1918 SPEED-UP Submarine Boat Corporation WWI Ship Building Industry Magazine

RARE, Antique WW1 Original…

‘SPEED-UP’

September 14, 1918

Vol. 1, No. 34 (ANNIVERSARY NUMBER)

Magazine Published by the Submarine Boat Corporation

This is a rare, original antique issue of ‘SPEED-UP’ a publication by the Submarine Boat Corporation during World War 1, documenting their war efforts, the ship building progress and industry during the war.

The cover features a painting of the S.S. Agawam by RD Hedges.

Measures 10 1/2” x 7 1/2”.

64 pages.

Some history:

Submarine Boat Company (Submarine Boat Corporation) was a large-scale World War I ship manufacturing shipyard (Newark Bay Shipyard), located at New Jersey's Port of Newark. Submarine Boat Company operated as a subsidiary of the Electric Boat Company, now General Dynamics Electric Boat.

Submarine Boat Corporation was founded in April 1915 to meet the demand for ships for World War I. Submarine Boat Corporation built the Design 1023 ships, this was a steel-hulled cargo ship like the SS AGAWAM portrayed on the cover (the first hull produced!).

Submarine Boat Company built merchant cargo ships from 1917 to 1922. Submarine Boat Company was to able to complete ships quickly as they had other shipyards prefabricate about 80% of the hull. Submarine Boat Company worked with: Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and American International Shipbuilding, in Hog Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

During World War I, at its peak, the shipbuilding the company employed 25,000 people. The Submarine Boat Company received a 150 shipbuilding contract from the United States Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation, and 118 ships were completed before the contract was canceled. Submarine Boat Company built and sold the last 32 ships on their own for the Transmarine shipping line.

After the war in 1920, Submarine Boat built 30 206-ton barges for Transmarine. With no more contracts, the shipyard closed in 1922 and the company went into receivership in 1929. For World War II the shipyard was reopened by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.

CONDITION:

Excellent, antique pre-owned condition. Staining and wear to covers, pages clean inside. Light wear near staples. See photos for details.

Please message for any questions, thanks.