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Marine Review Unit 29 of the Laid up Fleet in the James River, Va. Ford Scraps Three Ships Every Five Days hh nae RETURN to the government of less ~~. | than one cent on the dollar from the MN sale of 199 steel vessels of its laid up “<2 emergency fleet would hardly strike the average citizen as a brilliant stroke of government. As a result of the sale of these ves- sels for scrap to Henry Ford, $1,697,470 in actual cash has been recovered into the treasury of the United States and a further considerable sum may rightfully be credited to this transaction, a sum equal to the cost of continued caretaking, or sinking or other means of disposal. It is use- less to talk of the possible intrinsic value of these ships as operating units. At least 800 better ships and of more suitable type have been for years and are now for sale to American citizens at prices far below the world market, with but the merest nibble of demand. Sale to others than citizens on such favorable terms is right- fully prohibited by law. Chairman O'Connor Negotiated Sale The sale of this fleet for scrapping, largely due to the initiative of Chairman T. V. O’Connor of the shipping board, therefore deserves the com- mendation of all fair-minded Americans. But business. And still that is just what it was for the © 11 BY A. H. JANSSON how about the purchaser, since no contract is. really satisfactory where either party suffers a loss? It is now more than a year since the sale was made and the salvaging is in full swing. The present rapidity of scrapping exceeds the most optimistic predictions in which it was counted on to cut up one ship every three days. For the two weeks ending Sept. 15, in 10 working days, six complete ships were scrapped. Eager to Convert to Useful Purpose The purchaser in this case seems happy in his job and entirely contented with his bargain. It is idle in an article of this nature to attempt a psychological analysis but it seems evident that Ford’s reward in this job will be one of satisfac- tion in having accomplished a most difficult and intricate piece of work in a thoroughly workman- like manner and that as-a result he has been able to salvage and put to good use the products of man’s mind and labor. It is as if he were satis- fying an abhorrence of waste by stepping into the breach and stemming it with the ardor of a cru- sader, and at the same time perhaps unconscious- ly driving home a lesson in morals. A contract executed Aug. 18, 1925 between the United States shipping board and the Ford Motor