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=--_-- Marine Business Statistics Condensed World's Shipbuilding \ LTHOUGH nearly a million and three-quarters gross tons less of shipping are being built in the United States today than a year ago, the reduction in the world total under construction is less than 4 per cent, says a statement just issued by Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Returns from all countries for the quarter ended July 1 show an aggregate of 7,720,000 tons under way, compared with 8,017,000 tons at this time last year. The sharp decline in American build- ing has been almost completely offset by gains made by practically all the other maritime countries. On July 1, 1920, there was under construction in the United Kingdom more than a million gross tons in excess of the July 1, 1919, figure, while all other coun- tries combined, exclusive of the United States, showed an increase of over 400,000 tons. The American aggregate of 3,874,000 tons a year ago has now declined to 2,105,000 tons. Today, therefore, according to the re- turns, the United States is building 1,- 472,000 tons less than the United King- dom, whereas, a year ago America led by 1,350,000 tons. At the same time the lead held by American shipyards ' ' S q 4 q 9 Qa WORLD \y C N LAS SSS OS? ey ee dy this class over those of other countries, Great Britain excluded, has been pared down so rapidly that the American margin of 2,254,000 tons on July 1, 1919, has now been reduced to less than 70,000 tons. The rapidity of the shrinkage in shipbuilding in this country is indicated by the fact that almost up to the. be- ginning of this year, the United States was still leading the United Kingdom. A notable feature of the returns from all countries is the indication that the United States is taking effective steps to remedy its shortage of larger sized vessels. The 366 steel steamers building in American yards represent an average per ship of 5609 gross tons, as against 4012 tons for the 888 British vessels and 2985 tons for the 655 building for the rest of the world. Rapid elimina- tion of the wooden steamer from the American shipbuilding program is shown in the report that only 29,000 tons of of vessels are now being built in this country. A year ago 420,- 000 tons were under construction here. The present returns of Lloyd's Regis- ter, taken in comparison with those for the quarter ended April 1, last, show a decrease of about 221,000 tons in the world's total and a decline of 328,000 tons from the record figures reached at the beginning of last October. For *' 8 -@--_@--_0_e_e--- YNITLO SIAL ES UNITEO AINGOW7) ----- + -- QITS1LR COUNTRIES Great Britain a gain of 184,000 tons is shown over the April figure, while the United States aggregate under con- struction dropped 467,000 tons. Other countries showed an increase of 63,000 tons. More than 97 per cent of the Amer- ican total now building is composed of steel steamers and more than two- thirds of these are being constructed in Atlantic coast shipyards. The fol- lowing table shows the distribution by districts in gross tons for the quarter just ended and the previous one: July 1. April 1 Atlantic coast. 225.5 i: 1,352,750 1,585,827 Gull.) ports: a 181,841 180,793 Great, "Lakes ei nv, 95,201 173,375 . Pacific «coast. 2 seen ac: 423,124 478,163 Total. os. ven e ae eee 2,052,916 2,418,158 The largest total for any district in the United Kingdom is that for the Clyde, where there are now 1,260,000 tons under way. The aggregate British output for the quarter ended July 1 was 69,000 tons greater than that for the preceding quarter and the aggre- gate of new contracts on which work was begun was 588,000 tons. This latter includes many large vessels. There are 'now under way, in addition to a great number of small vessels, 63 of 10,000 tons and upward. How the United States and the Unit- WORLD SHIP CONSTRUCTION RECORD FOR PAST TWO YEARS 503