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March, 1925 MARINE To Buenos Aires, Argentine 5S Onondaga arriving in the harbor of Buenos Aires at the completion of her long voyage direct from Detroit with her uniquely loaded cargo intact and in good condition REVIEW 75 production may be readily absorbed. In its marketing and sales methods the Ford company holds an enviable position. The entire civilized world knows the product and self supporting sales agencies of excellent character distribute locally in every city, township, and hamlet all over the land and almost as universally abroad. Gains Control of Shipping Methods Thus only in transportation has the Ford company been forced to relinquish in part at least its control of the cost and manner of distribution. Of course, both by rail and water, the cost is fixed from time to time and there can be no discrimination. In methods of loading cars for rail shipment the company has been given prac- tically a free hand and most excellent service because of the large business done and the exercise of other legiti- mate influence. Shipment by water to many parts of the United States however is cheaper and quicker and is of course the only means of transportation to foreign coun- tries outside of this continent. The rates, due to the over supply of shipping in the last few years have been very low, probably lower than is economically justified. But this cannot be said of loading and unloading methods and costs over which the ordinary shipper exercises slight control. Naturally a steamship taking a part cargo in- sists on packing and crating according to custom. As a beginning, and to place a certain portion at least of its transportation by water to ports on the Atlantic and Gulf within its own control the Ford Motor Co. de- cided to buy two ocean going vessels of a size to permit passage of the Welland canal and so to the plant at River Rouge. For this purpose two vessels somewhat of the type known as lakers, built in great numbers by the shipping board during the war, were bought from the American Ship Building Co., Cleveland. They were built in 1919-1920 for the builders own account and had not seen any service to amount to anything. [Illustra- tions and particulars of these vessels, the S. S. ONOoN- DAGA and S. S. ONEIDA are given with similar data for the two motorships, HENry Forp II and Benson Forp, on one of the pages of this article, these four vessels com- prising the entire fleet of the company to date. There is nothing particularly striking about the ONeErmDA and OnonpaGa, they are merely good small ocean freighters. Originally coal burners they were converted for fuel oil after purchase. Having acquired two vessels of a size to permit pas- sage from the lakes to tidewater, the Ford company at