The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-03
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
LARGE OUTPUT or AMERICAN SNIP
YARDS THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
I,428 Vessels of $40. $40 Gross Tons Added
to Our Merchant Fleet-Eor the First
Time the Tonnage of steam aud
steel Vessels Exceeds All Other Kinds

1,420 Vessels OF 32O.STG Gross Tons Added
to Our Merchant Eleet-Eor the First
Time the Tonnage of steam and
Steel Vessels Exceeds All Other Kinds.
WASHINGTON. July 1.-The total output OF
American shipyards for the fiscal year which
ended on Friday has been the largest OF
any year for the last quarter OF a century. en-
ccpt 1891. when 1884 vessels Of 3,jD.3O2 gross
tons were built and documentcd in tho United
States. During the past fiscal year the con-
structiun Of merchant vessels. officially re-
turned. has consisted Of 1,42U vessels of 32O-
S70 tons Besides these, Twenty-Five vessels
OF foreign construction. aggregating 3O.lSl
gross tons, have been admitted to American
registry. of which ten were prizes captured
during the war with Spain. four wcro steam
ships aggrcgating 1212U tons. admitted by
special acts Of Congress. and the remainder
wrecked vessels. repaired in American ship
Yards. 1t Is also reported from Manila that
since last August 14l vessels have been trans
ferred from the hands of the Spanish, German
and British subjects to Americans indicating
the confidence of the business men of Manila
in the American Government. The tonnage
of these vessels has not vet been reported. and
the transfer does not carry with il all tho
rights OF American registry. Had the Senate
passed tho House bill for the registry Of
Hawaiian vessels tho total additions to our
merchant feet during tho year would havo
reached nearly 100000 tons. Our largest
annual production was in 1865. when 2.O27
vessels of JS3. 400 tons were built and docu-
mcnted
During 1893 Great Britain built $40 vessels
of l.39o.1l6 tons. The difference in the kind
of vessels built is roughly disclosed by the
average size. our construction averaging only
about 10 tons. while the British averages
800 tons. Nearly all our new tonnage is built
to navigate in the coastng trade reserved to
American vessels. The only steamships built
directly for the foreign trade were the Havana
and Mexico OF the New York and Cuba Mail and
the four Admiral steamships for Cuba and ia
maica. aGgregatinE ~. 100 tons. whichwere built
under the postal subsidy act. In anticipation
of Legislation at the coming session. however
construction has begun or been contracted for
on about 100000 tons Of steel steamships for
foreign trade and trade with Hawaii and Porto
luGo involving an expenditure OF about
For the first time in our history. on June 30
| tabulated, will exceed the total Of all other kinds
of documented vessels. During the year. how
hecn built. pared with 426 of ~. 500 tons for
the preyio41s whlIe , the steam vessels hH!It
AS Of no i % tons Tor the previous year in
certain trades our large sailing vessels cndeayor
to GEompete with foreign cargo steamships, and
Will doubtless continue to do so. at all events
Until the CONSTRUCTION OF the Nicaragua Canal
! The most notable vessel Is doubtless the John
Smoaton. n steel schooner Of JOiD gross tons.
built at West Superior. Mich. probably the
largest fore-and-att vessel ever but. The
largest seagoing sailing vessel built III Europe
IN 1888 was the Ernest Siegfried Of llavre
! 3,2li tons.
! For the first time in our history. steel has
! become the principal material in our annual
construction Of rugged vessels. the steel tom
| mage for the year being l,E}.El toms wood
! 10000 tons. Iron has ceased to lie Il shin
building material. only one vessel OF nine tons
having been built Of iron. During 1888. in
Great Britain. 81 per cent. or practically the
whole construction except small fishing YES
sells. was Of steel.
The additions to our seagong fleet. incud-
ing 3O,lSl tons foreign built referred to- were
1895 vessels of l51.!tS7 tons. divided into 80
steam vessels Of 1920 tons. "a schooner4 OF
t29O6 tons. 10 square rugged vessels of - I y
| tons, and 30 yachts OF 5.3tii tons including tho
new cup defender. The sUuare-riggcd vessels
are mainly for the foreign trade. and the
schooners for cOasting purposes or the trade
with the British provinces and the West Indies
There were built 401 unrigged vessels
bargcs and canalboats for Canadian or inter
state trade. aggregating 56.567 tons. Ex-
GLIDING those. the greatest increase has been
on tho Atlantic coast. the tonnage Of rugged
vessels built rising from 81. 1876 tons in 1873 to
l34.332 tons for tho past year. while on the
Pacific there has been a decrease from 1896
tons to :t2.4l2 tons. The output OF rugged YES
sells on the great lakes was ~ $50 tons com
pared with 45,2ll during the fiscal year 1888.