Page 34: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1971)

Last East Coast Sailing

Of U.S.-Flag Passenger Ship

When the S/S Santa Rosa departed from

New York on a 13-day Caribbean cruise on

January 8, 1971, it marked the last sailing of the last United States-flag passenger ship on the East Coast. In fact, it seemed to fore- cast the end of all such sailings, since only four other passenger ships remain of the once proud fleet of this type of ship, and they are on the West Coast.

The Santa Rosa thus sadly follows the wakes of the America, Atlantic, Independence,

Constitution, Brasil, Argentina, United States,

Lurline and a host of others. Most of these ships were built after World War II and had fore-shortened careers. Despite Government subsidies, the steamship companies decided that they were no longer able to operate them profitably.

On board for this last sailing were a valiant band of Propeller Club members, embarked for the purpose of dramatizing the plight of the American merchant marine and its faded passenger ship fleet. Their Caribbean cruise was conceived before the announcement of the pending termination of further sailings of the

Santa Rosa and Santa Paula of the Prudential-

Grace Lines, which were the last two remain- ing U.S.-flag passenger ships on the East

Coast. Additional members of the club em- barked at Port Everglades, Fla., on January 10, where a reception by the Port Everglades

Propeller Club was held.

Arthur E. Farr, national president of The

Propeller Club of the United States and vice president of Northwest Marine Iron Works, a Portland, Ore., shipyard, was on board with his wife. At a pre-sailing party on board, he commented wryly: "It is indeed ironic that

The Propeller Club cruise coincides with the last sailing of the last United States-flag pas- senger ship on the East Coast. Nevertheless, we are honored to have the choice to sail on this safe American passenger ship, built in

America, operated under the American flag, and served by American personnel. We look forward to the day when a substantial num- ber of American passenger ships will once again cruise the international sea lanes and proudly show the American flag in the ports of the world."

Shown on board the Santa Rosa before departure are, left to right: Arthur E. Farr, national president of The Pro- peller Club of the U.S., and Mrs. Farr; Mrs. Earl W.

Clark and Mr. Clark, who is Co-director, Labor-Manage- ment Maritime Committee, Washington, D.C.

Mr. Farr added: "The Propeller Club, with its 13,000 members and 77 local clubs in the

United States and overseas, remains dedicated to the promotion of measures to revitalize our merchant marine. We intend to re-dedicate ourselves to this prime purpose. I cannot recall in our history when U.S. passenger ships have not sailed from the East Coast.

This is indeed tragic! I find it hard to believe that the Administration, the Congress and the people of a great country will allow this situa- tion to continue!"

The Propeller Club of the United States is pledged to support necessary measures to implement the new 1970 Merchant Marine

Act, particularly in the area of improved labor- management relations and the use of Ameri- can-flag vessels for the shipment of Ameri- can exports and imports overseas. Since the formation of its first local club in 1923, it has sought to insure the existence of an American merchant marine adequate to meet the require- ments of national security and economic wel- fare of the United States.

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RE-CAP* 'I figure it's about time. — 40,000 miles on them." 36 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News