Transportation
dimcultles have hitherto kept out of
the worlds markets, will probably be
marketed on large scale before ionp
Something new in the wav Of shin
construction is reported from France
This is known as the Le Parmo17tier
systemr. The chief feature is that about
two-thirds Of the vessels length con-
sists of two parallel cylinders con.
nected at the top and bottom by plat
ing, the space between being used for
! Oil fuel or water ballast. Shipshape
ends are added and a deck above each
cylinder completes the vessel. 1t is
claimed that the weight of the plating
and framing Is from 80 to 40 per cent
less than in ordinary vessels of eoua7
tonnage. While for the carriage of oil
! rue! or grain there seems to be much
in favor Of this system. the difficulties
OF stowage and working for ordinary
cargo appear to be considerable. Five
OF these vessels are being constructed
Tor the French government.
! How actively the British shipping in.
terestss work to have voice in the
formulation Of Legislation affectine
their merchant marine is indicated bv
the fact that more than a score ot
shipowners are members Of Parlin.
nent' American shipping interests
have no representatives whatever in
Convpesa