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running at one third or less of their capacity. The war should have brought the lesson home to the people of the United States how dependent in the last analysis may be the fortunes and in fact the very safety of the coun- try on the condi- tion of our ship- ping and our tech- nical, mechanical and plant equip- ment to build ships on a scale commen- surate with our position as a mari- time power. How- ever, bad as_ pres- ent conditions are, there is undoubted- ly a somewhat more hopeful outlook for the future on the part of the few re- maining shipyards. The major immedi- ate reason for this is the fact that five naval contracts were placed during 1927 and also the feeling that the country as a whole is somewhat more concerned about the present situation and that congress may actually promulgate an adequate merchant marine policy which will ultimately relieve conditions. No matter how poor the industry may be, it is, we believe, distinctly worth while each year to re- view shipbuilding in the United States and to present facts concerning the variety of vessels con- structed and the application of different types of power. Here and on the following pages will be found such a review of shipbuilding in American shipyards during 1927. On pages 64-65 are listed 105 steel merchant powered vessels over 100 gross tons under construction in some stage or con- tracted for in 1927. From this list we have chosen 22 as distinctive, representing through dup- Tanker—Lakes || 2 | Passenger Ships Name and Service Page California, New York-San Francisco...........ccccee 22 Caracas, New: York-Venezuela s.2.0.4...0...... 26 Dixie, New York-New Orleans................csccsccsssssees 24 Malolo, San Francisco-Hawaii............c:cccscescsscees 23 Peter Stuyvesant, Hudson River. .............c:s00ss000- 28 Wataleale, Hawaiian Islands. i200 n4hcas ee 58 Yarmouth, Boston-Yarmouth, N. S.. ...........ccsssss000 30 Freighters A. F. Harvey, Great Lakes—Bulk Cargo............ 34 George M. Humphrey, Great Lakes—Bulk Cargo 36 Harry Coulby, Great Lakes—Bulk Cargo.......... 82 Ferries Gov. Carr, Passengers—Automobiles.......... eee 40 Pere Marquette No. 12, Carferry, Great Lakes 42 See"Pages 64-65 for Complete Shipyard Record eu0_0j“y)o0oO)naonanananannssSMnMn9naaDaoa9ma9Mm9aSBBpS9S9So nt ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN MERCHANT SHIPBUILDING-1927 Passenger —Sound 44 1 4_1—_{ _t __1 tee ers | Freighter — Lakes }2—$§—_}—_} ——+—-1_] Freighter—BaysRives| | | | | MTonker'=- Ocean | Se | kd of | A Toriker— Bas Rivers) Set. | Bee eee Ferry — Harbors | VSee 1 i.) la | A a 2 Ferry — Lakes: | J) fle Pe Distinctive Ships ~~ Where to Find Them lication 33 in all. These are described and illus. trated with all essential particulars of hull and machinery, one vessel to a page, in the following pages from 22 to 62. Though no vessels were under’ con- struction in Amer- ican shipyards dur- ing 1927 exclusively for the foreign trade, several not- able ocean going ships were turned out representing ship design and shipbuilding skill of the highest order. Also five large ocean going tank- ers, four of them fitted with diesel engine drive, were under construction in this period. There were also underway nine large bulk freighters for Great Lakes service, one of them a turbine electric self-unloader of unusual and progressive design. For convenience all of the vessels listed as un- der construction during 1927 have been arranged, by actual count, in accordance with type and pro- pelling power used. The results are noted in the two tables on these pages; also the propelling power used, again by actual count, has been compared and percentages worked out for the two years 1927 and 1926. One of the significant facts in the analysis of motor power is the steady decline indicated in the number and percentage of the whole of steam reciprocating coal burning ships. The number for 1927 is 27 and the per- centage 25.7 whereas in 1926 the number was | 38 and the percentage 31.4. In 1925 the num- ber was 386 out of a total of 107 vessels and the percentage was 33.7. Ferries (contd.) Name and Service Page Redwood Empire, Passengers—Automobiles...... 44 Wabash, Carferry, Great Lakes...c...cccccccccsssceceecs 46 Tankers Mary Ellen O’Neil, Ocean Tanker...............00.000008 48 Sunoil, Ocean Tanker 2... 2205 50 Towboats Chagres, Panama Canal ..43,.5.22...5 2). 52 Duncan Bruce, Western: rivers .cicccecccccieccecsecrscceoes 56 S. S.. Thorpe, Western rivers... 54 Special Types Alki, Fireboat, Seattle 2.0.0... 60 New Jersey, Dredge, Great Lakes..............ccc0000 38 Wakerobin, Lighthouse Tender Mississippi...... 62 MARINE REVIEw—April, 1928 21