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Committee Will Consider Shipping Problems During the Third National Confer- ence on the Merchant Marine held in Washington in 1930, there was ad- vanced the necessity for providing means whereby a common meeting ground could be provided for shipper, shipowners and underwriters for the better understanding of marine insur- ance questions, as a medium for the use of shippers, shipowners and under- writers who might have misunder- standings difficult of solution between themselves and to provide an oppor- tunity for shippers to be heard in all matters of mutual interest. A committee to be known as a Per- manent Public Committee for the Con- sideration of Marine Insurance and Shipping Problems has been appointed and has been organized as follows: Representing the public—Hon. E. C. Plummer, commissioner United States shipping board, Washington, chair- man; Laurens N. Prior, bureau of navigation, department of commerce, secretary; A. Lane Critcher, bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, de- partment of commerce. Representing the vessel owners—H. B. Walker, president American Steamship Own- er’s association; J. D. Tomlinson, vice president American-Hawaiian Steam- ship Co. Representing the under- writers—W. R. Hedge, president Boston Insurance Co., Boston; Wm. D. Winter, vice president of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Co., New York. The discussions of the Marine In- surance committee appointed by the second national conference on the merchant marine developed the fact that there was no. organization through which various interests could discuss their mutual insurance prob- lems. It is confidently expected that this permanent public committee will be able to bring about a better appre- ciation of the problems confronting shippers, shipowners and underwrit- ers. The committee’s services will be available in those cases where difficul- ties have arisen between two parties and where on request, the committee will endeavor to find common grounds for agreement. It will also endeavor to formulate and have adopted gen- eral policies of procedure, fair and equitable, to all parties in transac- tions pertaining to shipments. Canal Traffic Lower Total number of commercial ves- sels transiting the Panama Canal during the calendar year ended De- cember 31, 1930, aggregated 5885 and the total tolls collection was $26,146,024. The number of tran- sits declined 545, or 8.5 per cent, in comparison with the calendar year 1929, while tolls collections de- creased $1,446,690, or 5.2 per cent. 58 The lower percentage of decrease in tolls in comparison with the decrease in number of transits was caused by the greater average tonnage of ves- sels transiting in 1930. The month of the greatest traffic in 1930 was January with 531 transits and $2,360,211 in tolls while September contributed the lowest, with 458 transits and $2,057,103 in tolls. The decrease in canal traffic was attrib- uted to the existing world wide ad- verse business conditions. Daily average number of commer- cial transits during the year was 16.12, as compared with 17.62 in the calendar year 1929, and 17.31 for the calendar year 1928. The daily average tolls collection in 1930 amounted to $71,632 as compared with $75,596 in the calendar year 1929 and $72,065 in 1928. J. H. Clark, Great Lakes district manager of the Oertz Rudder Co., recently assumed the handling of marine sales on the Great Lakes of the Hoffman Firite automatic stokers, manufactured by the Hoffman Com- bustion Engineering Co., Detroit. He will in future represent both in- terests in the Great Lakes field. The tank top of the 10,000-ton steamer JoLieT is being reconstructed at the yard of the Interlake Engineer- ing Co., Cleveland, the work being done under the channel steel system for tank tops, side tanks and bulk- heads. Similar work is also under way on the 11,000-ton steamer MicHIGAN at the plant of the Cleveland Stevedore Co., Huron, O. The work on both of these ships is being supervised by the Channel Steel Hull Corp., Cleveland. Gikeé Line Merges Four Steamship Services Announcement was made on Jan. 29 by officials of the Grace Steamship Co. of the merging into one system of the four steamship services con- trolled by the Grace interests and operating between the Eastern and Western seaboards of the United States, the Central American repub- lics and the West Coast of South America. Decision to merge these SySs- tems was coincident with the signing of the contract with the shipping board for the construction of four 19- knot passenger and cargo vessels by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. at a cost of about $17,000,000. Of this amount 75 per cent will be cov- ered by a loan from the shipping board. The services that have been merged with the parent company are the Grace Line North Pacific division, the Panama Mail Steamship Co. and the New Orleans & South American Steamship Co. (Nosa line). The new ships are to be operated in the Panama Mail line service and will be ready late in 1932. MARINE REVIEwW—March, 1931 S. S. Borinquen Completed (Continued from Page 56) sides of the dancing floor are a num: ber of attractive alcoves furnished with easy chairs and little tables for those who wish to sit out. The lounge is decorated with attractive hangings of bright colors framing the steg] casement sashes. Large crystal glass windows provide many views of the sea and of the lounge from the promenade deck outside. The lighting is of the semi-indirect type with at. tractive wall brackets giving a soft and diffused light augmented by a sunburst chandelier in the center of the ballroom for use when brilliant effects are desired. Ventilation and heating of this space has been given the most careful consideration so that the temperature may be comfortable and even at all times regardless of weather conditions, with abundance of fresh air without drafts. The dining salon, attractively decor- ated is located on the main deck di- rectly forward from the lobby and purser’s office. Entrances are provid- ed on either side and the service has been arranged so that there is no de- lay or sense of confusion when all the tables are occupied. The smoking room is designed in the old English manner and is done in panels of oak with the floor re- sembling slabs of slate in multi- colored hues. Alcove tables are pro- vided for card playing and there is a log fire at one end of the room. The chairs and divans are covered with Turkish red hand crushed leather or old English tapestry. Windows are ar- ranged in groups and are glazed with hammered glass. Aft of the smoking room is the deck veranda and cafe. Low sill casements on all sides give an excellent view of the promenade and of the sea at the stern of the vessel. This room is deco- rated in the Spanish Provencal style. Safety with Comfort Paramount Forward of the first class lounge are two alcove rooms, one on the port side and the other on the starboard side. The former is the writing room and the latter the library. Both rooms are attractively decorated and afford quiet and privacy. While the safety and comfort of passengers have been paramount con- sideration on the part of the Porto Rico line in building the BorrINQuEN, the needs of the shipper have been given special attention. As mentioned above the finest facilities are provided for transporting perishable cargoes such as fruits and vegetables. Other steamers in the fleet of the New York and Porto Rico line are the Coamo, San Lorenzo, SAN JUAN and Ponce. These vessels are all engaged in the New York, San Juan and Santo Domingo run.