The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-01

against the vast aggregate Of its for
midable competitor, so that II might
seem that it's prestige would suffer.
along with that of Great Britain in gem
eral, in the latest combinations that
have been formed for the sea suprem-
acy.
Great inroads have been made in the
British mercantile marine, and still
greater are to come; yet John Bull still
holds his own ana rather more so far
as shipbuiiding is concerned. The to-
tai of ships built last year "tots up"
about as follows: Great Britain, 1.422,-
All tons; United States, 35S .557; Ger
many, ESQ, 751; France. 165, 348; italy
1882; so that Great Britain put togeth-
er more than half the total tonnage OF
the world. But-and herein lies food for
ref1ection-the United States comes
next, and even without a subsidy law
has gained very rapidly upon her rival.
While Great Britain built the biggest
ship in the world within the past year
the Celtic. of 21.0O0 tons-the United
States launched the Korea, OF 1880
tons. the largest ship ever built on this
continent.
I'VE have the STEEL we have the
men, we have the shipyards, too" to
paraphrase the old song, and why
should not the United States launch
out and build the navies OF the world3
This question seems likely to be an
swered favOrably by the formation OF
the great shipping trust. recently capi-
talized at SOS, 100000. This latest of Inn
mense aggreEations of capital for com-
merciai purposes is composed OF the
Union Iron works OF San Francisco, the
Bath Iron works of Bath. Me-; the New
port News Shipbuilding and Drydock
company, Newport News, Va, the Cres-
cent shipyards. Elizabethport. N. J., the
Canda Manufacturing property, Car
teret, N. J., and several minor proper
ties. The newly promulgated plea Of
community of interests" Is effectually
urged in connection with this combina-
ton of capital for the purpose OF ship
building, as appears in the prospectus
by the proper assignment of work
to the yards where IT can be best and
most speedily done this corporation can
lay down at one time in its shipyards at
least IL battleships or first class cruis-
ers, 10 cruisers and n torpedo boats or
destroyers. or As fighting ships in all. It
is no exaggeration to say that this cor
poration could undertake to duplicate
or double the present lighting force of
the United States navy, which has re-
quired 16 years for it's production, in the
comparatively brief period Of four
years.
So much for the capacities Of the lat
est trust in the fighting line. But, what
is more important, 1t will be equally
capable in the matter of building ships
for commerce. and 1t is rumored that it
has already contracted for ten great
steamers for the Leyland- Morgan line.
involving an outlay of at least S50,0O0,-
600. While 1t is not claimed that the
Cramp shipyard is to be included in
this, yet there is understood to be a
working agreement" with the Cramps
by which the trusts viii avoid commit
ting hari kari or cutting each others
throats. The trusts, in fact, may be
trusted not to interfere with each other
in the great grab game they have in
stituted of getting all there is lying
about on earth and sea and will not
commence to devour each other until
all the rest of the world has been dis
posed of. It is claimed that by coop
Grafton vast expenditures will be saved,
economy win be carried to It's farthest
limits and thousands of men may be
dispensed with that otherwise would
have to be employed on the old plans.
This viii be excellent for the promoters
of the trusts, who cannot fail to flourish
exceedingly, but that it viii affect the
American workmen unfavorably is a
foregone conclusion.
FREDERICK A. ODER.