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Dismantling surplus ships at one of the East coast yards. Photo courtesy of Henry Ford Museum, Edison Institute. After the War, there was a demand for ship bottoms to supply the needs of Europe, South America and the Orient. The Shipping Board, along with commercial shipping, employed some of these war time ships to meet the demand. However, the economic crash of 1921 caused an abrupt halt to shipping commerce and many ships, including most of the lakers, were being laid up. At the end of 1921, 690 ships were laid up. By 1925 this number grew to 910. Shipping commerce was being taken over by low cost foreign bottoms which aggravated the situation. Therefore, the call was made to rid the U.S. of surplus ships. An allocation of ships needed for normal commerce and emergency requirements was established. The break down was: Active and spot ships............... 360 In reserve. 29 Declared surplus... Spot ships were not actively in service but were kept on continual readiness status by a maintenance crew. Of the surplus, the breakdown was: Vessels 10,000 tons and above............. 9,000 to 10,000 tons.. 4 Due to their size, the lakers were considered expendable for ocean trade. Some, of course, served on the Lakes between the Wars. Up to this time, the lakers were sold off individually at a rate of five to seven a month for a reserve price of $50,000 each less repair costs. Initially, only American interests were permitted to purchase these ships. At that rate, it would be many years before the surplus fleet was depleted. A_ significant number of lakers did survive, however, some of which sailed during World War Il and after. So, bids were solicited for scrapping 200 ships, a number on which the Shipping Board 43-3-3