New-York tribune., 1921-11-19
u. S. Passenger
Ship Outlook
Called Bright
E. HI. Rigg Says Hour Is Here
for Nation to Take Place
on Seas; World Still Short
of Good Passenger Vessels
Marvin Urges Protection
Shipmaster Denoumlces Ex-
travagant Equipment; Re-
pairs Inefficient, He Says

F.. senger ships under the American flag
is better than it has been for two
generations, Z. H. Rigg, naval srchi-
tect, told the Society Of Naval Archi-
tects and Marine Engineers yesterday
that "the more ono contemplates the
situation the more ono sees that the
:. hour has struck for America taking her
full place in world affairs"
Explaining this statement, Mr.. Rigg
said that the world was still short of
passenger vessels, while the construc-
tion of new ones was held up by eco
nomic conditions, chiefly high first
costs. The increase in tonnage since
1914 has been entirely in cargo ships,
it was said, while passenger tonnage
shows decrease from 13,S45,0oO gross
tons in 1914 to 12,1o7.o00 tons in 1921.
For these reasons 1t was predlcted
that American shipyards would soon
feel the benefit of new orders and that
American steamship companies. with
the new vessels constructed by the
Shipping Board, would be able to get
strong position in the passenger
traffic of the world.
Plans for Protection
Protection for American shipping as
an offsc- 20 subsidies abroad and to
low ating costs, was the subject
OF :, PAPER read before the society
by Winthrop l.. Marvin, vice-presldent
Of the American Steamship Owners
Association. To make American ship
ping successful in competition with for
cign fleets, Mr.. Marvin said the United
States should do the following:
81. Find the most practicable form
of eoualizing American sea wages and
costs of maintenance with the wages
and cost of maintenance Of foreign
ships, by system of preferential
duties or subsidies and subventions.
"2. Organize American manufac-
turers, merchants and bankers into
league as disciplined and powerful as
the similar British League, for ex-
ample. for securing the carriage of
greater share of our imports ana ex-
ports to American ships.
"3. Offset foreign subsidies, subven-
tions, bounties and like national as
sistance given to the ships of our COM
petitors. If it is discovered that the
first cost of American-built ships is
greater than foreign-built ships, there
must be full compensation for this fac
tor also.
Manned by Americans
Mr.. Marvin said that unless all of
these things were done the new mer-
chant feet, which is now being beaten
off the ocean by its competitors, will
inevitably decline and disappear as
our former shipping did alter 1890.
In the discussion that followed he de-
cared that American vessels. should
Nv c;+ that the
country would be served adequately IN
the event of war.
statement which aroused keen In
tcrest at the morning session was
made by a shipmaster who declined
to give his name. He denounced the
extravagant equipment on American
vessels, and said that important saw
ings could be made in the operation
of vessels by attention to details. AS
an instance, he said that the con-
sumption Of fresh water on his ship
had been reduced from $50 to fourteen
tons voyage. Overhead charges in
steamship companies were excessive
and must be cut down, he said.
A paper prepared by Rear Admiral
II. H. Rousseau was read to the So
cety. This suggested that Congress
: in making appropria for harbor
improvements should give preference
greatest initiative during the year.
He went at length into the impor-
tance of port facilities in the devel-
opment of American shipping. One
of his recommendations was that a
port should be penalized in appropria-
tions unless so per cent OF the ton
mage entered and cleared is American
If this was done, he declared, there
would be greater efforts on the part
of ali seaboard communities to assis,
shipping under the United States flag
Admiral Rousseau was emphatic ir
opposing municipal control Of port
should be full authority in a munich
pal corporation independent of the city
government. He cited legislation en-
acted for this purpose by the states o.
Washington and Florida.
A paper on apprenticeship. school.
and scholarships by Charles F. Bale,
was read at the closing session.