Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-26
GAINS
WORLD DOMINION
In SHIPBUILDING
Vast Yards of american
Clyde Surpass Those
of Europe
4is,2is TONNAGE TOTAL

Shipyards along the shores OF the Della
ware River were never buster than they
are today. SO flooded with orders are these
cradles OF American commerce that they
have won the clyde OF America" the proud
position OF the greatest shpbuilding center
OF the world.
The enormous tonnage OF the United
Kingdom In vessels under construction
which for years has held supremacy In
the shipbuiidng industry. Is humbled into
second position by the record Of the yards
IN the district centering upon Philadelphia.
Other centers OF the Industry in the
United States aro far outdistanced by the
volume Of business reported by the Della
ware yards. The nearest rivals among them
are doubled by the tonnage figures.
An idle ship mechanic I'm Kensington to-
day is almost impossible to find and II he
fs not working II is his own fault. The
same condition prevails In the vicinity OF
the great New York Shipbuilding plant and
about the lesser yards in Camden and Ches-
ter.
And the shipwright who is working II en-
pioyed every day at wage rate higher than
ever before, and no rushed that Sunday
work rs even open TO him with double day,
IL he accepts II.
NINETY NEW VESSELS
Every shipyard in and about the city
y nirly overfowing with work contracted
new vessels crowd all the cradles available
IN this vicinity, while marine craft await
ing repairs must take their turn under the
pressure OF rush orders for new boats. Gov
ernment work Is helping tax the capacities
OF Delaware River establishments 20 the
last man and the utmost inch OF yard space
t, and equipment
The opening OF bids In Washington yes
teruay for the construction of four battle
ships and twenty destroyers revealed in
part this prosperous condition of affairs in
the local yards
The William Cramp Ship and Engine
building Company, pioneer OF the Philadel-
pna constructors, and from the beginning
OF the White Squadron" one OF the chief
factors In the building OF the American
navy. submitted offers to construct one Of
the battieships on a straight ten per cent
commission basis Charles T. TAYLOR, sec
retary and treasurer of the hrm, explains
the peculiar form of the bid by attributing
II entirely TO the abnormal condition OF
the labor market. The company, he said, has
had offers OF more work than II can per-
form. and only the patriotic policy OF his
concern induced 1t to enter the competition
for the Government work IL has always
been rule of Cramps. Mr.. Taylor ex-
planned, to take care of Government work
first, and whenever additions 70 the navy
have been desired the firm has entered the
bidding. although acceptance of its offer
would necesstate the holding back of pri-
vate and merchant marine work In the
4ttlTOycF Glass tne cramps oHor TO Du1l0
two vessels complete in twenty-seven and
twenty-elght months for 81 900 EACH or
four vessels at the same figure. delivery to
be made in twenty-seven. twenty-eight,
twenty-nine and thirty months respectively.
MAY IMPROVE NAVY YARD
The Navy Department, cognizant OF the
wonderful demand upon the Delaware River
shipyards and the availability OF Philadel-
phia shipbuilding center, is giving new
uttenffOU n the nrOn0aiti0n N
much OF the s6,000.000 for preparing the
Government yards for shipbuilding and in
eQuipping the Philadelphia yard TO build
at least two of the new battleships Plans
for this equipment were evolved at a con-
ference Of navy officials in Washington last
night
An official statement issued last night
through the Department OF Commerce shows
that the Delaware River shipyards' total
tonnage under construction exceeds those
OF all the principal shipbulding districts.
including Glasgow. Newcastle and Belfast
The Delaware yards reported a total of
ninety ships building with tonnage aggre-
eating 41s,21S gross. The nearest ap-
proach TO this record among European CEN
ters was Newcastle with 4OI926 gross
toms. other American centers are far be-
hind. the Great Lakes showing 216O46:
Chesapeake Bay. 213,796; San Francisco
Bay. 21l.62s; Puget Sound and Columbia
River, $4,000.
iuo iotdi CONSTRUCTION on september 80
In progress In the United Kingdom was 469
vessels, with gross tonnage OF 1,7s9.0b4,
against a tonnage OF 1,454.270 gross In the
United States The figures apply TO steel
merchant ships only Those for the United
States include ships ordered. but not begun
while those for the United Kingdom cover
only ships of which construction has been
begun
within the last few days many large
contracts for vessels have been awarded TO
Delaware River builders. The Pennsylvania
Shipbuildng Company. OF Gloucester yes
terday was reported to have obtained or
ders for ten vessels with a total carrying
capacity of $4,000 tons, the aggregate
amount involved. according to George s.
Hoell. treasurer Of the company being only
few hundred dollars less than $I2 OOO, 600
These vessels are destined for Norwegian
concern
The sun Shipbuilding Company an
E nounced Yesterday that II had closed a con-
tract with the Shawmut Steamship Com
pany. OF Boston. for two 10, ton vessels,
delivery guaranteed within nineteen months
This concern Is building a huge plant on the
Delaware TO accommodate its increasing
orders
The Cramp and New York yards are
booked TO capacity with orders for new
work. and the latter concern, In bidding for
the new battleships, offered two steam
driven vessels in forty and forty-six months
for $i1,2b0,0OO each or one vessel in forty
months for S11. 1.ssO,000.
num6CT,V RnC W lCCUyVN