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1902.) MARINE REVIEW. WORLD'S SHIP BUILDING DURING I90I. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TOTALLY OF STEEL-- TENDENCY TOWARD LARGER SHIPS--UNITED KINGDOM CONTROLS NEARLY 45 PER CENT. OF THE NEW TONNAGE. According to Lloyds' returns there were launched in the United © Kingdom during 1901, exclusive of warships, 639 vessels of 1,524,739 tons gross, of which 591 were steamers of 1,501,078 tons and forty-eight were sailing vessels of 23,661 tons. The warships launched at both government and private yards number forty-one of 211,269 tons displacement. The total output of the United Kingdom for the year has, therefore, been 680 vessels of 1,736,708 tons. As regards both merchant ships and warships, the output of the year in the United Kingdom has surpassed all previous records of Lloyds' register. The returns of mercantile tonnage launched in 1899 and 1900, which were themselves unprecedented, have now been exceeded by 108,000 tons and 82,000 tons respectively. For warships, the highest total hitherto reported, viz., 191,000 tons, which was reached in 1898, is less by 20,000 tons than the figures for 1901. The output of 1901 is almost entirely composed of steam tonnage. In 1889, 10 per cent. of the output was composed of sailing tonnage. . For the four following years (1890 to 1893), the proportion rose to 19 per cent. After that period, the construction of sailing vessels rapidly declined, until in 1899 sailing tonnage formed less than 0.14 per cent. of the output. During 1900 and 1901 there has been some recovery, and the percentage of sailing tonnage now stands at 1.5 per cent. As regards the material employed for ship building purposes in 1901, it is found that over 99.8 per cent. of the tonnage has been built of steel. Of the total output, 1,149,306 steam tons and 18,496 sailing tons, or 1,167,- 802 tons in all (nearly 77 per cent.) belong to ports in the United King- dom. In this connection, it may be noted that the losses, etc., of United Kingdom vessels during twelve months are shown by Lloyds' register wreck returns to average 279,000 tons (205,000 steam, 74,000 sail). Sales to foreign and colonial owners for the twelve months ended November, 1901, reached a total of 404,000 tons (830,000 steam, 74,000 sail). On the other hand, purchases from foreign and colonial_owners during the same period amounted to. 58,000 tons (45,000 steam, 13,000 sail). The sailing , tonnage of the United Kingdom would thus appear to have decreased by about 116,000 tons, while the steam tonnage has increased by 659,000 tons. . The net increase of United Kingdom tonnage during 1901 is therefore about 543,000 tons. This figure exceeds all similar estimates since 1892. For the last three years the estimated increases were as follows: 1898, 327,000 tons; 1899, 313,000 tons; 1900, 220,000 tons. In 1901, as in 1900, about 23 per cent. of the total output has been built to the order of foreign and colonial ship owners, as compared with 19 per cent. in 1899, 22 per cent. in 1898, and 25 per cent. in 1897. As was also the case in 1899 and 1900, Germany has this year provided the largest amount of work for British ship builders, twenty-two vessels of 83,432 tons (nearly 5.5 per cent. of the total output) having been built for that country. Austria-Hungary follows with twenty vessels of 64,374 tons. Next come Holland with 61,888 tons; the British colonies. with 28,569 tons; Russia with 25,684 tons; and France with 20,609 tons. The annual ship building statistics of Lloyds' register during recent years have illustrated the steady tendency towards the construction of. vessels of large tonnage. In 1892, thirty-seven steamers were launched in the United Kingdom of 4,000 tons and above; in 1895, fifty; in 1898, 83; in 1900, 125; and in 1901 the number has risen to 140. Among these last are eight vessels exceeding 10,000 tons, viz.: Tons gross. Tons gross. WellC 2... ceo ieee: 20,904 Noordam =. 04-6... .5.0.. 12,340 MARDATORKA cin os ce ss es 13,400 Rifnoagt © 3. 12302 Walmer Castle.....%....2.¢ 12,570 Taveriord .64.56.050. 11,635 PUGH ee 12,500 WWECTION ocd esac cee 11,635 Three sailing vessels over 3,000 tons have been launched in the United Kingdom during 1901, viz.: Tons gross. Tons gross. Brilliante hos. Ge 3,765 Comet. .32.2534.405. 2. 3,014 Davoht cence ode eek oe 3,700 Of the principal ship building centers of the country, Newcastle takes ~ the lead, showing an output of 292,989 tons. Then follow in order Glas- gow (274,606 tons), Sunderland (268,069 tons), Greenock (163,816 tons), Middlesbro' (161,058 tons), Hartlepool (150,607 tons), and Belfast (149,- 705 tons). In warship tonnage the leading ports stand thus: Glasgow (60,200 tons), London (30,815 tons), and Barrow (26,700 tons). The returns for the year under review include eighty-two steam trawlers and other fishing vessels; fifty-four dredgers, barges, etc.; thirteen vachts; nineteen tugs; three vessels intended to carry oil in bulk; and other vessels designed for special service. As regards the movements of the ship building industry during the course of 1901, Lloyds' register returns show that, irrespective of warships, the total tonnage under construction in the United Kingdom on Dec. 31, 1901. exceeded that under construction twelve months previously by about 89,000 tons, or 7 per cent. At the close of 1900, 1,269,919 tons (1,256,119 steam, 13,800 sail), were being built. The returns for the March and June quarters of 1901 showed an increase of rather more than 30,000 tons on the December figures; and the returns for the September quarter (1,414,120 tons), showed the highest figures recorded in the history of the ship building industry. At the present time 1,359,205 tons (1,327,702 steam, 31,503 sail) are under construction in the United Kingdom. It should be added that the amount of warship tonnage under construction in the country is now smaller than it has been since December, 1897. The highest total recorded by Lloyds' register was reached in March, 1900, when 454,000 tons. displacement were in hand. The total is now 330,000 tons. There have been built outside of the United Kingdom during the year, 446 steamers of 800,849 tons and 453 sailing vessels of 291,951 tons, in addition to eighty-two war vessels of 255,000 tons displacement. Among these countries, the three leading places are held by the United States of America (433,000 tons), Germany (218,000 tons), and France (177,000 tons). Of the mercantile tonnage reported from the United States, a considerable proportion does not affect the general commerce of the world, being intended for service on the great lakes. As showing the size of vessels employed in that trade, it may be mentioned that sixteen steam- ers have been built for it during 1901 of upwards of 4,000 tons each. On the coast, fourteen steamers of over 4,000 tons each, two steel sailing vessels each about 3,300 tons, and six wooden sailing vessels of over 2,000 tons each, have been launched in 1901. Germany has launched the following steamers of large tonnage, viz.: Tons gross. Tons gross, Kronprinz Wilhelm ...... 14,908 Moltke (..5.55.55005. 12,372 Blttcher ...4..5.. 5. 2 12,372 _No very large sailing vessels are included in the output of Germany during the year, but it may be noted that a steel five-masted ship of 5,200 tons is being built on the Weser under the survey of Lloyds' register. In France, the construction of large steel sailing vessels has continued to flourish under the influence of the bounties granted by the state. Forty- nine such vessels, of 2,000 tons and upwards, have been launched during the year under review. The largest of these is the Leon Blum, of about 3,200 tons, built near Rouen. Some expansion is noticeable in the con- struction of steamers in France, the output being 53,000 tons in 1901, as: compared with only 20,000 tons in 1900. In Italy, the mercantile output of the year is 60,500 tons. There has been a considerable reduction in the tonnage on the stocks in Italy during the last two years. In December, 1899, the tonnage in hand amounted to 107,000 tons; in December, 1900, to 87,000 tons; it has since fallen to 61,000 tons. e The total output of the world during 1901 (exclusive of warships) appears to have been about 2,617,000 tons (2,302,000 steam, 315,000 sail). Lloyds' register wreck returns show that the tonnage of all nationalities totally lost, broken up, etc., in the course of twelve months amounts to about 746,000 tons (361,000 steam, 385,000 sail). It will thus be seen that, while the sailing tonnage of the world has been reduced by about 70,000 tons during 1901, the steam tonnage has been increased by about 1,941,000 tons. The net increase of the world's mercantile tonnage is, therefore, 1,871,000 tons. Compared with this net increase for the world, the net increase of 543,000 tons, as stated above, for the United Kingdom is equivalent to 29 per cent. In the net increase of the world's steam tonnage, viz., 1,941,000 tons, the United Kingdom has shared to the extent of 659,000 tons, or 34 per cent. Of the new tonnage launched during 1901, the United King- dom has acquired nearly 45 per cent. EXPORTiITRADE OF 1901. The export record of the calendar year 1901 is very satisfactory when its total is compared with that of 1900 or of any preceding year. While the apparent total falls about $12,000,000 below the figures of 1900, the fact that the export figures of 1901 do not contain any of the shipments from the United States to Porto Rico or Hawaii, which aggregated probably $30,000,000, shows that the grand total of shipments formerly classed as exports to foreign countries was in the year 1901 greater than in any pre- ceding year. While there was a reduction of $100,000,000 in the value of exports of certain great articles, notably corn, copper, cotton and iron and steel, there was a sufficient increase in other articles, notably wheat, flour, provisions and cotton manufactures, to practically offset this reduction. _ The reduction in exports of corn, as is well known, was due solely to the great shortage in the corn crop, the total figures of exports for the year being but $50,361,388, against $84,284,733 in 1900, a reduction in round terms of $34,000,000. In cotton, while there was an increase of 155,000,000 lbs. in the exportations, there was a decrease of $13,000,000 in value. Of copper, the exportations in 1901 were $33,534,899, against $57,542,610 in 1900, the decrease in quantity being proportionately about the same as that in value. In iron and steel there was a reduction of $27,000,000, the export figures for 1901 being $102,539,797 and in 1900, $129,633,480. This reduction in iron and steel exports was partly due to reduced prices and partly to a decrease in quantities exported. In locomotives the number exported showed an actual increase, while the value showed a decrease of about $400,000. In various other manufactures of iron and steel the reduc- tion in value was proportionately greater than the reduction in quantity, but there were material reductions in quantity in certain articles. Bars or rods of steel fell in exportations from 106,000,000 Ibs. to 79,000,000 Ibs.; steel rails, from 356,245 tons to 318,055 tons; wire nails, from 61,385,843 Ibs. to 42,050,602 lbs.; and steel sheets, from 101,995,225 Ibs. to 53,588,154 Ibs. Tin plate showed a material increase in exportations, though the quantity is as yet comparatively small, being in 1900 612,251 Ibs. and in 1901 983,383 lbs. Wire showed an increase from 174,751,042 Ibs. to 197,651,789 Ibs. Another indication that the reduction in the value of exports is due quite as much to a fall in prices as in quantity is found in the fact that while the quantity of refined mineral oil exported showed an increase of nearly 100,- 000,000 gallons, the value showed a decrease of about $1,000,000; the total exportations of refined mineral oil in the year amounted to 924,198,170 gallons, against 828,945,305 gallons in 1900; while the value in 1901 was $65,492,359, against $66,307,621 in 1900. ' The five principal articles which show a decrease are corn, iron and steel manufactures, copper, cotton and mineral oils; and of these cotton and mineral oils both show an actual increase in quantity though a de- crease in value. This aggregate of practically $100,000,000 reduction in the exports of these five articles is nearly offset by the increase in exports of wheat, provisions, live animals and cotton manufactures, cotton seed oil and oil cake and leather and manufactures thereof. Add to this the further fact that the shipments to Hawaii and Porto Rico aggregated probably fully $30,000,000, and the record of 1901 will compare favorably with that of any preceding year. The distribution of this large total, really the largest total of shipments ever passing out of the country, shows an increase everywhere except to Europe. The exports to Europe for 1901 were about $17,000,000 less than in 1900; to North America, there is an increase of about $1,000,000; to South America, an increase of about $1,000,000; to Asia about $1,000,000; to Africa, $6,000,000; and while the official figures of exports to Oceanica fall $4,000,000 short of those of last year, the fact that none of the ship- ments to Hawaii are included this year and that about $7,500,000 to Hawaii were included in 1900, in the figures of exports to Oceanica, shows © that the actual shipments to Océanica in 1901 were in excess of those of" 1900 or of any earlier year, since there is every reason to' believe that the: shipments to the Hawaiian Islands alone exceeded $20,600,000 in the year 1901. «