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July 4, 1895, [
HONGKONG AS A SHIPBUILDING
CENTRE.
AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
discussion of considerable importance to the shipping and moresutile community in the glony took place on Friday night at the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong. The disenssion aross on a paper written by Mr. Jack, of Haiphong, and read at Institution on the 14th lust., on Engineer- and Shipbuilding in the Far East. Mr.in the Far East.” Robert Cooke presided, and there was a fairly "good attendance.
The UHAIRMAN referred to the object of the meeting, and said that everyone must have been "struck with the able manner in which Mr. Jack had bompiled the paper. There were wry few things in it that could be taken ex. ̈ception th; But one or two items in the tabulated statement might, perhaps, be modified slightly, On the whole, however, Mr. Jack had handled the imbject in a very careful and able manner.
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Mr. J. KINGHORN asked if any arrangement had been made whereby Mr. Jack would have A chance of replying to the discussion. It was onstomary for the compiler of a paper to reply.
The CHAIRMAN said that no doubt the dis- cussion would be reported in the papers, and the Secretary would forward them to Mr. Jack, who could reply if he though it necessary.
benefit by the discussion of technical questions, to the same standard of excellence in tools and this I take to be Mr. Jack's meaning; and his labour-saving appliances as is done in well-con- sentiments will be endorsed by every member ducted home yards. I hope the Hongkong ship. who has the dignity and usefulness of bis pre-builders and engineers will ever try to maintain fession at heart. Mr. Jack deserves our thanks their well-earned reputation for turning ont good for an original and mest opportune paper; for work in all departments, as by so doing they will now that Japan is progressing rapidly in Western better further the shipbuilding and engineering arts, and there appears some prospect of the interests of this colony and themselves also, as vast resources of China being opened up at well as add to their present high reputation. such a time what better title could be chosen for Something might be added to what I have & paper than Engineering, and Shipbuilding already said, but my time has been limited and I could not give the subject all the atten- The CHAIRMAN-It is with a feeling of great tion I could have liked. There is a large field diffidence that I rive to make any remarks on in Hongkong and China for engineering and the very able paper written by Mr. William C. shipbuilding. I think the great drawback is Jack, who bas handled his subject very carefully the want of confidence in local concerns. Ship- in most of its important points. Before going powners seem to doubt the stability and skill of further, however, I must, on behalf of Hongkong the people in China. I am sure some of the shipbuilders and engineers in general, and the vessels I have seen built in the East would do Company which I bave the honour to represent credit to any home yard of the very beat kind. in particular, thank Mr. Jack for the high tribute Vessels built in Hongkong and other parts of he has paid to us all for our shipbuilding and the East have really been turned out in such engineering skill. I quite agree with him that a manner that unless you were told that they Mr. ANDREW JOHNSTON, the Secretary, then We've got the tools and we've got the men," and were built in the East you could not have told read the following letter, which had been received it only requires shipowners to come forward with that they were not built in a first-class British Trom Mr. Bailey, Chief Engineer of the Heung-orders and thereby give us the opportunity to yard, and that is saying a great deal. (Applause), thẩn. “Taking a broad view of the future of illustrate to them and to the world that Mr. Jack I think if shipowners and those interested in shipbuilding in China it seems very probable makes no idle boast when he says" To-day Hong- shipping would only have a little more con that she will soon compete successfully with kong is in a position to turn out and equip sea-fidence, particularly in the Hongkong engineers home yards in the production of ships and going steamers in every way equal to the home and shipbuilders, they would be treated very thechinery of every class; and as proof that this article." And from my own experience which is well, they would have very faithfully built matter is engaging attention at home we have not a short one-I am able to state that a steamer, vessels, and it would be a very great help not the utterances of Sir Thom a Suth rland, who, constructed in Hongkong, cah be as faithfully only to the prosperity of Hongkong but to ship, at a recent meeting of the P. & O. Co., mentioned built, engined, and equipped as in any European building and commercial interests in the East the probability of future vessels of the Company shipyard, and more suitable to Eastern require generally. (Applause). - being built, not in Europe at all, but upon the ments. If we take, as Mr. Jack has done, the coat banks of the Yangtsso. In Mr. Jack's estimate, of bringing a steamer out from home into con the cost of iron and steel is put down at about sideration, then our prices will compare most “50 për cent, above home priós; and plumber's favourably with bome rates; mcre particularly "work, rigging and blocks, irou forgings, iron if the vessel should be a small one, say under mongery, paint, and all imported articles are set 1,000 tons, as such a vessel conld not obtak down at much above home cost. Under these payable freight, and consequently to whole adverse conditions it appears that a vessel may expense of bringing anch a steamer from be built here at a small advance on British price, Europe to China would be so mach added to Mr. KINGHOEN said he had not been able to ahd with these advantages in favour of the ber laid-down cost here. In the table of figures consider Mr. Jack's ideas in such a complete locally-built steamers that the work, being done given by Mr. Jack some of the items may be form as he would have liked. He thought every- under the orner's eye, is not likely to require ex- taken exception to. For instance, in iron ship- one must be proud that the Institution had so pensive alteration after the vessel is set to work, builders' work, the first item for iron and large an influence over the shipbuilding in the that the time and expense of the voyage ont are steel, 40 per cent. added to the home rates for Far East, and he trusted that members would saved, and that the money paid for the vessel is the raw material, is in my opinion too high a bear in mind that fact, and be encouraged to circulated among ourselves instead of at home, percentage to be allowed for Hongkong: 1 bring this important subject more prominently be- Our great advantage over home builders is of should say 25 to 30 per cent, would be about fore the public. He thought it was a matter of his- course chesp labour; and supposing a local yard, right. The next item, keel and stern frame, tory that eighty-five per cent, of the members did such as the Dook Company, to once attain full I feel sure could be forged in Hongkong under not take a real interest in the affairs of the Iu, gwing in shipbuilding I think the difference in cost proper supervision at a cost of 10 per cent, over stitution. Referring to the paper the speaker said between European and Chinese labour would be home prices. Carpenters' work, men's wages: that Mr. Jack pointed out that Hongkong, was even more marked than the paper states. But I think 50 per cent. too much to deduct from famous for a splendid' fleet of steam launches; taking even Mr. Jack's figures for labour, and home prices for those of Hongkong, as with this was known all over the world, Travellers taking iron and all other items at home prices, the intelligence and machine work brought had said that there were more steam launches in it will be seen that the vessels could be built to bear by workmen at home now, against Hongkong than in any other port of the world, [here: at... much less than home cost. Are we the, still in a great measure, hand labour and and they were better and finer looking than any justified in saying that the materials for perverseness of many of the Chinese mechanics, they had seen. But he (Mr. Kinghorn) thought shipbuilding will in the future be obtainable the difference in favour of native labour is not the Hongkong steam launches wanted some- here at home prices P Certainly we are. That so great as at first appearing. I think had Mr. thing. To his idea they were as fine looking on aheap labour, which already tells so strongly in Jack allowed under this head 25 per cent. in the outside as they were dirty and expensive in our favour when building, will also tell strongly favour of Hongkong rates, he would have been the inside-and they were most expensive to in the production and manufacture of the raw nearer the mark! Also under the head of maintain. There was no doubt they were material from Chinese soil. China is rich in joiners' work, in the item for joiners' wages built cheaper here than in any part of minerals; and iron, mined and manufactured in the same allowance, viz 25 per cent., would be the world; but there was plenty of room for China, and transported here by rail, could be ample. I pick out these few items as those improvement, and the day was not far distant delivered at Kowloon for less than home cost. which strike me as the principal discrepancies when the dirty looking expensive boiler would Will Britain always hold the premier posi ion in the shipbuilding part of the steamer quoted, be discarded, and we would have a fine fleet of in shipbuilding P_Our_national_pride fondly but as the differences are so small, I think we may launches driven entirely by oil. (Hear, Hear). The whispers that she will. But it is a long lane that take Mr. Jack's figures throughout as very nearl question of price was a most important one from has no turning; and when we consider the vast orrect. I therefore consider that on the whole the owners' point of view, and he drew attention extent of China, with her teeming millions whose Mr. Jack has fairly demonstrated to us that the to an article which appeared in a technical paper Tants must be supplied; when we look at her building of a ship of 1,000 tons can be effected written by Mr. F. Elgar and which referred to privers, and extent of const line; her mines of in Hongkong at a cost of 13/10d. per ton gross the price of shipbuilding in the Far East. It iron and coal, and above all, her unlimited supply over home prices; and when we consider the cost said that "the demand for larger steamers was of cheap and‹fficient labour waiting employ- of bringing such a vessel from home, under the rapidly increasing, and steamships of a moderate ment, the convic ion is forced upon us that, were most favourable circumstances, the balance is very size could now be built in Japan at a much less these advantages utilized, we could build ships largely in favor of the Hongkong-built ship. Be price than they could be laid down, built and de- here as quickly and cheaply as can be done in fore closing my remarks on Mr. Jack's paper,livered by an English firm. This seemed very Europe, Ayewe could build them more cheaply. I must say that I con ider he has dous hard on English supremacy in shipbuilding. and we could undersåll British firms in their own Hongkong, and thereby this Institution, material The Japanese were highly qualified for and were market. How near the opening up of China may service in handling this subject in such an very successful in the work which was required be we cannot tell; but in these unsettled times able manner, and I sincerely trust that in the construction of modern ships and ma- we know not what a day may bring forth. The the publication of the paper and others of chinery. In all the various departments of great British civilizers, misionaries and gun- a similar nature may be the means of pointing shipbuilding the Japanese were excellent. They boats, are already getting to work in China; and out to local and coast shipowners the ready once the ball of progress is set rolling advance means they have at hand for bullding steamers will be rapid. In his opening sentence Mr. Jack and engines that will compare favourably with speaks of the value of this Institute and of our those built in Europe both as to workmanship craft in the Far East. That the Institution of and ultimate cost and this would likewise refer Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong may to vessels of even larger dimensions than the become worthy of its name and something more one above quoted. In fact, I see no reason than a social club, that its influence may be why shipbuilding in Hongkong should not One of Mr. Jack's items was that 586 tons of felt in the promotion of shipbuilding and sticcessfully compete with European yards if iron and steel cost £2,858 or £1.14.17 per for. engineering in this port, and that we may we keep. up our machine shops and yards1 He (the speaker) had never heard of such prices.
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were as intelligent as the European mechanic, quicker in perception, and possessed a lighter touch; they were more susceptible to discipline · labour difficulties were unknown; wages were very low and were paid in silver; and the Japanesë were in every respect efficient workers” This was a very high oharacter for the Japanese,
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