New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
Euture of u. S.
'Shipbuilding
Called Gloomy
|,.f Of American Bureau
4 Shipping FOresees the
N,..OIution of Shipyards
T,Iess Marine Expands

Ion As 70 the future Of ship
the United States is ex-
'a19, az Captain c. A. MeAllister'
~ :, 4, American Bureau Of Ship
4 statement just issued in
~ M reviews the situation.
- 80, :. cf naval building under
80, q tAs Washington confer
c.,,,ln NsAllister points out.
's'' .', - American shipyards Of what
esP" !, 4. .h,lr principal business,
,...,,, s''s = them only iss eoastwise and
=. 80 s,,Sss IS sources Of activity
~ 'Ts ous Of the twelve yards now
1.s -. ,opld easily handle this busi-
y, | and since foreign shipowners
...rr give their repair business
-. n their own countries, Cap
W,Illl,.er believes that unless
,,..,, arise 10 permit the devel-
f...'.,' f...'..s of large American merchant
-, 80 gagged in foreign trade the
- -, Aces the prospect OF seeing
~. - !, he shipyards go out Of busi-
Only % Vessels Building
c...,,, McAllister points out that
~. 100 only seventeen vessels OF
~ soio cross tons, aggrcgating l46,-
]" -, -, tons. we're built IN the
states. including both sea-
-, ard lake tonnage. On January
~ there we're building IN Amer
J. - vsrds twenty-seven vessels tor
80 account, amounting 70 2i8,06c
.., ~, ,,ns and four for the shipping
- totaling 1900 gross tons, OF
LEAVE - sbiDs IN all, with com
- gross tonnage Of 55'O6O. or
s.SsrS /. 1928, on the other hand
...-, '...-,;ro vessels are building whose
.-t;,sd tonnage is only iS4SOJ
-, tons. using a liberal estimate
I. 4. tonnage Of six Of them. This
..,ts a deere sc OF 70,255 gross ton.
~, voiume of business at present
f. compared TO that Of a year ago
80 tke beginning Of 1923 the out
~ for shipbuilding IN this country
. ,,,v dsrk.h said Captain McAlllster
.-..,s Is q fair amount Of building
~ n The yards, but almost without
,..,.'op the new craft are for tne
.s,trls and lake traihe. The couN'
- !, large does not seem TO realize
u, ,t1 Industry, so vital TO our com
-,.,',i md defensive interests on the
.,, Il IN very precarious condltloh
80, tbe war tho seven or eigh.
.5r.ipsl shipyards were support'e'
-,.,y by building war craft Ior ln'
.,,,rue,t. a number Of these are ln
,,,,g, of completion at several OF TINS
~, A this time. Not q new con.
.,,s ,r war craft has been given ou'
T, aver no vears, and the limitation
I sfnsntnt conference held last yea
m prohibit the construction OF new
esi OF large size for the navy Ioi
, rsrt ten wears. In addition TO that
,,e has already passed tho House d
in the naval approprla'
: bin a resolution calling on tn'
vdent TO invite foreign nations = =
further disarmament conference.
IN would. IL carried through snul
The building Of most OF tho 'maiieI
craft.
Legislation Needed
rbsre seems TO be no prospect nov
any new ships being eonstTuete',
The foreign trade, unless Congre.S,'
enact some legislation which WI
!. The operation Of American ships
.bo foreign trade practicable.
Tbere arc two shipyards IN th'
Itsd States which have sufhcieh
ssitv 20 build al the tonnage neees'
: Tor the coastwise trade for an IN,
',te period. What will become o.
o,beI ten leading shipyards' not e
r,iop a large number Of marine re
I yards dependent upon shipping "
FOREIGN trade, Is q matter or serl'
eopeern 20 the workmcn and own
OF these plants. mn.
adequate shipouilulnl
.litles in this country II IS easy 70
. What will become Of our means
7 nstional defense on the seas