The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-03

Washington, July 1.-The fiscal year,
which ended on Friday, was exception
al for the American merchant marine
in several respects. Full reports will
not be received by the bureau of navi-
cation for several weeks, but returns
already received warrant these state
ments.
The total output of American ship
yards has been the largest in any year
for the last quarter of q century, except
1891, when 1884 vessels of $685. 02 gross
tonnage were built and documented IN
the United. States. During the past
fiscal year the construction of mercn-
ant vessels, officially returned, has con-
sisted of 1,429 vessels, of 3SO,SI6 gross
tons Besides these, twenty-five vessels
of foreign construction, agSregatinS
30,1S1 gross TONS have been admitted to
American registry. 1t is also reported
from Manila that since last August IA
vessels have been transferred from the
hands of the Spanish, German and
British subjects TO Americans, indicat-
ing 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 it all the rights OF
American registry. Had the senate
passed the house bill for the registry
of Hawaiian vessels. the total addition
al tonnage to our merchant fleet during
the year would have reached nearly
100000 tons.
Largest Annual Production.
Our largest annual production was in
1855, when 2.O27 vessels of $50, $50 tons,
were built and documented. During
1898 Great Britain built 1919 vessels,
of 1,39O,114 tons. The difference in the
kind of vessel built is roughly dis
closed by the average size, our con-
struction 2vera ging only about 225 tons,
while the British averages 900 tons
Nearly all of our new tonnage is built
TO navigate in the cOasting trade re-
served to American vessels. The only
steamships built directly for the for
eign trade were the Havana and the
Mexico of the New York and Cuba
Mail, and the four Admiral steam
ships for Cuba and Jamaica, aggregat-
ing 10, $50 tons. which were 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
Rico, involving ar expenditure of about
Sc, 200, 900.
Excess of Steam Vessels.
For the first time in our history, on
June 80, the total tonnage of our steam
vessels. when tabulated. will exceed
the total of all other kinds of docu-
mented vessels. During the year, how
ever, AGO sail vessels of ASS tons have
been built, compared with 426, of A.
500 tons. for the previous year. while
the steam vessels built numbered AIS,
of 167, S51 tons. compared with 44S, of
110,12S tons, for the previous year. In
certain trades our large sailing vessels
endeavor to compete with foreign cargo
steamships, and doubtless Will con-
tinue to do SO, at all events until the
construction of the Nicaragua canal
The notable vessel is the John Smea-
ton, a steel schooner of 5,049 tons, built
at West Superior. Wis, probably the
largest fore and aft vessel ever built.
The largest sea-going sailing vessel
built in Europe in 1898 was the Ernest
Siegfried of Havre. 3,214 tons.
For the first time in our history steel
has become the principal material in
our annual construction of rugged yes
sells, the steel tonnage for the year
being 133, 1891 tons, wood 100. 300 tons
Iron has ceased to be a ship-building
material, only one vessel of nine tons
having been built of iron. During 1898
in Grea Britain 80 per cent, or prac-
tically the whole construction except
small fishing vessels, was of steel