Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-13
busy Foreign shlpyards.

. ipNohh ioNibW VI luc llahndhunllC
season for 1896, by New York paper,
contained the following:
The announcement by the Hamburg
American line of the building OF the
mammoth twin-screw freight and pas
senger steamer Pennsylvania has caused
the managers OF competing lines to give
some details regarding the enlargement
of their ocean fleets.
The Hamburg American line has
under construction, in addition to the
Pennsylvania ALREADY described, five
other twin-screw vessels, all of which
VIII be delivered during the season of
lS9G. Three of them are being built by
flarland & Wolff of Belfast, and the
other three at the Yarrow yards Of tho
Palmer Shipbuilding Co. When these
steamers are in commission the COM
pany. will dispose of it's slower and
smaller vessels.
The North German Lloyd Co. has
given he contracts for six new twin
screw steamers Of the latest type. Two
OF these steamers are to be for their
New York and Southampton express
service, and they will be capable of
attaining speed of twenty knots an
hour The Vulcan Shipbuilding Go.
at Stettin has the contract for one of
these vessels, and the Schichan Ship
building Go. at Dantzig and Elbing
has the contract for the other express
steamer. These vessels will be 600 feet
long and 66 feet beam. The other four
vessels will each be 525 feet long, and
will have u beam OF 6i feet. They will
have a speed of fourteen knots, being
built specially for freight. They will.
however, have accommodations for 200
first class and about 1000 steerage pas
sengers
The North rGorman Lloyd people are
also preparing to increase the speed of
their steamers now in commission. The
Irave is being extensively overhauled,
and when she is again placed in SER
vice she will have new boilers and on
glnes which are expected TO increase
her speed to eighteen knots an hour.
The Compagnie Generate Transat-
lantique, or French Line, contemplates
increasing its feet. At present they
have only one twin-screw steamer, the
Touraine, Tho directors are discussing
the wisdom Of building two more twin
screw vessels larger and faster than the
Touraine.
The Netherlands American Steam
Navigation Co. also proposes to put
| new and modern steamers in its fleet.
1t has already contracted for an 5000
ton twin-screw steamer, which will be
40 feet in length, and which will
accommodate 200 first-class, 150 second,
aud large number of storage passen.
gers.
Most of the ocean greyhounds are
being built in English shipyards. 1t
is said that the German shipyards are
so crowded with work that most of
them have enough to keep them occu-
pied until the end of the season Of 1897.
This made it necessary for them to
forego bidding on some of the German
vessels that are being built in English
yards Then again, the British lines
are not adding to their fleets, and as
result the shipbuilders In England are
not overcrowded with orders.
The policy Of the Transatlantic lines,
outlined in their building operations,
is to construct vessels with view Of
carrying large quantities of freight
instead of building exclusively passcn-
ger ships.
Where does protection to the
American mechanic or laboring man
in any line of occupation come in? The
shipyards of Great Britain and Europe
are overcrowded with orders for vessels
OF every description, but not one in the
United States for foreign account.
What is the reason that the shin
builders and their workmen in vii.
mington have no share in this profit
able business? Who will command,
officer and man these new ships? Who
will receive the freights of all their
cargoes? Who will command the trade
Of the world, and therefore the wealth
Of tho world?
Certainly, not the American public,
so long as the Unsuitable taxation'i
levied to prevent foreign trade is suf-
fered to continue.
Most truly did Ambassador Bayard
remark, in his famous Edinburgh
address: Gradually the commercial
marine Of the United States has dis
appeared from the high seas, with the
loss oil the carrying trade and the dis.
pereion Of tho class of trained seamen
and skilled nayigators; the exceptions,
that only prove the rule, are the few
vessels lately built, and only by max
ing breach by special contract in tho
general tariff and navigation laws,
reluctant confession Of the impolicy
and unwisaom Of both. but an object
lesson from which valuable instruction
may be drawn"