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Successful Performance of Arcform Vessel The second of the “arcform,” Isher- wood design, economical cargo car- riers, the ARCTEES has been completed by the Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., England. Her first voyage called for a cargo of about 6000 tons of coal from England to Italy. It is understood that loaded trials were carried out with this cargo on board, before she began her maiden voyage. The first vessel of the type, the ARCWEAR, recently completed a_ suc- cessful maiden voyage with coal from England to Buenos Aires. It is under- stood that she averaged a speed of 10.62 knots on a coal consumption of 19.44 tons per 24 hours. When leaving on her voyage she had a total deadweight, including stores, of 6850 tons. The Arccow, the third of this type, was launched at Lithgow’s yard, Port Glasgow, on March 20. It is under- stood that Sir Joseph Isherwood is planning to build nine more vessels of the same type after the completion of the ARCGOow. In view of the wide interest on the part of marine men everywhere in the performance of the “arcform” type of vessel, there is quoted below a letter, sent from Buenos Aires, Feb. 16, by Capt. E. R. Howe of the ARCWEAR to Sir Joseph Isherwood & Co. Ltd. The voyage of the ARCWEAR to Buenos Aires, with coal, commenced at Ply- mouth, England, on Jan. 22. The cap- tain’s letter follows: “We arrived at Recalada, pilot sta- tion at 9 p. m., Feb. 14, the total steaming time from Immingham be- ing 24 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes, a total distance of 6364 miles, giving an average speed of 10.62 knots on a con- sumption of 19.44 tons. Weather con- ditions were not good for a fast run. Strong head winds and high seas dur- ing the first six days gave us a big handicap to overcome, and, while winds were moderate over the remain- ing part of the passage, a continuous beam swell was experienced during the whole time which naturally affected the speed. Ship Behaves Splendidly “No favorable current was found in the South Atlantic, and an adverse current was experienced from Ushant to St. Vincent totaling about 4555 miles in all. I have confirmed this by wireless and verbally from _ several masters coming down at the same time. The ship behaved splendidly in a heavy head sea during a fresh gale on Jan. 26-27. Her lowest speed dur- ing the worst of it was about 6.5 knots, and as the revolutions were never below 57, it left no doubt as to her ability to drive into a head sea. Natu- rally she shipped considerable water, but comparing her performance with other ships I have commanded, she came out with flying colors. “She most decidedly does extremely well in a head sea, and any ordinary loaded ship would have been eased down by 20. revolutions, “With at times a very high beam swell the roll was never excessive and always quite easy, comparing quite well with my experience of other ships under similar conditions. “Tt is quite well known that the Brazil current is at its weakest in February, and is often nonexistent. Therefore, the last eighteen days is a good example of what the ship can do, showing an average speed of 11.1 knots. Only three of these days were really smooth, and on several days quite a big swell was running. “T must stress the very excellent way in which the ship goes into a head sea. It is most certainly a great point in favor of arcform and there is not the slightest doubt in my mind as to its being a great success. The mMa- chinery worked smoothly and well throughout the passage. No _ hitch whatever developed and a nonstop run was made.” Cunard-White Star Merger Should the proposed merger of the Cunard and White Star in the transatlantic service be affected be- cause of legal action by P. A. S. Franklin, president of the Interna- tional Mercantile Marine Corp. in the interests of that company in the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. (White Star line), the British government’s attitude is that the same ends can be secured by other means, Accord- ing to the New York Herald Tribune, Neville Chamberlain, British chan- cellor of the exchequer in a state- ment March 15 in the house of com- mons said: “The board of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co, has been advised that they may legally implement their part in the merger scheme without the consent of the American company. “T wish, however, to make it plain that if a contrary decision emerges as a result of legal action the par- ties can attain by alternative meth- ods, which could not be opened to attack, precisely the result contem- plated by the merger company and such methods would be within the scope of the North Atlantic shipping bill in its present form. “In the circumstances, I have satisfied myself that no reason ex- ists as to why the house should be deflected from its purpose by any ac- tion which may be taken by the In- ternational Mercantile Marine Co.”’ Lord Essendon, White Star chair- man, is reported having said that the arrangements for the merger are going ahead. Sir Percy Bates. chair- man of the Cunard line, is also re- ported as of the opinion that no legal action by the International Mercan- tile Marine can possibly affect the merger, MARINE REviIEw—April, 1934 Shipping Code Approval Is Still Held Up In the March Marine Review ap- proval of the final draft of a master code for the shipping industry was said to be imminent, But as this is written the master code has not yet been approved. Failure of approval is due to the complications feared by foreign lines. On March 27, Deputy Administrator Weaver declared the code satisfactory to labor and operat- ors and that it would probably be sub- mitted to General Johnson by April 1. It is believed, however, that the foreign shippers are coming to the point of co-operating with the Amer- ican companies on a reasonable rate stabilization. The attitude of the American shipowners’ association is that unless this important feature is incorporated in the code there would be no excuse for setting up the elab- orate machinery necessary for its op- eration, If the code is to deal only with labor conditions, it would not be necessary to do much more than come to an agreement on conditions for labor and then to see that they are fairly carried out. From the American steamship owners’ point of view, it would be better for the steamship companies, foreign as well as American, to en- ter into an agreement under a code under which all of the lines would have a proportionate voice in the con- trol of rates, rather than to invite government regulation. The power to exercise government regulation, it is believed, now exists under sec- tion 19 of the merchant marine act of 1920. The American Steamship Owners’ association recently adopted a reso- lution in favor of a general ship- ping code only on the condition that effective stabilization s ncluded in its provisions, and that such stabiliza- tion will be effected by the industry itself with proper government super- vision and approval. The purpose of such stabilization is not to raise rates or to increase the burden of ship- pers. It is intended instead to do away with unfair competitive prac- tices and rate cutting which in the long run can only harm the shipper as well as the carrier. Pending approval of the master code, the various divisional codes, have generally been prepared, dis- cussed and modified, so that no time will be lost in coming to a final agreement as soon as they may take their place in the code structure of the industry under the master code. On April 13 the United States engineer office, Memphis, Tenn., will open bids for the construction of 50 steel drege pontoons, 21 feet, 2% inches long, and 25 sections of 18- inch inside diameter by 40 feet long steel pontoons pipe, This, it is un- derstood, is in addition to the re- quest for bids for similar material to be opened April 5. 41