The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-28

realize what this Job means? Does 1T
realize what tribute is paid TO its
own initiative In this achievement
Building ass New ship Ways.
we are building in The new and ex-
banded steel yards 235 new steel ship
ways. or twenty-aix more than at pres
ent exists In all tho steel shipyards
Of England. The new industry we have
created Will make America the great
est maritime nation In the history Of
the world
IT took Germany forty years TO build
UP her military machine. In less than
eight months we have built UP ship
building machine, which. when II gets
into fun swing. will defeat the mill
t4ry machine OF Germany.
winning Uphill Struggle.
1t has been an uphill struggle. but
wa have had our moments of citation.
The record made by the Skinner &
Eddy company. OF Seattle. Is a case in
point That company laid the keel
for an ss10 ton vessel which was
launched In sixty-four days She was
delivered 10 the Fleet corporation on
January 9Th, and started on the hrst
VOYAGE on January "A. This record
accom- lishment shows what can be
done in live wide-awake. efficient
American shipyards.
Then a few days ago We received a
telegram from the Moore shipbuild-
ing company, of Oakland. Cal, an
nouncing the successful launching Of
one Of their large vessels. Twenty
minutes later we received another tele-
gram from the same company aunouno-
Ing the launching Of second ship OF
the Same type and forty minutes az
terward a third telegram saying that
third vessel OF similar character had
gone overheard. This wac the record
Of one American shipyard. The launch
ing Of three O. 400ton vesselr IN =
single afternoon-an Accomplishment
which l believe is unrtyaled In the
worlds annals of shipouilding.
We have had 10 build UP n ire
mendous administrative organization,
with expert ship architects, expert
traffic and operating heads. ard At
t'rMe when the demand for such tai
ent ~reatly exceeded the supply. We
have had TO negotiate for neutral ton
mage, We have had to requ~itiou
and provide for the operation Of the
entire existing American merchant
marine; we have had also to provide
skilled supervision for the repairs o;
informed German ships which were
seized.
The Germans thought that BY Grip
ping their own vessels in American
waters they would he able to pre-
vent US from using them. American
ingenuity and resourCefuiness gave
the answer by restoring these vessels
to efficiency. With the expenditure
Of a little less than 100000 we
have succeeded in placing in our
war service and in the service of
tho allies 112 first class German and
Austrian vessels representing n carry
ing capacity Of nearly 10000 dead
eight tons.
have referred TO the necessity OF
providing additional facilities for the
building OF ships. At the outset the
thirty-seven old steel yards began in
creasing their capacity until they now
have 195 ways as against 1862 months
ago, Thirty additional new steel ship
yards are thus being erected. with a
total OF 203 shipbuilding ways. Thus
we now have in the aggregate sixty
seven steel shipyards either wholly or
partly engaged in Fleet corporation
work. These yards viii have n total
OF 500 steel building ways. or these
thirty-hve yards with 25S ways. are
on the Atlantic and Gulf coast; nine
teen yards with sixty-six ways are
on the Pacific, while thirteen yards