Show united states Is expanding new Merchant Marme Marine will launch two ships every week day in 1942 released by western newspaper union washington america cradle of democracy is busy these days with new cradles being built for her growing fleet of merchant vessels from washington to california from florida to maine and all along the gulf coast the rocks and rills resound to the beat of ri hammers on steel giant cranes whine while dark hulls form shapes on ways cuddling in a forest of scaffolding with a goal of 1383 freighters tankers and passenger cargo by the end of 1943 the shipbuilding ship building program under the direction of the united states maritime commission is now in full swing it will bear a cost well over officials say in a matter of a few months ships will be launched at the rate of two each day creation of this new ship armada will they point out accomplish three major objectives it will bring vital defense cargoes to the U S from far flung sources carry sorely needed war material to nations fighting the enemies of democracy and when pe peace ace returns present this country with the maritime supremacy of the days when the proud clipper ships of the U S ploughed sloughed hed the waves of all important sea lanes new liberty fleet first of the new liberty fleet ships the S S patrick henry slid down the ways recently followed on the same day by 13 other vessels in a mass launching from 11 ports on two oceans built under the auspices of the U S maritime commission a day was set aside for the launching of these 14 ocean liners preceded by an address by president roosevelt in celebration of americas shipbuilding ship building program A few days before this event the ton battleship massachusetts was launched at quincy mass symbolic of the speed with which the U S is increasing her naval forces was the action of the shipyard in laying the keel of the new ton light cruiser flint one minute and 23 seconds after the huge warship had left her ways free lor for another vessel the massachusetts was completed seven months ahead of schedule at present 93 merchant ships are scheduled for the maritime commission and other owners while in the last war the output of merchantman merchantmen merchant men was even more prodigious it came too late to be of much use twenty three hundred ships from the great yard of hog island near philadelphia with 50 ways and from scores of other yards never saw caw wartime war time service they became tied up in a ghost fleet after the war because most of them were too slow to compete with the fast mer chantlen chant men launched by old world neighbors fighting for trade old ship valuable As the present conflict spread thesel the these seU U S ships literally became worth their weight in gold in this mechanized war planes and ships are most in demand F for or nearly two decades american seafaring traditions rotted with the hulks moored in new world waters in one five year period between 1922 and 27 only two ocean going freighters were launched in this country F above Is shown the S S sea arrow the first major merchant ship launched on the west coast since the first world war it slid down the creased ways on september 15 1939 at oakland calif |