The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-01-02
Output Of Merchant Tonnage Has In
creased Six Fold--Repair Yards 40
tive--Large Naval Program Under
Way.
tcourtesy Marine Engineering.)

gram tn1tlAteG IN the Oulteu otdlSS
as a wartime emergency measure Is
now practically completed. At the
height of this building program the
United States reached a production in
ship tonnage far greater than any
other country has ever attained, or
ever will attain
But I'm order to take advantage or
the shipbuiiding facilities which could
be made most quickly available, the
emergency program necessarily con-
tanned O. large percentage OF wooden
ships and OF small steel cargo ves-
sells. While tho construction Of suoh
ships was fully jutified by the emer-
gency, their relatively small CONNER
ciai value will eliminate them from
any construction under normal con-
ditions Moreover even in the con-
struction of large steel vessels OF the
best type, yards were utilized and
methods were employed which would
never have been used for building
ships on a strictly commercial basis.
In determining today the relative
position of shiphuilding as a sound.
healthy industry, 1t is essential, there
fore, 10 disregard largely the war
time program.
The sound growth of the ship
building industry Is dependent upon
construction for private interests, in
& asmuch as such ships are built to fill
the normal needs or a particular trade.
IN the spring of 1919 shipyards were
again permitted to accept orders for
private account, and by July I. 1919,
Contracts had been let for over 100,-
600 gross tons OF steel ships. BY July
/. j. 1920, tho tonnage under construc-
ton or contracted for, for private ac-
count. had increased to approximately
100. 900 gross tons.
only by comparison with pre-war
construction for private interests can
this volume OF shipbuilding be appre-
ciated.
Al comparison OF shipbuilding with
our other national Industries gives an
idea OF its enormous expansion. In
1918 the total value of the ouput of
the industries OF iron and steel and
their products was $3,223.144,0Oo, of
which shipbuilding was approximate
" 2 "a percent. Tho present estimat-
ed value of tho annual output OF the
iron and steel industries is S6,6OO,OOO
900, OF which shipbuilding is approx
lnately Is percent
In 1914 shipbuilding, with total
value OF output OF $3.50 900, ranked
ffty-eighth among the industries OF
the United States. The construction
now under way places shipbuilding In
about fifteenth position, surprising
such Industries as leather, furniture,
chemicals. paper and wool pulp. agri-
cultural implements, silk and sugar.
The steel merchant tonnage now
under construction for private ac-
count Approximately 100000 gross
tons) Is over six times the average
pre-war output OF steel merchant yes
sells (235,000 gross tons annually,
and il approximately three and one
half times our lest annual output
prior to the war (450.O17 gross tons
OF steel ships In 1sOs)
on September 1, 1920, there were
under construction 2,463,814 gross
tons OF steel merchant vessels. or
these. 1,43s,498 gross tons were for
r,rivate account and 1,024,S16 gross
tons were for the United States Ship
ming Board on September 10, 1870,
there were under construction for pri-
vate account steel vessels aggregaung
i A4g $50 gross tons. This was prac-
ticaliv the same as the private account \
tonnage under construction on July |
I 1920. new orders having re-
piaced the tonnage delivered. This In
dicates that shlpbuilding should con-
tinue for the next year or two at
minimum or approximately i'oVV'VVV !,
gross tons annually. Il
statistics on shipbuilding for the
Veors 1910 TO 1915 inclusive show that
che total tonnage OF steel merchant
vessels under construction at the
beginning OF each fiscal year was
practically the same as that turned
out during that year. Inasmuch as our
shipyards are again working under
normal conditions. we may expect 70
deliver the tonnage now building
within the next IL months, and this
nVure rather than the tonnage built
during the past year, may be used in
estimating production during 1921.
Another important phase of the
ehipbuilding industry Is the current
construction for the United States navy
and other government departments
At present the vessels being built for
the navy aggregate well over 1,OOo'-
600 tons displacement, a large percen-
taga of which are being constructed
an private yards. Present indications
are that this program win continue
FOR the next two or three years.
The tonnage OF our merchant mar
ina has more than doubled during the
mast six years, and our present ton
mage IS over 100000 gross tons,
elightly less than one-third the total
world tonnage. The tonnage now
,nder construction will bring this
total up TO approximately 100000
gross tons by July 1. 1921. Our for
eign commerce has also increased
enormously. and the percentage OF
our foreign commerce carried in
American ships has increased in even
greater proportion. In 1914 the pro-
portion OF American tonnage to the
total tonnage entering and clearing
United States ports was 26 percent.
while during the first six months of
1920 this had jumped to 60 percent
That a. minimum annual output
1900, 900 gross tons of steel merchant
vessels Is a conservative estimate is
borne out by the following: BY July
1, 1921, our merchant marine will ag-
cregate approximately 10000, 900 gross