The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-07
STEAMS HIP BUILDING.
REVIVAL OF MOVEMENT IN THE
UNITED sTATLs.
The New Fleet BuiIding-Can be Con-
verted Into Cruisers Supremacy
In the Pacific.

! IN the Pacific.
Two years ago Congress enacted law
Tor the immediate encouragement of
American steamship construction. That
act permitted the International Navn a.
ton Company to buy and place under
the American flag two If the largest and
swifteSt steamships of English tonstruc-
ton, viz. The City of New York aud the
city of Paris. This act was coupled with
the condition that other steamships of
equal or higher class should be con-
structed in this country. The law en-.
c"untered some hostility, partly from
the Impression that il would he evaded,
aud that no new ships of equal capacity
would be built in this county.
80 FAR from evading the provision.
there are now twu Am, rcau Steamship
= ~ such n state # furwdrtlness hat they
/ VIII he launched in n short time. These
steamships are the largest ever built for
c'umer'ial purposes IN this country.
J They will take the names of st. Louis
and 81. Paml. A marine journal gives
+ the 'imdrsinns Of these vessels They
are Aa4 feet IL lcngth, aud viii have a
REGISTER Of 1000 tons. They viii have
"rran S"ments for carrying $50 first clu,s
PASSENGERS, 200 second 81 ros a ,d $50 ~
grants. They will have a SIP, Ell OF twenty
knots.
These ships are constructed so that
they can lie quickly converted into
armed cruisers carrying 6-inch 100
pound rapid fire guns, aud will be
placed at the disposal of the Federal
Government whenever there is de-
mand for them. They are constructed
OF American material and are designed
and built by American mechanics. |
Three other steamships are about to
follow, as large as those now on the
stocks, and as quickly as the plans can
he completed These five ships will
represent total expenditure of about |
1921 100000 Thus, in short time !
without any expenditure on the part of |
the Federal Government, seven steam
ships of the largest class will be in readi- !
ness to augment the Federal fleet |
These would all be fast cruisers, having |
a speed equal to the swiftest war vessels ]
now a1oat.
Here is tie beginning of the great |
merchant fleet of the future. 1t is .
twenty Years or more since tbs largest |
class of commercial steamships had been !
built in this country; and at no previous |
time have any commercial ships of this |
class been constructed in American |
yards. When the Act of Congress took |
effect 1t was predicted that it would |
mark the revival of great home in |
dustry. The two ships now approaching |
completion, it is reported, in construc.
ton and equipment, will be the largest |
aud best in the world. Those that are
to follow will not fall short of this stan
dard. When the two foreign ships City |
of New York aud City of Paris were
bought they represented the largest and
swiftest commercial steamships then
nhoat. 1t was taunIingly said abroad
that Americans had bought hem because
they could not build such ships at home:
These ships were owned by American |
capitalists long e'ore they were placed |
uadtr the fl Z of the country.
The effort to construct commercial !
navy equal 10 the best III the ". raj, |
had its inception in the act past by q ,
Il publican Administration. There was
u llne when The great Cunnard Steam. |
ship Company, with Large Government
subsidies, c ull defy all competition. !
IL had us go d rs broken down the |
American Collins line of side. wheel |
t aimohips, established nearly forty
Years ~ J. The situation has change, g..
( The Cunuard Company now Recognizes
Arerlran competition as the mort
formidable that it has ever Encountered. /
1t has only just begun. The sam,
ge"lus ana skill Tat has prpnu ,r The
4 American war fleet, which now mum,
! hrrs son e ul the swillest ships in the
, world, is working in the constructed.
ut these great commercial ST. aniship>
/ The five rhcady in ,nuces, of cuI-
atrpction or planned nrr lie pioneers al
/ the new file hat promises to win great
commercial Victories.
Some of these great ships of the futur,
will be built ON the Pacific Coast. Their.
has recently been launched at this port
one of the largest and most powerful
warships in the world, to say nothing OF
other ships constructed here that are now
classed among the best in the American
Navy. 1t is at this and other ports on
this side of the country that we are to
look for the construction at no distant
day of ships that will win and hold the
commercial supremacy oil the Pacific
S. f. Bulletin.