New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-02
England Orders
SlOO,OOO,OOO in
New Ships Here
Bethlehem Steel Company
Obtains Largest of
Fresh Contracts
To Build New ards
Total of Recent Awards to
American Constructors May
Be $15O,OOO,0OO
To Build New Yards

Great Britain has placed nearly
800 0O0,0 900 in contracts with American
shipbuilders.
Steamship men and ship constructors
familiar with British plans declared
yesterday that these contracts for more
than 100000 tons of steel freight car
rier were merely forerunners Of ire
mendous foreign ship construction pro-
gramme England will carry out in the
United States to Offset the losses by
U-boats.
Little or nothing was known OF the
Admralty's plans until the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation announced on
Wednesday that it had signed contracts
for the building of two 7,5OO-ton
freighters for the Cunard Line at ITS
plant at Sparrow's Point, Md sinful
taneously, the Sun Shipbuilding Com
pany, Of Chester, Penn, authorized
statement that it had received con-
tract TO construct two l0,000-ton steam
ships for the same line. Then it was
reported that the Cunard Line had
placed an order for q i2,000-ton freight
er at the yards of the Union Iron Works
in San Francisco. This was confirmed
yesterday by the representatives OF a
shipbuilding firm from the Pactic
Coast. With the confirmation came the
revelation of Brtain's plan to make
good her losses-in part, at least
from the shipbuilding plants of Amer
lea. II was even predicted that within
six months the British demand for ton
mage construction in the United States
would exceed $4,000 900, and that it
was doubtful if the demand could be
met.
New Shops To BE Built
Shipping circles believe that work
will soon begin in every available
shiphuilding plant in the United States
for the construction of new shops and
gantries to meet the British demand.
Great Britain. it is understood. would
be willing TO pay such price for her
American built ships that it would pay
the American companies 20 sink mill
ions of dollars at once in the enter
prise.
Thus far the name OF no steamship
company except the Cunard Line has
been mentioned in connection with the
British tonnage orders, but il is thought
that other English companies will make
known their desire TO have frelghters
built in the United States.
The Cunard Line, it is said. has been
hard hit by the vessels il lost in the
service of Great Britain in the trans
portation of troops. munitions Of war
and hospital service, particularly IN the
Levant. The British yards are taxed
70 capacity in the service of the Ad-
miralty. This fact, augmented with the
scarcity of labor, has made it impos-
sible for England to keep pace with her
tonnage losses to the degree she would
like to maintain, and has compelled
her to seek relief in American yards.
Cunard Line Heads List
According TO the representative of
a Western shipyard now In this city
making final arrangements with the
local Office of the Cunard Line for the
sale of several Norwegian steamships
nearly completed on the Pacific Coast,
the Cunard Line has placed orders for
twenty-five American-built freighters
that will average about 10000 tons
each. This alone represents total
of about 100000 tons, which, with the
taking over Of the contracts Tor eight
or nine Norwegian steamships IN
course of construction, will bring the
Cunard investment up TO about AGO.
900 tons.
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation
and its subsidiaries have a large share
In the award. but the British demand
il SO urgent that Independent compa-
MICS have been favored with contracts.
The new vessels are TO be built AZ
the plants of the Union Iron Work.
and Moore & Scott. San Francisco
the Northwest Steel Company, Port
land. Ore; Ames & Hollingwood and
The Seattle Construction and Drydock
COMPANY. of Seattle. Wash; the sun
Sbipbuildiug Company and the Chester
Shipbuiiding Company, Of Chester
Penn. and Harlan & Hollingsworth,
Of Wilmington, Del. Contracts also
have been awarded to the plants OF
Samuel L. Moore E. Co. and to the
pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company,
Steamship men associated with the
British lines declare that this move on
thc nart of England is not alone a pro-
Vision 10 cope with the present menace
~ German U-boats, but post-bellum
stroke TO take care of her own com
y,erce ard help out that Of her Allies
- -. L "a heen declared