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September, 1916 tons were. destroyed from the out- break of the war to June 30, 1916. Late in 1915. and early in 1916 belief that the European war would last three years led to an exceptional development of ship building by the maritime powers not actively engaged im. war. In the first six months. of 1916 the United States launched and put into operation 192 ships of 228,- 016 gross tons (each over 100 tons)— more than the entire year’s output for 1914 or 1915. On. July I, 1916, private American ship yards were building or had on order 385 steel merchant ships of 1,225,784 gross tons. The builders’ returns indicate that of this tonnage 159 ships of 444,090 gross tons will be launched _ before Dec. 31, 1916, thus indicating a total output by the United States for the 12 months of 351 steel ships of 672,- 106 gross tons. Various causes retard ship building, especially in times of high pressure, and the output of steel ship tonnage during the current six months of 1916 may fall short of present indications. Wooden ships, however, not included in the bureau of navigation’s monthly returns, will help to make good any shortage, as wooden-ship building has revived con- siderably under the present insistent ‘demand for tonnage. The ship yards of Japan, according to Commercial Attache Arnold’s re- cent report, are fully occupied with work for two years and have reluct- antly been obliged to decline foreign orders in order to supply their own THE, MARINE: REVIEW according to recent reports of Amer- ican officers, have contracted to build merchant ships at extraordinary prices practically up to their capacity for 1916, 1917 and into 1918. Ships thus building or ordered late in 1915 were reported at 71, of 251,750 gross tons. Delivery, however, seems to be some- what slow, as during the first three months of 1916 only seven new ships, 323 80,561 gross tons. French ship yards also are fully employed on naval construction and the manufacture of munitions, and French ship owners have made _ in- quiries for tonnage from American builders. There is in France a con- siderable tonnage of merchant steam-. ships partly built. In December, 1915, the Italian ship Table III. American Trade With Europe American. 1914, 1916. Destination. Tonnage. Tonnage. Austria-Hungary LN Stine Belen ee ak 187,965 es tons PAIGE Wasi a wet eke Pears 184,140 Germany. cise. wos 8,406 eccritsenteed Gt. Britain & Ireland 241,606 604,604 Gree Cerise naa cae weavers Waren Ri Lae DIRE: Tay ee wins cents weak 6 alae 135,116 Netherlands ........ 8,926 10,014 Russia in Europe.... ane 23,535 Seandinavia.: 2... cae 114,593 Spain yea ec east ee 11,464 Other Europe ...... 764 45,759 MOtAlot ei os wares 447,667 1,134,952 Foreign. Total 1914. 1916. 1914. 1916. ‘Tonnage. Tonnage. Tonnage. Tonnage SEG IGS: Mur a ee chee BEADGS Bee a. Css STAs Manan pep appt eee LUST Hod atte es 1,763,808 3,452,567 1,763,808 3,636,707 SpOO OOO dotne epi'e 339025073" rere 7,351,796 7,700,103 7,593,402 8,304,707 93,203 345,855 93,203 351,582 1,893,915 3,444,597 1,893,915 3,579,713 1,751,756 1,356,129 1,760,682 1,366,143 157,434 197,906 157,434 221,441 681,393 1,482,153 681,393 - 1,596,746 422,571 547,177 422,571 558,641 127,249 265,226 128,013 310,985 19,598,524 18,791,713. 20,046,191 19,926,665 of 15,349 gross tons, were added to . the Dutch seagoing merchant fleet, while in the same period TusanmiA, 13,- 900 tons, PALEMBANG, 6,673 tons, and others were sunk by submarines and drifting mines. Norway’s output of 85,000 tons in 1915 was the largest recorded and will doubtless be exceeded this year, as over a year ago Norwegians began to place large orders in American Table II. Clearances from American Ports American. 1914. 1916. Tonnage. Tonnage. 1,134,952 945,353 131,198 157,390 79,412 Clearances for— Europe South America Asia Australia, etc. Africa 2,448,305 ship owners. The ships building for delivery this year number 50 of 189,- 450 gross tons, which will be more, than double Japan’s largest output, in 1914. Japanese builders have con- tracts for 104 ships of 464,370 gross tons to be delivered in 1916, 1917 and 1918, the Osaka yard contracting to deliver 35 of 162,400 tons. Japan, however, is obliged to import steel and began negotiations in the United States in January, which have been carried out successfully and extended considerably the market for American steel products. The ship yards of the Netherlands, Foreign. 1914, 1916. Tonnage. Tonnage. 19,598,524 18,791,713 2,237,171 1,764,720 1,165,083 1,489,196 724,189 596,486 402,194 384,681 23,026,796 Total. 1914. 1916. Tonnage. Tonnage. 20,046,191 19,926,665 2,429,650 2,710,073 1,237,301 1,620,396 752,804 753,876 406,457 464,093 24,127,161 24,872,403 25,475,103 yards, some with a view to subsequent sale to Americans or others. On March 31, 1916, the ship yards of the United Kingdom had under actual construction, according to Lloyds Register, 423 steel steamships, of 1,423,335 gross tons, many of which for some months have been nearly com- pleted, but await materials. The dates of launch and completion in British yards ate uncertain so long as yards are employed on naval con- struction and turning out war muni- tions for the allies. During the first three months of 1916 British yards launched only 69 steel steamers, of yards had 12 steel steamships, of- 82,482 gross tons, under construction, but the probable date of completion is not known. There are no returns from Austria-Hungary, and presumably ship building has ceased under the Italian blockade of Trieste and Fiume. Since the outbreak of the war Ger- many. has printed no returns, and is supposed to be engaged in building submarines and on other naval con- struction, repair and munitions work. In December, 1913, the Germanischer Lloyd report showed 499 merchant vessels of 906,851 gross tons, including river boats, canal boats, lighters, etc., were building in German yards, of which up to July 30, 1914, 89, of 387,- 192 gross tons, had been launched,. so that in August, 1914, about 410 vessels, of 520,000 gross tons, were building or ordered in German yards. Cabled statements to the United States. in July, 1916, from Hamburg-American and North German Lloyd authorities: indicate that such merchant work as. Germany has done since the outbreak of the war has been, with few excep- tions, on the ships ordered late in 1913 and early in 1914,, The merchant shipping, American and foreign, amounting to 25,475,103 net tons, which cleared from seaports of the United States for Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania during the fiscal year. ended June 30.; 1916.) was the... largest..in« the. history 4 or the United States notwithstanding the European war, the capture of the port of Antwerp, and the closing of the Black sea, the blockade of the ports