--- title: Know your merchant fleet url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/know-your-merchant-fleet-1944/ description: 'Identification chart: a painted convoy of merchant ships at the top, below it 29 black ship silhouettes in grid rows, each with a line of specifications.' section: Collection --- 1. [Home](https://propagandaarchive.org/) 2. [Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/) 3. Know your merchant fleet [![Know your merchant fleet, 1944 US poster: Identification chart](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/know-your-merchant-fleet-1944.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/know-your-merchant-fleet-1944.jpg) # Know your merchant fleet Identification chart: a painted convoy of merchant ships at the top, below it 29 black ship silhouettes in grid rows, each with a line of specifications, and an eagle-and-stars 'Ships for Victory' emblem. The technique is faint: the text claims the largest Merchant Marine in world history and the national emblem lends its standing to the fleet. ## Propaganda techniques used in this poster [Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/) [Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/) ## Text on the object Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked ``` KNOW YOUR MERCHANT FLEET * Today, the United States has the largest Merchant Marine in world history. In addition to such basic models as the C-1, C-2, C-3 (Cargo), Victory, Liberty, and T-2 (tanker) types, specialized designs have been created to serve the diversified war and peacetime transportation needs of the Nation * Know your merchant fleet. Here are illustrated 29 types of vessels which form part of our great merchant fleet. All have distinctive characteristics, easily recognized after close study of the silhouette models illustrated below [signature: Elmo White] S. S. AMERICA--Passenger liner now serving as U. S. Army transport West Point. Length (over-all), 723'. Beam, 93'3". Draft (loaded), 32'. Cruising radius, 11,000 miles. Gross tonnage, 26,482. Net tonnage, 14,320. Dead-weight tonnage, 14,361. Ship horsepower, 34,000 hp. Propulsion, turbine. C3-IN-P & C--Combination passenger and cargo type. Now in use as troop ship. Length, 489'. Beam, 69'6". Draft (loaded), 27'3". Cruising radius, 17,600 miles. Net tonnage, 8,200.* Dead-weight tonnage, 9,000.* Ship horsepower, 8,500 hp. Propulsion, turbine. *Estimated tonnage for peacetime use. Vessel actually completed as troop ship. C3 P & C--Combination passenger and cargo type. Length (over-all), 491'10". Beam, 69'6". Draft (loaded), 26'6". Cruising radius, 20,300 miles. Net tonnage, 5,157. Dead-weight tonnage, 9,937. Ship horsepower, 8,500 hp. Propulsion, turbine. RIO HUDSON--Combination passenger and cargo type. Length (over-all), 492'. Beam, 69'6". Draft (loaded), 27'3". Cruising radius, 18,600 miles. Net tonnage, 8,000.* Dead-weight tonnage, 9,000.* Ship horsepower, 8,500 hp. Propulsion, Diesel. *Estimated tonnages. AFRICAN COMET--Combination passenger and cargo type designed for South and East African trade routes. Length (over-all), 489'. Beam, 69'6". Draft (loaded), 27'3". Cruising radius, 17,600 miles. Net tonnage, 8,148. Dead-weight tonnage, 9,916. Ship horsepower, 8,500 hp. Propulsion, turbine. DELBRAZIL--Combination passenger and cargo type designed for routes between Gulf ports and South America. Length (over-all), 491'. Beam, 65'6". Draft (loaded), 25'6". Cruising radius, 16,500 miles. Net tonnage, 4,542. Dead-weight tonnage, 9,021. Ship horsepower, 7,800 hp. Propulsion, turbine. ROBIN LOCKSLEY--Combination passenger and cargo type designed for trade routes between New York and South and East African ports. Length (over-all), 479'8". Beam, 69'6". Draft (loaded), 27'. Cruising radius, 18,500 miles. Net tonnage, 4,258. Dead-weight tonnage, 10,048. Ship horsepower, 6,300 hp. Propulsion, turbine. EXPORTER--Fast freight steamer type intended for the New York-Mediterranean and Indian trade. Length (over-all), 473'1". Beam, 66'. Draft (loaded), 27'. Cruising radius, 14,480 miles. Net tonnage, 3,996. Dead-weight tonnage, 9,514. Ship horsepower, 8,000 hp. Propulsion, turbine. VC2-S-AP--The Victory type. Used for general cargo type designed for South American trade routes. Length (over-all), 455'3". Beam, 62'. Draft (loaded), 28'6". Speed, 17 knots. Cruising radius, 20,500 miles. Net tonnage, 4,555. Dead-weight tonnage, 10,850. Ship horsepower, 8,500 hp. Propulsion, turbine. EC2-S-C1--The Liberty type designed for general cargo type designed for South and East African trade routes. Length (over-all), 441'7 1/2". Beam, 56'10 3/4". Draft (loaded), 27'7". Cruising radius, 9,000 miles. Net tonnage, 9,916. Ship horsepower, 9,000 hp. Propulsion, steam-reciprocating. C1-A (Cargo)--Used for general cargo purposes. Length (over-all), 412'3". Beam, 60'. Draft (loaded), 23'6". Cruising radius, 18,900 miles. Net tonnage, 2,859. Dead-weight tonnage, 7,416. Ship horsepower, 9,000 hp. Propulsion, turbine. [Transcription cut at the 4000-character cap: the remaining ship entries, the SHIPS FOR VICTORY and UNITED STATES MARITIME COMMISSION lines, the EXPLANATION paragraph and the imprint are omitted. The ship-entry figures are in very small print and were read from a downscaled image.] ``` [← Keeping war workers well and fit](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/keeping-war-workers-well-and-fit-1944/) [Know your score: get a physical check-up at least once a year →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/know-your-score-1944/) ## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques - [Fragments of the Abydos king list from Ramesses II's temple, in the British Museum: rows of royal cartouches](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/abydos-king-list-ramesses-ii-temple-british-museum/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Card stacking, Transfer) - [Clay cylinder with the Ehulhul inscription of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, describing work on three temples](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/cylinder-nabonidus-ehulhul-inscription-555bce/) (Neo Babylonian Empire · 0000 · Transfer) - [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial) - [Glazed-brick panel with a striding lion, from Babylon (reign of Nebuchadnezzar II)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ishtar-gate-panel-striding-lion-nebuchadnezzar-ii-604bce/) (Neo Babylonian Empire · 0000 · Transfer) - [Limestone relief block of Ramesses II wearing the White Crown, a jubilee relief from his temple at Herakleopolis](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/jubilee-relief-ramesses-ii-herakleopolis-met-05-4-256/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer) - [Line drawing of the Great Kadesh battle relief on the walls of the Ramesseum, from Breasted's History of Egypt](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/kadesh-relief-ramesseum-breasted-drawing-1275bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Card stacking, Transfer). Content note: A drawing of an Egyptian royal battle relief showing Hittite soldiers and horses killed and drowned, as the king's monument presented the battle; it is a one-sided image made by the winning side's own account. - [Gypsum alabaster slab inscribed in cuneiform, from Nimrud (Kalhu), reign of Ashurnasirpal II](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/nimrud-slab-ashurnasirpal-ii-inscription-883bce/) (Neo Assyrian Empire · 0000 · Transfer, Glittering generalities) - [Egyptian alabaster jar inscribed with the name of Xerxes the Great in four languages (Old Persian, Elamite, Babylonian, Egyptian), 486 to 466 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/xerxes-jar-four-languages-486bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Transfer)