Evening journal., 1916-05-01
NEW MERCHANT NAVY
BUILDING ON RIVER
Delaware'S Shipyards Ex-
panding TO Meet Worlds
Demand for Vessels
NEW PLANTS TO BE
AT WORK IN FALL

There is a fleet in being some
where up in the North Sea, but here
on the Delaware, there is mighty
fleet OF peace in the making. For
American merchant shipbuilding has
come to its own again. Every yard
n the Philadelphia district is over
flowing with work. two great new
Yards are being prepared for service,
and the Delaware River, long styled
he Clyde Of America. gives every IN
dicagon Of out-stripping permanently
the Scottish original
That the Delaware River stands pre-
eminent as the greatest shipbuilding
centre in the Western hemisphere is
demonstrated by the number of ship
constructing plants which arc operat-
ing, or preparing to operate, on the
shores Of the stream. These are the
Cramp yard. in kensingtOn; the
New York Shipbuilding Company. at
Camden: the new Pennsylvania Ship
building Company. which will erect a
plant in Gloucester: the Philadelphia
Navy Yard where a Government
transport is now in the course Of con-
struction the Pusey & Jones, VIII
mington. in which a Norwegian firm
has bought the controlling interest;
The Harlan & Hollingsworth Corpora
lion. an auxiliary of the Bethlehem
Steel Company. here; the Chester
Shipbuilding Co.. at Chester; the
Quigley & Dorp yard. devoted now to
repairs exclusively, at Cooper's Point
Camden, and the Sun Shipbuilding
Company. new concern organized by
Philadelphia, New York and Pitts
burgh capitalists at Chester.
The very number Of the shipyards
and the state Of their order books
show that the industry is certainly
not on the decline. but on the upward
swing. AS one builder put it, "The
industry is on the qui vive. At the
present time you cannot have ship
built here for love or money. The
shipbuilders are simply deluged with
orders which they cannot fill. Hence
there will be an excellent opportunity
for new yards to start business. There
Will Ut UltMAe VI MNAh AAA AANAAAf
World Ship Supply Shrinking.
Statistics show that in the first II
months Of the war $50 steam and
sailing vessels Of 1.S7S.OOG gross tons
we're destroyed. 6O2 being ships con-
structed In the United Kingdom
Against this the world output OF
merchant vessels in 1915 was only
S43 $50 being steam. with gross ton
mage Of 1,167 .577. and 113 sailing yes
sells, with a gross tonnage Of 34,061.
II has been prophesied that the year
1916 will be an extremely prosperous
one for American shipbuilders. and
more especially the shipbuilding con-
Germs along the Delaware. The shir
construction companies on the River
CLYDE. in Scotland. are not making
any merchant vessels. it has been
learned. their plants being busy con-
structing warships for Great Britain
Hence there is only one other place
m the world so situated In these times
10 build up a strong merchant navy
and that is the Delaware River. where
,ards are already refusing orders.
That the shipyards in this country
will be deluged with business foi
wears after the war is over. is held
self evident. The fact that local ship
wards are literally "up to the neck
In work and cannot possibly erect any
more vessels is proof conclusive that
either new plants will have to be es-
.ablished or else big improvements
made on the old shipyards. The
world needs ships badly today. and
since the war is not only destroying
an immense merchant tonnage, but Il
imposing a restriction on the normal
Growth OF the world merchant marine
ne demand will continue to be heavy
for wears TO come. In this crisis o.
neace. as in the crisis Of war. III
world will naturally turn to America
and TO the Delaware River.
The shipyard Of Pusey d Jones
here. boasts four shipways and a ma
line railway. Vessels up TO 25O fee
can be handled. and up to this limi
some of the finest yachts In th'
,ountrv have been built The work OF
hand at present includes two light
sbins for the Bureau OF Lighthouses
three derrick barges for the Pennsyl
vania Railroad and several harDo
mgs for the New York Central anC