Evening journal., 1917-02-26
'PHILLI" EGREATEST
SHIPBU|LDINC CENTRE.
Government Report Shows
Delaware is Really the
"Clyde OF America"
FAR IN THE LEAD
OF OTHER STATES

Much has been said loosely and
written wildly about the pre-eminence
Of the Delaware river as a shipbuild.
ing centre, but it has remained for
the United States government. through
the Department Of Commerce. to prove
eonclusively that the Delaware is real
" the clyde of America" In COM
merce report Just issued. the govern
ment gives actual figures, showing the
number OF vessels and their tonnage
IN course OF construction on January
] of this year. Not only do these fe-
ures show that the port of Philadel.
phia is far ahead Of any other port
IN the Western Hemisphere in shin
building, but also that there is being
built on the Delaware river more than
one-fOurth of the total tonnage now
under construction in the United
States
Here are the exact figures: In the
whole United States on January /.
there were being constructed 6S2 YES.
sells of all kinds, with a gross tonnage
Of 2,09S,76l or this number Delaware
river yards were constructing 1873
with a tonnage of 610,471.
Camden Plant Leads All.
These figures speak for themselves.
Fore River may yell and Newport
News may Shout but the facts remain
uncontradicted and continue TO frown
down the assertions OF those who try
to claim shipbuiding pre-eminence for
other places.
It is no use for those who assert
I ~ fafh A..
the Delaware Is building only river
craft The government has classified
/ its figures. the report showing the
tonnage Of every vessel being con-
structed in all the yards OF the cOun-
try. This shows that the bigger ships
underway are being built here and
more OF them are being built than at
any other place.
Nine shipyards along the Delaware.
only two OF which are within the
limits OF the city OF Philadelphia are
turning out this immense ship ton
mage. The largest by far Is the New
York Shipbuilding Company. in Cam
den. which is also the largest in the
United States. 1t now has under con-
struction 20 ships. with a tonnage OF
2lS,T54 The next largest yard to it
in the entire country is the Newport
News Shipbuilding Company. at New
port News. Va. which has under con-
struction 16 ships with a tonnage OF
1SS.S73
What Other Yards Are Doing.
The eight other yards along the
Delaware and their records OF con-
struction are as follows: William
Cramp & Sons, II ships of 62,942 tons ;
American Bridge Company, Trenton
95 ships Of 1861 tons; Chester Ship
building Company. Chester, 10 ships
OF 74.200 tons; Clinton Shipbuildine
and Repair Company, l ship OF 56l
tens; Harlan & Hollingsworth, VIII
mington, Is ships Of 60,744 tons
Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company
Gloucester. 10 ships of $4,000 tons
Pusey & Jones, Wilmington. Is ships
OF 1920 tons; Sun Shipbuilding Com
pany. Chester, 10 ships Of 67,4O0
tons.
This tonnage does not include the
ships under construction at League
island Navy Yard, although it does
include vessels being built for the
government in private yards. OF the
latter there are quite a number along
the Delaware. The New York Ship
building Company alone is construc-
ting three immense battleships, the
Idaho. Colorado and Washington,
each OF $4,000 tons. and seagoing
mine planter of 1000 tons. The
American Bridge Company is con-
structing two barges for the Panama
Railroad and a maneuver boat for the
Engineer Department of the army.
The Pussy & Jones Company is build
ing a 360-ton light vessel. Cramp &
Sons are constructing the destroyers
Conner and stockton, of 112l tons
each.