New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-24
World Figures Show a
Heavy'Decrease in YES
sells and Tonnage.
BRITISH BUILDERS
BIGGEST SUFFERERS
Every District Hard Hit, but
Belfast Reports the Great.
est Decline.

London, Jan. I4.-How seriously the
war has affected the shipbuilding in
dustry of the world Is shown in the
official statistics which have been sup
piled by the leading British shipbuild-
ing firms. During the last year only
1855 merchant vessels. representing
total OF 1,670,6l0 tons, were added 70
the mercantile marine OF the world, as
compared with 3,l65 vessels Of 3,4s4'-
III tons in 1914
While all the combatant nations have
suffered in great degree, the Oniteo
KINGDOM has been the most seriously
affected for British figures show that
only BIT merchant vessels were built
renresenting 6l9 1886 tons, as against
1 29i vessels of 1,722.l54 tons during
the previous year.
The following table, compiled from
statistics furnished by tne leading
shinbuilders. shows the total output OF
tho world during 1915 and 1914:
1918 lvlt
yes,es. tonnage vessels Tonnass,
E iT,tsh d A.iioa is 1881 s'i S'''
S blatant esm o. an s,s ssessr Loo is''oss
Teal, ess i.s7l.sIO SIC; 3tsAi7i
No figures are given OF warships
building. Were these figures lncluoeo
il is probable that the output mighI
have been larger than in any previous
year. but the totals serve to demon
strafe the amount of work which mas
been accomplished in British yards'
During the whole year shipowners nave
been deploring the difficulties IN tne
wav Of obtaining delivery OF Vessels
ordered before the war broke out, ana
in many Yards devoted entirely 20 war
work new mercantile tonnage remains
y, tho stocks and In the condition u
was left months ago.
Output Greatly Lessened.
During 1913 the total mercantile pro
duction of the United Kingdom was
1924 vessels. with an aggregate .oh.
mage Of 1,977,573. so that the output
last year was less By 9O' vessels ana
1,o26,2 37 tons. ,...-. ,...,.
bas been particularly heavy in Belfast,
where Harland & Wolf. Tor the nrse
Tina in the history Of the Famous
firm have launched no merchant yes
col whereas in 1913 they launched SIX
steamers representing l56,O47 tons.
Workman. Clark & Co. also did COM
nora,iyelv little mercantile work, TOT
Tho total OF the new tonnage when
tbev turned out during the year was
MALI a dozen, with total tonnage OF
o631s. as against vessels representing
751Ss tons during the previous year.
There was great activity throughout
the year in Clyde yards, from "hleh
1875 vessels, representing IN the aggre-
cate 2l5. 900 tons. were launched. Many
however, were small.
In tonnage Russell E. Co. take the
leading place, having launched nine
vessels. representing 48, $3.50 tons, which
Is the worlds record output during
1915.
Among shipbuilders on the northeast
and west coasts Of England several OF
the most famous names are absent IN
the returns Of firms having launched
merchant vessels. For instance, Haw-
thorn. Leslie G. Co., Of Newcastle-on-
TINE and the Parsons Marine Steam
Turbine Company. OF Wallsend, did not
launch merchant vessels, while on
the west coast among the well known
firms which did not put any mercantile
tonnage into the water were Nickers,
Of Barrow. and Cammell, Laird Co.,
Of Birkenhead.
All over the northeast coast the total
output during 1915 was 1875 vessels, OF
about $4,000 tons.
Work in English Yards.
The total output Of English yards, as
distinct from Scottish and Irish yards,
Is shown in the following table and
the comparison for 1914 is given: