The evening times., 1899-06-17
AMERICAN ACTIVITY
IN SHIPBUlLDING
An Expert Review Of the
Work in Progress.
Fifty Naval Vessels Now in Course
Of Construction.
Two Hundred Merchantmen Under
Way-New Craft to Cost More
Than S7O,OOO.OOO.

Cleveland, Ohio. June 1.-THE Marine
Review, in commenting upon the recent ad-
vance in iron and steel shipbuilding in the
United States. says:
The development Of the American mer-
camille marine and the American shipbuild
hand, both stimulated by the greater in
dustrial activity following the Spanish
American war. the shipbuilding industry
benefited especially by the severe drain
made by Government purchases Of avail
able tonnage for the auxiliary naval fleet.
The report Of the Commissioner of Navi-
CATION for the Treasury Department fiscal
year ended June 80. 1899. will show a
growth unprecedented in the history Of
shipbuilding in this country. and the fig
ures for the year just opening will be even
more interesting.
There are now building in our ship
yards for the United States and foreign
countries more than fifty naval vessels,
valued at upward Of $40.000.000. exclu-
sve OF armor and armament. and more
than 200 merchant vessels. no small craft
OF any kind included, the aggregate value
of which exceeds 500, ,0O0, 900.
There has been turned out in this sim
gle year an Atlantic coast fleet of respecta-
BILE size. in which the Cromwell. Morgan,
Ward. Merchants and Miners. Old DOmin-
ion. Plant. Old Bay. and almost all other
principal coast lines have been represent
ed. For Pacific Coast service there are
building more modern steel freight and
passenger steamers than have been con-
structed in any three previous years COM
a. h. rsx @NA htNtl T..
have made their appearance. with promise
of the river fleet being gradually rebuilt
along steel lines. Shipyards Of the entire
country have, in fact, orders sufficient on
hand to keep them in operation from per-
iods ranging from one to three years. The
largest merchant vessels and vessels Of
war ever constructed on this side Of the
Atlantic are now on the stocks in Ameri-
can yards. The principal steamship COM
pany OF the country has been compelled 10
place orders abroad by reason Of inability
TO secure from any American builder a
promise Of delivery in anything like the
time required.
"All the yards, great and small. are de-
veloping and expanding. At Newport
News. Va, alone the improvements under
way will entail an expenditure OF $1,000
900. A $4,000. 900 shipyard is in process Of
establishment on the Delaware. and an
other with capital OF 81, ,O00. 600 is pro-
jected.
The Maryland Steel Company reopened
its marine plant in obedience to q rush Of
work that enabled ii. six months later. to
have seven steel steamers under coustruc-
tion.
Southern energy embodied in the Will
liam X. Trigg Company converted Rich
mond. Va. into a shipbuilding port.
''On the Great Lakes all the leading
shipbulding and dry dock plants have been
merged into the American Shipbuilding
Company. This company already has in
hand several orders for freight carriers OF
5000 net tons capacity on eighteen feet
draught. that are not to be delivered until
May. 1900. but on which work must begin
Immediately. as they are to cost approxi
mately $3.50. coo each, and with quadruple
expansion engines and water tube boilers
will represent the best practice that is to
be found in shipbuilding anywhere in the
world. A total value of about $1,000 003
is represented by all new tonnage now un-
der way in shipyards Of the Great Lakes.
this aggregate will be kept up for a couple
Of years to come Notwithstanding the
higher values now prevailing in labor, ma
terial and supplies of all kinds.
The Cramps. of Philadelphia. and the
Union Iron Works. of San Francisco. have
completed the first war vessels for foreign
powers turned out from American ship
yards in many years. The American
tramp steamer has made its appearance.
New England districts are again witnessing
quite little activity in the construction
of wooden vessels. even to the placing of
an order for a six-masted ship that S TO
carry $500 tons dead weight. In this line
of diversity may be mentioned also the
light draught. wheel type Of steam
er. which has been constructed in quite
large numbers on both coasts for service
in shallow Alaskan waters. and on the
Great Lakes the steamer of about 1000
tons capacity on IA feet draught. which is
suited to special trade on the lakes, or
may be transferred through the Welland
and st. Lawrence canals to the Atlantic.
where there is promise of profitable trade
for a long time to come, not only between
ports on the Eastern seaboard. but also
between New York. Cuba. and Porto Rico.
Progress in the construction of pleasure
craft has not been less rapid. The Bath
Iron Works, Bath. Me-. completed recently
the most powerfully engined steam yacht
ever constructed for a private owner. and
a summary Of the years orders shows al