SHIPBUILDER V. SUBMARINE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3054, 16 April 1917, Page 5

SHIPBUILDER V. SUBMARINE

■' ■ ~; —r*~ —" ■ '■■'■■"^■'■■■\ One-half of the total tonnage of the Pritiisli • merchant marine,, has been withdrawn for war purposes'and the; losses , of the other half, by minei tor- . .pedo and submarine, have, increased to. a point at which it becomes necessary: : for Groat Britain to , make good the loss by building new ships, as expedi--, tiously and in such numbers' as may be necessary. Numerous, orders have . already been placed for a now stand- ■ ardised type of ship of about' nine thousand tons dead weight. These cargo boats will'be, single deck, of simple and inexpensive specification, and both hull and engines, are standardised. , ; Orders.for twenty have been given on the Clyde and about fifty in all have ■ been contracted for. As completed ' tfco' vessels will be. taken over by the Admiralty and used for grain and food ■ carrying. Tho naval programme is about completed and British shipyards' can now turn their vast capacities to account in combating tlw • submarine menace by construction of merchant ships, -which it is admitted they are perfectly well able to do.