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Board Opens Bids for Scrapping of Ships The opening of bids received by the shipping board on April 14 for 10 laid- up ships to be sold for scrapping or conversion into barges revealed offers of more than 80 cents a ton on the scrapping basis. The Union Shipbuild- ing Co., Baltimore, with an offer of $53,293, was high bidder for the whole group, although offers of others for some of the vessels individually were higher. The Schuylkill Transportation Co., Philadelphia, offered $10,000 for the LAKE GirTH, a 4155-ton steel freighter, under a proposition to convert the ves- sel into a barge for use on the Dela- ware. In the case of three of the other vessels, the ConoTTon, 3630 tons, the Eastern CHIEF, 6772 tons, and the PROVINCETOWN, 9469 tons, the Boston Iron & Metal Co., Baltimore, was high bidder with offers of $3012.90, $5620.76, and $7859.27, respectively. The total bid of the Boston Iron & Metal Co. amounted to $52,038.51. The bids were taken under advise- ment by the merchant fleet corporation for analysis and recommendation for the shipping board. Thirteenth Electric Vessel The ninth electric tanker and the thirteenth diesel-electric vessel to be built for the Atlantic Refining Co. is now under construction by the Sun Shipbuilding Co., Chester, Pa. This vessel, to be completed late this sum- mer, has the distinction also of being all-electrically welded in its hull construction. Nine tankers and four tugs make up the total of 13 diesel-electric ves- sels owned by this company. Of this number, the electric equipment was supplied for eight (including the new one) by the General Electric Co., and for three more by the British Thom- son-Houston Co., an affiliated com- pany in Great Britain. The power plant of the new tank- er will consist of three Cooper-Besse- HE motor tanker GARONNE, built by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen, for Fearn- ley & Eger, Oslo, to the high- est class of British Lloyds, is 425 feet long, 58 feet 6 inches beam, and 33 feet 3 inches draft. Two six-cylinder diesel engines with a total output of 4000 indicated horsepower are each coupled direct to sepa- rate propeller. On trials, with vessel fully loaded, the en- Sines developed 4006 indi- cated horsepower at 146 revo- lutions per minute, giving a speed of 12.43 knots. Diesel powered 41-foot boat built for public health service by Jakobson & Peterson, Inc., New York mer diesel engines each driving a 105-kilowatt, direct-current genera- tor, two with direct-connected auxil- iary generators of 25 kilowatts ca- pacity each. The main generators will deliver current at 125 volts and the auxiliary generators, at 120 volts. The propulsion motor will be rated 375 horsepower, 375 volts, 150 revolutions per minute, and will be a shunt-wound, direct current ma- chine. The usual variable-voltage control ' will be used with a station in the pilot house. The switchboard will be of the dead-front type. The auxili- iaries and lighting equipment will also be electrified. Building Two Boats for Public Health Service Two boats are being constructed at the yard of Jakobson & Peterson Inc., New York, for the public health serv- ice, foreign quarantine division, from plans prepared by P. W. Clark, naval architect. The boats were designed for semi-tropical service to be used as freight, passenger and general service work hoats between the mainland and the quarantine stations. The dimen- sions of the boats are as follows: Run’ Successful Trial Trip of New Motor Tanker = MARINE REVIEW—May, 1931 Length overall.... 41 feet 0 inches Length on W.L..... 39 feet 9 inches Beam molded .......... 12 feet 0 inches Dratt leaded 42.34.) 4 feet 2 inches The boats are powered with one four-cylinder, 6-inch bore by 6% inch stroke, Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine. The forward portion of each vessel has a spacious deck for loading and transporting freight; and below there is a spacious cargo hold for carrying perishable materials. Ample ventila- tion is provided throughout by the in- stallation of mushroom ventilators, airports and new lattice type doors which provide fresh air to all parts of the hull. The design of the stern was adopted due to the rough nature of the work in which the vessels will be engaged. With the usual transom stern, main- tenance costs are high because the corners sustain frequent impact. The circular transom is faired ‘into the hull side planks so that there is a smooth round surface with practically no points of weakness against impact. This type of stern prevents settling and has a low resistance and fine run of water aft. These vessels are both to be de- livered under their own power about the middle of May. 43