Evening star., 1899-04-18
OF SHIP BUILDERS
The United Kingdom Leads All Countries
by Wide Margin.
American Plates Furnished in Great
Quantities CIearances From
Liverpool for United States.

James Boyle, United States consul at
Liverpool, writes to the State Department
regarding the shipbuilding industry: The
total mercantile-marine shipbuilding out
put of 1898 for the whole world Is eSti-
mated at 1888, 600 tons, and Lloyds re-
turns show that of this total output, 1,367,-
$40 tons gross were launched in the united
kingdom, the number of vessels being 761,
of which only II were sailing vessels. In
addition, last year there were Al warships
launched in the united kingdom, of 191 ,555
tons displacement. The total output Of the
united kingdom for 1898 was therefore S02
vessels of 800, 125 tons Not counting war
ships, there were at the close of the year,
5S4 vessels of 1,401 ,Os7 tons gross under
construction in the united kingdom. The
corresponding figures at the close of 1897
were 5O5 vessels of 1,013,3 ,319 tons. Lloyd's
returns give the addition of steam tonnage
to British registry during 1898 as LII, 76S
tons gross and Of sailing tonnage, 29053
tons; total, 1,1l0,S21 tons.'
OF the tonnage classed by Lloyds In 1898
9S.4 per cent was built of steel and about
1.3 per cent of iron. Compared with steam
sailing tonnage decreased from 25 per cent
of the total tonnage in 1891 to per cent in
1898.
Cause of the ShipbuiIding Boom.
In a recent review of. the shipbuilding
boom of 1898, the London Times said:
"One of the special causes that have con-
tributed to bring about large demand for
shipping during recent years has been the
greater economy of tonnage, due to the
substitution of steel for iron An
other source of economy has been the in
creased use of larger plates. Then,
again, the of steel has given to the
steel shpowncr a vessel of greater carry
ing capacity for the same nominal tonnage
At the present time more than
100000 tons of steel shipping are under
construction, against less than 1900 IONS in
iron; but there are still many iron ships in
our merchant navy, and the amount OF new
shipbuilding is likely to be heavy until they
have been wholly displaced, and until the
most modern engines and boilers have su-
perseded the more waSteful systems OF an
earlier date"
THE supplying of American plates to
British shipbuilders has become a perma-
nent trade writes Consul Boyle. The
Oceanic the largest vessel in the world,
launched in January at Belfast, was large
ly built of American steel plates.
Clenrances for the United States.
Consul Boyle also furnishes some interest
ing facts regarding the shipping of Liver
pool In 1898, Liverpool led all other for
eign ports in the world In clearances for
the United States, the number being 1909.
In addition, there were fourteen clearances
through the American consulate at Liver
pool for ports that had recently been trans
ferred from the jurisdiction OF Spain to that
of the United States OF all these 1923
cIearances only three of the ships carried
the American fag-two of them being sail
ing vessels. There were 20 OF these clear
ances in ballast But few of the ships which
cleared for United States ports took out full
cargoes Yet the years business for the
shipping companies was undoubtedly pay
ing one, speaking generally. 1t Is mani
fest therefore. that most OF the profitable
voyages were those eastward.
Subsidized Merchant Cruisers.
The following are the British reserve
merchant cruisers and the subsidies they
receive from the British government:
Cunard line-Campania, $780, 1875; Luca-
mia, $36. 1875.
Peninsula and Oriental Company-Hima--
laya, SIC, ,424.44; Australia, SIG, A; Vic
toria, s11 1854 52 Arcadia. $11 ,S84. 81.
White Star line-Teutonic, 5513; Ma
este, $35, ,902 SO.
Canadian Pacific Company Empress OF
India Empress of China and Empress Of
Japan, each $35 5ss.72. Total. s236