536
COMMERCE YEARBOOK
built since that time. Of the world’s tonnage of transoceanic
steamers of over 6,000 gross tons. 61 per cent was built in the past
10 years.
Changes in American Shipping.
The total tonnage of American merchant vessels in 1925 was 125
per cent above the average for 1910-1914, while the portion in foreign
trade was nearly nine times greater, rising from about one-eighth
of the total to almost one-half. However, total tonnage, including
that engaged only in coastwise and inland water service, has
continued the decline begun in 1923, falling to 17,406,000 gross tons
in 1925. While in 1924 the decrease in total tonnage was shared
about equally between the ships documented for foreign and those
documented for coastwise and internal trade, in 1925 it was confined
to vessels documented for foreign trade, with an increase in both
Great Lake and coastwise and internal shipping. .
Table 24 shows the changes in our merchant marine since 1850.
It is noteworthy that shipping tonnage documented for foreign trade
had fallen steadily between 1850 and 1910, and was less than onethird
as great in the last named year as half a century earlier. A
three-fold increase over the 1910 figure, however, had taken place
even before the United States entered the World War, in 1917, and
a considerable increase even up to 1914.
Table 24.— Merchant Marine of the United States
Year ended June 30—
880. wewupnmnnne 4
EER
vr
01
5%
Number of vessels
Total 1
Sailin
2,
ato 1
Steam
ge | Total
24, 71%
23, 467
23,333
or’ man
ub, 474
19, 995
17, 502
16,280
11 ORR
E524
4,717
§ 965
w53
RO
3, 535
354
4, 247
4, 068
i, 424
5, 165
7 AOR
26, 943
26, 397
26, 711
7,513
’, 183
“12
1, 452
0’ 155
953
62
a
85,491
€,242
‘oe
ry
1 a%9
71
7%
7
Ct
6, 367
7.730
LAs
Gruss tonnage (thousands) }
Documented for—
Sailing,
ote 1
Steam
and gas
Foreign
trade 2
Coastwiseand
internal
trada 3
Great
Lakes
2,010
486
"171
856
7, 565
” 507
ang
526 1,586
B68 2,546
1,075 | 1,517
[212 1 1,353
1,859 047
% 658 897
ane 709
i, 950
2,808
2,730
2, 715
3,478
1,338
3 Tp
198
468
685
605
1, 063
|, 566
2? ROA”
501
138
£2
39
i 428
433
1
{, 076
AAG
“
iQ
3, 852
3, 425
» 391
238
298
7,883
779
798
,024
139
340
724
758
2,791
4. RE?
i Includes canal boats and barges, ,
* Includes tonnage, formerly considerable but recently insignificant, engaged in whale fisheries.
+ Includes vessels engaged in fisheries (27,000 tons in 1924).
t Included in preceding column.
Source: Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce.
