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without necessity for backing or other objectionable maneuvers for position. All ship construction in the vicinity of the automobiles is of fireproof material so that in the event of any of the cars catching fire while on board the vessel, there will be no risk of a major dis- aster. Steam is raised by eight Scotch boil- ers, but in normal summer time service only four will remain in service. There are three propellers, two aft and one forward, which latter will only be used in the winter time for the pur- pose of assisting in the breaking of ice. The vessel is equipped with very complete aids to navigation of the most modern type, including wireless tele- phone, and the passengers’ accommoda- tion is of the most sumptuous charac- ter, including modern dining room service, and especially arranged so that ‘in the unlikely event of the vessel be- ing held in the ice for an extended pe- riod the pasengers will be subjected to the minimum of discomfort. It is intended that the twin screw carferry CHARLOTTETOWN will take care of the winter and summer traffic re- quirements, while the PRINcE EDWARD ISLAND will in future only operate at such times as the new ferry will under- go its annual overhaul, and as re- quired to take care of peak traffic re- quirements in the summer time. The accompanying illustrations give a good impression of the vessel, and clearly show that Canadian shipyards have no reason to fear comparison with shipyards in other parts of the world. Five attractively furnished public rooms are provided for passengers, in- cluding a spacious dining room, com- fortable lounge and rotunda, smoking and observation rooms suitably located. Following the launching of the ves- sel trial runs were made in the St. Lawrence river, at Levis and at Mur- ray Bay, where official distances were already marked off for the tests. All material used in the construction were produced in the British Empire and, wherever possible in Canada. The importance of the shipbuilding industry to Canada is demonstrated by the figures issued in connection with the construction of the new vessel. The cost is about $2,500,000. Over 12 months was required to build the ship, the keel being laid in June of last year, and employment was given to between 500 and 600 men during most of this period. All Canadian labor was employed. All Guarantees Successfully Met Two-thirds of the steel used in the new ship was imported from the Brit- ish Isles, being unobtainable in Can- ada. The balaiice was secured in the Dominion. Ninety per cent of the lum- ber used was secured in Canada, the remaining ten per cent teak wood, ne- cessary in the construction of ships of all types, was secured from India. All interior furnishings, with the excep- tion of covering which are not manu- factured in this country, were made by Canadian furniture companies. The coverings were secured in Great Bri- tain and sent to Canada where they were applied to the furniture by Cana- dian workmen. Electrical, plumbing and other fix- tures were all made in Canada from British materials and were installed by Canadian workmen. One of the accompanying illustra- tions shows the three tracks for car- rying the 16 railroad freight cars. The ventilation openings between the tracks, some 20 in number, are closed by special steel hatch covers, designed by MacGregor & King Ltd., London. They vary in length from 8 feet to 20 feet and are 3 feet 6 inches wide. They roll in a fore and aft direction between the rail tracks. These covers are watertight and are an important ele- ment in the safety of the vessel. At the same time they are easily opened and closed, eliminating the usual stow- age difficulties with wood hatches and tarpaulins. The CHARLOTTETOWN is now in regu- lar service, permitting the PRINCE Ep- WARD ISLAND to undergo a much re- quired major overhaul, and has car- ried on one trip as many of 16 large railroad cars and 44 automobiles, a load which would require at least two trips for the Prince EpwARrD ISLAND. All guarantees as to developed pow- er, draft and fuel consumption, were met With a slight margin in each case, reflecting credit to the builder and the naval architects. This is the most powerful carferry in the world. It should be noted that the machinery of a total 8000 indicated horsepower in three triple expansion reciprocating steam engines was con- structed and installed by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal. The same firm was responsible for the fine woodwork in the public rooms. The building of this vessel repre- sents the most valuable contract ever awarded to a Canadian shipyard, and in the building of no other ship in Canada have such pains been taken to ensure that the materials and work- manship, the machinery, equipment and furniture shall have been the prod- ucts of Canadian enterprise. What the British Are Doing in Shipbuilding GRAY & CO. LTD. of West Hartlepool have secured an or- der from a London firm for a cargo steamer of 9000 tons and the outlook in the district has considerably im- proved as it is only a few weeks ago that a contract for a similar sized steamer was placed. The last steamer launched at this shipyard was in Sep- tember last. * * % CONTRACT has been placed with Lithgows of Port Glasgow for a vessel of about 6000 tons to the order of the Jamaica Direct Fruit line, Lon- don. It will be specially designed and equipped for the transport of bananas from the West Indies to this country. Last year Lithgrows built for the same owners the JAMAICA PIONEER the first ship to be specially built for her owners’ banana trade and the new 22 vessel now ordered will be similar in most respects. * we SCHEME has been propounded by British steelmakers to assist British shipbuildergs in the matter of prices. The steel makers have agreed to make a levy on themselves or in other words on the steel produced in this country which is calculated to raise a sum of £50,000 and this fund is to be used as a subsidy to shipbuilders using only British steel under the existing rebate system. This sum is to be raised over the ensuing six months by a levy in proportion to de- liveries of steel by the steelmakers and is to be handed to the Shipbuilding Employers federation for use in assisting builders to compete for orders which might otherwise go abroad owing to the lower prices MARINE REVIEw—October, 1931 quoted by foreign shipbuilding firms. ke # & HE output from the Clyde in Au- gust which consisted of one vessel of 14,000 tons is among the lowest on record for the river during Au- gust. On the other hand, a decided improvement was recorded in the placing of new contracts mostly for cargo steamers. The fact that ship- owners are again ordering vessels of this type gives hope of some improve- ment in shipbuilding for the autumn and winter months. The total output launched on the Clyde since the be- ginning of the year now consists of 40 vessels of about 135,000 tons gross as compared with 140 vessels of about 385,000 tons in the same period last year. The vessel launched on the Clyde in August was the P. & O. liner CARTHAGE,