Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-04
Output Twelve Months End
ing June 30 Was 1882 YES
sells, Of 1,406,S38 Tons.
MERCHANT MARINE INCLUDES
BIG FLEET OF 10000 SHIPS
Many Yards Beginning Opera
ton Insure Greater Produc-
ton Is Yet to Come.
Nearly Hundred Ships Going Over
board Set Worlds Record Never
Before .approNimatcd.
| By A,socia,cn Pro-.

By A>Socia tod Press
WASHINGTON. July 3.-On tho eve
OF tho greatest ship-launching day in
history. the bureau OF navigation Of
The Department OF Commerce, an
nounced to-day that tho fiscal year
just closed exceeded all previous years
I'm new ships bull, In this country.
sivins the United states a nerctian,
marine OF loo4o.65o gross to,s and
numbering nearly $4,000 ycsscl.
In thc twelve months ended June 30
tncrc were l.s22 new ships. OF 1880
1913 gross tons. numbered by the bu-
-reau, more than double tho OUTPUT OF
German yards IN peace ,ime. Great
Rrttain's production In tho same Pc
riod has not been made public. but in
tho year ending May 3It amounted to
i.'oss"s gross tons, or about ~ per
cent OF the normu! output,
III addition 30 the merchant sliTs
permanently under thc stars and
Stripes. the stlEoing ncct ,r cargo
carriers controlled by the United states
includes 100000 ,ols Of rcquisi,ioncd
Dutch ships and i0i,7oc tons opera:
by the army ard navy aS Transports
hospital ships, supply transports and
other auxiliary craft. hcsidcs vacn;s
and similar vessels under 800 tons on
ploycG In :onsidc rablc numhcrs a. mil
itary and nava! service.
ONE-HALF or TliE: YEAK'S
OUTPUT IN LAST FOUR MONTHS
one-half OF ;hc tisr., cars output
Of ships was completed "a The last
four months The total nc!Idcd 2j!
seaSoing steel steamers of I.o:i.Gnt
gross tons and ii7 scaGuin. woolen
vessels OF 2l3.cSs tpns. IL, remainder
being vessels for the lakes rfrars rnd
domestic transportation, cXcc,t enc
concrete seaGoing steamer OF 3,;27
gross tons.
Even this record production. how
ever, undoubtedly viii be cclirse,I in
the fiscal year just starting. for many
new yards are just beginning 10 get
into full operation and the great fab
ricatlng yards have not yet hcrur 20
add finished ships 20 the cargo flceto.
Losses sustained BY the merchant
marine includcd for the last three
months were S2.cia tons OF seacoinE
vessels. ircld'lnE ten of 1907 gross
tons sunk by submarines Off the At
lantic coast In May and June.
The growth OF the shipbuilding In
dus,ry IN this country in the last two
years has been Il close rival Of many
businesses which have given America
its reputation as Ii great Industrial ma
ton. The records OF the Bureau Of
Navigation show that in the twelve
months ended juno 80. 1916. when the
renaissance Of shipbuld!ng had Just
started, there were completed in Amer
lean yards 1880 ships of 3i7.li1 gross
tons.
YARDS NOW BUILDING
SHIPS OF LARGE TONNAGE
Another twelve months saw the num-
bcr increased to 1886 ships of Si2.659
gross tons. and in the year just ended
the tonnage output was nearly doubled,
while the number OF ships grew to
l,622. Instead OF small craft for do
mestic transportation. the yards now
are building great ocean-goinE ships
TO carry men and supplies TO France,
and later to establish new lines of
communication between the United
States and America and the
Orient.
The launching OF nearly 100 ships
Tomorrow, declaration OF American
independence of foreign merchant ma
rines. will be attended with words of
appreciation from President Wilson.
Chairman Hurley. General prrshing and
the Americans fighting in Europe
"ALL COMRADES IN GREAT
CAUSE" SAYS WILSON
1--WE arc all comrades in Il great
cause" declared the President in a
message to he read in every shipyard.
in the presence Of an army of loyal
workmen, second in size only to the
lighting army overseas.
Your employees will douse the
Kaiser" is Mr.. Hurleys enthusiastic
comment while General Pershing.
whose complete message was made
public previously. declared:
with such backing we cannot fail
TO win All hail American ship
builders
President Wilson's message was con-
tained in this letter to Chairman
Hurley.
II am very glad to take part in
celebrating the launchings OF the
Fourth OF July, and beg that you will
make use Of the following message:
II join with you in feeling the
greatest pride in the diligence and
skill and devotion which the. men in
the shipyards have exhibited in com
pleting the fleet which is to be launched
on the Fourth of July, and | hope that
you will convey to them my conErat-
ulations and my pleasure in feeling
that we arc all comrades i'm n great
Cause"
WILL PROVE AMERICAS
NEW INDEPENDENCE DAY
The appreciation of the Shipping
Boards chairman is contained i'm this
telegram sent the arrangements of all
yards:
&c lsltn .t,i,
CONTINUED on Second Page.)