Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-25
HIGHER SEA RATES
! NOW IN PROSPECT
Experts See U. S. Losing in
( Ship Boards Rejection of
| Merchant Boat Lines.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, January 25.--A prompt
move by English and German shipping
interests engaged in the transatlantic
trade is expected by shipping men here
to follow the rejection of all bids by
the United States Shipping Board for
the United States lines and American
merchant lines.
Rejection of these bids has cut off
prospective ship construction, involv-
ing expenditure of approximately
$50, 900, 900, from American yards. The
board, however, has decided to recon
dition the America, damaged by fire,
and this work will cost about 1907
600. It may be done in Government
yards.
In the meantime, the Government
will contine the operation of the
United States lines, although the re-
pair work now being done on the Lee
viathan will keep that vessel in dock
until next month, and the recondi
Goning of the America is an extensive,
longtime job. When the present YES
sells of the United States lines become
obsolete as they are bound to do in no
extended time, the Shipping Board is
without legally provided methods Of re-
placing them, although It may lend its
funds to private American concerns
TO build ships.
Will Strengthen Rates.
These facts are expected to have a
strengthening effect on ocean freight
rates, which have never dropped back
to the low levels of early 1926 since
the British coal strike. This affects
the shippers of the large amount of
grain and cotton now ear-marked for
export, and through them the pro-
ducers of those commodities in all
parts or the country. Building of new
ships is being pressed for, not only by
6hipyards, but by farmers and ex
porters in the Middle West and South
Shipping men say the life of the
present-day vessel is far shorter than
that of ships in the ole clipper days,
since competition is forcing increase
In speed even for freighters, and
equipment affording the most eco
have abandoned the idea of cheap
crews as a method of economy and
now are depending on efficient men
and machinery.
The trend is exemplified by the
Shipping Board freighter Tampa, now
making her first trip to this port
This is the first of the Shipping Board
vessels to be changed from a steamer
to a motor ship by installation of two
cycle double-acting Worthington en-
gines. BY this installation, according
to Capt. T. P. Taylor, who commands
her, all the former boiler and bunker
space OF the Tampa is made available
for cargo, while the present engine
occupies about one-sixth less space
than the former steam engines.
Has Smaller Crew.
The standard crew Of the Tampa
Is Sc men, although this roster can
under emergency be reduced to 80.
A steam vessel of the same size
would require As to AZ men While
In port it is necessary only to OPP
crate auxiliary engines to provide
light and work winches. This costs
$3.50 a day as against nearly $500
In q steam vessel.
The Tampa can rebunker in four to |
Ave hours for a long voyage, while |
Ccaling Of steamer would require |
much longer. She can carry fuel to |
run 1850 miles If necessary. Her
cost for fuel at sea is about $240 a
day as against $3.50 for a steamer Of
the same tonnage. Wages of her
crew at sea amount to $121.14 a day
as against SITS for a steamer and
food costs $21 day as against $35.
According to Capt. r. d. Gate
wood. manager of the department of
maintenance and repair of the Ship
ping Board, motor ships should eff
feet a reduction in freight rates of
s to 10 per cent. This means a saw
ing of hundreds of millions of dol
lars annually to American shippers.
The Shipping Board is changing
additional freighters from steam to
motor propulsion, but to meet this
competition foreign shipping inter-
ests are building motor vessels which
can maintain a speed Of IA knots an
hour or more as compared with IL
to I1.S for the American ships.