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92 MARINE REVIEW More American Ships On the High Seas Due to Energy of Private Owners — Few Sales the world declined over 900,000 gross tons during 1924, according to the transportation division of the department of commerce. Most of the decrease in unemployed steamers occurred in the first half of the year, only 147,000 gross tons of such vessels finding employment in the last half. American idle tonnage showed a small decline in both halves of 1924. While the oversea trade of the world was causing additional ships to be brought into active employment, trip charter rates did not respond. The sur- plus of tonnage over trade requirements is still too large for an increase in the volume of trade to result in rising rates. The index number of six tramp ship com- modities over 12 world trade routes (maintained by the Transportation Divi- sion) indicates that trip charter rates in the third and fourth quarters of 1924 were only 102 per cent of the average for 1911-1913. | es steam shipping in the ports of Shipbuilding Increases Merchant shipping constructed in the world during 1924 totaled 2,248,000 gross tons, an increase of 605,000 tons over 1923. The increased output of British yards during 1924 was 794,000 tons, a result attributed to disastrous strikes in 1923 and a comparative absence of them in 1924. The relation between construc- tion output and production costs and sales prices remains about the same as indicated for the end of June. Tonnage under construction at the end of 1924 was slightly larger than at the beginning of the year, aggregating 2,- 470,000 gross tons as compared with 2,- 444,000 tons. The significant change in shipbuilding during the year was- the great increase in motor ship tonnage— from 634,000 tons on Dec. 31, 1923 to 924,000 tons on Dec. 31, 1924, or from 26 per cent to 37 per cent of the: total. That shipbuilding did not improve ma- terially however is shown by the fact that 547,000 gross ‘tons were launched in the fourth quarter of 1924, whereas work was started on only 485,000 tons. In the same period of 1923 launchings totaled 332,000 tons, and work ‘was started on 473,000 tons. Few sales of vessels between 5000 and 10,000 deadweight tons and not over five years old were made in the last half of 1924. Three such vessels brought an average of $38 a ton, as compared with $27 for eight vessels in the first half of the year. These prices are not to be taken as conclusive, since in such a small number unusual factors in one or two sales throw the average out of line. Complete information on the volume of the world’s seaboard trade is lacking, owing to the fact that some leading nations do not publish their foreign trade statistics in terms of weight and others do not differentiate their landborne from their seaborne foreign trade. From re- turns available, however, it can be said that French and British trade was larger in volume than in 1923, whereas the trade of the United States was smaller. It is evident that world trade as a whole must have increased in volume, since the number of steamers idle at the beginning of 1924 had decreased by over 900,000 tons by the close of the year. American vessels engaged in foreign trade cleared from United States customs districts led foreign ships in net tonnage gains during 1924 by registering an in- crease of 2,101,000 net tons against a gain of only 98,000 tons by vessels under alien registry, according to a compilation by the department of commerce. Total vessels so engaged of 68,823,000 net tons were cleared from all customs districts during 1924 compared with a total tonnage of 66,624,000 in 1923, an increase of 2,199,000 net tons. American ships of 30,033,000 tons were cleared dur- ing the year against 38,790,000 tons of foreign vessels. U. S. Has Large Export Trade Merchandise valued at $4,590,146,873 was sold to countries of the world by the United States during the 12 months. Europe remained our best customer, tak- ing goods valued at $2,444,490,079. Ex- ports to North America were valued at $1,089,187,565; South American pur- chases amounted to $315,064,923; Asia, $514,605,131; Oceania, $156,504,866; Af- rica, $70,294,309. New York customs district maintained first position in port activity, clearing 19,243,000 tons of which 6,425,000 were American and 12,818,000 foreign. Wash- ington ports were the second most active, clearing 5,150,000 tons. New Orleans was third with 4,921,000 tons followed by Ohio, Galveston, Virginia, Rochester, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Michigan, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Florida, Du- luth, Maryland, Sabine, and Buffalo. Los Angeles registered the largest ton- nage gain of any United States customs district for the year, increasing from a total tonnage of 1,780,000 in 1923 to 2,- 320,000 in 1924. Florida surpassed all other customs March, 1925 districts in percentage of foreign shipping under the American flag. American ves- sels accounted for 1,631,000 tons of a total tonnage of 1,992,000 cleared from that district during the year. Marine Show Plans Le American Marine show to be held Nov. 9 to 14, 1925 at the Two Hundred and Twelve Anti-Air Craft Re- giment armory, Sixty-second street and Columbus avenue, New York City, will offer excellent facilities for exhibiting all types of ship propulsion and auxiliary machinery. A door at street level nine feet high on the side and ten feet six inches high in the middle and a clear width of 9 feet 4 inches communicates with the floor of the armory. Therefore trucks may be driven through this re- ceiving door directly to the exhibitor’s booth. This will materially reduce the hazards of exhibiting and make it pos- sible to show the most expensive and deli- cate apparatus without fear of damage. Since they will all be on one floor, the exhibits of every one can readily be seen by visitors to the armory. It is anticipated that the greatest interest will be shown by all men in the marine in- dustry to see what developments have been made in the two years that will have. passed since the last show. This show therefore represents an exceptional op- portunity to bring to the attention of naval architects, marine engineers, ma- rine superintendents and steamship owners and operators new and improved equip- ment and machinery for marine use. Uncle: Sam Wants Hull Inspectors HE United States civil service com- mission will hold a competitive ex- amination to fill vacancies in the steam- boat inspection service for local and as- sistant inspectors of hulls at salaries ranging from $2700 to $3000 a year. This examination is for filling positions only in class 2 ports of the Great Lakes, and class 3 ports. on central western — rivers. For the position of local and assistant inspector of hulls for these ports, appli- cants must have had at least three and two years’ respectively, of practical ex- perience under United States license as master or pilot of inspected vessels of American registry. Full information and application blanks may be obtained from the United States Civil Service commission, Washington, or the secretary of the board of United States civil-service examiners at the post office or customhouse in any city. Receipt of applications. will close March 28.