Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1907 — UNCLE SAM A CAPITALIST. [ARTICLE]

UNCLE SAM A CAPITALIST.

Ab a Shipbuilder Outranks All Others In the United States. The United States government maintains nine navy yards, representing | capitalization of more than and employing nearly 16,000 men, including officers. The total wages paid in the navy yards of the government ig approximately $10,060,000 the cost of materials used oeing ab6ut $7,000,000 annually and the vgjus or the products, depending upon the number of vessels built, runs well up tafcto the millions every year. In 1903 the output of the government yards was over $17,000,060. As a shipbuilder the government outranks all other ship owners in the United States. In 1904 the government launched 170,000 tons of battle ships of more than 1,000 tons burden each. While only 8.7 per cent of all vessels launched that year were the property of the nation, these vessels constituted 27.7 per cent of the total tonnagi launched that year. These same vehseis represented also more tfian half the value of all vessels over five tons launched, the contract value of the government ships being $39,513,600. Despite its own facilities for building and repairing warships, only one government yard has been used in recent years for turning out a modem up-to-date battle ship. All told, the government owns fifteen dry docks where vessels of the navy undergo most of their repairs. All but two of these are located on the Atlantic coast. Another dock is being completed Sn Puget sound, giving three bn the Pacific coast. In addition to the naval dry docks there are thirty'eight in the United States owned by private corporations or individuals. In time of war the navy should find no trouble in taking care of its smaller vessels, but the big battle ships would have long distances to travel on either coast, in event of injury, before finding adequate docking facilities.