New Britain herald., 1924-04-03
25O MILLION FOR ENGINES APPROVED
House Votes in Favor Of Big Sum
 for Diesel Motors

American vessels actively engaged il
 foreign trade into motor ships an'
 authority to the United States Ship
 ping Board to use s25,ooo,ooo yea
 for this purpose was approved by th'
 house by vote of o70 to 29.
 These provisions. which are th'
 main substance of the Green bill, upor
 which the vote was taken, meet vir, tuauy no opposition. Both republican and democratic members spoke II
 favor of the legislation, Chairman Green declared that it will Ego far tc aid in the elimination of losses sus. tained by present operation of govern ment owned ships
 \ In discussing the provisions of the bill, Representative Green said:
 During the last several years therf
 has been successfully installed II many vessels, both domestic and for
 eign, a new type of motive power, th'
 motor engine, commonly known as the
 Diesel engine It's use has passed tht experimental stage, and its economies
 have been so marked that every veal
 shows an increased construction o
 this type in the shipyards Of all ths
 leading maritime nations Of thF
 world.
 Bill Amends Act of 1920
 Ut will be noticed that this bill amends two sections of the merchant marine act of 1920. In the first sec ton, the construction loan fund, which now amounts to about s6s.00o,00, was set aside for loaning purposes to own CTS desiring to build new ships. Now 1t is proposed in this bill to extend that principal so as to cover conver- sion of ships. as well as construction thereof. In the original act the ship ping board were allowed to loan under mortgage up to two-thirds of ship cost, whereas in this bill provision is made for 8 loan of 50 per cent on either ship or installation of motor, and an additional loan up to two- thirds of the cost, provided additional satisfactory security IS given, the market value of which IS twice the value of the original loan. The committee has enlarged upon the section by carefully safeguarding all of these loans In detaih and 1t will be noted that'in Section tD1 a higher rate of interest is required on the loan if the ship is used In the eoastWlse trade instead of in the foreign trade, it being the intention of the committee to encourage the utilization of these loans for ships in tho foreign trade rather than in the coastwise service. And notice vii serve to show that none but American ships would be benefited under this bill
 "In Section ,, which amends Sec ion i. of the 1920 act tho shipping hoard is allowed to use its funds ap- nropfiatea for reconditioning in such amounts HIS may be available and to transfer from the construction fund provided for in Section il of said act ls much IS may be necessary to com plete the sum of s25o.aon,ooe which ,su he used under certain conditions Io convert some Of the government owned vessels into motor ships. The conditions under which this can De lone requires the board either to have customer for the ship, the terms or he sale being set forth in the bill, or i, term charter for the ship Of not less han five years. Also that the board ,iace the vessel into actual operation
 "rt is not the intention Of your com nittee 10 permit the expenditure Of his money for the conversion of these ihips. estimated at about sioo'ooo niece, unless the vessels are 10 be Lrtt,ely engaged in the foreign service nd this is explicitly stated in the bill. World shipbuiidcrs Turning to Motor
 .The Liverpool Journal Of Com of January 3. 1924. in an edi- oriai or, motor ships stated that dur ng the last year of less than 4oo.oop ons of new shipping built more than GO. 900 tons were Of the motor type. f also noted that Germany holds sec md nlare in the number or motorNes- ieIs built, and contends for Great sritain, on the basis Of present ship- building, that her position at the end ,f 1924 pill be one of real dominance II motor ship building.
 Recently the British government -rspted a loan of sfo.o0o,ooo to the soyal Mail Line for t.o fast motor ihips and another loan Of ss,ooo,ooe n the Rank. Line toward inc conser- alton of i9 motor freigl1ters
 Judging from these reports if can ,e seen that the various maritime na- ions are rapidly recognizing the great Of encouraging the econ ,mies of this new type of propulsion md each is striving o he the first 10 ,htaiu the carrying trade under com ,etttiye conditions, which fact is like