The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-16
THE WORLDS NEED OF SHIPS

THE WORLDS NEED OF SHIPS.
The war has shown how useless re-
sources of wealth are, either for serv-
ice or profit, unless facilities exist for
making them available when and
where they are wanted. With enor-
nous surplusage of wheat, wool, sugar,
beef and fruits, Australia has been
forced to erect storage-houses and to
risk millions in losses because of lack
of transportation. For the importa-
ton of much needed manufactured
articles she has had to rely upon the
| uncertain visits of sailing
Coal and metals have remained in the
mines because of insufficient railways,
waterways and coastwise vessels. 1t is
te make sure that this shall not hap
pen again and that in the future the
commonwealth will not have to rely
on British ships that a great shipbuild- =
ing program has been inaugurated.
Heretofore small vessels only have
been built, and for the larger work
the necessity of a suitable industrial
organization has been recognized.
Necessary materials for shipbuilding
are at hand. There are huge deposits
of iron ore. Coke and limestone are
| readily available for the manufacture
of pig iron. Coal fields are large and
the product of good quality. 1t is as
serted that the materials for turning
out ship-plates, can be assembled t
Newcastle, in New South Wales, more
economically per unit than they can
hA JA6 t.
| States.
Shipbuilding projects are afoot in
many places, and the commonwealth
government, which has already taken
over the Victoria State yards. is pre-
pared to support them Financially
Closely related are the plans for
! port Improvement. A commission
which recently completed survey re-
ported that Port Prize. Adelaide, Bris-
and Sydney were ali capable of ex-
tension.
Railroad extensions are likewise
contemplated. The Australian Trans
| continental railway from Port Au-
gusta, South Australia, to KaIgoorIis,
West Australia, a distance of 1,G53
miles, was completed last April and
| it is believed that it will form the
backbone of system that will event.
ually open up to development a vast
territory rich in mineral deposits.
Australia is capable of Industrial
expansion on a great scale Oil bear
ing sha1e exists in large quantities.
and a considerable export business in
this product was done with Great
Britain and America. The only oil
refinery in the country was in New
! South Wales, but in the belief that de-
posts exist elsewhere the common
wealth government has offered
bounty totaling s337.5 500 for a period
of four years. An American expert is
now exploring the Oil resources in New
Guinea, which the Australians seized
from the Germans and which they are
determined to keep.
Having an ample supply Of wool,
Australia sees no reason why her tex
tile industries should not be expanded
Considerable progress in the marufac-
ture of hosiery and wooden underwear
has been made since the outbreak Of
the war. The cane sugar industry has
been expanded because of the fixing of
high prices with the result that there
is an unexportable surplus of thou
sands of tons.
In the United States there is one
sheep to every three persons; In Aus
tralia. there are twenty sheep to every
one person. Only two per cent of
the wool clip Is consumed in Australia.