Re: WW2 trade-in tonnage

From: Bill
Location: ~25N 77W
Email:
Remote Name: 206.48.0.4
Date: 07/29/04
Time: 10:29:18 AM

Comments

Hi Jeff: Believe we are mixing up two groups of "old WWII boats". Shawn, Russ and I were referring to the trade-in of old hulls that were built on the Great Lakes in the early 20th century. What you say is quite correct but you refer to the post WWII private purchase of salt water ships for conversion into Lakers. There was no government involvement. I defer to Russ who states that title to the "Maritimers" passed to the Gr Lakes operators in mid-war and concurrently title to the old Lakers passed to governmment. I had (apparently wrongly) thought actual "Maritimer" ownership didn't pass until after the war. Just a couple points further: I went aboard Cliffs Victory the day she arrived in Cleveland and Cliffs invited industry people down to see her. Her tonnage which you cite seems very large. Might want to check that. My memory probably isn't entirely to be trusted, but I thought the Lake Winnipeg was not one of the T-2's but was the 27000 DWT British Flag M/V Temple Bar which Hanna converted in Singapore under Mr Theiss' supervision. The class society required humungous longitudinal deck doublers to meet bending moment requirements for the voyage to St Lawrence; whereafter they were removed. She was British flag because you could still bring a COMMONWEALTH flagged ship into Canada without the 25% customs duty. I may have her confused with anothert Hannasand vessel. Regards,Bill