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Marine News in a Personal Way Intimate Gossip About What Leaders in the Maritime World Are Doing DWARD WILDING, managing direc- tor of Harland & Wolff, : Ltd., Belfast, Ireland, made a short visit to the United States recently on the new Red Star liner BELGENLAND, return- ing by the same ship. Though still com- Mr. Wilding occupies shipbuilding It was large- paratively young, an important place in the industry in Great Britain. -— P. & A. Photos WILDING EDWARD ly under his direction and through his highly developed technical knowledge and experience that the successful rebuild- ing of the Brraic into the new and mag- nificent BELGENLAND, was carried out at the Harland & Wolff yard. While in New York at a dinner on the BELcEN- LAND, Mr. Wilding in a speech, referred to the question then of general in- terest as to the relative sizes of the LreviatHAN and Majestic. Mr. Wilding stated that it was a part of his duty while serving with the reparations com- mission to handle the technical details and statistics on a number of the larger vessels that were transferred from the. ‘German to other flags. Among’ these vessels were the VATERLAND and the Bismarck. In carrying out this work, he came into direct contact with Ru- dolph Blohm of Blohm & Voss, the builders of. these two ships. Mr. Blohm who was intimately connected with the design of both the Bismarck and the VATERLAND, is of the opinion that the dues, . BisMARCK is the larger of the two ves- sels. The present LrvrATHAN was the former VaTERLAND and the Majestic was formerly the Brsmarcx. Mr. Wild- ing also pointed out that increased ton- nage means constantly recurring addi- tional charges in connection with the operation of the ship such as tonnage port dues and = drydock- ing charges .and that owners. al- ways require the shipbuilder to keep the gross tonnage figure’ as low as_ possible. In this connection, however, this much may. be said in reply to Mr. Wilding’s statement: The increased gross tonnage of the LrviaTHAN was, of course, a matter beyond the control of the build- ers in the construction of the ship. The new gross tonnage was determined in the readmeasurement of the vessel by. the official admeasurers of the United States. As it has always been the custom for passenger steamship lines to advertise their vessels. on the basis of their gross tonnage, the figure being what it is, it is entirely proper and legitimate for the present owners of the LerviATHAN to advertise her as the largest ship in the world. The value in a_ business sense in being able to make the state- ment truthfully will probably consider- ably more than make up for the addi- tional charges that the ship will have to bear on this account. * * * E. V. Ropes, for a number of years associated with the Steele Steamship Line, Inc., first in Galveston, Tex., as marine superintendent, then as assistant general manager there, and for several years past manager in New Orleans, has resigned his position to organize a company to supply bunker coal to ships at New Orleans. ee Cot, RHINELANDER Watpo, former po- lice commissioner of New York city and S. OAKLEY VANDERPOEL, senior partner of the firm of ‘VanderPoel, Pausner & Jefferson, insurance, New York, have been .elected directors of Megee Bros., Ltd., ship brokers and steamship agents, Drexel building, Philadelphia. eee Ricuarp M. Semmes, recently re: signed as northwest district manager of the shipping board,- Seattle, has as- sumed his new duties as manager of the East Waterbury Dock & Ware- house Co., Seattle. 220 A. S. Hepsie, who has for years filled the important office of superintendent en- gineer for the Southern Pacific Lines, returned to the United States in April on the steamship Majestic from an ex- tended tour of Europe. While abroad, he visited the largest manufacturers of diesel engines in England, Scotland, Den- mark, Germany, France, Italy and Hol- A. S. HEBBLE land. Mr. Hebble stated that he was most favorably impressed with the prog- ress that has been made in the develop- ment of diesel engines and he is of the opinion that the diesel engine is reliable and economical and offers great possibili- ties for the American shipowner to com- pete in world trade. His observation, he stated, showed that the diesel vessel has a marked advantage over the steam pro- pelled vessel and more particularly | so on long. voyages. In regard to: the adoption of this type of propulsion for passenger ships, Mr. Hebble declared that the diesel method was ideal for passenger liners up to 25,000 tons and of a speed of 18 knots. He said that the double acting diesel engine is receiving serious attention and indications are that satis- factory double acting engines of this type will come into use within a few years. *K * * Harry L. Hupson has been re-elected manager of the port of Portland, Oreg.