The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-12
ship BUILDING
EFALLINC OFF
Lloyd's Register Summary
Shows Great Britain Is Now
Leading United States.
BRITISH SHIPS SMALL
Tonnage Building on Atlantic
Coast Far Exceeds That of
All Other Sections.
= OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES; !;

New Ork, May II1Ine WoIiu
|shipyards are building greater volume
of seagoing tonnage today in the shape
of steel steamships than ever in their
history, says a statement just issued
by Lloyd's Register of Shipping, Civ
ing returns from all maritime countries.
Steel steamers under construction for
the quarter ended April 1, are reported
to have aggregated 1862. 900 gross tons,
as compared with 4.935,000 tons at
September 80, 1918 and 100000 tons
at September 3, last, the latter being
the high record until the quarter just
ended.
Total tonnage of all kinds under con-
struction shows a decrease, however,
the aggregate being 7,941,0 900 tons, as
against 8,048,O00 tons on September 80,
1919. This is accounted for by the
progress of the Shipping Boards pro-
gram towards completion and the
marked decline in the building Of
wooden steamers. Only 100000 tons
Of this type of construction are under
way. as contrasted with 1.324.000 tons
just before the Armistice, since which
time there has been a steady falling
off. This has been most marked in the
United States, where the shrinkage
has been from 1,169,o0O tons at Sep
tember 80. 191s,. to $1,000 tons today.
Figures for the first quarter Of, this
year show that Great Britain now
holds the lead in shipbuilding over
the United States by margin of 821,-
900 tons, although this country led
by 100000 tons a year ago. At the
beginning of this year the two coun-
tries were neck and neck, the advan-
tage being only slightly with the United
Kingdom.
This includes all types of tonnage.
In the construction Of steel steamers
the margin is wider one. At Sep
tember 80, last, the United States still
led by 279.O0O gross tons; but by the
end of the year the United Kingdom
had a lead of $4,000 tons and has now
extended it to $1,000 tons.
But while Britain is building great
er number of steel steamers and a. con-
siderably greater aggregate tonnage
than this country, the average size
of her ships is considerably smaller,
her S14, OF 3,379.000 gross tons, averag-
ing only 4,151 tons, as against 5,373
tons for the $50 American ships of
2,418,000 tons.
In the United States more tonnage
of all kinds is being built in the ship
yards Of the Atlantic Coast than in
those of the Gulf Ports, the Great
Lakes and the Pacific Coast combined.
In steel steamers the difference is even
more marked, nearly sixty per cent.
of this type of construction being under
way along the eastern seaboard.
A year ago the United States was
building nearly 81 per cent. of all the
under way in the world, as
to 20 per cent. for the United
Kingdom and II per cent. for all other
countries. Today this country is con-
structing 80 per cent. against about
43 per cent. for Great Britain and
about 25 per cent. for all other coun-
tries. Excluding Great Britain, how
ever, America is building $4,000 tons
more than all the other countries COM
bined.
Between them the United States and
the United Kingdom are turning out
three -fourths of the worlds tonnage
and no other country is within meas
urable distance of either. of them,
Japan, which had held third place from
the time Of the Armistice to the be-
ginning of this year has now been
passed by both Holland and Italy and
is being pressed by France. All three
Of the latter made gains during the
past quarter, while Japan fell back
from 309,000 tons to 285,000.