The Penn's Grove record., 1920-07-16
Hog Islands Big Launching

The gates of the huge Hog Island
shipyarn will be thrown open to the
public on Wednesday afternoon, July
21st, when a new worlds record will
be established by launching seven
ships in so minutes or less.
The decision to open the yard to the
public on the day of the septuple of
launchings was reached Monday af-
ternoon by officials of the American
International Shipbuilding Corpora
ton and the United States Shipping
Board Emergency Fleet Corporation.
1t will also be an "Old Home Day"
at the shipyard, for all the employees
have been extended an invitation by
the management to bring their fami-
lies and friends to witness the estab-
fishing of the new record. Invita-
lions have also been extended to many
of the former officers and employees
of the plant who aided in its construc-
ton and the building of the first ships.
Many Notables to Attend
Rear Admiral w. S. Benson, chair
mar of the Shipping Board; Chas. M.
Schwab and Charles A. Piez, former
director generals of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation; Edwin N. Hurley,
former chairman of the Shipping
Board; Governor Sproul, Mayor Moore,
members of the House and Senate
Committees on Merchant Marine and
many others prominent in National,
State and City affairs have been invit-
ed to witness the seven launchings.
Officials of all the shipyards along
the Atlantic coast and the ship-oper-
afinor ooronoDio~ o1eo will 04+o~I A.
affair,
The announcement made by Presi-
dent NJ. C. Brush, of the American In
ternational Shipbuilding Corporation,
that a new worlds record of ship
launchings would be established at the
Hog Island shipyard on July q, has
created widespread discussion in the
shipyards along the Delaware river.
Some of the old-time shipbuilders have
their doubts as to whether Hog Island
launching gang or any other gang, can
perform such a task, but William B.
Fortune, chief of the launching gang
at Hog Island, whose men created the
worlds record of launching five ships
in 48 minutes and 10 seconds on May
30th, 1919, points to the achievements
of his crew on that day, and says the
task of launching sever ships will be
accomplished within the so minutes
allotted, and that he wouldn't be sur
prised if several minutes we're clipped
off the allotted time.
In launching the five vessels on May
80 last year the gang was required to
run a distance of a mile and a quarter
from the first to the last boat, while
on July q the seven vessels will be
launched from ways that are only
about half a mile apart.
Last Vessels to Be Built
Ship-launching records in the Unit
ed States, and, in fact, turnout the
world, were first set on July 4, 1918,
when 112 steel ships were added to
the new merchant marine of the
United States. On that day the Beth
Iehem Steel Corporation, Alameda,
Calf; the Moore Shipbpilding Com
pany, Oakland, CAL; the Great Lakes
Engineering Company, Ecorse, Mich.
and the Gaomarine Boat Corporation,
Newa.k, N. j., each launched three
steel ships, of various tonnage, in one
day. Hog Island came to the fore on
May Both, 1919, when it sent over five
steel ships in 48 minutes and 10 sec
onds. This record was bettered sew
eral months later as to numbers, but
not time consumed, when the Union
Iron Works, California, launched six
steel ships in one afternoon.
Although the launching of the sev-
ships will complete the yards pro-
gram of 122 vessels, 10 cargo-car-
riers and II troopships, it will be at
least four months later before all the
ships have been completed and the
plant, created as a war emergency, is
turnedo yer to the Government.
When the seven vessels are launch
ed it will bring the average number
of ships launched to more than n
vessel a week since August 18th, 1913.