The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06
SHIP BUILDING.


WHAT IT WAS FEW YEARS SINCE AND Is
Now-THE OUTLOOK NOT VERY ENCOURAGING
1t seems somewhat peculiar to speak OF the ship
building interests OF New York and vicinity.
Where once score OF yards lined the East River
and gave employ ment to thousands OF skilled ar
tisans, but few now remain, and these find only
partial work. Years ago, when there was gen.
eral movement In the ship building districts OF the
country to secure II possible some relief from I'M
friendly legislation, there were hopes OF a change
The inability 10 obtain the relief sought lor was
fatal to success. The capital that had waited
in vain to pursue the old track OF industry at the
shipyards was diverted to other channels and
became less and less powerful until It is now or
but little moment. There was time when every
American felt Just pride In those wonderful
models OF naval architecture which gave our
builders such pro emtnence In the eyes OF all
nations and enabled the Stars aud stripes to lead
the van OF commerce around the world But that
day is gone, and there seems TO be a settled con-
ylctlon In the minds OF many that the supremacy
OF the seas now lost to us, will be difcult re-
gain. In the years preceding the war two-thirds
or three-iourths OF the traflc OF the port oil New
YORK came under the native bunting but since
then 1t has steadily ecreased until now the rel
alive position is exactly reversed, more than two
thirds OF the tonnage arriving and departing from
our harbor at this time being under foreign colors.
Az a nation tnis humiliation Is deeply felt. It
needs no comment to impress these truths upon
every one who has at heart the true interests or
MS country pitiul policy ofleglslatlon has LED
to this result.
THE WORK n HAND.
No better evide zee Is necessary to note the
apa; ny IN ship building than TO make tour or OBJ
servation along the East River, In Greenpolnt,
Hunters Point and then around Corear's Hook,
on the city side, where vast hulls, full OF harmony
and proportion. flowing lines ana perfect sym
metry, could once be counted by the dozen, there Is
not now-witn but q single exceptIon-a vessel on
the stocks; and this Is not the worst Off, The
outlook is drear and dsprritlDg. What little Is
being done In this industry may be briefly sum-
marIzed as olloHs:-
Mr.. James b. Van Deusen, foot or North Seventh
street, Williamsburg, mas well advanced the large
schooner yacnt Flying Cloud for Vice Commodore
Garner, New YORK Yacht Club. Her dimensions
are l39 feet inches over ALL l2l ieet on tne water
line 90 Teet incnes beam aud ieet inches mold.
Timer Is beng got ready TO bulld North River
barge OF about AGO tons, TO be $50 eet long, 80 eet
wide ana eet deep.
In connection VITA the Delamater Iron Works,
Mr. Van Dcusen Is building composite steamer
for the United states Coast survey. she is 1870
Ieet IN LENGTH % feet beam, feet deep aud rs
tons burden.
small steam yacht VIII also be commenced In
a lew days wnlcn Is expected TO be very last.
Mr.. Van Deusen IN about twelve months has
launched the New Bedford propeIers CITY VI
FtchDurg aud CITY OF New BedIord-stanch, last
auu serYIceabe sound passenger craft; steam
boat, IFS Ieet long Is eet beam and feet inches
mold. Tor parties ia RIO JanelrV also the tugDOat
- J. Weed, OF 1S5 IONS, Tor service in tue narDor
At the yaru VI Messrs. john Englis son,
Greenpoint work mas ceased entirely. They have
steamship Company, $40 ieet long, ~ Ieet VIDE
anu "a Ieet deep, put Tor some unexplained rea.
M no iufn off al tuS Or M
have not resumed work, although II Is SAID they
will again proceed some time tns month.
Lawrence n FVulKes are not dong anything
Recently they launched a sidewhecl boat Tor the
Providence Steamboat Company, 10 take tue place
OF the River Belle, burned last year Ia the harbor,
while on the hoe hence to sandy Hook. she Is
about 200 Iees long. This done, the yard was
closed until anotner JOB II secured.
At the continental Iron Works, Greenpoin:,
they are preparing TO ship IN sections TO san Fran
cisco the douDe tuiretted monitor Mona1nock.
she Is $50 icet between peTpendculars, 81 ieet
wide at lower edge OF a, NOR shell, so feet So
inches wide abreast the armor, IS Ieet 20 inches
extreme width over armor and IA ieet lncneS
deep rom bottom OF keels on plate TO top OF main
deck beams. lnIs Is d0uDie SKID snip aud IS
lifted WIN a ram. Her armor Is well protected,
resist the most destructive modern proJectles.
cisco and stationed there tor bafbor defence rnis
completes tue work 81 the Continental men Ia the
snip building ltne.
Brooklyn, nave no new work IN hand.
hessrs. Boggs A Burd, Greenpoint are taking 10
I n
IL In sections 10 Demerara.
Mr. Henry steers Is not dong anything out
hopes soon TO be busy on . large JOB.
Mr.. Lennox, in South Brooklyn, is building the
bul OF steam yacht Tor Mr.. JACOB LOrllIard.
.ihls presents IN nutshell tue whole OF the
Wofk now 10 progress about New YORK. Ihe NcDJs,
Mesterveitr Cullyers, J0yces KoOsevelts, IuckrTsg
Stacks Wnitl0cks and oiner familiar names IN the
snlp-buildng trade have passed away, ana are
only remembered when relerence made to the
period wnicn placed the country the largest ship
owner In tue world. Tnen we we're growing at
rate that made NJ certain the supremacy and tho
ceptre OF the seas would soon 0evOlve upon Uncle
sam. But the dark cloud or war arrested tue
rapid progress being made and daTkened the san.
guIne expectations lnuulged In, ana unWise legis-
atIOn completed toe storf, until now the DinCest
political economist must note something startling
IN the exhibit.
THE OUTLOOK.
All the builders agree tnat there IL but little, II
any, inquiry Ia relation 20 new vessels. Coast
wise trade is almost stagnsnt, bu! little being
done win Charleston, savannah or New orleans
The condition OF me business with tue latter port
~ nat inCced. Messrs G. III. Mallory Co recently
Withdrew their steamers nom the route ana laid
them up IN Williams ouTg. Mr.. n. Baker also DIS
continued the running OF his steamers TO that
port, leaving the old cromwell line master OF the
situation, bui the week following the withdrawal
OF all opposition vessels their regular saturday
steamer lett port with but nalf cargo. rms de.
cline IS due TO reasons sufficiently OBVIOUS 70 all
who know anything Of the condition OF business
anairs AZ the South.
IN PROSPEROUS TINES.
Contrast the miserable exhibit given above with
the noutlshing condition Of the industry Just pre-
cedinR ana during the first year 50 OF Tue war,
aud 1t Will be seen how ruthlessly the inter.
est mas been crushed. Vessels Tor every section
OF the CLONE were being constructed, those build
ing ior the trade IN CHINA being specially pr0mi-
nenl. few leaves rom the DJoKs Of tho Board
| OF Underwriters will fully prove THIS assertion.
In ana about New YORK alone there. were built,