448 THE SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY IN IRELAND. 



Messrs. Harland and Wolff are the head of the world's shipbuilding 

 industry ; and their position is all the more creditable from the fact that, 

 while some of the Clyde shipping yards have to thank the arts of war for 

 their success, the Queen's Island firm suppHes exclusively peaceful Argosies. 



Second in importance to Messrs. Harland and Wolff is the firm of Messrs. 

 Workman, Clark and Co., but though they only take second place in Belfast, 

 they are one of the largest shipbuilding firms in the world. 



This firm commenced business in 1879 on the north side of the river, and 

 have ever since been improving their status in the shipbuilding world, their 

 name now standing amongst the first shipbuilders of the United Kingdom. 

 In a short time after this successful venture they extended their works to 

 the south side of the river. The increase of output, however, has compelled 

 "them to add considerably since then to the capabilities of both yards, and to 

 tal<e over the property of Messrs. M'llmaine and MacColl, Ltd., so that the 

 firm possesses at the present time no less than five separate establishments. 

 The equipments are all up-to-date, and calculated to ensure expedition in 

 attending to the various orders received. As an instance of this, it may be 

 stated that the yards are complete with ten sHps for taking ten ships at one 

 time. Large engine and boiler shops have been constructed for the build- 

 ing of machinery, and these are replete with every facility for efficiently 

 deahng with the work required. Since the founding of the firm they have 

 built sailing ships, cargo and passenger steamers of from 200 to 1 1,000 tons, 

 although during late years they have confined themselves to steamers 

 approaching the latter size. Among the steamship companies for whom 

 Messrs. Workman, Clark, and Company have, at various times, constructed 

 steamers are the Cunard Steamship Company, the Allan Line, the West 

 India and Pacific, the Ocean Steamship Company, the Norddeutscher Lloyd, 

 the Hamburg-American Line, the City Line, M. and J. Harrison, Houlder 

 Bros., and Company, Ltd., the China Mutual Steam Navigation Company, 

 and others, including local shipowners. The following figures will give an 

 idea of the volume of the trade done by this firm. In 1896 their output 

 was 38,440 tons, in 1897 it was 24,743, in 1898 over 50,000, m 1899 more 

 than 45,000, in 1900 the tonnage was 62,329, whilst last year they launched 

 ten vessels having a tonnage of 52,711, or including deck erections, of over 

 58,000 tons. These facts demonstrate the great success and growing im- 

 portance of this firm, and promise well for its future development. 



II. Londonderry. 



The shipbuilding industry of Londonderry dates back to the early part of 

 the last century. At first the industry was confined to the repairing of 

 vessels, the greater number of which were at that time, built of oak. The 

 methods in use were rather primitive, and " dry docking " was carried out 

 by excavating a site along the slob, into which, at high tide, the vessel was 

 drawn, and there left high and dry. When the tide receded, a temporary 

 obstruction was placed at the entrance of the " dry dock, ' to prevent the 

 water at high tide from interfering with the workmen when executing 

 repairs. These methods were soon found unsuitable owing to the growth in 

 the shipping trade of Derry, and a memorial was presented to the Deputa- 

 tion of the Irish Society by the Chamber of Commerce, stating that the 

 memorialists had been, for sixteen months, engaged in a fruitless corres- 



