New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-10
CANADA BUILDS
STEEL VESSELS
Maritime Provinces Offer
Bonuses to Stimulate
Shipping Industry.
By s. ROY WEAVER.
Toronto, October 8.

important development of the steel
shipbuilding industry. Domestic bust
ness was comparatively dull during the
first two years of the war, but foreign
orders have kept the Canadian plants
busy. Moreover, the actual construc-
ton of large steel ships has been
started for the first time both in the
maritime provinces and on the Pacific
Coast.
Steel shipbuilding yards Of the Do
minion began life as repair establish
ments. Lack of adequate protection in
competition with effectively protected
American yards for repair business was
among the causes which contributed to
the depressed condition of the industry
at the outbreak of the war. With
wages in the shipbuilding trades in
Canada at least so per cent more than
those paid in British shipyards and
materials also more expensive, the
actual construction Of steel ships as q
commercial proposition was out Of the
question. In 1918 some 5000 men were
directly employed in steel shipbuilding
and marine engineering works in the
Dominion, distributed approximately as
follows: Maritime provinces, 1000; st.
Lawrence, 1000; Great Lakes, 1000,
and Pacific Coast, 1000.
Many Vessels Under Construction.
War brought to the industry prosper
ity Of at least temporary character.
Some naval construction and repair
work have been done, but details must
not be divulged until after the war.
Mercantile orders from abroad were Of
greater magnitude. The Canadian Wick
ers Company, which recently increased
its capital, is constructing two vessels,
each of 1000 tons capacity, for Norwe-
gian owners. The Poison Iron Works.
of Toronto, and the Western Drydock
and Shipbuilding Company, Of Port Ar
thur, are each building two vessels of
$500 tons capacity, also for interests
in Norway. These smaller vessels, each
261 feet long and 43.6 feet beam, are
costing 100000 apiece. All the three
companies mentioned have further con-
tracts in view. The Kishimoto Steam
ship Company, OF Osaka, Japan, has
given an order for the first large steel
steamer to be constructed in British
Columbia. The keel Is already laid at
the Wallace shipyards, in North Van
couver. The vessel will be 3l5 feet
long and have a carrying capacity Of
5000 tons Sea-going ships of smaller
size are also being constructed by
Canadian firms for other nations.
Nova Scotia Interests Experiment.
The Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Com
pany is making an interesting expert
ment in steel shipbuilding at its plant,
at New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, in the con-
struction of a steamship Of 1000 tons
lightweight capacity. The company is
not yet committed definitely to a policy
of steel shipbuldng. The management
state that their future course in this
respect will depend upon the cost OF
the first vessel and the assistance which
the Dominion government IS prepared
to extend to the new industry. The
ship at the New Glasgow plant will be
ready for sea by April, but the COM
pany has not yet decided whether to
sell it or retain it for the company's
own use. The vessel has been con-
structed under what are, perhaps, the
most favorable conditions possible in
Canada to-day, and its cost will prob
ably be an important factor in deter
mining the policy of the government
toward the shipbuilding industry.
The city of Halifax expects soon to
have a shipbuildng plant The mu-
nicipality has offered bonus of $780,
900 for such works, with q capacity OF
10000 tons annually, while Dartmouth
has promised 100000 on condition that
the plant be located on the eastern side
of the harbor, and the provincial gov
eminent of Nova Scotia has pledged
grant of 100000, making a total as
sistance of 100000. A shipbuilding
committee of the Halifax Board of
Trade has a property in Dartmouth of
600 feet water frontage and width OF
| 900 feet, with water at the rear Of
fifty acres, available for the proposed
platt. Further down the harbor, at the
eastern passage, an extensive area OF
and land behind have been
bonded, and it is generally believed
that the property is held for shipbuild-
ing purposes.
Possibilities of Waterways.
Shipbuilding interests of Canada
have a strong case for government aid
in the development of this extremely
important industry. Water transpor-
taton has not been developed to any
thing like the extent of land trsnspor-
tation in the Dominion. We have not
yet realized the potentialities Of our
system Of waterways. The
widening and deepening of canals
would permit the passage of large
ocean going vessels to the grain ele-
vators at Port Arthur and Fort Will
lam, and even as far inland as Thunder
Bay. $500 miles from the seaboard and
I-.o.. - ,ho rra;ries And what of