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Increased Safety Assured By New Load Line The international load line conven- tion, signed in London in 1930 and ratified by the United States in Feb- ruary of this year, is one of the most outstanding developments in the his- tory of the world’s merchant services, according to United States Commis- sioner of Navigation A. J. Tyrer, in his annual report made public Nov. 18. It is the concensus of marine ex- perts, the report declares, that the new load line rules will raise the standard of safety of merchant ship- ping in a marked degree. Provisions of the American load line act of 1929, Commissioner Tyrer points out, made it possible for this country to promptly put into effect the chief provisions of the London international convention. For the first time in load line history, he says, it is now possible for American ships to enter foreign ports on a legal parity with other ships rather than by vir- tue of international courtesy. There are approximately 1500 American ves- sels subject to the load line law, ac- cording to the report. Up to July, 1931, 11,189 of these vessels had ap- plied for load line and 479 load line certificates had been issued. Load line legislation to cover Vé€S- sels in coastwise traffic and on the Great Lakes was before the last con- gress but was not acted on. A load line law for such craft seems desir- able, Commissioner Tyrer declares, for the protection of life and proper- ty. Such a law would also relieve the careful, conservative operator from the unfair competition of the small minority of owners who may be tempted to give more weight to the possible profit of the voyage than to the safety of the crew. The amendment of present steam- ship inspection laws to cover motor craft is recommended in the bureau of navigation report. There are in the country today more than 12,000 documented motor vessels of which 143 are of 1000 tons or more and 250,- 000 American-owned undocumented motor’ vessels. While the _ report points out, it would not be feasible to extend inspection to all small mo- tor boats, it is believed that in the interest of safety, sea-going vessels of 100 gross tons and over should be subject to inspection laws. Government to Abandon Part of Panama Line The Panama Railroad Steamship line, operated by the federal govern- ment, on Nov. 18 announced its in- tention to discontinue its service to the west coast of South America on or before Dec. 31, 1931. The com- pany was taken over by the govern- ment about the time the Panama canal was constructed and for over ten years has operated two steamers between New York and Ecuador and Colombia. Since the Grace line is now operating in this field, the with- drawal of the Panama Railroad line is in keeping with the policy of the government to keep out of competi- tion with American private interests. War department officials announced that the discontinuance applied only to service to the west coast of South America and does not affect that be- tween New York and Panama. It is likely that American shipping interests, encouraged by the _ gov- ernment’s action, will urge the en- tire abandonment of the Panama Railroad line. What the British Are Doing in Shipbuilding N IMPROVEMENT in_ outlook for the British shipbuilding in- dustry as a result of the orders re- cently placed strengthens the hope that the tide is turning. In recent weeks three Clyde shipyards whose building berths were empty have each received a contract and one or two fresh orders are pending. A feature of the month is that the tonnage booked has exceeded the tonnage launched. The position on the north east coast is also improving. With the booking last week by William Gray & Co. Ltd. of another order for a vessel of 9100 tons the company have now five orders on their books. The latest order is from J. & T. Harrison of London from which firm William Gray received an order in July for a vessel of similar size. The total tonnage on the books is 45,000. Of the vessels which the firm are to build two are for the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., one for R. Ropner & Co. Ltd. and the other two for Harrison. Already work is in course of construction on the 9000 ton steamer for Ropner. The keel of the 9100 ton steamer for Har- rison ordered in August has been laid in the same yard. The position on the Tyne and Wear remains unchanged but there are prospects of William Doxford & Sons, 28 Sunderland receiving an order for a cargo vessel from a Greek shipping company. Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd. have nearly com- pleted an oil tanker which is to be launched this month. The turbo-elec- tric ship MonaArcH oF BERMUDA ran its official sea trials on November 4. ek ¢ # NE of the most important con- tracts secured by a British yard in the last few months is that placed by the London Midland & Scottish railway company with Harland & Wolff Ltd. who are to build a sister ship to the Clyde pleasure steamer DucHEss oF Montrose. This ship will be built in the firm’s Govan yard. RDERS for two new cargo steamers have been placed with Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow by J. & C. Harrison Ltd., London. The ves- sels will each have a deadweight ton- nage of about 9000 and the propelling machinery will consist of triple ex- pansion engines. * * % HE balance sheet of the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. for the year ended June 30 shows an Op- erating loss of £15,000. Owing to the large amount written off in previous years no depreciation has been al- lowed for in the year under review. MARINE REVIEw—December, 1931 The plant throughout the works has been maintained in efficient condition. The dividend on the cumulative pref- erence shares for the year ended June 30 has not been paid. No dividend on the ordinary shares was paid last year. % * * HE report of Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co. Ltd., Yarrow shows a loss of nearly. £50,000. For the pre- vious year the net profit was £6,596. The last dividend on the ordinary shares was 2% per cent for 1921. ok * * HE launching output from the Clyde last month consisted of three vessels aggregating 5846 tons com- pared with 18 vessels of 55,627 tons. in October last year. The total tonnage launched on the Clyde so far this year is only 48 vessels aggregating 140,881 compared with 172 vessels totalling 467,070 tons during the same period last year. The output will not be much increased during the remain- ing months of the year so that there is now no doubt that the total launch- ing output for 1931 will be one of the lowest on the records of the Clyde. Yarrow & Co. Ltd. Scotstoun launched the Dusrovnrk for the Yugo Slav navy. This vessel, the largest and fastest flotilla leader ever built in this. country has 2400 tons displacement. i i 8 le Ue OSUE rs