Modern shipbuilding and the men engaged in it

by David Pollock

Year.	Steel.				Iron.
	Steam.		Sailing.		Steam.		Sailing.
	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Ton’ge.	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Tonnage.
1878	7	4,470			329	406,196	106	111,496
1879	8	14,300	1	1,700	318	436,339	30	34,630
1880	21	34,031	2	1,342	324	422,622	31	37,372
1881	20	39,240	3	3,167	401	622,440	51	74,284
1882	55	113,364	8	12,477	457	742,244	68	108,831
1883	94	150,725	15	15,703	576	817,584	68	116,190

Year.	Total.				Percentage.
	Steel.		Iron.		Steel.		Iron.
	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Ton’ge.	No.	Ton’ge.
1878	7	4,470	435	517,692	1·6	0·85	98·4	99·15
1879	9	16,000	348	470,969	2·52	3·28	97·48	96·72
1880	23	35,373	355	459,994	6·1	7·14	93·9	92·86
1881	23	42,407	452	696,724	4·8	5·74	95·2	94·26
1882	63	125,841	525	851,075	10·7	12·9	89·3	87·1
1883	109	166,428	644	933,774	14·47	15·12	85·53	84·88

Table II.—Statement showing the Number and Tonnage of Steel and Iron Vessels Built in the United Kingdom and Registered therein during the Years 1879 to 1883, both inclusive.

Year.	Steel.				Iron.
	Steam.		Sailing.		Steam.		Sailing.
	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Ton’ge.	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Tonnage.
1879	22	19,522	1	1,700	337	428,082	33	35,332
1880	26	36,493	4	1,671	362	447,389	39	40,015
1881	34	68,366	3	3,167	411	590,503	50	68,650
1882	65	115,449	8	12,478	446	672,740	83	112,852
1883	92	141,552	11	14,193	548	742,292	72	114,698

Year.	Total.				Percentage.
	Steel.		Iron.		Steel.		Iron.
	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Tonnage.	No.	Ton’ge.	No.	Ton’ge.
1879	23	21,222	370	463,414	5·83	4·38	94·15	95·62
1880	30	38,164	401	487,404	6·96	7·26	93·04	92·74
1881	37	71,533	461	659,153	7·43	9·79	92·57	90·21
1882	73	127,927	529	785,592	12·14	14·0	87·86	86·0
1883	103	155,745	620	856,990	14·24	15·37	85·76	84·63

CHAPTER VIII.
THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE STEAMSHIPS.

Apart from the enormous aggregates, no feature of the annual output of new tonnage during recent years has been more remarkable than the great number of full-powered and capacious steamships built for the various ocean-trading companies. The very general interest with which what has been termed “the race for big ships” was regarded two or three years ago has now settled down into the complacent indifference with which matter-of-fact, every-day things are treated. The number of vessels above 4000 tons gross register built during the year 1881 alone was over two-thirds of the whole number produced during the ten years immediately preceding, and was exactly double the number built during the previous five years. From these general facts it may be understood why the constant additions made to the “leviathans of the deep” excite comparatively so little interest, except where matters of dimension or mere bulk are supplemented by questions of exceptional speed or novel construction.

The subjoined table of steamships above 4000 tons gross register presently afloat or being constructed affords information interesting from several such standpoints; and shows in what years the product of big ships has been greatest, as well as what proportion of individual credit falls to the various centres engaged in their production. The vessels are arranged in the order of their tonnages, which in every case available is the gross register tonnage. While most of the information conveyed in the table is such as may be gathered separately from the registries, the form in which it has been compiled, and the fact of the moulded in place of the registered dimensions being given, makes it valuable for reference. Except in a few instances, where it was impossible to obtain them, the dimensions of the vessels have been supplied by the respective builders.

Before presenting the table, several of the most noteworthy features of the information it conveys may be pointed to. The list comprises no fewer than 138 vessels, 50 of which are constructed of steel. The year 1881 occurs twenty-six times in the subjoined table, that number of vessels over 4000 tons having been turned out within the year. As already stated, this number is over two-thirds the total number for the ten years immediately preceding 1881, and is exactly double the number for the preceding five years. The year 1882 occurs twenty-four times, the year 1883 fifteen times, and the present year—although, of course, subject to possible additions—twenty-one times.