The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-13
xMrnrcAs .s4IAS1ro Lrrnas
An Enrlish Aptbority's Views OF the New
per,rture-ErftirhD Doubts and Fears.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Doubt. and Fears.
PHILADELPHIA. June 1.-THE movement In
| Congress- for encouraging American ship
| building on the terms granted 10 tho lnman
| flyers. tho City ~ New York and City OF Paris
| has attracted the attention OF tho London
Engineer. n technical journal of rerutc. II 1t
| succeeds" says this authority. 1T may have
very important results indeed. ms regards our
position as shipbuilders and ocean carriers
for tho world. 1t would be rash to disregard
It. foolish to fall into panic. For the moment
| 1t only remains to wait and watch. ever bear
| ing in mind that tho little cloud in tho West
| though no bigger than mana hand. may rise
| md burst In storm Of competition such rs we
have never yet had to endure" II further de-
clarcs that to the Clyde shiphuildors. above
NIL tho importance Of the now movement is
beyond dispute.
| The Engineer correctly appreciates the fact
that tho general law excluding avessel from
American registry. unless shchas been builtin
the United Statos. was made as part OF tho
protective policy Of the country with tho intcn-
ton OF fostering shipbuilding In tho States
But tho importance Of securing promptly two
or rather four. magnificent vessels for the
American Naval Reserve. corresponding to the
Teutonic and Majestic Of the British Naval
Reserve. IL recognized as the ground on which
the United States Parliament" has adopted
tho now pan. or. rather, tho Engineer per-
ccives the double motive OF fostering Ameri-
Gun shirhuilding and providing tho needed
merchant reserve for tho American navy:
1t is secret that the Imam Company proposes to
build at least steamers presumably in
tended to With the twohew Cunard GOATS which will
be ready for in less than twelve months Hitherto,
the splendid ships which with almost railway speed
| and certainty between the Old and New worlds have
all, with very minute exceptions, been constructed in
Great Britain. 1t clear that at no distant date tho
United states will become shipbuildng nation and
the with which the trades unions OF Great
Britain will have to reckon.
There is another interesting point raised by
| the Engineer. In regard to which We trust that
1t does not give tho United States more credit
than is deserved. Referring to the general
British belief that 1T is impossible for Ameri-
| can shipbuidcrs to sell ships at English
prices" this authority remarks that there is
something besides price Of construction to take
into tho account. In tho first place there is
the mailcarryirg remuneration. that could DO
counted on. and it will not be niggardly:
These things ar ansged at tho other side Of the
Atlantic in ways ot practised at this side II OBJ
lection CHANGED to be raised, tho i'm medato answer
would be that the money was well spent in foster.
ing American industry and the reply would be deemed
conclusive by an overwhelming majority. The ques
ton OF price, under such circumstances might be
garueH as OF very secondary confederation Again. IL
Is quite on the cards that the Pennsylvania Railway
Company would directly indirectly. supply all the
iron and steel needed for the Inman ships prnct
cally at cost price, 1t only remains. In word. to be
considered whether there in the States the talent
Skill and experience necessary to tho construction OF
such ships rs 1t is proposed to build. It 10 stated that
the drawings for tho ships which will be larger
than anything now on the Atlantic. have been pre-.
pared for more than year For ourselves. We have
not tho least doubt that they can be constructed.
What tho Engineer doubts is whether our
builders. with their present lack OF experience
In building fast Atlantic liners. can get the re-
Quired speed. There Is no royal road, It holds.
to twenty-one knots and 1t does not even be-
lieve that any American shipbuilder or engf-
neer can construct q twenty-knot vessel suita-
BILE for the Atlantic passenger trade: while
'cven when the ships are built 1t Is not easy to
SEQ how they can be adequately manned. We
do not think that English and Scotch officers
will DO at all anxious to sail in Yankee ships.
and special legislation would be required be-
fore Englishmen could servo under the Amer
lean flag" Even II they were willing. there
would be a popular outcry against allowing
them to do so.
But these ore points about which tho British
journal need not worry. Ten years ago no
steel war ships had ever been built In America:
to-day We have them Of all types from the
swift torpedo boat to the triple screw COM
MERGE destroyer and the 10. 0O0-ton battleship.
Five years ago the best speed we had produced
was about 10 knots: now We have 2O-knot
cruisers. with 21-knot vessels. like the Pirate
and her mate coming on unless all signs fail
The new American Atlantic liners when
built will not be found slow. ana they will DO
| oflcered and manned In q style worthy Of their
| speed.