AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 1 February 1918, Page 4

AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING.

"Shipbuilding is the. most important industry in the world to-day __ surpassing every other, at least for" the time being, in its vital relations to tho continuance of commerce and of civilisation throughout the world." This rS the statement of an American exchange (just to hand), which supplies several interesting facts in connection therewith. The work of the re-organ-ised American Federal Shipping Board was beginning to show results (December), as 1,039 cargo vessels wero then under construction, with more to come. ;Jn September the world's available tonnage amounted to 25,077,000 in the Atlantic and 4,500,000 in tho I'acinc. The United Kingdom came first with 13,-100,000 in the Atlantic and 1,100,000 in the Pacific. The United States came next with 2,000,000 in the Atlantic, and 400,000 in tho Pacific. According to the latest estimates prepared in December, after a thorough survey •of all American shipping, both coastwise- and inland, America then had 458 ships over 1500 tons deadweight capacity, suitable for foreign service. Tho average tonnage of these vessels totalled 2,871,35!) deadweight tons. There were, in addition, 117 German and Austrian merchant' ships which had been taken over by" the Govern-! niont, and these meant an added 700,285 tons. Combining these figures with the tonnage of vessels under construction for the Shipping Board, it gave a total of 1614 ships of 9,490,344 deadweight tons that should be available in America for international commerce at tho close of the present year, less such losses as might occur during the intervening months.