HARLAND-WOLFF'S YARDS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 209, 3 September 1919, Page 7

HARLAND-WOLFF'S YARDS

PURCHASES ON THE CLYDE. LONDON, September 2. The firm of llarland and Wolff, Ltd.. of Belfast, has acquired the business of 1). and VV. Henderson and Co., Ltd., and A. and .T. lnglis, Ltd., two of the biggest shipbuilders on the Clyde. The firm of llarland and Wolff is now tho biggest shipbuilding firm in the world. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)

The story of the creation of the great | shipbuilding firm of llarland and Wolff, properly told, would be an epic of modern industry. The founder of the firm, | Sir Edward llarland. was a man of orig- ! inal genius, of bold initiative, and great capacity in the selection of assistants, i AVitli his partner Wolff he decided that ! ;i mudbank in the North of Ireland was the idc.il site for a shipbuilding yard. It seemed a crazy decision. Ireland produced none of the ingredients necessary for the construction of steamships. Irishmen had never shown much capacity for t'.ie building of ships: neither had i Ireland ever created a great merchant marine. Neither skilled labour, capita! nor raw materials were to be found in ; I'elfast when Sir Edward Hnrland de--1 rided to enter into competition with the Clyde, the Tyne, and the Tees, which | had everything needed close to their | back door. Orpheus with his lute made j trees and the mountain tops that freeze | move hither and thither at his will. Not | less marvellous was the magic by which. as by the wand of an enchanter, men jaud money, coal and iron, hastened to j the mudbank on Queen's Island, from [ which access to the sea had to bo gained jby an artificial channel. They began in j 185!) with a stall of 44 men and an acre- ; age of ."i" 1 acres. When the war broke I out their yard covered SO acres, and found employment for 14,000 men. Dur- . insr the war period it was several times .extended, and this has been followed by the absorption of some of the biggest ! shipyards of the Clyde. Lord Firrie is the managing director of this great concern.

DESTRUCTION OF ZEPPELINS. ALLIES TO INQUIRE. LONDON, September 2. The Allied authorities are inquiring as to the truth of the report of tho. destruction of- Zeppelins in Germany, which has not yet been officially confirmed.—(A. and' N.Z. Cable.)

PERSHING'S RETURN. PARIS, September 2. Oeneral Pershing and his staff have sailed for America. — (A. and N.Z.)