Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-03-09
OUTPUT OF SHIPS
Ll.E!:SSENED BY WAR
Engines Yards Idle as Com
pared With Peace Times.
BUILDING SMALLER VESSELS

Number Increased, but Total Tonnage
Is Greatly Decreased Government
Controls Most of the Labor AID Thus
tne Individual Concerns Are Hardi.
capped.
How seriously the war has affected
the shipbuilding industry of the world
is shown in the official statistics winch
have been supplied by the leading i,rit-
ish s%hipbuiiding firms. During the Iasl
year only Loo merchant vessels. rep
%resenting u total of 1,GII.GlU tons. have
been added to the mercantile marine of
the world. as compared with 3,16:1 YES
sells of 3,4S4,1T1 tons during 1914.
While all the combatant nations have
obviously suffered in the greatest de-
gree, the United Kingdom has been the
most seriously affected, for the figures
relating to British shipbuildiny show
that only 511 merchant vessels were
built. representing Il total onnaye Of
C4o,o3G tons, as against 1924 vessels
of 1.722.154 tons during the previous
year.
Output In 1914 and 1915.
The following table, which has been
compiled from statistics furnished by
the leading shipbuilders, shows the to-
tai output of the world during 1915 and
1914:
1915. 1914.
Ships. mage. Ships. mage.
united Kingdom. 81. GAG, 1856 ..94 L, 49,, 15i
British dominions. 1888 32.9s7 FL 67,99l
Foreign combatant
and noncombat-
ant ............. $50 9S9.23 l.G0o 1904, O23
Total .....".......1,655 1.671,G10 3.l6 3,4S4,171
In the statistics relating to work
turned out by British yards. no figures
are given of warships building. Were
these figures included. it is probable
that the output might have been larger
than in any previous year. but the to-
tails serve to demonstrate the amount
of work which has been accomplished
in British yards. During the whole
year ship owners have been %deploring
the difficulties which have lain in the
way of their obtaining delivery Of YES
sells ordered before the war broke out.
and in many yards devoted entirely to
| war work new mercantile tonnage re-
mains on the stocks and in the condi-
ton it was left months ago.
The Production In 1918.
During the year 1913 the total mer-
camille production Of the United King
dom was 1924 vessels with an aggre-
gate tonnage Of 1,977,573. so that the
output last year was less by GOT YES
sells and 1,32S,237 tons.
The decrease in the British output
has been particularly heavy in Belfast,
where Harland & Wolff have for the
first time in the history of the famous
firm launched no merchant vessel.
whereas in 1918 they launched six
steamers representing 156,O47 tons.
Workman. Clark & Co. also did COM
paratively little mercantile work. for
the total Of the new tonnage which
they turned out during the year was
half a dozen with a total tonnage of
2G,31S, as against vessels representing
1878 tons during the previous year.
1t was early in the year that Work
man, Clark & Co. completed their most
important merchant steamers. the
Pembrokeshire. the Carmarthenshire
and the Ebro. for the Royal Mail
Steam Packet company. All three YES
sells were practically completed at the
end Of 1914. and there are specific rea-
| son why the vessels should be finish
ed this year.
At the end of March they launched
the first Of a number of steamers
which they have contracted to build
for the United Fruit company Of New
York and Boston, the steamer San
Mateo, a vessel Of 1910 tons. In May
the steamer San Pablo was placed in
the water. and this was followed in
August by the steamer San Pedro.
These three boats are intended for the
cargo trade only and are sister ships.
In October a fourth vessel for the
same owners, but intended for the car
go and passenger carrying trade. was
launched. Since October Workman.
Cldih " 70. nave Deen HSaSeu on
work other than for the mercantile
! navies of the world.
Activities In Clyde Yards.
There has been great activity
throughout the whole year in Clyde
yards, from which 126 vessels. repre-
senting in the aggregate 215.000 tons,
were launched. Many Of the vessels,
however, were small ones, and whether
they increase the number Of launches.
they do not add considerably to the
total tonnage. Although the majority
Of the shipyards on the Clyde were
taken owe by the government shortly
after the outbreak Of the war. for a
considerable time there was no sus-