The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-03
lM[RelI SNIP BUILDING.
LARGE lNCnRASE DURING THE
YEAn JUST CLOSED.
Largest IN Any Year fer . Quarter
of . Centusy. ExSept 1So1, Ana
Falls Bot slightly Below That-
Many Heseign vessels DeagAt.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE fiscal year
which ended on Friday was exceptional
for the American merchant marine in sew
erai respecta- Full reports will not De re-
ceived BY the bureau Of navigation for
several weeks. but returns already re-
ceived warrants these statements.
The total output Of American shipyards
has been the largest In any year for the
last quarter Of a century, except 1891, when
LISA vessels Of 80 3Oe gross tons were built
and documented in the United States.
During the past fiscal year the construc-
ton Of the merchant vessels. officially re-
turned. has consisted Of l.4e vessels of
~, SIC gross tons. Besides these. = ves-
sells Of foreign construction. aggregating
3alN gross tons. have been admitted TO
American registry. II is also reported
from Manila that since last August al
vessels have been transferred from the
hands Of the Spanish. German and Brit
ish subjects to Americans. indicating the
confidence Of the business men OF Manila
In American government The tonnage Of
these vessels has not yet been reported
and the transfer does not carry with ii
all the rights Of American registry.
Had the senate passed the house bill for
the registry Of Hawaiian vessels. the total
additional tonnage to our merchant feet
during the year would have reached near
ly 10. 600 TONS Our largest annual produc-
ton was in 1855. when Act vessels of $751;
80 tons were built and documented. Dur
ing 1885 Great Britain built $40 vessels OF
l.ss0. Ia tons. The difference IN the kind
of vessel built Is roughly disclosed by the
average size, our construction averaging
only about rs tons, while the British aver
ages 900 tons. Nearly all OF our new tom
mage Is built to navigate In the coasting
trade reserved to American vessela The
only steamships built directly for foreign
Az Hovf 49, he
New York and Cuba mail and the four
Admiral steamships for Cuba and Jamai-
ca. aggregating 1870 tons, which were
built under the postal subsidy act In an
ticipation Of legislation at the coming ses-
sion. however. construction has begun or
been contracted for on about 100000 tons
OF steel steamships Tor foreign trade and
trade with Hawaii and Porto Rico. involv-
ing an expenditure Of about SIS. 900.
For the first time In our history, on June
90 the total tonnage OF our steam vessels.
when tAbulated, will exceed the total Of
all other kinds 6 documented vessels.
During the year. however. 40 sail vessels
Of S. 5S tons have been built. compared
with 426, OF {2502 tons. for the previous
year, while the steam vessels built num-
bered 478 Of 167, S6l TONS compared with as
Of HOLES tons for the previous year. In
certain trades our large sailing vessels
endeavor to compete with foreign cargo
steamships and doubtless win continue to
do 30. at all events until the construction
Of the Nicaragua canal.
The notable vessel - the John Smeaton.
q steel schooner OF 504e gross TONS built
at West Superior, WIS. probably the larg-
est fore and aft vessel ever built The
largest sea-going sailing vessel built In
Europe In 1893 was the Ernest Siegfried, OF
Havre. ana tons
For the first time in our history. steel
has become the principal material In our
annual construction OF rugged vessels. the
steel tonnage for the year being 1B.s9l
tons and wood $50 200 tons. Iron has ceas-
ed to be shipbuilding material, only one
vessel Of nine tons having been built OF
iron. During 1888 In Great Britain @ per
cent. or practically the whole construc-
ton. except small fishing vessels. was OF
steel.