GREAT BRITAIN AS A SHIPBUILDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 6 April 1907, Page 2

GREAT BRITAIN AS A SHIPBUILDER.

Grljat Britain stands supreme as shipbuilder, and Germany and America challenge her in a feeble way. The latter countries have increased their output. at a relatively faster rate than the United Kingdom, but their output last year was only 759,317 tons >. . as against 1,828,348 tons by British builders. These figures do not include warships, of which 363,000 tons displacement were launched last year. The bulk of the tonnage built in Great Britain was for home or colonial use, only 17 per cent being for foreign customers. Of the latter, Germany took first place, with 104,200 tons, Norway coming next with 71,500 tons, and South Ameiica third with 40,100 tons. The features of the year’s building were the increasing size of steamers and the growing use of the turbine. In 1906 six steamers of over 10,000 tons each were launched, and there are at present thirty-five vessels of 6000 tons and upwards in course of construction, of which twelve are over 10,000 tonseach. The average of the six launched last year was 20,500 tons. Twelve ships in which- the turbine method of propulsion was adopted were launched in 1906, the average tonnage being 7200, and there are at present on the stocks two large express liners and seven merchant craft which are to be fitted with turbine engines. A summary of the world’s mercantile tonnage shows that after allowing for vessels removed from the register through various causes, 2,158,000 tons of shipping were added to the quantity afloat. Sailing tonnage has been reduced by 177,000 tons, whilst steamers have increased by 2,335,000 tons. As compared with the net increase for the world, the net gain for the United Kingdom is 36 per cent.