Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-01
SHIPBUILDING RECORD
IS MADE DURING APRIL
Thirty.two Vessels. Aggregat.
ing 100000 Tons. Added TO
United States Fleet
MAKE TWO.MILE LINE
Philadelphia Yards Fourth in
Number of Rivets Driven
i'm q Dav
Washington. May /

W dSuliaEtbHs NhS =
American shipbuilding entered a
new stage today,when figures for April
construction showed a total of 100000
deadweight tons. the best monthly
record in the history Of the United
States.
The April figures mark a gain Of
more than 80 per cent over March. 100
per cent over February and almost
200 per cent over January, and are
10000 tons better than previous rec
ords established i'm June, 1917, when
22S,154 deadweight tons were built.
The figures showing the enormous
strides Of the construction program
follow:
Tons
January. eleven ships ... 9l.54l
February. sixteen ships. l23,10O
March. twenty.one ships. 166,70O
April, thirty.two ships. ... 100000
Shipping board officials said that
there are now approximately 5000
900 tons of shipping under the Ameri.
can flag, and that the end Of the year
will see as much more shipping ready
to undertake the task Of supplying
the army in France.
100000 Tons Completed
The announcement of April construc.
ton by the shipping board follows:
Eugene r. Chamberlain. Commis-
sioner of Navigation, reported To the
shipping board that his record showed
q total of 100000 deadweight tons con
struction during the month Of April.
His report added that tWo-thirds of
this total tonnage, 157 1888, was CON
structed during the last half Of the
month.
THE best previous record in this
nations shipbuilding was made in
June of last year, when 22S,15i tons
were turned out
This total means that each Of the
twenty-siX working days of April saw
the completion of 90O0-ton vessel. A
steamship of 5000 tons will average
450 feet in length. If laid end to end
this April output would extend HOO
feet, or little m. re than two miles
The White S.ar liner olympic is
now the largest merchant steamship
i'm service. Her gross tonnage Is
46359. This April output Of American
shipyards is equivalent to three
Olympics and two such steamships as
the American liners St. Louis and st
Paul
THE shipping boards own figures
aDl Hplll COllSll hNllOll Will lON 't an
nounced until complete reports have
been received from all shipyards. Those
from the far western yards may not be
at hand until the middle of next week
Additional figures issued by the
Emergency Fleet Corporation showed
chat the Philadelphia, South Jersey
and vicinity district stands fourth il
the United States in regard to rivetS
driven a day. District No. s, whicl
embraces the State Of Washington
was first with $1,000 rivets driven &
day, while in District No. 10, whicl
includes the Philadelphia territory
1900 rivets were driven a day.
will Soon Exceed Tasks
Construction in the Philadelphia dis
tict for March was only 80 per cen
Of the promised total. and in this re
spect the district was seventh, th
nopors again going to Washington
which completed "A l'er cent OF IL
program.
with good weather. growing or
ganizations," says the Emergenc,
Fleet Corporation. the finishing up o
shipyard construction and the straight
ening out of taugles in material ant
transportation, it is to be eNpecte'
that many yards will soon exceed thei
assigned tasks each month and max
showings in excess Of 100 per cent.
Many yards at the foot of the pres
ent list are finishing their ways, shops
cranes and other equipment or con
centrating on other classes of ships
and it is entierly possible for such
yard to advance rapidly from the bot
tom to the top of the list as 1t tackles
actual ship construction. On the sam
principle, some of the yards, now a
the top of the list may De called upo