WORLDS GREATEST SHIPYARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1918, Page 6

WORLDS GREATEST SHIPYARD.

A shipyard, claimed to be the largest in the world, at present under construction 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 commercial possibilities, and suggested the visions of Jules Verne rather tlian the plans of sane business men. ¥et it is now in a fail way of accomplishment so that we may accept the estimate of CO ships be-, ing built simultaneously while 28 others are bshg fitted out at seven piers each of a length of 1000 ft. When that stage is reached there will be a launc'l 1 every other day, either of a 7500-tou cargo ship, or of an 8000-ton combined troop and cargo beat. When we consider ho*.v steadily we are tightening our control on the" Ggvmaflf submarine and study the decreasing tale oc its successes, the significance of this great output will be the better realised. To complete 4000 tons of plates and frames each day would be beyond the possibilities of the site, although its covers 840 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 •20 days. Even with this assistance the place is a busy hive. Barracks have been erected for 0000 men, the remainder being drawn from outside. Within five months of commencing operations 26,000 men were employed on the construction of the yard. Sewerage, w&ter supply, and lire-lighting appliances have been provided, besides canteens, classifying yards, and stores. The site is on Hog Island, just outside Philadelphia, on the Delaware River, and is well inland, away from possible enemy attack.