The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the Most Coast Times.) FRIDAY, SEPT. 7th, 1923. SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY AT HOME.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the Most Coast Times.) FRIDAY, SEPT. 7th, 1923. SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY AT HOME.

Tin: slight improvement in tho shipbuilding industry of Great Britain and Ireland, which the “Engineering” Journal was alble to record when dealing with the figures for the first quarter of this vo ar has not been maintained during the quarter last completed. Statistics issued bv Lloyd's Register show that the tonnage in hand in Britain, has declined from 1,492,138 on March 31 to 1,337,759 on June 30, the difference of 154,379 tons representing a drop of about- 10 per cent. As compared with the figures for June 30 last year, which was 1,919,504 tons, the difference amounts to 581,745 tons—a reduction of over 30 per cent. There is still a certain amount of tonnage in the yards on which work hns been suspended, the actual figure being about 130,000 tons, and subtracting the latter from the tonnage now classed as under construction, leaves us

with less than 1.208,000 tons upon which work is actually in progress. - This it may be remarked, is 682,000 tons, or 36 per cent., less than the average figure for the four quarters immediately preceding the war, this figure being 1,800,000 tons. The tonnage launched during the Juno quarter amounted to 239,373 which is a little higher than the figure of 228,371 tons for the March quaiter. Of more importance, from the point of view of tile immediate future of the industry, is however, the tonnage cf vessels tjrnvmenccd. In this respect the June quarter compares unfavourably with the March quarter, the figures being 241,283 tons and 355,203 tons, respectively. The work put in hand during the June quarter is thus 113,920 tons less than that commenced in the previous quarter, the difference amounting to 32 per cent of the total for the March quarter. The tonnage commenced during the last quarter, it may be added, constitutes only 16 per cent of the work in hand on March 31. The tonnage now building in Great Britain and Ireland comprises 334 yessels, of which 267, makiii, 1,111,000 tons arc* steamers, fortyeiglic, with an aggregate tonnage of 221,271, are motor vessels, while the remainder consists ol nineteen sailing ships, and barges, which only account for 5185 tons between them. AA’itli regard to motor ships, it is interesting to note that the tonnage of this class of vessel under construction has increased during the past year Irom 129,134 at tlio end of June, 1922, to the figure given above, the difleronro of 92,140 tons being an increase, of over 71 per cent. Two of the motor snips now building are large vessels, one exceeding 20.000 tons and the other exceeding 15,000 tons. Of the largo steamers now building, six are of over 10,000 tons and under 12,000 tons, five of over 12,000 tons and under .■>,ooo tons, six of over 15,000 tons and under 20,000 tons, six of over 20,(XX) and under 25,000 tons, while one vessel exceeds tlio last mentioned ligme. Tne tanker tonnage in hand has declined during the quarter from 137,520 at the end of March to 102,836 on June 30, and these figures, it should be explained do not include vessels ol less than 1000 tons.