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Latest Data on New Marine Work : Information on New Ships Ordered—Building and Repair Con- tracts Let—Shipping Board Loans Made, Authorized or Pending parliamentary secretary for the admiralty, is reported to have told a shipbuilding deputation that the British admiralty is building ships to the maximum of Great Britain’s allowance under the Washington treaty. Contracts for three large cruisers of the 1931 program were re- cently awarded and orders for the 1932 cruiser program were to be awarded at an early date. Even in February, Lord Stanley, Status of New Cunarder Persistent reports have come from England that work on _ the giant Cunard liner known as No. 534, now in partly completed condition on the stocks at John Brown’s_ shipyard, Clydebank, Scotland, will be resumed early in March. If the reports prove to be correct and all goes well, she will be launched this coming Septem- ber. The report, which is denied by the shipyard, is based on the assertion that negotiations have been under way be- tween Walter Runciman, president of the board of trade and member of the British cabinet, and officials of the Cunard line. Results of these ne- gotiations were to be communicated to parliament on Feb. 23. David Kirkwood, member of parliament for Clydebank, is reported to have made a public statement to the above effect, and he has also indicated hopefulness that a second Cunarder will be com- menced when the first is launched. He has expressed the opinion that Clydebank will be the busiest ship- building place in the world before the year ends. On the other hand, the shipyard, though hopeful of an early resumption of work, does not know of any agree- ment between the owner and the Brit- ish government. The yard’s informa- tion as this is written was that no decision had yet been reached. Bids for New Tender Bids for the construction of a new lighthouse tender for service on the Great Lakes were opened Feb. 15 in the office of the commissioner of lighthouses, of the department of commerce. The Great Lakes Engi- neering Works, River Rouge, Mich., was the lowest bidder with a price of $66,566. This vessel to be known as_ the DAHLIA, is to replace the tender 26 THISTLE, now unfit for further service. It will be a steel vessel, eighty-one feet long, propelled by diesel machinery. Order Steel Coal Barges Marietta Mfg. Co., Point Pleasant, W. Va., recently was awarded a con- tract by the West Kentucky Coal Co., Paducah, Ky., for the construction of ten standard steel coal barges, each of 1000 tons capacity and size of 175 x 26 x 11 feet. For the construction of these barges, approximately 1500 tons of steel are required. Recently the company took a con- tract for the construction of a 50,000- gallon steel oil barge for the Sterling Oil Co., St. Marys, W. Va., this barge to be 84 x 20 x 5. Aside from this private work, the company also has under construction two floating boat houses for the United States engineers, Huntington, W. Va., and are making repairs to the No. 27 maneuverboat for the Hunt- ington engineers. In addition, the Marietta Mfg. Co. is over-hauling the United States snagboat Krenrucky for the Cincinnati engineers. Order British Freighters The Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. early in February received orders for three cargo vessels. One of these ves- sels of 7000 tons carrying capacity is to be built on the new “arc-form” sys- tem of design proposed by Sir Joseph Isherwood and described in detail elsewhere in this issue. This vessel will be fitted with steam reciprocating machinery. The other two ships, each of 9000 tons deadweight, are designed for fast cargo services and will be fit- ted with diesel engines. Speed is to be from 13 to 14 knots. It is thought that the two latter vessels are for the Pacific coast trade of Sir William Reardon Smith & Sons Ltd. These orders, it is felt, indicate a definite return of interest on the part of shipowners in building new tonnage. An optimistic statement along this line was recently made by Walter Runciman, president of the board of trade. He pointed out that early in February there were 200,000 tons less of shipping laid up than at the same time a year ago, and also that recent orders for new _ ships showed that shipowners are looking ahead. Another important factor is that these new ships will incorporate the latest engineering advances and will MARINE REVIEW—March, 1933 thus enable their owners to compete successfully with others possessing really modern ships. Mr. Runciman said, “It may be the cause of a great revival in our shipping trade which will open up a new boom for indus- try in this country.” The United States Engineer office of Vicksburg, Miss., has asked for bids which were to be opened Feb. 24, for the construction and delivery afloat at Vicksburg of one, 120 x 30 x 7-foot steel oil barge. Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, Pa., was the successful bid- der and was awarded contract for re- pair to seven federal dredges. The total bid was $99,643. Peten’s Sea Trials Held Trial trip of the United Fruit Co.’s new turbo-electric liner PETEN, built by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., was held Feb. 15 and was satisfactory in every respect. The liner developed a speed of approxi- mately 20 knots and responded satis- factorily to her speed test, backing tests, anchor and steering tests. On account of foggy weather, she left the yards of the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. at 10 a. m. instead of 5 a. m. and returned at 7 p. m., having steamed sixty miles outside the Chesapeake Light ship. J. J. Kelleher, general traffic man- ager and H. H. Robson, general man- ager of the marine department repre- sented the United Fruit Co. on this trial. Tender Wistaria Launched The lighthouse tender WISTARIA, which is being built for service in the waters of Delaware river and Dela- ware bay, was launched Feb. 3 at the Staten: Island. ~N. Y¥) vara -0f tie United Dry Docks Ine. At the time of launching the tender was over 55 per cent complete. The vessel is scheduled for delivery by March 30. The WISTARIA will repla(e the small wooden tender WoopBINrk, and is a diesel electric propelled steel vessel, designed specially for the work, em- bodying many improvements. When completed, this vessel will be used in the construction of new naviga- tional aids, and in servicing the lights and buoys.