The New York herald., 1922-06-25

charges which large transatlantic ships
carry. These smaller ships are built
primarily for freight and the all year
round. moderate paying tourist travel
The Germans have not had great diff
Guilty finding passengers and cargoes
for ships of this size.
The Germans of the Hamburg Amer
ican Line said that they were satisfied
with their working arrangement with
the United American Lines, where each
keeps his service intact but where they
exchange agency and office facilities
Ships of both lines advertise together.
Passengers. German and American. do
not pay much attention to who the
actual owner is of each particular ship,
but ordinarily take that which sails at
the time they want.
The international shipping r>N. has
again fixed common rates. Indeed, the
service of the two lines is much the
same. Many of the American sS.sSs
were built in Germany. Although Of
ficers and more than half of the crew on
the American ships are American, yet
below decks many of the ships crew
are German. The Germans on this line
for the most part have been long in
American service. Both lines give pas
sengers similar standard of comfort
building programs considerably in the
last two years When the Government
agreed to indemnify them for shipping
handed over to- the Allies the Hamburg
American Line, for example. hoped to
rebuild half of the old peace time mer-
chant fleet with this money The Ger
man Government gave shippers 12,OOO,-
600. 900 marks a year ago This year
ago would have been enough to rebuild
half of the merchant marine. When
the mark began to drop this amount then
shrunk to a third, and now 1t would
only build but an eighth of the pre-war
tonnage The leading companies had
added about as much in money If their
own to reconstruction. with the com
pletion Of ships already in construction
mer of 1924 the total German tonnage
will be about a half of the cre-war
German tonnage.
Shippers are keeping to their con-
tracts with their builders for ships al
ready In construction But they are
not placing new orders. Shipbuilding
in Germany will therefore probably
pass through a period of stagnation
year or two from now similar to that
through which shpbuilders in most coun-
tries are now passing.
The HainburC-American Line is max
ing a large bid for American tourists
this sumr ler. both as TO comforts and
regularity of service. Before the war
Hamburg had the largest attractive
mower over the summer travellers from
America. Since the war this passed to
Cherbourg. This year of the 100000
Americans who are expected to visit
Europe Hamburg from advance book
ings again estimates that majority of
these travellers will come to this port.
Hamburg is making extensive prep
arations for receiving tourists. There
are tourists bureaus of every kind and
country in Hamburg.
Accommodations in Hamburg, how
ever, are likely to be scarce. The cor
respondent of THE NEW YORK HERALD
learned this after the bitter experience
of walking the streets for an hour and
more TO find rooms. There are large
and modern hotels in Hamburg and
dozens Of smaller ones in the neighbor-
hood OF the railroad station. But local
travel practically fills these. Ships are
now coming in with 500 to 1000
passengers. Steerage passengers arc
assured lodging at village of the Ham
burg American line near Hamburg.
In present conditions of housing short
age shipping companies may be obliged
to look after the accommodation of their
cabin passengers on shore to the extent
of putting hotels aside for their par
ticular use. Thus far no special ar
have been made for housing
tourists II they shift for themselves
they are bound to have difficulties in
finding suitable rooms. Hamburg ho-
tells also ask Americans double the Gers
man rates.