The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-31
SOUTHERN SHIP BUILDING.
Advantages of Brunswick Set Forth
Before Congress.

Brunswick, Ga, Jan. so. - One of
the most valuable papers present.
ed was that delivered by S. c. At
kinson of the Brunswick Board of Trade.
to the National Maritime Congress at its
session which convened here to-day. The
paper sets forth the vast advantage of
the South, and Brunswick, for ship-build-
sive Monograph of Southern Commercial
Woods" which is perhaps one of the best
ever prepared on that subject. The paper
was compiled by a committee OF Bruins
wick Board of Trade members, composed
of Messrs. Samuel C. Atkinson, c. Don
Parker, william M, Topper, Robert e.
Breisneck, F. E. Twitty, Edwin Brob-
ston and Frank D. Aiken.
Mr.. Atkinson said, in part: OF all
places in the South or elsewhere, there is
none more suitable for shipbuilding than
Brunswick. She invites the shipbuilder
to her shores with the representation that
If he looks over the panorama of Ameri-
can ports, Brunswick will be the most
pleasing to meet his vision.
Here he will find
The home of the world-renowned Geor-
gia pine; the best and most-used pine for
shipbuilding in existence.
A mean winter temperature of s. degrees
and mean summer temperature of SO de-
grees, affording the opportunity to pursue
his work 1866 days in every year, Sundays
only excepted.
one of the healthiest ports on the whole
Atlantic coast.
One of the finest land-locked harbors on
the South Atlantic coast, with a depth at
mean high water of twentyfour feet at
the shallowest point anywhere in the
channel, from the docks straight over the
ocean bar to the sea "a distance of fif-
teen miles,, with appropriations already
made by Congress for the further impro ye-
ment of the harbor.
Shipbuilding labor 25 per cent. cheaper
than the same labor costs at the North
and East:
Lumber IS to $40 per thousand less than
the same lumber would cost in New
York.
Iron at least $2.25 per ton less than the
same iron would cost in New York.
All qualities OF coal from the vast
fields of Alabama, Georgia and Tennes-
see 10 per cent. cheaper than the same
class of coal can be Obtained in New
York and Eastern markets.
Sails approximately at the same cost as
in New York.
What is said with reference to lumber
and iron is manifest, because it is a
well settled proposition that by reason of
competition and necessity, the y market
will seek its object at the lowest possible
price. Buyers will supply their demands
where the object can be obtained to the
best advantage and at the least cost. 1t
is a fact that following these economical
axioms the shipbuilding consumers of the
North and East come to Brunswick for
the famous Georgia pine lumber, and to
Birmingham, Ala, for iron. They ship
Birmingham iron through Brunswick, be-
cause that is the cheapest and best route
of shipment. This iron and lumber trade
is active at this time through the port
of Brunswick, where, because of the con-
venient railroad facilities the raw ma
terial is landed by the railroads on the
docks within reach of the vessels tackle.
On these products the purchasers from
the North and East actually pay an ocean
freight of $225 per ton on iron and IS
per NJ. feet on lumber. These products
constitute mainly the materials Of which
all ships are constructed and IL must fol-
low, that If the ship builder should use
the material in Brunswick by construct
ing the ship here, he would obtain ii at
a price cheaper than it could be obtain
ed in the North and East, by an amount
equal at least TO the ocean freight. I'm
uS1 Tue same reasoning the same differ-
ences in the price of all classes of lum-
Der, iron, steel, ship plates, castings,
etc, which are used in ship building will
be found in Brunswick's favor, because
they are all obtainable and marketed
here, and the freight rates are che same
The difference in Brunswicks favor as
given is the minimum difference, because
at this end there need be no hazards OF
the sea, commissions or costs OF rehan-
ding, while there are charges of that
character to the ship builder in the
North and East.
Brunswick is the nearest port to the
raphical center OF the total pine for
ests of the South. Through this vast
body of timber her railroads reach west
ward to the forests of the Alabama and
northward, through the regions of the
hardwoods, making accessible at a mini
mum cost Of transportation the bulk Of
the whole body of timber of the South
ern states. For shipbui.ding the impor.-
ance of this fact cannot be overestimated
as 1t makes plain the availability of the
best ship stock az the least possible cost
We invite shipbuilders to our port. where
they may build at minimum cost, either
the iron steamship or the sailing vessel
Which on leaving the place Of its nativity.
may go on mission to the markets Of
the world, freighted with the very ma
teriai OF which II was constructed.