An important statement on the position of merchant shipbuilding by
Lord Pirrie, its Controller-General, was published in the daily Press on Friday week. He pointed out that in shipbuilding it was impossible to get results quickly ; that he " assisted " or "regulated," rather than controlled, two hundred and forty establishments ; that the mixture of different work in one yard had ceased, each yard producing one type of ship ; that in a year the proportion of standard ships had risen from twenty-six to seventy-four per cent. ; that the tonnage of the Navy had risen since the war from two and a half to eight millions ; that the Navy had still twenty-five per cent. more labour than the merchant yards ; and that he could not ask for a reduction of naval work, because that would react upon merchant sinkings. Nor could he ask yet for the return of skilled shipbuilders who were now skilled soldiers. He "must do so very shortly." The system was that repairs, naval or merchant, had the first call ; then new naval work ; and then new merchant work. Clearly Lord Pirrie must get more skilled labour, even from the Army, and get it speedily. Whether the men in the yards are doing their best, and realize the all-importance of their work, is a question which Lord Pirrie did not discuss.
Previous page
