The sun., 1916-11-26
By ROBERT G.

$ the present shipbuilding boom
in the United States the endur-
ing revival OF an important in
dnstry or is it a deceptive bubble
which may be pricked in the course
Of the next few years?
Opinions differ very radically on this
question. There are those who paint
a picture Of prospective prosperity
from a very full palette OF rainbow
tints, while others WELD "A brush that
produces nothing but u monotone, and
that in variations OF gray. A naval
architect OF New York city, a man
intimately familiar with every phase
Of the shipbuilding industry, has
frankly declared the outlook to be
|, rotten; and yet the civilian authori-
ties OF the Department Of Commerce
see the matter quite differently.
According to the Bureau of Naviga-
ton OF that department THE United
States has more merchant vessels un-
der construction than any other coun-
try in the world and II Is declared
that the output of our shipyards for
the current year will, in all likelihood.
, actually exceed that of all the rest
: Of the world. The very latest report
Of the Department of Commerce fur
nishes an array of cheering figures
that certainly seem TO bear out the
statement hat shipbuilding in this
country has not only taken a new
! lease on life but is rapidly acquiring
husky proportions.
The Department reports: Steel mer-
chant vessels building or under con-
tract 10 he built In private American
shipydrds on october !, 1916, number
Az Of l,i5i.21o gross tons. On June
90, 1916, Lloyd's Register reported 43s
steel merchant vessels OF 1,540,1lS
gross tons under construction in Brit
\ ish shipyards. The American returns
cover contracts on which work has
not begun, while Lloyd's returns cover
only slips on which construction has
actually begun.
although British yards have in
creased their merchant work, the de-
livery Of engines and machinery is
slow and at present the completed out
put of American and that OF British
= yalds are about equal. During Sep
TENDER American yards finished nine
teen steel merchant vessels OF 4 6.60S
gross tons and made new contracts for
ior'y-scycn steel merchant vessels of
.Os,6N6 gross tons" Unfortunately. 30
Tar as concerns the upbuilding of the
american merchant marine, the report
goo 'n 10 say, about half Of which
is ~ Norwegian owners"
Further the public is informed that
"h' months new contracts equal all
the merchant steel tonnage in the
United states building or under con-
tract ON July /. 1918, and exceed that
on July !. l9ii."
So far as the foregoing figures con-
stitutc a basis Of comparison with the
work In British shipyards, II must be
Kept in mind that Lloyd's Register
hkos note of only seagoing vessels
and craft Of 100 tons or over. In this
country, on the other hand, the tables
NhclIde boats OF all sorts used In inland
waters ms well AS oc%eangoing vessels
and the tonnage of craft OF less thar
a%hundred TOM is included in the grand
total.
Beyond question things are boomini
now in American shipyards and. wha
Is more. the shipbuilders are gettinf
top prices Cor their work. Long estab'
Nslcd s~hipyards everywhere arr
crowded to the limit and the demand
for water carriage has led to the crea'
uon Of new plants and to the expan'
SION or undermining of those alread,
Yin being. on the face Of 1t there !
every evidence OF prosperity; but mel
familiar with tho business persist II
asa!nE, "wii this Hood tide continue?
NJ far as the facts are readily at
'ainable the need OF additional toHnas
Tor coastwise and oversee traffic ha
been responsible for the organising 9