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3 Cee = | I = Elance . Gove HE barge shown in the accom- panying illustration was de- signed by the United States government for use on the Missis- sippi river. Bids for the construction of 24 of these vessels were invited by the war department. Each barge is to be constructed to conform closely to the drawings and specifications fur- nished by the government with straight sides for half-length, molded end rakes, end sheers and rounded bilges. The barges will be built thor- oughly watertight throughout with a double bottom and inner sides sub- divided into 22 middle and end com- partments by a _ longitudinal center bulkhead and 12 transverse bulkheads. Fuel oil may be carried in the dou- ble bottom and sides. The hopper formed by the inner sides and double bottom will be used for carrying iron ore or coal and it will be built clear from obstructions of any kind all fore and aft for a length of 256 feet. A pump room is to be arranged at one end of the barges below the deck containing pumps of ample capacity for receiving and discharging oil cargo and to take care of bilge water. The barges will be fitted complete with tudders, davits, capstans and all nec- essary deck fittings, anchors, hawsers, SUG, The general dimensions of the barges are as follows: Length over all, feet, inches. .300-1% Beam at deck, molded, feet.. 48 Molded Pe, feet 2.2.8... 10 Length of end rakes, icet..... 42 Length of straight sides, feet. .168 oo OF Ocaks, feet. .2...4.: 22 Wists of cargo hopper, feet. .256 nate of cargo hopper, feet.. 36 epth of double bottom, feet... 5 taft, light, inches............ 18 For the length and width of the "argo hopper, which is 256 x 36 feet, the hull framing is to be longitudinal and at the sides and in the peak the framing will be transverse. The long- tudinal framing of the nine middle, Straight body, compartments on each Me Will consist of 7-inch x 9.75 Pound channels spaced 24 _ inches apart from center to center. A Snappy Summary of the Leading Events of the Month in the Vessel Construction Field The longitudinal framing of the four end compartments and all trans- verse framing at the sides and in the peaks is to consist of 5-inch x 3-inch x 8.2-pound angles spaced 24 inches apart. The longitudinal framing will nn Ships and the Food Problem ERBERT HOOVER, Amer- ican food administrator, took occasion in a recent address to point out that food administrations in: all of the allied nations owed their creation solely to the situation in overseas slipping. One-third of the world's carrying capacity has been diverted directly and indirectly to military purposes while» the re- mainder has suffered an unceasing loss during the war. Plenty of food is accessible to the seas but there are not enough ships to carry it from every port and still conduct the war. He estimates that for every 5000 tons of shipping used in delivering food to the allies from North Amer- ica, 15,000 tons of shipping are re- quired from Australia and 10,000 tons from the Argentine. If the allies were compelled to go to these more remote markets for their whole food supply today it would require 2,500,000 tons more shipping than is used at present. If North America could during the next year, provide the whole of alived necessities, 1,500,000 tons of ship- ping would be saved. | This situation sifts down, »Mr Hoover pointed out, to the fact that "every ship we save is a ship Euilt." be intercostal and will be connected to the bulkhead plating and stiffeners with 10.2-pound flanged plate brackets and 2%4 x 2%4-inch x 4.1-pound reverse clips. Transverse channels 9-inch x 13.25 353 pounds, spaced 6 feet between cen- ters, will support the longitudinal framing for the whole length of the hopper on each side of the vessel be- tween the center bulkhead and side girders to which they will be con- nected with 12.6-pound plate brackets and 2% x 2%-inch x 4.1-pound double angles. The transverse frames abreast of the hopper are to extend from the side girders to the deck stringers, and in the peaks from the center keelson to the deck stringer. Center Keelson and Bulkhead At the center line of the vessel be- tween the end or collision bulkheads and continuous watertight bulkhead or center keelson, 5 feet high, is to be built of 12.6-pound plate. This _ will be stiffened with 2% x 2%-inch x 4.1-pound vertical angles, 24 inches apart. The bottom edge of the bulk- head is to be riveted between double 2% x 2% inch x 5.0-pound angles connecting it to the keel plate. The top edge is to be riveted between dou- ble 2% x 2%-inch x 4.1-pound angles connecting to the hopper bottom. The butts of plating and angles are to be 18 frame spaces apart with proper shifts of butts. A girder is to run on each side of the barge in line with the hopper side plates. Each side girder is to be built of 12.6-pound plate, intercostal. between the trans- verse bulkheads and extending from the hopper bottom to the shell plat- ing, to both of which the girder plate is to be connected with 2% x 24-inch x 5.0-pound double angles. Large light- ening holes will be cut in the side girders, and the hopper side plate stiffeners are to extend down to the shell, forming stiffeners for the gird- ers also. A deckbeam will be located on every fame, or 24 inches apart, from end to end of the barge. The deck beams are to have a camber of 12 inches in 48 feet. The hopper bottom will be framed longitudinally with 6-inch x 8.0-pound channels spaced 12 inches between centers, intercostal be- tween the transverse bulkheads to ©