Show MAY SOON LEAD LEADIN IN SH SHIPBUILDING United States to Surpass All Previous Previous Previous Pre Pre- Records Made by b Y YAny Any y Nation PROGRAM TO BE EXPANDED One Thousand Wooden Ships of About Tons Each Contracted For For For- May Use Lake Vessels for Deep Sea New York The The of first-of the tine wooden fleet neet to bridge the Atlantic will probably probably ably be launched on the tine Passaic river at Newark N. N J J. about August 1 It will be followed by others at nt dozens of yards in different sections of the country until the government program program pro pro- gram of 1000 wooden vessels of about tons each is completed It Is likely this program will be steadily expanded expanded ex ex- also if tho the war val continues to tora ra rage e. e In addition to the tons of the government carrying fleet more than thun tons of steel or pr wooden merchant vessels are ure being built or have been contracted for to be built in American shipyards Should the present movement continue continue con con- the tine United States will soon be bethe bethe the leading shipbuilding nation of the world indeed it will surpass all previous previous pre pre- records by any nation Including vessels built for American owners foreign owners undisclosed owners and builders' builders accounts adapted for deep deCI sea service It is estimated that there are 44 In course cours of ot eon con con construction or contracted for with an un estimated ton tonnage of at These e figures are exclusive of ships under construction for foJ the navy department tn t oil and molasses tankers vess vessels ls constructed constructed con con- for use on the Great Lakes rind and those under GOO tons May Use Lake Vessels Of this amount of tonnage more mot than tons already have been launched about tons aro are sched ched- scheduled i led to be launched this spring about tons to be launched during the summer ummer about tons launched next fall more than tons launched next winter and more mOle titan than tons launched and completed In 1018 Of or the tine vessels built for lor service on the Great Grent Lakes approximately tons a number of ot these could In an nn emergency be used for deep sea sen commerce com com- merce One of the largest of the new plants will be built for the Baltimore Dry DryDock DryDock DryDock Dock and Shipbuilding company The plans tall call c for tor the construction of one of the largest shipbuilding and repair plants on the Atlantic coast Th The Ther company has lIns an nu option on a site at nt Baltimore The new plant will cost more than and and r d will furnish employment to 2000 additional men On April 1 of this year there were in the United States shipyards marIne marine marine ma ma- rine engine and boiler shops and repair plants Including dry docks and marine railways Some Idea Iden of what the shipbuilding capacity of Great Grent Britain Is may be bo gleaned from the fact that Hlat at the tine beginning be bei ginning of the tine war exclusive of th plants In her colonies she had shipyards marine engine and boiler shops while her repair plants Included Included In In- chided dry docks and marine rail rail- wa ways Since the first of the year orders for new ships have swamped the builders TIle The Bethlehem Steel company in its various subsidiary yards Is building more than vessels In the tine case cuse of the tine Hanlon Dry Dock and Shipbuilding company of Oakland Cal on January 1 Its employees numbered numbered numbered num num- It has inns so many contracts for vessels now that It Is enlarging Its plant to such an nn extent that by June 1 lit It will wm have hn 2500 men at nt work To Build 1000 Ships On April 13 35 shipbuilders called at atthe atthe atthe the offices of the tine federal shipping board at nt Washington and signed contracts for a n large number of the 1000 wooden vessels of tons each which the United States government under the direction of Maj 1 Gen George W. W Goethals will have constructed There has been leased to the the government gOY gov- and to the Foundation company compan company com com- of land In the pany pan a n tract of ot 55 acres Newark Meadows with a frontage of 1050 1650 feet on the tine Passaic river tor for the location of an nn Immense shipyard The Foundation company has hus received received re re- re- re a large contract for the tine constructIon construction construction con con- of the tine fleet of ships for the American merchant marine Under the tho company's contract the first vessels must be completed by August 1 of this year After this date the company expects to turn out one ship every ten days s The Tine second vessels vessels ves ves- sels sets should be finished by August 11 the th-e third August 21 and so on as the contract states as Has long as ns the war shall last Incidental to the building of the Goethals fleet of wooden ships It was learned that the he government is cornering cornering cor cor- nering the product of big lumber mills roms all over the country It Is understood that the federal authorities have requisItioned requisitioned feet from the tine Southern mills alone principally Georgia Florida and Louisiana yellow pl pine e. e All AU vessels bun building ding In American yards regardless of whether for foreIgn foreign foreign for for- eign owners undisclosed owners or builders builders' accounts can be taken over overby overby overby by this government In time of war |