The World's Shipping.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 92, 22 April 1904, Page 3

The World's Shipping.

The shipbuilding record of the year, 3 903 contains' information of particular interest. Tho Glasgow JJerald, an unquestionable authority 011 the subject, credits the American Shipbuilding Company with the production of a larger number of ships during" the year tlvau any other concern in the world. One of the American Company's principal yards is on the Calumet Kiver at South Chi- j c«go. The company operates alio- ! gether seven yn-rds at various ports on the great Jakes, and the (Mas- | gow Herald's record shows that from them were produced forty-six vessels with an tonnage of 166,288. The next concern in rank is the firm of llarland and Wolff, of Belfast, which built eight vessels during the year with an aggregate tonnage of lift/KM. This comparison 's hardly fair to the Irish builders, the American Company being a combination of firms ami operating seven yards to one at Belfast. It may be stated, however, that the South Chicago yards alone produced nine vessels 'during the year. In the preceding year the American Company completed 43 vessels of 198,500 net tonnage, but it should be understood that, while the figures published by the Herald cover the calendar year 1903 the reports of the American Company cover the fiscal year ended Jime 30. The number of vessels launched all over tho world in 1903 was 2141, with a tonnage of 2,679.531* and an indicated horse power of 2,352.485. The number of vessels was 'lB more than were launched in 1902, but the tonnage was less by 36.139. A division of these total figures shows an overwhelming predominance of Great Britain's interests in l?ie shipbuilding industry. Considerably more than half the total tonnage of the world was produced within the United Kingdom. England 'turned out 871 vessels of 766.295 tons. Scotland 362 vessels of 4&1.853 tons, and Ireland twenty-five vessels of 1158,482 tons. With the single exception of the T T nited plates, no country outside of tlie I'nited Kingdom produced an aggregate lonnage during the year equal to that ol'the Clyde alone. On the Clyde were built 277 vessels, with a total of 446,869 tons. Grouping 1 the principal shipbuilding districts- of Great Britain alon.g with the leading foreign countries, the record {shows:— I'iorse-

I Vossols. Tons.' iio\v».t 1 United State!! 188 493,144 1834.390 The Civile ... 277 406,8<>9 155,221 The Tvnc ... 149 202,794 2M,40;> Oermany ... 271 201,001! 15'7,225 The Wear ... 60 189,839 IS • .4<>o Tees and ITarl le pool ... \ 07 171,304 89',040 In 1902 Uk! order ran : liivt? the Clyde, then t] re T.yne. the Vii-Ued Slates, (iermai iv, the Wear, a nil the Tees and liar llepool. The I'nr.ted States wertl frc >m third place to according to 11, lis grouping.