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, experts as it is largely a question of having a competent man with author- ity and ability to train the present personnel what to observe during their normal duties and require them to report their observations. In addition to the above reports, the head of a claim prevention depart- ment should have reports from the ships officers as to any incidents of the voyage which might contribute to cargo damage and the condition of top cargo and cargo space when hatches are removed. In other words the report should sum up what might be drawn from a detailed inspection of the log and should correlate con- ditions during the voyage with the hatch survey. The department head should also have such special reports from officers aS may be required in any unusual studies, such as that of ventilation for the prevention of sweat, humidity control in ships re- frigeration, etc. Constant supervision of shipments is almost an end in itself as, quite aside from enabling proper reports and analyses of damage to be made, the observation will usually . suggest ways and means of preventing such damage to the person who reports it and is on the ground to prevent it. However, reports having been made and analyzed, corrective measures should be instigated by the head of the department. This is where imagi- nation, technical knowledge, resource- fulness and leadership must come strongly into play in order to over- come habit, prejudice and inertia. Di- vision of responsibility and the pe- culiar organization of receiving, handling and stowage of cargo, to- gether with the limitation of person- nel and labor conditions are such as to make certain corrective measures exceedingly difficult. I believe this can be accomplished by giving the other fellow credit and letting him think he did it as well as the general use of judgment and tact. Good work should be rewarded to the ful- lest possible extent and bonus systems used wherever thoroughly practicable. It is obvious that the cooperation of clerks, dock laborers, stevedores, long- shoremen, ships officers and crew must all be enlisted in the prevention of loss and damage. There is another phase of loss pre- vention work which is very important and has been almost totally neglected by steamship companies but can be used to obtain much good will from shippers if properly employed. This phase is the establishment of an ad- visory service for the shippers bene- fit which would consist of information as to correct packing for export in all its manifestations. It could also be extended to include information re- garding transportation facilities in the countries to which cargo is con- | signed and customs regulations in re- gard to packing and marking of cases which if not followed would sub- MUUNNUUUUUNUUUUITUOUUUL TOUT UTUELUUU ALE These Large Bags of Wool are Sun- burned and Weak- ened so They Must Be Handled on Trays. Ordinary Rope Slings Should Never Be Used for Sunburn ed Bags VONTUCOUYGTUENTUOONYITSNU TANITA HTH ject the shipment to delay and the consignee to a fine or extra tariff charges. It may be thought that shippers would resent suggestions for packing improvement and _ steamship com- panies may state that this has been their experience where they have made rules or rejected poorly packed cases but I think the trouble in such cases has been that rules or requests have been unreasonable and the com- panies have poorly prepared and pre- sented their cases. For example, one ~ conference attempted to ban veneer cases. No distinction was made be- tween poorly designed three-ply cases and well designed five-ply whereas one is a very poor case and the other a very good one. Although there is more than twenty variations of the veneer case, no distinction was drawn. Restriction of cartons has also been enacted but savings in the use of cartons are so great that steamship companies would do well to demand good cartons properly marked and sealed and then make special provision for care in handling and stowage. There are good and bad cartons as well as cases and the export carriers should see the trend of the times and profit by the experience of intercoast- al carriers who have learned how to care for carton shipments. The best proof that packing advice works and is welcomed by shippers is to be found in the success of the freight container bureau of the Ameri- HUULULAUILNUUNQ000000000000000UU NEEL An Exceptionally Well Designed Tray for Rolled Wire Netting. No Dent- ing and Kinking is Possible TUVUUUTUUUHTLCUULLUUAI LUDO LUO LLLGE LLL MARINE REVIEwW—January, 1931 cases - can Railway association. neers of this bureau have made The engi- thorough investigations and have been sure of their ground before mak- ing recommendations. Their recom- mendations have been carried out by shippers, losses have been reduced and and the railroad companies have been rewarded by increased good will. It is a fact that all reputable concerns wish their shipments to arrive in good con- dition and they regard sound outturn as of great importance in securing re- peat orders. The farther away the customer, the more difficult is the re- ‘placement of damaged merchandise or broken parts and a good export man- ager will listen to sound advice for packing improvement. This has been further demonstrated by one of the oldest and largest American marine insurance companies which has main- tained a service bureau to specialize on packing advice among other loss prevention activities and has been successful in improving the packing of its assureds’ merchandise, thereby securing prestige and favor. The service bureau of a steamship company in its advisory capacity could subtly draw attention to the special care and handling employed by the company and do much to create favorable publicity. This publicity, supported by real performance which would be proved by the loss record and insurance rates, would aid in the defeat of competition offering equal or lower freight rates but outturning 47