The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-06-14
United States to Surpass All Pre-
vious Records Made by
Any Nation.
PROGRAM TO Be EXPANDED
One Thousand Wooden Ships Of About
5000 Tons Each Contracted For
May Use Lake Vessels for
Deep Sea.

ably be launched on the Passaic rive
ut Newark, N. j., about August J.
1t will be followed by others a
dozens of yards In different sections O
the country, until the government pre-
gram Of 1000 wooden vessels of abou
5000 tons each is completed. it l
likely this program will be steadily e1
banded also If the war continues t
rage.
In addition to the 100000 tons O
the government carrying fleet, NOR
than 10000 tons of steel or woodel
merchant vessels are being built O.
have been contracted for to be bull
IN American shipyards.
Should the present movement con
tinue, the United States will soon bt
the leading shipbuildlng nation of tn,
world; indeed, it will surpass all pre-
v1ous records by any nation.
Including vessels built for American
owners, foreign owners, undisclose6
owners and builders accounts, adapted
for deep sea service, it is estimated
that there are 644 in course of con.
structiOn or contracted for, with an
estimated tonnage of 1884, 131. These
figures are exclusive of ships under
construction for the navy department,
oil and mOlasses tankers, vessels con-
structed for use on the Great Lakes,
and those under 500 tons.
May Use Lake Vessels.
OF this amount of tonnage more than
100000 tons already have been
launched, about 10000 tons are sched-
uled to be launched this spring, about
1770OO tons to be launched during the
summer, about 100000 tons launched
next fall, more than 100000 tons
launched next winter and more than
900, 900 tons launched and completed
in 1918.
OF the vessels built for service on
the Great Lakes, approximately 10000
tons, number of these could in an
emergency be used for deep sea COM
merce.
One of the largest of the new plants
will be built for the Baltimore Dry
Dock and Shipbuilding company. The
plans call for the construction of one
Of the largest shipbuilding and repair
plants on. the Atlantic coast. The
company has an option on site at
Baltimore. The new plant will cost
more than 100000, and will furnish
employment to 1000 additional men.
On April 1 of this year there were |
In the United States 1872 shipyards, ma
rine engine, and boiler shops, and 23a |
repair plants, including dry docks and
marine railways.
Some idea Of what the shipbuilding
capacity of Great Britain is may be
Cleaned from the fact that at the be
ginning Of the war. exclusive of the
plants in her colonies, she had 453
marine engine and boiler
shops. while her repair plants in
Guided 572 dry docks and marine rail.
WAYS.
Since the first of the year orders for
new ships have swamped the builders.
The Bethlehem Steel company In Its
various subsidiary yards is building
more than ITS vessels.
In the case of the Hanlon Dry Dock
ind Shipbuilding company of Oakland.
Jal., on January 1 its employees num-
|
or vessels now that it is enlarging its
liant to such an extent that by June
it will have $500 men at work.
To Build 1000 Ships.
On April Is, 35 shipbuilders called at
he offices of the federal shipping board I
t Washington and signed contracts +
or large number of the 1000 wooden ;
essels of 5000 tons each which the \
United States government, under the Z
ERECTION of Maj. Gen. George w. +
toethals will have constructed. :
There has been leased to the gov q
rnment and to the Foundation COM +,
any a tract of So acres of land in the J
Tewark Meadows, with a frontage of Fl
$50 feet on the Passaic river, for the o.
'cation Of an immense shipyard. p
The Foundation company has re- 81
lived large contract for the con- nj
ruction Of the fleet Of ships for the IL
merchant marine.
Under the company's contract the Ell
rst vessels must be completed by Is
ugust / of this year. After this date ST
e company expects to turn out one ri
ip every ten days. The second YES st
Is should be finished by August IL, XII
e third August q and SO on, as the WI
ntract states, "as long as the war ia
all last" la
Incidental to the building of the ia
,ethals fleet of wooden ships, 1t was ev
armed that the government is cor or
ring the product of big lumber mills
over the country. 1t is understood di.
1T the federal authorities have requi- an
toned 3,0OO,OOO,OO0 feet from the "
uthern mills alone, principally be
orgia, Florida and Louisiana yellow ha
e. 1t
III vessels building in American | me
IDS, regardless of whether for for re'
n owners, undisclosed owners 'r pei
lders' accounts, can be taken ovel owe
this government in time of war. aG: