The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-03
THE sHIPBUILDING SITUATION.
Chairman Hurley Tells What Has
Been Done and What Is Doing.


vealed i'm British Admiralty figures on
sinkings of ships was outlined here
tonight by Chairman Hurley, of the
Shipping Board, in frank statement
setting forth the shipbuildng situation
in the United States.
Before the National Marine League
Mr.. Hurley disclosed that despite de-
lays, the country soon will have 730
steel and wooden ways turning out
ships and that the governments NAM
moth steel shipbuilding program o.
eight million tons on March / was 2S
per cent on it's way to completion
This does not mean that 2S per cent.
are In the water. but that construction
as a whole had advanced that far
Eight per cent. of the vessels actual.
ly have been put in service. Mr.. Hur-
ley said.
The three government fabricating
yards near Philadelphia, when in full
operation, will be able to produce, Mr.
Hurley said. more slips in year than
all the yards of England, heretofore
the greatest shipbnilding country i'm
the world
The high point in the curve Of pro-
duction has been delayed. Mr.. Hur-
ley pointed out, by number of caus-
es. Gradually, these are being over
come. he declared. and before many
months, the peak will have been rach
ed.
When the high point of the curve
finally has been reached and the
magnitude of Americas shipbuilding
program is realized" he said. "it will
be continuous performance of pro.
duction and launching"
Unless we get out men to the bat
tie front. we will not win the war,
and therefore ii all comes back to
ships" said Mr.. Hurley. Upon tho
Shipping Board has devolved the re
sponsibility Of supplying this need anc
supplying 1T under the most extraor-
dinary conditions that ever existed,
time when every other industry l.
being taxed to its utmost capacity II
the matter OF materials and labor to
provide war necessities.
THE handicaps have been many.
We were not a maritime nation. With
the exception of few widely scatter
cd yards. merchant marine construc-
tion had almost become a lost ar;
with us. Then came this sudden cali
ut moment when the navy was un-
dergoing the greatest expansion in it's
history-when most. If not all, of the
| established yards were feverishly en-
gagged In rush construction on dread
naughts. destroyers. submarines, fuel
ships. tenders and other auxiliary
craft and when munition makers were
absorbing that part OF skilled labor
which had not been called to govern.
ment navy yards or private shipbuild-
ing plants. So it was a case of no.
only working from the ground up
but OF first securing the ground upon
which to make start, some of
marsh land which had to be filled in
before launching ways could be laid.
Therefore, we who are engaged in the
work appreciate the magnitude Of the
task. doubt if the magnitude of
the task is generally appreciated
am not here to emphasize that mag
nitude. l am here to tell you of the
situation as it is.
IL wish TO remind you gentlemen
that ships are not built overnight
When we took hold of this job of ship.
building. we found there was no ship
yard in existence with which we could
place an order. The old yards were
filled to capacity. We were faced with
the necessity Of creating an entirely
new industry. We had to establish.
the yards first. get the shipbuilders t.
take charge OF them. and train the
men to build the ships.
There were 81 steel shipyards i'm
America at the time of our entrance
into the war. We have located 81 ad-.
ditional steel and wood yards Will,
Is other yards have been expanded.
We arc building In the new and ex.
panded steel yards 235 new steel ship
ways. or &c more than at present ex-
ist i'm all the shipyards of England
III we had been content with doing
the job I'm small way. we might have
built "a few new yards and added Il
little to our capacity. "A few ships
might have been finished more quici.
ly; but 1t was the spirit and will o
America To- do the job in big way
ana the judgment OF the country will