Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 15, 1969)

with the modern custom steel barge fleet on the East Coast HUGHES RATES FIRST FOR OVERALL ECONOMY than we have. Last November, they were constructing' 458 ships compared to our 62. There are other startling statistics: for the past several years new ship deliv-eries to the Russian merchant fleet have outpaced U.S. deliveries by a ratio of nearly 6 to 1 . . . about 80 percent of the Soviet shipping fleet today is less than 10 years of age, while approximately 80 per-cent of the American merchant ma-rine is 20 years of age or older . . . in the past 20 years more than 1,000 ships have been added to the Russian merchant marine, while in the same period our shipping fleet has contracted by about 1,000 ves-sels ... 58 percent of the ships in the U.S. Navy are at least 20 years of age, and less than one percent of the Soviet Navy's surface com-batant ships and submarines are 20 years old or older." Mr. Hood pointed out that his concern over "the changing power structure on the oceans" is shared by high naval officials and govern-ment leaders, including President Nixon. Additionally, he said that there is considerable evidence of mounting public concern over the nation's sea power posture. The shipyard official reminded his audience that President Nixon, during his presidential campaign last year, expressed dismay over the qualitative decline of the naval and merchant fleets and pledged his Administration's efforts to maintaining a U.S. Navy second to none and restoration of the Unit-ed States to the rank of a first-class maritime power. Although the President has not yet announced the programs and policies to fulfill these goals, Mr. Hood said there is "a national atti-tude of optimism" favoring their achievement. Hood Urges U.S. To Respond To Soviet Sea Power Challenge The same "national attitude of determination and dedication" which enabled the United States to overtake and surpass the Soviet Union in outer space is urgently needed to prevent Russian domina-tion of the world's oceans, accord-ing to the spokesman for the na-tion's shipyards. Edwin M. Hood, addressing a Propeller Club audience in Beau-mont, Texas, stressed that while the United States accomplishments in space now overshadow those of the Soviet Union, it is in danger of losing control of the seas to Russia's burgeoning naval and merchant fleets. Said Mr. Hood: "Year by year, the Russians have perceptibly narrowed the margin of U.S. sea power superiority. Year by year, U.S. naval and merchant fleets have been undergoing pro-gressive qualitative decline, though it must be recognized that the too few ships constructed or being built in this country are perhaps the most sophisticated ever conceived by man." The shipyards' spokesman cited a score of statistics reflecting con-trasting trends of Soviet and Unit-ed States' sea power developments. "The Russians have been build-ing many more merchant ships HARBOR SCOWS 120' x 40' x 11', cargo capacities to 1250 tons. SEA SCOWS from 160' to 200', cargo capacities to 2000 tons. MATERIAL SCOWS from 100' to 366'. COMPREHENSIVE?that's HUGHES charter and transportation ser-vice! For every type of water transportation, harbor coastwise, inland waterways, or deep sea you get new economy, the time and money-saving efficiency of ON-SITE delivery. Loads too heavy or bulky for road or rail the HUGHES all-steel barge fleet handles with ease and expedition. Precision machinery, complete fabrications, scrap or bulk supplies are just right for the biggest charter fleet on the East Coast! PROMPT ATTENTION TO YOUR INQUIRIES OVER 70 YEARS' EXPERIENCE . . . the custom-built charter fleet of barges and floating equipment for every requirement, is available from Florida to Maine, on the Great Lakes, Inland Waterways and St. Lawrence Seaway. Shipments beyond our limits in concurrence with other registered carriers. HUGHES I.C.C. W-463 ORQ© 17 Battery Place, New York, N.Y. 10004 (212) 944-1048 CLEARING HOUSE FOR MARINE DIFFICULTIES SINCE 1894 UNDERWATER TECHNOLOGY ? Gideon Wyeanski, chief engineer of Lockheed Ocean Systems, addressing a recent meeting of the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Asso-ciation. Mr. Wyeanski, with the aid of movies and slides, explained Lockheed's present capability for search and rescue in the ocean depths, which recently included the discovery of the flight recorder for the SAS airliner which sank off Los Angeles airport. He further outlined the scope of current contracts and future developments being undertaken by his group. These in-clude a vehicle capable of attaching itself to a damaged submarine resting on the bottom and evacuating the personnel. 10 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News