Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 204, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1911 — FEWER SHIPS IN THE WORLD [ARTICLE]

FEWER SHIPS IN THE WORLD

Carrying Trade la Done in Bigger Vessels, Being More Profitable—Tonnage Crowing. London. —It will surprise many persons to learn there are fewer ships In the world than there were a few years ago. Lloyd’s Register now gives the total an 30,087, whereas the figure for 1907-08 was 30,303. The explanation is simple. The carrying trade of the globe is done in bigger ships, because it Is more profitable. The Olympic, for example, only counts as one vessel, whereas her 45,000 tons would in the old days have been spread over quite a respectable fleet Again, sailing ships have largely disappeared. A single steamer replacing three of them is at least as effective. All the same, the world’s tonnage keeps growing. The 30,087 ships represent 43,147,154 tons, whereas the larger number of a few years back stood for 89,438,917, a growth of 3.706.000 tons In four years.