In addition to this, contracts have been placed for 12 large fuel
ships in conjunction with the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
Ships launched during the year and up to October 1, 1918, include 1
gunboat, 93 destroyers, 29 submarines, 26 mine-sweepers, 4 fabricated
patrol vessels, and 2 seagoing tugs. It is noteworthy that in the first
nine months of 1918 there were launched no less than 83 destroyers of
98,281 tons aggregate normal displacement, as compared with 62
destroyers of 58,285 tons during the entire nine years next preceding
January 1, 1918.
There have been added to the navy during the fiscal year and including
the three months up to October 1, 1918, 2 battleships, 36 destroyers, 28
submarines, 355 submarine chasers, 13 mine-sweepers and 2 seagoing tugs.
There have also been added to the operating naval forces by purchase,
charter, etc., many hundred vessels of commercial type, including all
classes from former German transatlantic liners to harbor tugboats and
motorboats for auxiliary purposes.
Last year the construction of capital ships and large vessels generally
had been to some extent suspended. Work continued upon vessels which had
already made material progress toward completion, but was practically
suspended upon those which had just been begun, or whose keels had not
yet been laid. The act of July 1, 1918, required work to be actually
begun upon the remaining vessels of the three-year programme within a
year. This has all been planned and no difficulty in complying with the
requirements of the act and pushing rapidly the construction of the
vessels in question is anticipated.
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