SHIPBUILDING IN JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 239, 6 October 1916, Page 7

SHIPBUILDING IN JAPAN.

YARDS BTTSY. ORDERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. INCREASING TRADE. Japan is not satisfied with*having captured such a great amount of the Pacific and Oriental trade, and with, having drawn to her owners a large amount of merchant tonnage during the past two years. She now comes forward as being at ihe present time, one of the larger shop-building nations of the world. In Hongkong, Kobe and Yokohama and Shanghai the shipbuilders are exceedingly busy, and the following details of the existing conditions in this important trade will be of interest. Various trade journals and companies' catalogues and other such publications provide the figures and other information. SHIPS FOR OTHER COUNTRIES. In addition to the large demands of her own companies. Japan is accepting orders from. Norway, China and Great Britain, This is because of thle Norwegian yards being busy executing orders for European countries. They have been obliged, therefore, to go to Japan for their own tonnage. It is stated by one journal that Japan will go on building ships until she dominates the Pacific trade. In addition to regular liners, subsidised and unsubsidised, a statement by the Director of the Bureau of Sbip-| ping Affairs showed that there are -72 tramp steamers of more than 1,000 tons burden each under the Japanese flag. Of these 112 are operated by their owners, and 160 chartered. Of tie entire number of Japanese trampships S4 are engaged on ocean trade as follows:—European routes. U ships, tonnage 57-515; North American routes. 34 ships,tonnage 129.535 ; Australian routes, 4 ships. tonnase. 11.700: Indian routes. 17 ships. tonnage 56.-' 560; South Sea. 12 ships, tonnage 36,251. The remaining ISS tramp steamers are employed in the Japanese coastwise trade. SHIPBUILDING. The Japanese shipbuilders suffer an extreme shortage of materials, according to a recent exchange, though in spite of this the industry has grown to a great extent. The number of docks for ships of 1,000 tons and upward has grown from eighteen to thirty-seven. Shipbuilding mechanics in Japan number about 40.000. The demand for skilled workmen has gone up considerably, and since April last the wages paid have increased 10 per cent.

SUBSIDIES TO COMPANIES. During the fiscal ypar ended March 31. 1916. the Japanese Government paid out in subsidies for shipbuilding. 757,600 dollars.