Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works

Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works

Company type	Private
Industry	Shipbuilding
Founded	1871
Founder	John Roach
Defunct	1908
Headquarters	Chester, Pennsylvania , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	John Roach (founder), John Baker Roach (manager)
Products	Passenger freighters, warships, cargo carriers, oil tankers, ferries, barges, tugboats, yachts

Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works

Established in 1871 by industrialist John Roach, the Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works emerged as a premier American shipyard situated on the Delaware River in Chester, Pennsylvania. Commonly identified by its parent firm, John Roach & Sons, this facility ranked as the nation’s largest and most prolific shipyard throughout its initial 15 years. It surpassed its two primary rivals combined in total tonnage delivered and held the distinction of being the leading contractor for the U.S. Navy. While it primarily focused on constructing sizable passenger freighters, its portfolio encompassed a broad spectrum of vessels such as warships, cargo carriers, oil tankers, ferries, barges, tugboats, and yachts.

A significant challenge arose in the early 1880s following a contractual dispute involving a Navy project for the , which compelled John Roach to place John Roach & Sons into receivership by 1885. After settling outstanding liabilities, Roach’s heirs resumed operations at the yard, which remained active until 1908 when the family withdrew from shipbuilding upon the passing of eldest son John Baker Roach.

During its 37 years of activity, the yard marked several notable achievements: in 1874 it completed City of Peking and City of Tokio, which were then the largest ships by gross tonnage built in the United States and ranked second worldwide after British vessels. In 1883, it launched America’s first steel-hulled steamer, . The yard played a pivotal role in the "Birth of the New Navy" era by constructing the four "ABCD ships," recognized as the U.S. Navy’s inaugural steel warships. Additionally, it earned acclaim for producing luxury "night boats" serving Long Island Sound and later pioneered America’s first trio of steam turbine-powered vessels. Overall, from 1871 to 1908, it delivered 179 ships—including ten commissioned warships for the Navy.

Following the Roach family’s departure, the facility remained inactive until 1913 when naval officer C. P. M. Jack revitalized it under the name Chester Shipbuilding Co. In 1917, W. Averell Harriman acquired it to support World War I merchant ship construction, rebranding it as Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation. The yard ceased operations permanently in 1923; subsequently, its grounds were repurposed as the Ford Motor Company Chester Assembly plant until 1961.

Background

John Roach’s American journey began in 1832 as a semi-literate Irish immigrant laborer who eventually founded his own enterprise by acquiring Etna Iron Works. Leveraging opportunities during the American Civil War, Roach expanded Etna into a leading producer of marine steam engines. After purchasing Morgan Iron Works in 1867, he established near-total dominance over marine engine manufacturing in New York City.

Recognizing Britain’s transition toward iron-hulled and screw-propelled ships, Roach foresaw a similar evolution within the United States. Given limited domestic iron shipbuilding capacity at that time, he identified a strategic opportunity to fulfill increasing demand by creating an iron shipyard.

He chose Chester, Pennsylvania due to several advantages: low-cost land along the Delaware River waterfront, closeness to iron and coal resources, well-developed transportation infrastructure, and access to experienced labor. Rather than constructing a new facility in 1871, Roach acquired the Reaney, Son & Archbold shipyard out of receivership for $450,000 and renamed it Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works.

Development

The Reaney shipyard encompassed a 23-acre tract featuring a 1,200-foot stretch along the Delaware River, with a shoreline extending over a mile and water depths reaching 18 feet—optimal conditions for launching sizable vessels. The site accommodated as many as ten slipways and three piers capable of mooring six ships simultaneously. Since 1859, Reaney had invested upwards of one million dollars in facilities and machinery.

Roach expanded the original infrastructure to create a fully integrated shipbuilding operation that controlled every stage from raw materials to completed vessels. In 1875, he established the Chester Rolling Mill on a 30-acre site located upriver, which produced an annual output of 700 tons of pig iron and 300 tons of ship plate.

To fulfill his shipyard’s material demands, Roach launched several companies: the Chester Pipe and Tube Company, specializing in iron pipes and boiler tubes; the Chalmers-Spence Company, focused on asbestos pipe insulation; and the Hirsch Propeller Company, which manufactured the Hirsch propeller under exclusive patents covering Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. This integrated network minimized dependence on outside suppliers, reducing expenses and strengthening competitive positioning.

Roach also invested heavily in mechanization—including steam-powered cranes, power punches, and an internal railroad system driven by twelve steam engines producing a combined 700 horsepower—maintaining his shipyard among the nation’s most advanced and efficient.

Management structure

To solidify his business influence in Chester, Roach formed alliances with two influential local families: the Houstons and Crozers. He appointed Charles B. Houston as general manager of the Chester Rolling Mill, with Charles’ brothers David and Thomas holding additional management roles. The Houston family had stakes in Pennsylvania’s iron and coal industries and controlled Chester’s sole newspaper, the Chester Times. Their business interests aligned closely with those of Samuel A. Crozer’s family, proprietors of the city’s largest textile mills. Collectively, these families employed one-quarter of Chester’s workforce and accounted for 35% of its payroll, effectively dominating local political affairs.

Following his acquisition of the Reaney yard, Roach initially retained former managers William B. Reaney and Henry Steers by offering them company shares to align their interests with his enterprise. Both eventually resigned after selling their shares due to concerns over financial instability. Subsequently, Roach appointed his eldest son, John Baker Roach—despite limited experience in shipbuilding—to oversee yard operations. To maintain quality standards, Roach himself traveled weekly from New York to Chester to personally inspect activities throughout his tenure.

Labor relations

Roach maintained a firm anti-union stance, insisting that wages be negotiated individually. He implemented a variable wage system based on criteria he deemed essential: skill proficiency, punctuality, reliability, enthusiasm, workmanship quality, and personal character. Employees who failed to meet these standards faced wage reductions; factors influencing assessments included alcohol use, rent payment behavior, family appearance, and whether workers’ children attended church or school.

This approach resulted in significant wage disparities within groups—top performers earned up to five times more than those at the bottom—while overall pay levels were generally lower than industry competitors. Roach attributed minimal labor unrest to his rapport with workers and his ability to shift production between his Chester yard and the Morgan Iron Works facility in New York during strikes.

During economic downturns, Roach reduced wages by as much as 15%, compensating workers by lowering rents for those residing in company-owned housing. Although he did not provide accommodation for his entire workforce, he owned around 100 homes in Chester primarily rented to foremen and other key staff members.

John Roach Presidency, 1871–1887

The Delaware Works launched its inaugural vessel, the 1,605-ton cargo ship City of San Antonio, constructed for C. H. Mallory and Co. Charles Mallory, the company's owner, later emerged as a significant business associate and prominent client of Roach.

Pacific Mail contracts

In 1872, the U.S. Congress granted the Pacific Mail Steamship Company an annual subsidy of $500,000 to maintain a steam packet route connecting the United States with the Far East. Seeking to upgrade its fleet, Pacific Mail planned to replace its wooden sidewheel steamers with iron-hulled screw steamships and commissioned Roach to build nine such vessels.

The first two ships delivered were passenger-cargo vessels: Colon (2,686 tons) and Colima (2,906 tons), arriving in late 1872 and early 1873 respectively. However, Pacific Mail soon encountered financial turmoil caused by fraud and stock manipulation involving its president and a director, who absconded with company funds. Simultaneously, stock speculator Jay Gould influenced Congress to withdraw Pacific Mail's subsidy. Roach faced difficulties with several ships still under construction but managed to negotiate reduced monthly payments from $75,000 down to $35,000 while postponing creditor claims.

In 1874, Roach introduced the City of Peking and City of Tokio, each measuring 5,033 gross tons—making them the largest iron merchant steamships built in the United States at that time, nearly twice the size of previous vessels and second only globally to the British SS Great Eastern. Between 1873 and 1875, he completed five additional Pacific Mail ships: City of Panama, City of Guatemala, City of San Francisco, City of New York, and City of Sydney. Although Roach later constructed more ships for Pacific Mail, this early financial setback led him to reject further contracts under similar conditions.

Other early customers

Roach established the Delaware shipyard anticipating rapid growth in iron shipbuilding but encountered reluctance from American shipping companies that favored traditional wooden paddle steamers despite the advantages offered by iron hulls and screw propulsion. To secure orders, Roach proposed purchasing shares in the vessels he built, thereby ensuring future income as partial compensation and gradually acquiring stakes in various shipping lines.

Among his initial clients embracing iron ships were the Ocean Steamship Company, the Ward Line, and the Mallory Line. For Ocean Steamship’s San Francisco–Portland route, Roach constructed four passenger freighters (approximately 2,000 tons each) between 1877 and 1878: City of Macon, City of Savannah, City of Columbus, and Gate City. From August to November 1882, he completed three additional vessels for this company: Tallahassee, Chattahoochee, and Nacoochie.

The Ward Line, operating routes between the U.S. and Cuba, provided consistent contracts. Roach’s yard delivered sister ships Niagara and Saratoga (2,265 tons) in 1877; followed by Sarataga II (2,426 tons) in 1878; then Santiago (2,300 tons) in 1879; and finally Cienfuegos (2,300 tons) in 1883. Roach held ownership stakes in some vessels and ultimately joined Ward Line’s board of directors.

Charles Mallory of the Mallory Line was Roach’s most important commercial patron. Operating steamships between New York and Gulf ports, Mallory commissioned twelve ships from Roach’s yard between 1872 and Roach’s retirement in 1887. These included ten passenger freighters ranging from the 1,486-ton City of Waco (1873) up to the 3,367-ton Nueces (1887). Roach possessed shares in nearly all these ships.

In 1877, Roach secured a contract worth $219,000—$60,000 less than the closest competitor—to construct a sectional dry dock at the Pensacola Navy Yard; this project was completed within that year. In 1880, he finished building the coastal passenger steamer Columbia for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. Notably, Columbia was the first vessel outside Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory to be equipped with a dynamo and incandescent electric lighting; Edison’s team completed the installation in New York City.

In 1881, Roach collaborated with competitor William Cramp & Sons to establish the Iron Steamboat Company, which produced iron ferries (~900 tons) intended to replace wooden ferries operating in New York Harbor. Cramp constructed four ferries while Roach built three: Signus, Cepheus, and Sirius. A remarkable vessel from this collaboration was the "night boat" Pilgrim for the Fall River Line, distinguished by featuring the largest simple walking beam engine ever installed on a steamboat.

Brazil Line

In 1879, Roach, with Mallory holding a minor stake, established the United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company to operate a shipping route connecting the United States and Brazil. The goal was to enhance American export commerce through the deployment of swift, advanced steamships. Roach intended this Brazil Line to serve as the cornerstone for an international transport system anchored by John Roach & Sons. To support this vision, he constructed two vessels each weighing 3,000 tons: City of Rio de Janeiro and City of Para.

Although the launch of City of Para in 1878 was backed by prominent figures including President Hayes and members of Congress, Roach was unable to obtain subsidies from either the U.S. or Brazilian governments. Mallory’s apprehensions that the vessels were too large for the trade route were validated, and intense rivalry from a British competitor caused increasing financial losses. By 1881, Roach opted to sell these ships and terminate the Line.

Unfazed, Roach initiated a second Brazil Line in 1882 with a different partner, commissioning three passenger-cargo ships: Advance and Finance (each 2,600 tons), along with Allianca (2,985 tons). Despite this effort, the enterprise failed to generate profits and ceased operations by 1893.

The original Brazil Line alone drained nearly one million dollars from Roach’s resources, placing significant strain on his shipyard’s financial reserves—a challenge that would later affect business stability.

U.S. Navy contracts to 1876

Between 1873 and 1885, John Roach & Sons emerged as the largest contractor for the U.S. Navy, securing contracts valued close to $4 million—four times more than its closest rival. Nevertheless, many naval contracts during this timeframe proved financially taxing.

The Delaware River Works completed its inaugural Navy project in 1873 by producing an engine for . Following the 1874 Virginius affair, the Navy initiated a rebuilding program awarding Roach contracts to refurbish four Civil War-era monitors: , , , and . That same year saw the launch of two Alert-class gunboats— and —with Roach providing the engine for a third vessel, . These ships constituted most of the Navy’s iron-hulled fleet alongside older monitors.

This incident also triggered construction of modern Amphitrite-class monitors funded by reallocating repair budgets through scrapping five obsolete ships and building new vessels under their names. Roach was awarded contracts for two of these: and . However, after President Hayes assumed office in 1877, all Amphitrite contracts except for the nearly finished Miantonomoh were canceled. Consequently, Roach was left with an unpaid $200,000 invoice for Puritan, which he kept in storage at his own cost until government funds became available in 1882 to complete it.

Expansion of facilities

The surge in U.S. shipbuilding starting in 1880 prompted John Roach & Sons to enhance its infrastructure. That year, Roach expanded the Chester Rolling Mill by adding a blast furnace that increased steel production capacity to 300 tons per week while maintaining existing pig iron and iron plate manufacturing. He also equipped the mill with machinery capable of rolling steel plates.

Anticipating growing demand for steel, Roach founded the Combination Steel and Iron Company in 1880. Finding domestic supply inadequate, he launched the Standard Steel Casting Company in 1884 to supplement his shipyard’s increasing steel requirements.

The shipyard itself underwent modernization with hydraulic and pneumatic riveting equipment installed in 1881—among the earliest such innovations in America—and a private telegraph system was introduced to enhance communication between facilities. Additionally, an Edison electric lighting installation allowed for extended working hours and additional shifts during winter months.

ABCD ships

During the Garfield administration in 1881, a focus on updating the Navy led to approval of four new all-steel warships, collectively known as the "ABCD ships": Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Dolphin.

In June 1883, John Roach & Sons secured contracts for all four vessels. Nevertheless, continuous modifications to Navy specifications and shortages of premium steel caused delays in construction. These setbacks, coupled with financial losses from a shipyard fire and the loss of partially owned steamers, strained the company’s resources.

Following the completion of sea trials for Dolphin in early 1885, the incoming Grover Cleveland administration canceled its contract amid political controversies. Facing illness and financial pressure, John Roach placed his firm into receivership, citing an inability to obtain loans while three Navy ships remained unfinished.

To address the political repercussions, Navy Secretary William Whitney declared all four contracts "valid but forfeit" due to the delays. The Navy assumed control of the shipyard for nearly two years to complete Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago, suspending other ongoing projects. The Roach family pursued legal action seeking $330,151 in damages; ultimately, the government compensated them with a special appropriation in 1898.

Although initially criticized, the ABCD ships—America’s first steel warships—signified the "Birth of the New Navy." They operated dependably over many years and cemented John Roach & Sons’ reputation in U.S. naval shipbuilding history.

John Baker Roach Presidency, 1887–1907

By August 1885, receivers George E. Weed and George W. Quintard appraised John Roach & Sons' assets at roughly $4.6 million after write-downs, with liabilities near $2.6 million, resulting in an estimated net worth of $2 million. Over an eighteen-month period, they liquidated assets to satisfy creditors. During this time, company founder John Roach Sr. passed away on January 10, 1887.

After settling outstanding debts, the Roach family retained ownership of the Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works in Chester along with Morgan Iron Works in New York, opting to continue their shipbuilding operations. John Baker Roach assumed presidency of the Chester yard, while Morgan Iron Works was incorporated with George E. Weed as president and John Baker Roach alongside his brothers Garrett and Stephen holding key executive positions.

However, without John Roach Sr.’s guidance and former corporate infrastructure, the Chester shipyard lost its leading position in the industry and was soon overtaken by competitors such as William Cramp & Sons in both facilities and production volume.

In 1890, Roach and Weed made two attempts to list their business—including Morgan Iron Works—on the London Stock Exchange through Roach's Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., proposing capital of £550,000 (approximately $2.75 million). The flotation failed amid accusations that a significant portion of funds would enrich promoters, skepticism regarding business valuation, and reports of a boycott by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy due to foreign investment concerns.

Ongoing customers

Under the leadership of John Baker Roach, Delaware Works retained prominent clients including the Ward Line and Mallory Line. The shipyard constructed the passenger freighters Leona (3,300 tons) and Concho (3,700 tons) for Mallory in 1888 and 1891 respectively. Following Charles Mallory's passing in 1890, no new orders were placed until 1903, when the yard built the San Jacinto, a 6,069-ton vessel and the largest produced during Roach's tenure.

In 1898, the Ward Line placed its final commissions with Delaware Works: three passenger freighters each weighing approximately 3,500 tons—Yumuri, Orizaba, and Yucatán. This likely reflected the fleet's requisitioning during the Spanish–American War. Prior to its bankruptcy in 1893, the yard also completed two 4,000-ton passenger freighters, Seguranca and Vigilancia, for the U.S. and Brazil Mail Company.

The Ocean Steamship Company continued as a significant customer, ordering ships such as the 2,000-ton City of Birmingham in 1888 and multiple 5,000-ton passenger freighters in the early 1900s. Notable vessels included City of Memphis (1902), City of Macon (1903), and sister ships City of Columbus and City of Atlanta (both launched in 1904). The final vessel constructed by Delaware River Works was Ocean Steamship’s 5,600-ton City of Savannah in 1907.

In 1891, the shipyard undertook subcontracted hull work for two U.S. Navy gunboats, and , marking its last naval contracts.

New clients

During the 1890s, Delaware River Works broadened its clientele. The Old Dominion Steamship Company emerged as a principal client with orders for five passenger freighters around 3,000 tons each, including Jamestown, , Princess Anne (1897), alongside sister ships Hamilton and Jefferson (1899). Additional new customers featured the New England Steamboat Company commissioning four vessels under 3,000 tons—namely Mohawk, Mohegan, Pequonnock, and New Haven. The American-Hawaiian Steamship Company also contributed three sizable passenger freighters near 5,600 tons: , , and .

Returning clients encompassed Brooklyn & New York Ferry Company with six ferries around 800 tons built between 1895 and 1898; Standard Oil Company commissioning four tank barges or oil tankers; and Panama Railroad Company ordering six barges approximately 300 tons between 1898 and 1902. Additionally, several private yachts were produced at the yard.

Night boats

Among notable vessels crafted by Delaware River Works under John Baker Roach were three "night boats" commissioned by Old Colony Steamship Company, proprietors of the Fall River Line which provided overnight steamboat service connecting New York with Massachusetts. These sidewheel steamers boasted sleeping accommodations alongside lavish interiors, earning them the nickname "floating palaces."

The Roach family maintained enduring connections to the Fall River Line; John Roach Sr., while heading Etna Iron Works during the 1860s, supplied engines for two distinguished steamboats—Bristol and Providence—which housed some of the largest American-built engines of their era. He also constructed the sidewheel steamer Pilgrim in 1883.

The trio of night boats under John B. Roach’s management were commissioned through engine manufacturer W. & A. Fletcher Co., responsible for engine design while subcontracting Delaware Works for hull fabrication. Designed by Fall River Line’s naval architect George Pierce, these vessels blended cutting-edge engineering with high-end luxury.

The first vessel, Puritan (4,600 tons, launched in 1887), featured the largest walking beam engine ever constructed and was notable as the first steel-hulled steamboat operating on Long Island Sound. The second ship, Plymouth (3,800 tons, built in 1889), incorporated a modern triple expansion engine as walking beam technology reached its developmental limits. The final vessel, Priscilla (5,300 tons, completed in 1894), utilized a double compound engine paired with Scotch boilers. These ships represented peak refinement and served Long Island Sound for many years thereafter.

Steamships powered by turbines

Among the last significant undertakings of Delaware River Works were three steamships driven by turbines: , , and Harvard. These vessels, similar to the night boats, were commissioned through W. & A. Fletcher Co., which was responsible for manufacturing their engines and subcontracted the hull construction to Roach’s shipyard.

These ships marked the first turbine-driven vessels constructed in the United States, employing steam turbine technology licensed from Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company. Governor Cobb (2,700 tons, 1906), designed for service between Boston and New Brunswick, was not only America’s inaugural turbine-powered ship but also later became the world's first helicopter carrier. It attained speeds of . Its sister ships, Yale and Harvard (each 3,750 tons, 1907), operated on the New York–Boston route under Metropolitan Steamship Company and reached , establishing them as the fastest vessels flying the American flag at their time of launch.

Subsequent developments

Following John Baker Roach’s passing in 1908, his family heirs discontinued shipyard operations. The facility remained dormant until approximately 1913 when C. P. M. Jack, an engineer and former naval officer, leased it. He specialized in converting outdated freighters into oil tankers utilizing innovative prefabrication techniques that were later widely adopted across the industry.

In 1917, anticipating U.S. entry into World War I, railroad magnate W. Averell Harriman purchased the shipyard and renamed it Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation. From 1917 through 1923, this yard produced nearly 40 merchant vessels before permanently shutting down due to the postwar economic downturn.

Commercial and private craft

The majority of Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works’ output consisted of merchant ships intended for commercial purposes, alongside a smaller number of yachts built for private owners. Military vessels are covered separately.

Under John Roach’s leadership, 1871–1887

Vessel type	Quantity built	Gross tonnage
		Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Aggregate
Passenger freighter	58	1,486	5,080	2,529	146,683
Cargo ship	13	412	2,033	1,018	13,236
Ferry	6	300	993	806	4,838
Yacht	4	17	482	203	812
Barge	3	170	170	170	510
Tugboat	2	30	80	55	110
Waterboat	2	85	85	85	170
Tender	1	105	105	105	105
Totals:	89	17	5,080	1,870	166,464

During John Baker Roach’s tenure,1887–1907

Vessel type	Quantity built	Gross tonnage
		Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Aggregate
Passenger freighter	32	1,352	6,069	3,764	120,443
Yacht	11	80	259	172	1,890
Passenger vessel	10	704	5,292	3,374	33,737
Ferry	8	569	1,306	910	7,279
Barge	7	286	300	296	2,072
Cargo ship	4	419	1,159	628	2,512
Tank barge	3	598	1,644	1,208	3,263
Tugboat	3	129	169	151	452
Tanker	1	1,942	1,942	1,942	1,942
Totals:	79	80	6,069	2,197	173,590

Combined commercial and private production totals (1871–1907)

Vessel type	Quantity built	Gross tonnage
		Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Aggregate
Passenger freighter	90	1,352	6,069	2,966	267,126
Cargo ship	17	412	2,033	926	15,748
Yacht	15	17	482	180	2,702
Ferry	14	300	1,306	867	12,117
Passenger vessel	10	704	5,292	3,374	33,737
Barge	10	170	300	258	2,582
Tugboat	5	30	169	112	562
Tank barge	3	598	1,644	1,088	3,263
Waterboat	2	85	85	85	170
Tanker	1	1,942	—	1,942	1,942
Tender	1	105	—	105	105
colspan=2 style=text-align:right; Grand total:	168	17	6,069	2,024	340,054

Sources: Swann pp. 239–241; shipbuildinghistory.com.

Warships

The entirety of the warship fleet was constructed for the United States Navy, with the exception of the small gunboat Graciosa, which was built for Spain's naval forces. The vessels are organized according to their launch or refit commencement dates.

In addition to these warships, the Roach shipyard also produced the Presidential yacht, which is cataloged under "commercial and private" ships.

Warships—new construction

Ship	Classification	Launch Year	Commission Year	Displacement (tons)
USS Alert (AS-4)	Gunboat	1874	1875	1,020
USS Huron	Gunboat	1875	1875	1,020
Graciosa (Spanish Navy)	Gunboat	1875	N/A	72
USS Miantonomoh (BM-5)	Monitor	1876	1882	3,990
USS Puritan (BM-1)	Monitor	1882	1896	6,060
USS Dolphin	Gunboat	1884	1885	1,510
USS Atlanta	Protected cruiser	1884	1886	3,189
USS Boston	Protected cruiser	1884	1887	3,189
USS Chicago	Protected cruiser	1885	1889	4,842
USS Bennington (PG-4)	Gunboat	1890	1891	1,700
USS Concord (PG-3)	Gunboat	1891	1909	1,710
SUMMARY:		1874–1891	1875–1901	28,413

Warships—engine installations and refits

Ship	Classification	Launch Year	Fit/Refit Year	Displacement (tons)
USS Tennessee	Screw frigate	1865	1869*	3,281
USS Mistletoe	Gunboat	1872	1873*	455
USS Wyandotte	Monitor	1864	1873	3,189
USS Nahant	Monitor	1862	1873	4,842
USS Jason	Monitor	1862	1874	1,700
USS Passaic	Monitor	1862	1874	1,710
USS Ranger	Gunboat	1876	1874*	1,020
SUMMARY:		1865–1876	1869–1874	16,191

• Engine installations or upgrades were performed at Roach's Morgan Iron Works located in New York.

Aggregate warship output—new builds

Ship Category	Quantity Built	Minimum Displacement (tons)	Maximum Displacement (tons)	Mean Displacement (tons)	Total Displacement (tons)
Protected cruiser	3	3,240	4,842	3,774	11,322
Monitor	2	3,990	6,060	5,025	10,050
Gunboat	5	1,020	1,710	1,414	6,969
'Spanish Navy gunboat'	1	72	72	72	72
'TOTAL'	11	72	6,060	2,843*	28,413

• The average displacement calculation excludes the small Spanish gunboat.

Sources: Swann; Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Total Output, 1871–1907

From its inception in 1871 until its closure in 1908, the Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works completed the construction of 179 vessels encompassing commercial, private, and military ships. Under the direction of founder John Roach and subsequently John Baker Roach, the shipyard delivered 168 commercial and private ships alongside 11 naval warships, amassing a combined gross tonnage of 368,467. Additionally, the firm supplied engines for warships built at other locations and fabricated a sectional dry dock for use at the Pensacola Navy Yard.

Aggregate production—commercial, private, and military vessels 1871-1907

Leadership Period	Vessel Category		Number of Ships	Gross Tonnage
	Commercial/Private	Warships
John Roach	89	9	98	191,467
John Baker Roach	79	2	81	177,000
GRAND TOTAL	168	11	179	368,467

See also

• John Roach & Sons
• Reaney, Son & Archbold
• Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation

Bibliography

• Heinrich, Thomas R. (1997): Ships for the Seven Seas: Philadelphia Shipbuilding in the Age of Industrial Capitalism, Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Covell, William King (1933): Steamboats on Narragansett Bay, Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society.
• Parry, Jos. Hyram (1887): Parry's Monthly Magazine, Volume III.
• Pedraja, René de la (1994): A Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Merchant Marine and Shipping Industry.
• Pedraja, René de la (1998): Oil and Coffee—Latin American Merchant Shipping from the Imperial Era to the 1950s.
• Swann, Leonard Alexander Jr. (1965): John Roach, Maritime Entrepreneur: the Years as Naval Contractor 1862–1886.
• Tyler, David B. (1958): The American Clyde: A History of Iron and Steel Shipbuilding on the Delaware from 1840 to World War I.

External links

• Obituary, Daily Evening Bulletin, January 11, 1887
• The Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, Chester PA, shipbuildinghistory.com