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British Marine Affairs (Continued from page 36) of North America, as against 17.55 per cent in the corresponding period of last year. The total clearances from British ports in January and February 1927 were 9542 vessels of 9,632,924 tons, as compared with 9570 vessels of 9,945,277 tons in the first two months of 1926. Of these clear- ances, 12.35 per cent went to the Atlantic coast of North America this year, as compared with 15 per cent last year. Coal Exports Nearly Normal Exports of British coal have nearly recovered their volume of 1926 for the time of year. Tho figure for February was 4,172,856 tons, as compared with 4,340,006 tons in February 1926. For the period ending Feb. 28 this year, exports were 8,265,735 tons, as against 8,488,048 tons last year. Coal shipped for the use of steamers engaged in foreign trade was 1,307,148 tons in February 1927, as compared with 1,306,467 tons in February 1926. These figures show that the effects of the coal stoppage are gradually disap- pearing. The total value of exports of British goods, exclusive of bullion and specie, has not, however, attained the level of a year ago. The amount for February htis year was £63,744,- 121 ($308,000,000), as against £76,- 035,306 ($369,000,000) in February 1926. For the first two months of this year, total exports are valued at £129,027,407 ($627,000,000), as compared with £148,157,828 ($720,- 000,000) for the corresponding period of last year. The drop in exports for the period ending February 1926 this year, as compared with the same périod last year, was mainly due to reduced shipments of cotton yarns and manufactures, iron and_ steel and manufactures and vehicles, including locomotives, ships and aircraft. The value of imports for February 1927 was £93,851,869 ($455,000,000), as against £96,885,123 ($470,000,000), and for the first two months it was £207,452,124 ($1,000,000,000) this year and £214,603,699 ($1,020,000,- 000) last year. There was a consider- able increase in the value of im- ports of coal, iron and _ steel and manufacturers, oils, and fats, and a substantial decrease in foodstuffs, raw - cotton and rubber. Launch Lake Freighter The S. S. Harry Counsy, building at the Lorain, O. plant of the Amer- ican Ship Building Co. is scheduled for launching April 30. This vessel is 46 being built for the Interlake Steam- ship Co., Pickands & Mather Co. man- agers, Cleveland and will be the largest bulk freighter, in capacity, on the Great Lakes. She is 630 feet in length overall, 8 feet shorter than the CARL D. BRADLEY and she has the same beam of 65 feet; the depth molded is 32 feet. On a draft of 20 feet the capacity will be 138,800 tons. British Marine Exhibit The annual shipping, engineering and machinery exhibition will be held at Olympia, London, from Sept. 8 to 24. This exhibition will include a special section for motorboats, yachts, small craft, internal combustion en- gines and various accessories. Pri- marily the exhibits are representative of shipbuilding, shipping, marine, elec- trical and _ general engineering, yachts, motorboats and engines. A large proportion of the exhibits will be shown under working conditions. The exhibits will cover all the equip- ment and accessories used in ships, from the smaller craft to large ves- sels. In connection with the heavy engineering trades will be shown such products as compressors, steel and iron castings and forgings, electrical machinery, engines of all types, pneu- matic tools, and machine tools for various purposes. Welding in its var- ious forms will be an interesting fea- ture, Contract for Cruisers On April 15 the United States navy department awarded contracts for the construction of six 10,000-ton cruisers. Two are to be built by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. One by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Fore River plant, Quincy, Mass.; and one to the American Brown Bo- veri Electric Corp., Camden, N. J. Two will go to United States navy yards, one to the Puget Sound and the other to the Mare Island navy yard, both on the Pacific coast. Bids were submitted by the private shipyards and estimates by the differ- ent navy yards. These six cruisers complete the program of eight intend- ed by congress. The two first of the eight were placed last July, one, the SALT LAKE CITY, with the William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Build- ing Co. and the other, the PENSACOLA, with the New York navy yard. It is understood that the Cramp com- pany has asked to be released from their contract to complete the SALT LAKE CITY which is about one-twen- tieth completed. It is further under- MARINE REVIEW—May, 1927 stood that the navy department has allowed the Cramp company to give up this work and that a contract to complete the cruiser has been awarded to the American Brown Boveri Elec- tric Corp. at a figure not to exceed the original. The contract prices for each of the cruisers to be built at the private yards lie between $10,000,000 and the $11,000,000 limit set by congress. There is, of course, a variation in the prices among the several concerns depending upon differences in detail of the conditions set down in the bids. One of the encouraging features in placing these contracts is that an ag- gregate amount of approximately $65,- 000,000 will go to the shipbuilding in- dustry. Many, however, are of the opinion that all six of the cruisers should have been placed in private yards and that by so doing much need- ed support to shipbuilding and an actual saving of about $6,000,000 ac- cording to one authority, might have been accomplished. Launch Liner Shawnee The sixth vessel in the program of new shipbuilding undertaken by the Clyde line during the past two years, the SHAWNEE was_ launched at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. on Patriots day, April 19. The SHAWNEE, a sister ship of the IROQUOIS, was sponsored by Miss Elenor Hoyt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Hoyt of New York. The maids of honor were, the Misses Katharyn Watson and_ Elizabeth, Hovey of Chestnut Hill, Mass. The SHAWNEE and IROQUOIS when completed will be the largest and most luxurious vessels in the Atlantic coast- wise service. The other steamers in the new fleet are the ALGONQUIN, launched Sept. 9, last year and her three sister ships the MOHAWK, SEMI- NOLE and CHEROKEE all built within the past two years. <A_ description of the IRoquoIs will be found in the April number of MARINE REVIEW. The Sprague portable hoist busi- ness of the General Electric Co. has been taken over by the Shepard Elec- tric Crane & Hoist Co., Montour ‘Falls, N. Y. The Shepard company will continue to. manufacture Sprague hoists and a division has been es- tablished known as the Sprague Hoist division of the Shepard Electric Crane & Hoist Co. with offices at 30 Church mt., New York City. -N. A. Hall of the General Electric Co. has_ been placed in charge of the new Shepard division.