SHIPPING DECLINE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 8

SHIPPING DECLINE.

LLOYD'S REGISTER AND 19D9 •OUTPUT. The annual shipbuilding returns issued in connection with Lloyd's Register'.of British and Foreign Shipping show that during 1909, exclusive of warships', 526 vessels of 991,060.' ton's gross (viz., 465 steamers of 972,799 tons, and CI sailing vessels of 13,267 tons) were launched in the United Kingdom. The warships launched at both Government and private yards amount; t0.42 of 126,230 tons displacement. The total output of the United Kingdom for the year was, tbere j fore 568 vessels of 1,117,296 tons. V

The output of mercantile tonnage in the United Kingdom during 1909 shows an increase of 61,397 tons on that of last year. It is, however, tho lowest total recorded by the society, for twelve years, with the exception of 1908. As regards war vessels, the total for: the year is 52,044 tons more than in 1908. Practically the whole of tho tonnage launched was built of steel, and over 98 per cent, was composed of steam tonnage. Of the total output, 75 3-5 per cent.; or 749,221 tons (738,142 steam tons.and 11,079 sailing tons), has been built for registration in the United Kingdom. The sailing tonnage of the United Kingdom would appear to have decreased by about 111,000 tons, and the steam tonnage to have increased by 133,000 tons. The net increase of United Kingdom tonnage at the end of last year is, therefore, about 27,000 tons, as compared with the following:— ; . Tons. 1906 (the highest figures on record). 764,000 1907 .■ '. .' 426,800 1908 „■ 169.000 The smallness. of the increase for 1909 is to be ascribed to the very large amount of old tonnage which has been sold foreign, or broken up. Launched for Oversea States. As in 1908,. the British oversea States and colonies have. provided the largest amount of work 1 for the shipbuilders of the .United .Kingdom, viz., 70 vessels of 60,027 tons (6 per cent, of the total putput). . Holland, occupies tie second position with 26,639, tons, being followed by Norway (19,173 .tons), -Belgium . (15.076 tons), Brazil ..(17,851 tons), and Sweden (17,219 tons). . . . . ■ ' At the. present time, there are.under construction 37 vessels of 6000 tons and upwards,'of which eight are of over 10,000 ..tons :ie'achi'\ The average tonnage of steamers launched in the United. Kingdom' last year was 2092 tons; and of these, vessels 16 are capable of a speed of 17. knots and .above, the fastest being'the turbine yacht Winchester (26 knots). The fastest., merchant vessels were steamers intended for Channel service (two turbine •and . three twin-screw vessels),' all ..of which.attain the high, speed of 22 knots. 1 The Glasgow, district, occupies the .first place among- the principal shipbuilding centres of Britain, a?; will be seen from the following^T.ons.. '\ Glasgow ................. ; 204,451.. Newcastle ...... „. 182,235 ' Greenock ...:.. .'.: 167,658 Sunderland 132,871 Belfast ■„'.. 118,295 Middlesbrough- ...._ .'.. -62,492 Hartlepool ....;.......... ....;.... 57,712 The warship tonnage is as follows: — . .'- . Tons. ' 'Barrow .........:.......„............... 46,450 i Portsmouth ..V.'......._.:..J ".38,650 ..'Glasgow ..'..■.....j.i....:.'.........:;...., 16,290. '•■- Among - foreign • countrios, the. leading places are .held "as follows:—. '-- v •• . '•:■■' ; .'• . Tons.''.. ' "United States '209,604'. Germany ...........;■:..... 128,696 Holland ....„:.....:. 59,106 Japan ...;......:...... ..:......... . 53,319 France 42,197 Italy .:........ 31,217; The total output of war.vessels (109 of 278,245. tons displacement) shows an increase of about 43,000 tons displacement on the .figures for i.the preceding- year. .

General' Increase. A comparison of'the output in- the United..'Kingdom and abroad ■ shows".thM' a considerable increase, as compared with the 1908 figures, is' recorded in the case of. nearly every . country, and is especi-' ally noticeable, in 'France (over 49' per cent.), Germany (nearly .40 per • cent.), and the United States (over 31 per cent.). On the other hand, the tonnage launched* in the United Kingdom shows, as previously stated, an advance of 61,397 tons (or 8.6 per cent.) on' the output for 1908. Of the tonnage. launched last year, the United Kingdom has acquired nearly 47 per cent. Of the total'merchant tonnage output of the world ..during-, the. .year nearly.62 per cent, was "launched in the United. Kingdom; but'if only sea-going merchant steamers of 3000 tons gross and upwards be taken into account, out of the total of 180 such steamers, of 892,078 tons, launched in the world,-' nearlv 75 " per 'cent, of the tonnage has been launched m the United Kingdom.' The total'output of the world during 1909 (exclusive of. warships) . appears- ..to -have been 1,602,057 tons (1,537,570-steam, 64.487 sail). Ihe net increase of the world's mercantile tonnage at the end of .1909 in thus about? 734,000 tons. Sailing tonnage has been reduced by 199,000 tons, while steam tonnage has increased by 933,000 tons.,