Evening star., 1947-04-06
Britain Mol
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Outdistances u. S.,
By Making Nine
to Our One

- 4SA0NAAA6 NAAAS
to Our One
By George Tacksr
NEW YORK.--British shipyards
outbuilt United States yards two to
one last year and currently are OUT
stripping the Americans at the rate
of nine to one.
They are cashing in on the post
war demand for bottoms by o sus-
tained building program which saw
them turn out more than half OF q
world total Of TAT ocean-going ships
launched In 1915, more than twice
the number produced by the United
States.
Statistics released by Lloyd's Reg
lister In London few days ago said
that British and Irish yards pro-
duced ships last year totaling 1.1SS,-
245 gross tons while American yards
built only 5o1,2S4 gross tons. Swe-
den, Canada, Italy, Spain and Den
mark followed the United States In
that order.
U. s. Policy Criticized.
That Britain's long-range build
ing program, financed by private
initiative. is running away from
United States competition Is en-
phasized by disclosure that British
builders currently have 40 ocean
going ships on the ways, whereas
United States yards haye 10.
Appointment recently by the
White House OF q high-level advisory
committee to study merchant ma
rine needs and make recommends
tions is expected TO result In CO.
ordinated long-range shipbuilding
program, something the United
states never has had In peacetime.
Heretofore. almost al United
States shipbuilding has been spo-
radio, or geared to national emer-
gencies.
War Records Recalled.
In the year that World War I
began, the United States built only
"a ships, but turned out $50 In 1919.
In 1889 this country built 28 ships.
Under the urgency Of war, produc-
ton by 1914 had climbed to 1853.
The United States emerged from
the war with the biggest feet Of
ocean-going vessels in history.
Under United States registry on vi
day were $500 ships. 81 per cent Of
all the sea-going ships IN the world.
The great bulk Of these, however.
were cargo ships and tankers, and
there was dangerous deficit in
passenger ships.
This deficit was highlighted by
recent disclosure that only 81 pas
senger ships Of all types are now
under United States registry, and
many Of these are undergoing re-
conversion and are unavailable for
duty.
Actually, as this Is written, only
2l passenger ships are In opera
ton under the American flag. They
have total capacity Of 1850 pas
sengers. In 1899 the United States
had 162 passenger ships in opera
ton, with capacity of 56,518 pas
sengers.
One United States Liner.
Today only one United States pas
senger liner-the Americas com
peting with British and Scandinavia
an luxury liners in the vital North
Atlantic run.
Shipping executives say foreign
nations are taking full advantage
of this merchant marine crisis which
was brought to head last sum-
mer by cancellation OF plans for
construction of nine superliners
and a replacement program Of 30
cargo vessels annually.
Reason given for the cancella-
ton were lack Of materials and an
economy drive which came as .
prelude to the 1946 elections.
Only 10000 workers are currently
employed in private United States
shipyards, 40 per cent Of whom are
engaged in repair work.
Meanwhile, British and Irish
yards "have taken the competitive
advantage" one United States ship
builder said. 'They have 429 ships
on the way, aggregating 1880, TOO
gross tons, and are turning out
passenger ships right and left"
OF the 40 ocean-going vessels the
United States is building today,
seven are passenger ships. In addi-
ton this country is at work on 22s
tugs, barges, and miscellaneous aux
iliary craft with an aggregate OF
1000 gross tons.
Sees Bleak Future.
THE shipping industry in this
country Is virtually on the rocks,
]. M. Willis, general manager Of
Bethlehem Steels shipbuilding df-
vision, declared. Unless there Ii
Qualification in the Governments
program, 1t is almost certain that
when 1s4s begins there will be no
merchant shipbuilding In any
shipyard in the United States"
The tragedy" of sporadic fieet
building, according to study Of the
merchant marine problem by the
Harvard Business School, Is that
fleets which are built as q unit de-
cay the same way.
Fleets must reproduce them.
selves -. If no ships are built be-
cause the country has more than II
can use, the art Of shipbuilding and
ship designing 80 can soon be lost"
The Harvard report declared that
continued operations OF shipyards