The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-27

The high point in the curve of pro-
duction has been delayed, Mr.. Hurley
pointed out, by a number of causes;
inefficient workmen and shipyard
owners, labor strikes among them.
Gradually, these are being overcome,
he declared, and before many months,
the peak will have been reached.
when the high point of the curve
finally has been reached and the mag
nitude of Americas shipbuilding pro-
gram is realized he said, ut will be
a continuous performance OF produc-
ton and launching"
UNLESS we get out men to the bat
tie front, we will not win the war,
and therefore it all comes back to
ships" said Mr.. Hurley. Upon the
Shipping Board has devolved the re-
sponsibility of supplying this need and
supplying it's under the most extraor-
binary conditions that ever existed, at
time when every other industry IS
being taxed to it's utmost caacity in
the matter of materials and labor to
provide war necessities.
"The handicaps have been many.
We were not maritime nation.
With the exception of a few widely
scattered yards, merchant marine con-
struction had almost become lost
art with us. Then came this sudden
call at a moment when the Navy was
undergoing the greatest expansion IN
it's history-when most, If not all, OF
the established yards were feverish-
ly engaged in rush construction ON
dreadnaughts, destroyers, submarines
fuel ships, tenders and other auxiliary
craft and when munitions makers
were absorbing that part of skilled
labor which had not been called to
government navy yards or private
shipbuilding plants. So it was case
of not only working from the ground
I'D, but of first securing the ground
upon which to make a start, some OF
1t marsh land which had to be filled
in before launching ways could be
laid. Therefore, we who are engas-
ed in the work appreciate the magni-
tude of the task. I doubt if the mag
nitude of the task is generally appre-
iciated. I am not here to emphasize
that magnitude. 1 am here to tell oyu
of the situation as it is.
st wish to remind you gentlemen
that ships are not built overnight
When we took hold of this job OF
shipbuilding, we found there was nc
shipyard in existence with which we
could place an order. The old YARDS
were filled to capacity. We were tac-
ed with the necessity of creating ar
entirely new industry. We had tc
establish the yards first, get the ship
builders to take charge of them, ano
train the men to build the ships.
There were 81 steel shipyards II
America at the time of our entrance
into the war. We have located 81
additional steel and wood yards while
lis other yards have been expanded
We are building in the new and eX'
: banded steel yards 235 new steel ship
yards, or rs more than at presen
exist in all the shipyards of England
If we had been content with doing tht
job in a small way, we might nave
built a few new yards and added
little to our capacity. few ships
might have been finished more quick
:, ly; but it was the spirit and will O.
America to do the pob in big wa!
and the judgment of the country vii
be indicated by the results when al
these new ways are completed ant
are turning out ships. Many of thes
4 ways have actually been finished. TIL
I new industry we have created viii
e make America the greatest martini
nation in the history of the world.
f ''I desire to make brief referenc
= to what have been popularity calle'
n our three fabricating shipyards. TIL
:. so-called fabricated ship is almost
- Oh CT n
S most as new to England as it is t.
= us. But from the progress of tn
: work as it has thus far developed, w
are confident that it will be the mean
of adding millions of tons to tou
merchant marine.
These three assembling plants
It with their so ways at Hog Island, z
Il at Newark Bay and IL at Bristol will
-. when they are in full operation, pro
- duce in a single year more ships thai
: England has ever been able to tur,
II out in the same length of time. al
e ready at the yards of the Submarin
). Boat Corporation at Newark Bay, 1
d keels have been laid and 13 more wi
: be put down as soon as the remainln
+; ways, now in course of construction
!, are completed. By the time the las
e way is finished, the vessel on the frs
way will be well on towards compile
ton; and as soon as it has slipped ii
to the water, another keel will be 1ai
in it's place and we will thus have
IL continuous series of vessels droppin
into the water from this yard at tn
rate of two a week. Even create
n tonnage viii be produced at Hog I!
s. land with its larger number of way
t, and the bigger type of vessels that al
Is being constructed there.
;e There is no doubt but that "
Aare destined to be one of the leadir