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53
The cost of these developments is expected
at the expense of steamers, a technological
to be in the neighborhood of $800 millions.
improvement neglect of which contributed
The success of the plan, like that of the ma-
heavily to the decline of British shipping be-
jority of Britain's anticipated expansion proj-
fore the war. The construction program,
ects, appears to depend upon adequate sup-
which is limited more by the availability of
plies of fuel and of constructional steel.
steel than by the capacity of the yards, will
j. Shipbuilding.
require an investment by the shipbuilding in-
Britain has led the world in the construc-
dustry of between $200 and $250 millions a
tion of ships except for brief periods during
year to 1952.
the two wars, when its position was taken by
The main threat to the attainment of antici-
the US, and in 1937 and 1938, when its por-
pated targets and to the future of British
tion of the total world's shipbuilding fell to
shipbuilding in general, apart from the con-
34 percent. In 1948 the United Kingdom ac-
tinuing steel shortages, lies in the probable
counted for nearly 55 percent of the world's
foreign competition, chiefly from Scandinavia,
production of merchant ships. British ship-
the Netherlands, and Italy. In the face of
building labor is exceptionally skilled, and,
this challenge, the high cost of British ship-
before the war, produced the highest weight of
building, estimated at from two and one-half
hull structure per man in the world. The
to three and one-half times prewar, will prove
shipbuilding plant is concentrated on the
an increasing handicap. A longer term prob-
Firth of Clyde in Scotland, on the Mersey
lem is posed by the possibility of a large sur-
and Tyne estuaries in northern England, and
plus capacity in the industry in the early
at Belfast in northern Ireland. Because of
1950's, when total world requirements for new
technical improvements and rationalized or-
ship construction have been estimated as
ganization of yards the annual capacity of the
slightly less than 2,500,000 tons per year.
industry is now estimated to be about 3 mil-
k. Building and Construction.
lion d.w. tons, about one-third more than in
During World War II about 4 1/2 million of
1939.
the 1939 total of 13 million houses in Britain
At the beginning of 1948 British yards had
were damaged or destroyed by enemy action.
in hand a greater volume of work than at any
Of this impressive total about 460,000 were
time in the past quarter century. Vessels on
either totally destroyed or rendered uninhabit-
the ways, being fitted out, or on order aggre-
able. Total physical destruction in the United
gated approximately three and three-quarter
Kingdom is estimated at about $6,800 millions.
million gross tons, requiring at the present
More serious even than war damage, however,
rate of production more than three years'
was the virtual cessation of building during
work. When this program is completed Brit-
the war years and the reduction to a minimum
ain's wartime losses of about two million gross
of normal repair and maintenance work. The
tons will have been more than made good.
number of houses completed in 6 war years
Because of persistent shortages of steel, which
did not exceed 200,000, of which 36,000 were in
represents about 80 percent of the materials
Scotland, as compared with a 1938 rate of
used in shipbuilding, and lack of timber, the
construction of 346,000 houses in England and
industry is operating at about 65 percent of
Wales and 26,000 in Scotland. At the end
capacity. Once the load of wartime repairs
of the war the immediate housing needs in
and reconversions is lightened and greater
Britain were estimated at 1 1/4 millions, of
supplies of timber and steel are available, this
which 750,000 were required to give separate
rate of production could be quickly increased.
homes to such families as needed them and the
Emphasis of present construction is on tank-
remaining half million to replace the worst
ers to carry Britain's expanding oil trade, as
of substandard housing.
well as to fill large numbers of orders for for-
Since the end of the war the Ministry of
eign account; the British tanker fleet at the
Health has been conducting a vigorous build-
end of 1952 should be 6,300,000 gross tons.
ing program. In view of the serious shortage
There is also a marked increase in motor ships
and its hampering effect on the mobility of
SECRET
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"ocrText": "53\nThe cost of these developments is expected\nat the expense of steamers, a technological\nto be in the neighborhood of $800 millions.\nimprovement neglect of which contributed\nThe success of the plan, like that of the ma-\nheavily to the decline of British shipping be-\njority of Britain's anticipated expansion proj-\nfore the war. The construction program,\nects, appears to depend upon adequate sup-\nwhich is limited more by the availability of\nplies of fuel and of constructional steel.\nsteel than by the capacity of the yards, will\nj. Shipbuilding.\nrequire an investment by the shipbuilding in-\nBritain has led the world in the construc-\ndustry of between $200 and $250 millions a\ntion of ships except for brief periods during\nyear to 1952.\nthe two wars, when its position was taken by\nThe main threat to the attainment of antici-\nthe US, and in 1937 and 1938, when its por-\npated targets and to the future of British\ntion of the total world's shipbuilding fell to\nshipbuilding in general, apart from the con-\n34 percent. In 1948 the United Kingdom ac-\ntinuing steel shortages, lies in the probable\ncounted for nearly 55 percent of the world's\nforeign competition, chiefly from Scandinavia,\nproduction of merchant ships. British ship-\nthe Netherlands, and Italy. In the face of\nbuilding labor is exceptionally skilled, and,\nthis challenge, the high cost of British ship-\nbefore the war, produced the highest weight of\nbuilding, estimated at from two and one-half\nhull structure per man in the world. The\nto three and one-half times prewar, will prove\nshipbuilding plant is concentrated on the\nan increasing handicap. A longer term prob-\nFirth of Clyde in Scotland, on the Mersey\nlem is posed by the possibility of a large sur-\nand Tyne estuaries in northern England, and\nplus capacity in the industry in the early\nat Belfast in northern Ireland. Because of\n1950's, when total world requirements for new\ntechnical improvements and rationalized or-\nship construction have been estimated as\nganization of yards the annual capacity of the\nslightly less than 2,500,000 tons per year.\nindustry is now estimated to be about 3 mil-\nk. Building and Construction.\nlion d.w. tons, about one-third more than in\nDuring World War II about 4 1/2 million of\n1939.\nthe 1939 total of 13 million houses in Britain\nAt the beginning of 1948 British yards had\nwere damaged or destroyed by enemy action.\nin hand a greater volume of work than at any\nOf this impressive total about 460,000 were\ntime in the past quarter century. Vessels on\neither totally destroyed or rendered uninhabit-\nthe ways, being fitted out, or on order aggre-\nable. Total physical destruction in the United\ngated approximately three and three-quarter\nKingdom is estimated at about $6,800 millions.\nmillion gross tons, requiring at the present\nMore serious even than war damage, however,\nrate of production more than three years'\nwas the virtual cessation of building during\nwork. When this program is completed Brit-\nthe war years and the reduction to a minimum\nain's wartime losses of about two million gross\nof normal repair and maintenance work. The\ntons will have been more than made good.\nnumber of houses completed in 6 war years\nBecause of persistent shortages of steel, which\ndid not exceed 200,000, of which 36,000 were in\nrepresents about 80 percent of the materials\nScotland, as compared with a 1938 rate of\nused in shipbuilding, and lack of timber, the\nconstruction of 346,000 houses in England and\nindustry is operating at about 65 percent of\nWales and 26,000 in Scotland. At the end\ncapacity. Once the load of wartime repairs\nof the war the immediate housing needs in\nand reconversions is lightened and greater\nBritain were estimated at 1 1/4 millions, of\nsupplies of timber and steel are available, this\nwhich 750,000 were required to give separate\nrate of production could be quickly increased.\nhomes to such families as needed them and the\nEmphasis of present construction is on tank-\nremaining half million to replace the worst\ners to carry Britain's expanding oil trade, as\nof substandard housing.\nwell as to fill large numbers of orders for for-\nSince the end of the war the Ministry of\neign account; the British tanker fleet at the\nHealth has been conducting a vigorous build-\nend of 1952 should be 6,300,000 gross tons.\ning program. In view of the serious shortage\nThere is also a marked increase in motor ships\nand its hampering effect on the mobility of\nSECRET"
}