WORLD’S GREATEST SHIPYARD

Taihape Daily Times, 2 October 1918, Page 6

WORLD’S GREATEST SHIPYARD

A shipyard, claimed to be the largest ? in the world, at present under con- • struction in the United States, is described by an English technical | journal as follows :-A shipyard capable of having 50 ships on the stocks at the same time was a thing quite undreamed of until last year. It lay entirely outside of practical commer- ! dal possibilities and suggested the visions of Jules Ycrne rather than the plans of sane business men. Yet it is now* in a fair way of accomplishment, so that we may -accept the estimate of 50 ships being built simultaneously while 28 others are be- I ing fitted out at seven piers each of a ] length of 1000 ft. When that stage is | reached there will be a launch every other day, either of a. 7500-ton cargo ship, or of an 8000 ton combined troop and cargo boat.. When we consider how steadily we are tightening our control on the German submarine and study the decreasing - tale of its successes, the significance of this groat output will be the the better realised. To complete 4000 tons of plates and frames each day would be beyond the possibilities of the site, although it covers 846 acres and extends over two miles of river front. The various parts of the vessels are being “ fabricated” all over the United States at 3500' different works, some of them so remote that the average journey is no less than 10 days. Even with this assistance the place is a busy hive. Barracks have been erected for 6000 men, the remainder being drawn from outside Within five months of commencing operations 26,000 men were employed on the construction of the 1 yard. Sewerage, water supply, and fire-fighting appliances hare he!en provided, besides canteens, classifying yards and stores. The site is on Hog Island, just outside Philadephia, on the Delaware River, and is well inland away from possibly enemy attack