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Highest Rating Given to Baltimore Line Ships The highest possible rating has been given the Baltimore liners, CiITy oF NeEweport NEWS, commanded by Capt. Robert H. Wright, and the CiTy oF BALTIMORE, commanded by Capt. Fran- cis E. Cross, by observers from the United States navy placed on board the vessels to note their general safety and report to the steamboat inspec- tion service in Washington. Officers of the navy sailed on these vessels dur- ing crossings from Europe to Balti- more, and their reports indicate that the ships, from the standpoint of a safety, are letter perfect. Joseph B. Weaver, head of the in- spection service, confirmed this re- port. “The navy men were placed aboard to observe the actual opera- tion of the ship,’ he said. “They were to check on the discipline main- tained aboard, the drill and other con- ditions. They report everything ship- shape.” The placing of trained naval of- ficers as observers aboard merchant ships was undertaken as a_ precau- tionary measure following the Morro CASTLE disaster. The officers who traveled on the Baltimore line ships have the rank of lieutenat com- manders. Before this work is com- pleted every passenger vessel under the American flag will have had its obser- ver on board during a regular run. In a report made by Secretary of the Navy Swanson several months ago commenting on the qualifications of vesselS operating under’ shipping board contracts he found that out of 298 vessels in this category, 58 were suitable for economical conversion into navy auxiliary ships. All five of the Baltimore Mail line fleet were in- cluded in the latter group. A new fast freight service between Belfast, Northern Ireland and New York has been jointly announced by the Cunard White Star line and the Anchor line. The new service went inte effect with the sailing of the ANTONIA from Beliast on Dec. 22, fol- lowed by the TRANSYLVANIA Dec. 29. Sailings will be weekly with the ships leaving Belfast every Saturday. Arrivals in New York will be timed for early Monday morning one week later. Marine Business Outlook In a brief survey of the business out- look for 1935 R. B. Mildon, vice presi- dent, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., made the following encouraging statement concerning the marine field: “The pusiness outlook for marine propulsion equipment and_ electric auxiliaries is encouraging and there should be a substantial market for these products during the coming year, both in naval and merchant marine fields. This is due in large part to the expanded navy program which will doubtless stimulate an enlarged and improved merchant marine.” Maierform of America Inc., successor to American Maiershipform Co., has removed its offices to 25 West Forty- third street, New York City. Los Angeles Traffic Up Showing a_ gain of 50 per’ cent over both October and November of last year, foreign trade through Los Angeles harbor during last Novem- ber reached 448,821 tons, valued at $11,981,234. Exports totaled 394,- 320 tons, valued at $7,362,393, while imports were 54,501 tons valued at $4,618,841. Exports for November 1933 totaled 267,933 tons valued at $5,228,273 with imports for this month 41,915 tons valued at $2,211,- 680; while for October, 1934, ex- ports were 302,780 tons valued at $4,560,144 and imports totaled 41,- 205 tons valued at $3,295,494. APT. GHORGE FRIED, re- cently appointed supervising inspec- tor, second district, United ‘States Steamboat Inspec- tion, guest of hon- or at a dinner given by the Ma- rine Exhibitors association on board the S. 8, Manhattan, Nov. 80; AL lefts. We EL: Faust, general manager, marine department, Soco- ny-Vacuum Oil Co., greeting Captain Fried MARINE REVIEW—January, 1935 Low Intercoastal Rates are Suspended by Board On Noy. 28 the department of com- merce announced through James Craig Peacock, director of the shipping board bureau, that, as the result of investiga- tion and hearings conducted by the bureau, a number of tariffs, filed with the department by certain carriers, making drastic rate reductions in the intercoastal trade had been ordered cancelled. The following carriers are affected by the suspension proceedings: Nel- son Steamship Co., Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Co., States Steamship Co., Shepard Steamship Co., Argonant Steamship line, Panama-Pacific line, Grace Line, Weyerhaeuser Steamship Co., Pacific Coast Direct line, and Luckenbach Steamship Co: Practically all of the proposed rate changes were filed as a result of the break-up of the United States inter- coastal conference on July 31, 1934. The carriers in question, with the ex- ception of the Shepard Steamship Co., and States Steamship Co. (a new line in the intercoastal trade), were mem- bers of the conference. The depart- ment found that except for some of the rates filed by the Shepard company, all of the proposed rate changes were unlawful. Two of the carriers affected, the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Co. and the States Steamship Co. voluntarily cancelled their proposed lower rates during the course of the department’s investigation. Cites Shipping Acts In its report and recommendations to the secretary of commerce, the shipping board bureau cites the re- quirement of section 18 of the shipping act of 1916, that carriers must es- tablish and observe just and reason- able rates and tariffs, and finds that this requirement was not met by the schedules which have been disap- proved. While the regulatory statutes do not define just and reasonable rates and tariffs, the report points out that the rates suspended are so low as to be unreasonable and that, if put into effect, they would defeat the intent of congress, as expressed in section 1 of the merchant marine act of 1920 (and reaffirmed in the merchant marine act of 1928), to develop and encourage the maintenance of a merchant marine adequate for the proper growth of our foreign and domestic commerce. These acts require the department, in its administration of the shipping laws, to keep always in view this pur- pose and object as the primary end to be obtained. Furthermore, the bu- reau cites the requirements of the in- tercoastal shipping law, 1933, that rates and charges be explicit, and also cites the filing requirements prescribed under the law which the suspended schedules failed to meet. 21