BRITISH SHIPBUILDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 68, 19 March 1908, Page 7

BRITISH SHIPBUILDING.

The annual summary of shipbuilding at home and abroad, prepared by Lloyd's -Renter shows that during 1907, exclusive "of warships.. 341 vessels of 1,607 ; 89Q tens "rose (viz.. 752 steamers of 1,581,521 ton=and S9 sailing vessels of 2U.3C9 tons), were launched in the United Kingdom. Ihe warships launched at both Government and private yards amounted to 36 o f 134.475 tons displacement. The total output' of the United Kingdom for the Tear, therefore, was 577 vessels ot 1,/42,----*3CS tons. The output of mercantile tonnage' in the United Kingdom during 1907 showed a decrease of about 220,200 tons oa that of the previous rear, which was the highest on recoid. As regards -war vessel;? however, the total for 1907 was "60-25 tons more than in 1906. Over 89Vper cent, of the tonnage launched W as ouilt of steel, and 98 1-3 per cent. Tva= composed of steam tonnage. The fiCTUr « for sailing vessels included an oil fcjr-re of 7700 tons. Of the total output, COper cent., or 1.059.319 tons (1.046,692 steam tons and 12.627 sailing tons), -wera built for resist ration in the United Kingdom. The bailing tonnage of the United kingdom decreased by about 102.000 tons, andVne steam tonnage increased by 528,SOO tons. The not iucrease of United fcinsdom tonnage during 1907 therefore ■tra/ about 426.500 tou>. The tonnage launched for abroad during 1007 reached 545.571 tons, and was the highest on record, beins 34 per cr-nt of total output. At the present time there are under construction 32 vessels of b'ooo tons and upwards, of which 10 are of over 10.000 tons eat-h. The output of the world durins 1907 (exclusive of warships) nppearsto have been 2.775.03S tons (2.052,----434 steam. 12.5.6.34 sail). Lloyd's Register wreck returns for recent years show that the tonnage of all nationalities totally lost, broken up. etc., in the course cf 12 months amounts to about 794.000 (458.000 steam. 306.000 sail). The neti increase of the world's mercantile tonnage during 1007 is thus about 1.954.500. Pailine tonnage has b£<?n reduced by ISO.----000. while steam tonnage has increased, by 2..164..500.