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saaiae ‘BETHLEH! A busy scene at the Simpson plant of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. Ltd., Boston.—Each one of the three graving docks is occupied as well as the 11,000 ton floating dry dock.—Other vessels are tied up at berthing spaces for repairs.—In the two years since its purchase this plant has been transformed into a fully equipped first class ship repair yard capable of handling any: work called for Repair Your Ships in Boston Extensive Improvements at the Simpson Plant Makes This Yard Equal to Any of Its Size on the Atlantic Coast UE to its splendid harbor and D strategic geographical position, Boston has become, in. the course of its long history, the metropolis of a large and thriving in- dustrial area and the principal natural and ideal gateway to the Atlantic be- tween New York to the south and the gulf of St. Lawrence on_ the north. Compared with the spirit of enterprise and _ progressiveness of younger ports less favored in a na- tural way, Boston has been inclined to be conservative and somewhat lack- ing in vision and initiative. There are indications now, however, that a change in attitude is taking place and that capital and enterprise devoted to improvements and expansion are wel- come. Certainly one of the most important essential adjuncts of a good all around port along with adequate depth of water and good docks is a thoroughly equipped, first class ship repair plant where work can be quickly’ and efficiently done. Some years ago a port commission authorized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts worked out a very ambitious plan of development along the South Boston waterfront. These plans were carried through to the extent of building the Commonwealth graving dock (the largest in the whole country and the only one capable of drydocking the LEVIATHAN and MAJESTIC) and the Commonwealth pier. A great deal of money was spent on this project and the comprehensive plan ceased. The dry dock proved to be somewhat of a white elephant. No adequate repair facilities or shops were provided and the dry dock was finally turned over to the United States navy and is now operated in conjunction with the Charlestown navy yard. Though Boston ranks among the six largest ports in the United States it has lacked, until quite recently, a really modern, fully equipped ship repair plant. And it has such a plant today as shown in the accompanying illustrations, due to the vision, courage and enterprise of the Bethlehem Ship- building Corp. Ltd., in buying the old Simpson dry docks and in carrying through to completion an elaborate and costly construction program, convert- ing this obsolete plant into one of the most complete and best equipped ship repair yards on the Atlantic coast. There is nothing of the phil- anthropic about this enterprise as it 445 was planned and has turned out to be an excellent business proposition, amply justifying the courage and judg- ment displayed. The old Simpson’s Patent Dry Dock Co. located on the East Boston shore adjacent to the terminal of the Bos- ton and Lynn narrow gauge railway, was taken over by the Bethlehem Ship- building Corp. Ltd. about two years ago. Three old wooden graving docks had, prior to this time, been in opera- tion for about seventy years. The manner in which they came to be built is unique. It seems that in the days of the clipper ships, an associa- tion was formed of ships’ captains, who pooled together and had these dry docks built so that they could haul out their vessels in Boston harbor on their return from long voyages. Be- ginning with this early service, all types of ships from the four corners of the globe have been docked in them and they have rendered valuable serv- ice to the navy during all of our wars. Development of this property began immediately after the Bethlehem Ship- building Corp., Ltd. acquired the plant. The old steam engine, which has been in use since the building of