Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-13
The HQSkin Letter q s : ssssa
A GREAT SHIPBUILDING JOB.

Washington, June 1O.-During the
five years just passed the United States
did the biggest job of shipbuilding in
the history of the world. The exact
period of this accomplishment ranges
from May "a, 1917, to May 8, 1922.
ION the former. date the wood cargo car
rier called the North Bend, in honor
of the Oregon city where she was
constructed, was turned over to the
government as the first vessel produced
underline emergency war program. On
the latter date, the cargo and passenger
steamer Western World. which is to be
operated in the South American trade,
was delivered to the Emergency Fleet
corporation at Sparrows Point, Md.
In all, 2,313 vessels of various types.
with a gross dead weight tonnage of
1886, III, were constructed in estab-
fishing this record in shipbuilding.
Originally the program called for 3,27O
armistice came in time to eliminate 95S
ships, work on which had not been
started, or had not progressed suffi-
GENTLY far to make their completion
advisable.
Just how much all this cost the
people of the United States has not
been computed and authoritatively an
nounced as yet. Probably it will not
be known for many years, for claims
and adjustments are pending that may
still be unsettled when the original
claimants have long since been gath
cred to their fathers. It was n OF
the big items in Uncle Sans war bill.
What it lacked in economy it made up
in size. 1t was one of the most gigantic
accomplishments in maritime history.
NIhJ1n tharn VIC cf1 Qnd nvfrQU.
agance. and possibly some graft, the
well Informed say that it made possible
the winning of the war and hence was
worth all that it cost.
Stretched stem to stern in a straight
line. these 2.313 vessels would extend
a distance of 15S miles, and If they
were steaming a mile and a quarter
apart they would make what might
be likened to a great p%ontoon bridge
reaching from New York to Southamp-
ton, England. Their total capacity
equals that of 3SS. 1853 freight cars of
80 tons each. They include the va
rious types of requisitioned and con-
tract steel cargo carriers. tankers, re-
frigerators. transport; collier n COM
bined passenger and cargo carriers;
contract wood vessels of various kinds
and sailing ships: contract composite
cargo carriers, contract concrete cargo
carriers and tankers; steel and wood
ocean-going tugs and steel and wood
harbor tugs.
Atlantic Coast Leads
Shipyards on the Atlantic coast
earned the distinction of turning out
both the greatest number of ships and
the largest tonnage-a total of S4S
vessels of 5,625,1SS tons. The Pacific
coast was a close second, with 1853
ships of 5.254.150 tons. The Great
Lakes district came next. with 419
ships of 1,625,OO0 tons. while the gulf
district produced 1872 bottoms with q
tonnage of s49,1 100. At the height of
the shipbuilding program keels were
being laid In 21S shipyards, so of
which were building steel vessels. IL,
were turning out wood and composite
ships, and seven were given over to
work on concrete steamers.
The record of the shipping board
during the five years that mark the
beginning and the completion Of its
program stands out more clearly when
comparisons are made with past ac-
com%plishments. Prior to the war. the
maximum yearly output of ships in the
United States was attained in 1908,
| In that year 1.457 vessels of all kinds,
including all ships of five net tons and
| over. were built, the total tonnage be-
ing 921,:324. In the first 10 months
of 1919 the maximum prewar construc-
ton for an entire year was greatly
exceeded. In September of that year
$50 ocean-going steam vessels were
! delivered to the government.
Building ships was only n of the