The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-19
JAPS NOW BUILDING SHIPS.
NEW INDUSTRY OF THE YANKEES
OF THE ORIENT.

Machinery and AppIiances-Its
ueaa a Japanese MuIti-MnIionaire.
chief Constructor an American.
Washington, Feb 16.vThe decision of the
Japanese to build all their own mail
steamers from this time on invites more
than passing attention TO their big modern
shipyard at Nagasaki. From its almost
ideal situation Nagasaki has been known
as the queen of japanese harbors ever
since the beginning of japanese commerce,
and the growth of its shipbuilding indus
try has added and will add immensely 10
the importance of the place.
Until wen into the present century the
smiling bay had sheltered no more sea-
worthy craft than the old-time junks,
whose bulky, implanted hulls and awk-
ward square sails, floating lazily by, are
still familiar along the japanese coasts.
Within more recent years the bays eX-
pansive waters have been crowded with
swiftly moving steamers, ships with fire
wheels" as they were called upon their
first arrival But down to the last half
decade all these We're foreign built; even
the noble battleship Kasagi the
other "men-of-war' which achieved such
signal triumphs in Chinese waters during
she Chinese-Japanese war, and the numer-
Gus minor vessels used in the war were
imported from abroad for the use of
the Mikado and his subjects. But within
the past two years Nagasakfs ancient
haven has become the birthplace of no
aess than seven typical modern ocean-go-
ing steamers of the most recent patterns;
Gnlapdi6 Ves HUhOGp haen
recognized wherever the ships have be-
come known and which are japanese
from stem to stern.
The Hitachi Maru was the first born.
she is a steel steamship launched nearly
two years ago on April 16, 1898, and is
now in government employ for carrying
the mail Her lines are of extreme beau
~ and her speed is fourteen and one-haf
knots an hour, although this can be in
creased by forced draught She has three
decks and measure 1872 feet in length by 40
In breadth and 1872 in depth. She has a
tonnage of $3.50 tons, twin screws, triple
expansion engines and four boilers
The "Awamaru" is another handsome
steel vessel, four hundred and firty-two
feet long. She makes twelve knots an
hour and is fitted out with all conven-
fences for passengers. She was launched
ON July q, last, since when she has won
her spurs as a swift, beautiful and per-
fectly appointed ship. A third Nagasaki
built liner has just started on her maiden
voyage to Great Britain at the rate of
fourteen and one-half knots an hour. She
is a twin screw and a two master.
A Japanese Millionaire.
The interesting yard at which these
and four other modern steamships have
been constructed is the property of the
celebrated Mitsubishi Company, at whose
head is Baron Iwasaki, Japans croesus,
ulti-millionaire, worth the equivalent
of more than $4,000, coo. The company
takes it's name from his family crest;
three scarlet stones, which appear on the
pennants waving above many great ware
houses of Yokohoma, Toxic, Nagasaki
and other commercial cities of the land
of the rising sun. The Baron, a Samarai
by Inheritance, received his title to no
hility upon the conclusion of the Chinese
Japanese war as a token of appreciation
of his many generous gifts for the sue
cessful prosecution of that conflict.
In his progressive disposition he is
characteristically japanese, and for the
management of his ship building inter
ests has secured the services of a man
widely experienced in the construction of
modern sea craft the world over, Mr. p
J. Mccormick. Interviewed recently, Mr..
Mccormick said that it was not easy
when inspecting the surroundings to re-
alize that he Vas engaged in anything so
distinctively commercial as ship build
ing, but that within the yard nothing
was wanting in the way of modern equip
ments to lead one to suppose he was out
side the heart of an American city.
The yard is so arranged" he went on
40 say, "as to construct three steamers
of 500 feet, $50 feet and $50 feet length re-
spectively. There are facilities, also, for
the building of several smaller steamers
simultaneously. In connection with the
yard and on the same premises, are all
kinds of the most recent appliances for
sheanng, bending rolling, punching and
hydraulic riveting, together with every
kind of wood working machinery.
1.-THE engine works have a depth of wa
ter alongside the pier of twenty-five feet
and steel shear legs capable of handling
100 tons lifts, with steam hosting and
lowering power are attached to the pier.
The smiths shop is supplied with steam
hammers up to seven tons. The foundry
is III feet long and so feet broad with two
wings of % feet each, making a total
breadth of 100 feet 1t is supplied with
, two hydraulic overhead travelling cranes
of thirty and fifteen tons with a hight of
twenty-four feet clear below travelling
crane Orders. The wing roof columns
are twenty feet high and the erecting
shop has a thirty ton hydraulic crane be-
sides one of fifteen tons and several
smaller ones.
In the workshops are all kinds of the
most modern and improved machinery
while the boiler making department has
such numerous AMI complete appoint
ments as to make it possible for the larg-
est steel boilers TO be constructed. The
riveting and handling of these are done
entirely by hydraulic power Diving
gear with experienced foreign and native
divers are attached, also pumps with COM
plete apparatus for salvage opera tons.
Nothing ever devised for successful yard
is missing in the outfit of this establish
ment
characteristic Japanese Incidents.
Mr. Mccormick referred to the gift which
Queen Victoria made long ago to the
japanese before even their rapid vision
had enabled them TO comprehend the SUI
periority of Western ships over their own.
She presented them with little gunbOat
which she endeavored to make particular
~ attractive to their Oriental eyes ny
decorative painting and gliding. After a
long passage the boat arrived at Yoko-
hama, and the first thing these curious
JaDanese did was to scraDe it bare from