Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-08
American ShipbuiIding Conditions.


edition of the Blue Book of American
Shipping which have been received by
the Journal, have much of interest re-
carding the present prosperous condl-
tions of our ship building interests.
The fiscal year which closed a month
ago was most successful one, the
busiest our shipyards have known in
many years and almost every yard
has work ahead to its full capacity for
the next Il months. This is true OF
both coasts and the great lakes. On
the seaboard the great bulk of work is.
of course in the construction of ships
OF war, but the demand for new YES
sells for coasting service-the feature
of most prominence in American ship
building during the past two or three
years-still continues. The building
of ships for foreign trade sadly laGs
for want of government aid and only
q few crafts have been built during the
past year or will be built. this year.
for oversee commerce. And almost
all of our great and growing foreign
trade is carried in foreign bottoms.
In naval circles the past year has
been distinguished by the fact that the
most magnificent order for new vessels
of war ever awarded by the govern
men, was given to the ship builders.
Cor: .- were awarded for Il war
shipS-ave battleships. six armored
cruisers ana three protected cruisers
aggregating 49,. 354 tons in displace-
ment. 297. 12O in horse power, and cost
ing. exclusive of armor and arma-
ment. $40, 944 500 There is no single
instance which equals this splendid
total Altogether 81 warships are now
building for the United States navy.
representing n total displacement of
1873 tons, 561 .620 horse power, and
costing, for hulls and machinery only.
sSeg54, ZIG. In addition, the last naval
act authorized the construction of
two battleships and two armored
cruisers. The plans for these will be
submitted to Congress at its next
session by the naval board of con-
struction. If there is any tendency to
be noted in naval construction it is to
further eliminate the line of demarka-
ton between the battleship and ar
mored cruiser A battleshp was
originally 4 vessel with tremendous
powers, offense and defense. and
limited seagoing qualities; Il cruiser
was originally a vessel of limited
powers, offense and defense, but of
great speed and steaming radius. The
tendency is to increase the cruising
area of the battleship with sacrifice in
the weight of armor or force of arma-
ment; and on the other hand to give
to the cruiser a terrific battery and
heavy belt of armor, with reduction in
steaming radius. Thus the line be-
tween the two types is gradually van
ishing.
As previously noted. a healthful
growth is still shown in the seaboard
ooastwise trade. The present genera
ton of ship builders have never en-
juyed season of such activity. To
equal it one must go back to the
clipper days of 1854 and 1865, before
iron began TO supplant wood in the
construction of vessels, and when the
American shipyards. thanks 70 the
plentitude of constructive material
were great hives of industry. When
iron was found to be more serviCeable
than wood the ship building industry
in the United States Jagged because
United States in recent years, how
ever. as n steel-making nation has
through force of circumstances revived
shipbuiding. The coast shipyards are
crowded with passengers and freigh,
steamers, building for the coastwise
trade. a considerable business is also
being done in steel sailing vessels
Hitherto wood has had a practica
monopoly of this class of construction
The sailing ship is not the rarity tina
it is supposed to be. 1t is only within
the past year or two that steam ton
mage has exceeded sailing tonnage il
the United States. The proportion
however. is safely in favor Of steam
owing to the fact that the sailing yes
sci has almost entirely disappeare,
from the great lakes. The novelty il
sailing ship construction has been tn
building in Maine of two siX-maste,
schoorers the first vessels of this kin,
to be built anywhere in the world
The number of vessels built during tn
year ended June 80. 1901 was 1913 o
4Ol .2S5 gross tons, compared with los
of 305,6H gross tons for the previous fis
cal year The distribution was as fol
lows; Atlantic and gulf coasts, 1876 YES
Sells of 190.9+S tons; great lakes, los c
153.12S gross tons; Pacific coast, Isl {
4G,lO5 gross tons: and western river