The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-11
OF SHIPS
BY JAPAN COMING
FROMINFANCYNOW.
War Prevents Getting Vessels
From England, Where Con-
= struction Is Cheaper "

Japanese shipbuilding, was in state
of Infancy until year ago as compared
with the United Kingdom, Owners of
@-od standing found it more advantage
as to order new vessels from England
and those of smaller Sneans who could
not afford to obtain new vessels used
to import secondhand steamers from
the same country, This was the actual
state of affairs until 1914, -.. .,....
The reason WAS that steamers launch.
ed in Japan are more expensive than in
England, where there is every facility
for building ships of any types and di.
mansions. The war, however, quite up-
set everything. England Is wholly oc.
cupie,l in manufacturing warships and
munitions for war.
Japan on the contrary, has been fav-
orably affected by the same war in
many respects, especially in her ship.
building industry.
At the end of January, 1916, an in
vestigation. was made as to steamers
building in Japan. Forty of 100000
total tonnage are to be launched this
year; in 1917 and 1918 forty.one of
ga 900 tons are expected to be launch
ed.
Causes contributing towards the high
cost of vessels hitherto built in Japan
may be many and various, but the
irregularity in the type and size may
be cOnnated as one of these reasons.
The conditions in Japan, however,
seem to have been much improved of
late. The tendency of building steam.
ers of same type and Dimensions. will
be intensified AS the. time goes on.
Lacks Some Facilities
japan lacks facilities for supplying
the builders at low cost with engines,
boilers and other fittings. In England,
there are many factories which make
their speciality the manufacture Of
machinery and fittings. Japan needs
| such factories.
| Nearly the whole of shipbuilding ma
| terials have been imported from Eng
land, Japan products being of insigHii-
cant value. This fact has also resulted
in comparatively high cost of vessels
! built in Japan.
The importation of iron and steel into
Japan amounted in round numbers to
903, 900 tons, S5S,OOO tons and 633 900
tons respectively in 1919, 1913 and 1914,
WHEREAS the yearly production of the
Imperial Iron Works, which is the only
| big works producing iron and steel in
Japan, is only about boo tons, that
is to say, Japan must depend upon the
I importation of English products for the
supply of the greater part of iron and
steel required by her. The States are
shipping large quantities.
| Ia, Ia. n
for the extension of the Imperial Iron
Works was passed by the recent diet
and the yield will be increased by $780,.
Loo tons in few years.
i japanese shipping circles have long
been suffering from the want of CAPT
tai. They were unable to purchase new
vessels simply because of the want of
| capital and they Were content with
importing second hand steamers from
England and elsewhere, but plans are
being made to furnish capital by es-
tablishing n special bank.
Nearly 100000 Tons
Japanese shipping tonnage now
amounts to the total of $40, 800 gross
tons, including those registered in
| kwantung, Korea and Formosa, but ex-
Guiding railway ships Calculated at
ICO ven per ton, it will amount to 1877.
0S6,OOO yen.
The United States now is taking the
lead 50 far as shiPbuilding is concern
ed. According to the shipping journal,
Fairplay, vessels under construction or
under contract to he built in the Stat, =,
numbered 2G2 aggregating 76l 80
gross tons at the end of 1918. In the
United Kingdom, APO vessels reaching
b. 1863, 800 tons were under contract for
construction at the end of last year,
but work of Il part of it is now sus-
| rented on account of the war.
In japan most cargo steamers were
of the size of from 5000 tons to 1000
gross tons or less until recent years,
hut the era is now setting in when
steamers of from 1000 tons up to 5000
TONS nrnss will he In snrYice