New Britain herald., 1922-12-07
AMERICAN SHIPS CARRIED OVER 4
 MlLLION TONS OF IMPORT .CARGOES
and transportation facilities in con neetion with water commerce"
 Has Had 3,d4f Ships

Has Had 3,44f Ships
 Altogether the shipping board has
 had during it's career 3.444 ships to-
 talling about ia.69s.ooo dead weight
 tons, These were obtained from vari- ous sources. Some have been sold. and many are now tied up Idle. The report shows that notwithstanding depression in shipping. there were at the close of the fiscal year on June 90, 1929, approximately b0,000 mon engaged on vessels of the American merchant marine and a larger num- her of longshoremcn employed ir
 loading and unloading. More than s10,00o,000 annually has been saved in the reduction of marine and long shore wages of shipping board ves- sells alone. Reductions were effected after strikes and negotiations ranging from IS to 25 per cent.
 The policy of the board regarding making wage readjutments, is de- clared in the report to be based wherever possible "upon collective bargaining which has resulted in al- laying as far IS possible the discon- tent and resentment which usually follow wage reductions"
 During the last fiscal year, the re- port says, there were 37,312 arrivals and departures of vessels engaged in foreign trade aggregating S0,231, 900 long tons of cargo. Of this total 52 per cent moved in American bot toms. In relative efficiency indicated by the relation of load to deadweigRt tonnage the American percentage was 37.9 per cent compared with 36.4 per cent foreign. While American ships used 2.62 dead weight tons to move each ton of cargo, foreign vessels used 2.74.
 Difficulties Encountered
 Accounting the difficulties which had been encountered in the boards effort to dispose of its idle tonnage, the report says it found that no one was willing to buy in large quantities, at anything like fair price, under present conditions. At the close of the fiscal year the effort to find buy CTS was continuing, but the board still had for sale 1,6S6 vessels, to- talling 10,S09,172 deadweight tons. Of these 1,256 were steel cargo ships and 225 were wooden cargo ships, while the remainder were of various steel. wooden, composite and con- crete types.
 The immediate prospect is not fav- orable to the early disposal of the fleet" the report declares. First and foremnSt rnu,oc fbo pocacc;t,y fcr ia, islation Even with this legislation the transfer of the fleet to private hands, if it is to be accomplished as part of the building up of the Am erican merchant marine, must be al slow process.
 Perhaps one of the most favorable factors that will help in the gradual working out of the problem is the fact that large percentage of the worlds tonnage is now over 15 years of age and is approaching that per- lod when the cost of maintaining the highest classification becomes so seri- ous factor in operation as to influ- ence operators to purchase other ton mage rather than to pay the heavyl cost Of keeping ,ip older vessels while a much greater percentage of foreign tonnage is approaching the age when 1t will be desirable to replace it with new tonnage, than is true in the easel of American vessels. the difficulties of the present situation are largelyl caused by an excess of world tonnage i Ind any aborption. whether in this market or in foreign markets, tends Q remove this excess and to establish higher values for all vessels
 The increase in value of the ves. sells due to the demand that will come in the next few years as a re- suit of the growing age of the worlds tonnage should, however, more than compensate for the cost of upkeep turing the period that must elapse before these factors become control- ing ones."
 Reduce Wooden Ships.
 During the year, the wooden fleet vas reduced by 236 vessels, and the cost of the upkeep of the fleet was 'educed by $41,000. The maintenance cost stillsstood, however, at an annual lverage of $919 per vessel.
 The amount received from sale of | outlying projects belonging to the board during the year was $1,S54,75O, | representing a return from property | which had been given present fair | ralue" of $2,113,600. The report says | hat lin accordance with agreement | made with the office of the chief CO., 'rdinator" sales and transfers were made at prices IS per cent below present fair value.' Sales from real state brought in an additional $S,- '9S,722. Notable among the econo- nies recorded was reduction of $1,- 43,075 in salaries through reduction if the personnel of the maintenance md repair department by 42S em- ,loyes.
 Greatest care was exercised, the re- 'ort says, in authorizing transfers of essels to foreign registry. and the otal number so transferred during he year was only 15S, representing 21,931 gross tons, although applica- ions for much greater numberawer lied.
 It is noted by the board that the ear saw completion of the wartime program, the last ship built n government account, the Western World, having been delivered on May The total number of ships deliver q during the year was 23. as com ared to 21S in 1921 and 1,002 in 920.
 Commerce Summary.
 A summary of the amount of com lerce borne in American bottoms uring the year showed that shipping H oard vessels handled 4,313,913 cargo