Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-13
U, s. TONNAGE SAFE

A peries OF raids by German submarines,
similar 20 the one conducted recently by
The u-bt OF the American coest would In.
erase the sirs of United states merchant
marine and create an additional boom ~ the
shipbuildinG industry OF PHILADELPHIA This
y the opinion OF many OF the officials OF
ship construction companies along the Della
ware River. several OF which have head
quarters IN this city.
The sensational exhibitions OF destruction
br the tiny unasrssa warriors, they explain.
will force owners Of ships made In this
country 70 seek refuge under the treaty Of
1881, between this country and Germany,
which protects our vessels from attack on
the high seas during the present war,
They unanimously declare that all the i'm.
portant construction yards OF the belligerent
nations are busy repairing battleships and
ethsr warcraft and cannot devote attention
ACTIVITY AT sHIPYARps
The effect Of continued raids by the sub
marines would bring a large portion OF the
new boat building work TO Philadelphia
end vicinity, inasmuch as the Delaware
River is known as the "clyde Of America"
or the largest seat OF the industry In this
country, They also believe that IL would
tend TO Increase the development and Inn
portnnoe Of the port OF Ph ladelphla.
J. Howard Pew. president OF the sun
bhlpbuildlng Company, a new concern with
headquarters In this city and n large yard
now IN the course OF construction at
Chester, when asked to tell OF the probable
result OF the submarine attacks. said
The sinking OF large number Of steam
ships by submarines WI naturally slim
ulate n demand for additional American
tonnage (shipa) Not only on account of
me shortage or tonnage resulting but be.
cause OF the Increased demand for Amer.
lean ships. due 10 the fact that the sub
marine will never sink American boats"
r.par armour n,r N,.ntNr
Mr, rev was nrm IN MS Del et that the
United states would have large merchant
marine by the end OF the European war
and that the great dihinulty previously en-
conntered by American shipbuilders, the
cost OF production, namely labor and mate
rial. was overcome for the present time by
the tie-up In the industry abroad lie as.
serted:
II believe by the end OF the present con.
Met We shall have such a good start that
u viii be hard for the foreign nations to
catch up with us or destroy our trade"
He explained further that the greatest
~ ps,r % ,,'I,, or Now xrosr'ca on"rs 9a
also said that Il was natural to assume
that a large portion Of any new boom
would be felt in IN. wards that are stretched
along the banks Of the Delaware. Al the
present time the sun company rs prepar-
ing % iav keeis for Ave now America n
meroha ntmen.
From Charles T. TAYLOR. secretary OF the
wliilsm crnmn 4 sons ahIn and EngIne
Ia,,iIIIne co,rnany ,ba soiiawIng on MON
was given rerardinR the probnble eject Of
submarine raidsl
THE MOI /, ships destroyed, the more ships
that wsll hate 20 be built AS the majority
OF the foreign yards are busy repairing the
dghtinx shiDs. IL IA logical 10 assume that
the work must be done In this country"
Mr. Taylor called attention 20 the fact
that n wholesale destruction OF foreign trade
boats would necessarily mean that they
would be replaced by ships for American
registry. ,aThe majority ~ sbins now heinz
built IN this country are for American reg a.
try" he said Eleven OF the fifteen con-
OTIS held by our company are for such
als."
- Taylor also said that Il would be
some time after the war before the Euro
pean wards would he abIs again 10 enter ,ha