The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-13
SHIPBUILDING.
W. H. Webb's Plan to Revive a De-
caying Industry.

W. H. Webb's Plan to Revive a De-
caying Industry.
New YORK, May 12-One of the impor
tant measures, which will appear in the
volume of the New York session laws of
1888, and which, strangely enough, has
passed almost without notice on the part o f
the press is Assembly Bill 944, entitled "An
Act to Incorporate the Webb Academy and
Home for Shipbuilders " The bill as
passed the lower house and is now pending
in the Senate
To carry out the design contemplated in
the measure, Mr. William Henry Webb,
who is a retired shipbuilder of large means,
and who carried on an extensive business in
this city from 1910 to-1S7U has purchased
thirteen and half acres of ground at Ford
ham Heights. The site is delightfully."- stu
ated on high ground with a commanding
view Of the valley of the Harlem, and also
of the Palisades, and is bounded by the
Harlem River and Sedgwick Avenue and
the old Fordham Landing Road. On this
magnificent location, the liberal protector
of the academy for shipbuilders intends to
erect, as soon as possible, buildings for the
accommodation of the institution, which
will afford practical and theoretical in
struction in the art ofdraughting and plan
ming ships, both of wood and iron mate
rial.
Experience taught me the great diff
culties in the way of acquiring knowledge
of shipbuilding without the institution
! which contemplate establishing" said Mr.
Webb, in answer to an inquiry. 81 deter
mined, therefore, to make it possible for a
young man TO master the art easily, and
within O reasonable time. In the old-fash-
toned way, seven years were required, but
with the academy this can be accomplished
in two or three years. wish to create an
institution where a student cannot only be
educated, but also be maintained during
the period of his study"
Many persons think that American ship
building is a thing of the past, but this is
mistake. Many vessels are still built in
the United States, though most of the ma
tive bottoms are employed in the coasting
trade.
THE greater cost of construction in the
United States, as compared with Great
Britain, / take to be the cause of the decline
which ali deplore. / am of the opinion
that our government ought to follow the
example of Great Britain, France, and
Italy, and offer subsidies to American
shipwrights. The adoption of this policy
by other nations compels the United States
to take similar. coufse,pn ordeI;topace our
shipwrights on the same plane of advan-
tage with their foreign competitors"
Although shipbuilding has gone out in
New York, 1t survives in other States, and
the Fordham Heights institution is designed
to meet the needs of the entire country.
Thorough instruction will be given in all
branches of shipbuilding, and only the ship
yard will be lacking to afford the student
all the benefit that can be derived from
practical experience"
The president Tor vice-president of the
New York Chamber Of Commerce.; men,
Der of the General Society of Mechanics
aud Tradesmen of the city Of New York, to
be selected by that organization; profes-
sor of applied mathematical science in Col
umbla College, to be appointed by the
trustees thereof; the president Tor vice
presldent) of the Society of the New YORK
Hospital; and Richard Poillon, Henry
Steers, Andrew Reed, Charles H. Cramp
William Henry Webb, Thomas f. Row
land, and Stevenson Taylor; provided
nevertheless, that the Member for the Ne
chanics and Tradesmen's Society be selected
independent of the individual trustees, are
designated in the act as the body polite and
corporate of the prospective Webb Acade-
my and Home for Shipbuiders.
In Mr.. Webb's opinion the decline Of
American shipbuilding has been assisted by
the want Of the facilities of proper mechan-
ical instruction in the art, and no thinks
that the coming academy will he an impor
tant factor in tho revival Of n well-nigh de-
funct industry. GEORGE j. CLARKE.