100 



AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION OF AMERICAN VESSELS. 



No. of ships classed 



Gross tonnage classed 



No. of surveys made 



No. of executive officers. . . . 



No. of office employes 



No. of surveyors (exclusive) 

 No. of offices 



1916 



194 



228, 539 



572 



2 



1917 



262 



550, 285 



780 



3 



15 

 69 

 12 



1918 



218 



535, 232 



795 



3 



35 



176 



19 



1919 



8, 030, 962 



1,729 



5 



58 



179 



21 



1920 



514 



1, 918, 007 



4,122 



5 



43 



138 



25 



ACTION OF THE ATLANTIC COAST SHIPBUILDING ASSOCIATION. 



The registration of American vessels by an American society has been considered so im- 

 portant that the Atlantic Coast Shipbuilders' Association, representing all the shipyards 

 on the Atlantic coast, appointed a committee to cooperate with the American Bureau of 

 Shipping in extending its efficiency in every way possible. 



The following statements, made by the Bureau in response to suggestions of that com- 

 mittee, are quoted from the committee's annual report to the Shipbuilders' Association : 



"In general the several suggestions which you sent us related to improving the efficiency 

 of our surveyors wherever possible, the 'handling with greater speed of the review and criti- 

 cism of plans in our New York office, and the possible granting of larger salaries to sur- 

 veyors in order to secure the best talent. 



"To all of these matters we have given most careful attention with a view of remedying 

 conditions along those lines wherever possible so to do. 



"As you well know, the shipbuilding business has undergone a great slump since your 

 letter was received. This has necessitated the discharge of a number of our surveyors, and 

 we have endeavored to retain the most competent. The lull has relieved the pressure in our 

 technical branch at the New York office, and we feel quite sure that there can now be no just 

 complaint concerning the celerity with which we handle all plans submitted. 



"We wish to assure your committee that we will welcome any further suggestions it 

 may care to make and that we are continuing our endeavors constantly to keep up our stand- 

 ards and improve our efficiency in every way feasible." 



From this it will be seen that the Bureau is working in full harmony with the shipbuild- 

 ers of this country and is rapidly gaining the confidence of shipowners, builders and under- 

 writers. 



GENERAL OUTLOOK. 



One of the most important features of a classification society is that its surveyors shall 

 be men in whom the shipowner, the shipbuilder and underwriter have confidence as to their 

 experience, judgment and technical knowledge. From the above report it is apparent that 

 the Bureau, by the process of selection and elimination, is acquiring a stafif with the desired 

 qualifications. 



The technical committee of the Bureau is headed by no less an authority on hull con- 

 struction than Admiral D. W. Taylor, U. S. Navy, than whom no expert speaks with 



