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United States Engineers, Bids on Marine Work Bids will be received until May 7 by the office of the division engineer United States engineers, Kansas City, Mo., for furnishing auxiliary generator sets for the Fort Peck dredges. The United States engineer office, Memphis, Tenn., opened bids April 18 for furnishing one 275-horse- power locomotive type boiler. Bids were received by the United States engineer office, Vicksburg, Miss., on April 12, for the construc- tion and delivery afloat at Vicksburg, Miss., of two 120 x 30 x 7 feet steel oil barges. The bids received and amounts are as follows: The Dravo Contracting Co., Ne- ville Island Station, Pittsburgh, $38,- 300; Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., 37 West Van Buren street, Chicago, $51,899; Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, $39,951; Nash- ville Bridge Co., Nashville, Tenn., $37,690; McClintic Marshall Corp., Bethlehem, Pa., $35,630; Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co., Mo- bile, Ala., $46,544; and Midland Barge Co., Midland, Pa., $39,858. All bids were rejected. It is as- sumed that new bids will be re- quested. The bid of the Marine Iron & Ship- building Co., Duluth, Minn., of $7800 for building two 40-foot steel launches for the United States engi- neer office, Duluth, Minn., was recommended for acceptance and it is assumed that the contract was awarded to this company. Three bids were received, the highest being $17,880. The United States engineer office, Memphis, Tenn., on April 17 opened bids for the construction of two 31- foot steel hull motorboats. The same office on the same day also opened bids for the construction of two 30- foot wooden work boats. The Tennessee Valley authority, Knoxville, Tenn., has awarded a con- tract at $61,600 to the Ingalls Iron Works, Birmingham, Ala. for the con- struction of four steel barges 90 x 40 x 6% feet. These barges are to be used in connection with the building of Wheeler dam. Because no funds have been allo- cated by the public works administra- tion, the project of developing the first of a chain of seadromes has been dropped for the time being. Tank Barge Ordered Newtown Creek Towing Co., 17 Bat- tery place, New York, has awarded to United Drydocks, Inc., contract for the construction of one 13,000 barrel truss- weld tank barge 208 foot long, by 30 foot beam, by 12 foot deep, for trans- port of gasoline in harbor, sound and limited coastwise service, as well as on the New York State Barge canal, under classification by the American Bureau of Shipping. The barge was designed by W. S. MacDonald, naval architect, of 90 West street, New York. New Vessels for Mexico Authorization to negotiate with American, British, French, Spanish and German shipyards for the con- struction and delivery of five passen- ger and freight steamers for service in the Gulf of Mexico has been granted the Tampico Stevedores union, which operates the steamers Mexico, COAHUILA, ISAURO ALFARO and ALIJADORES in the Gulf, by the minis- try of communications and public works, The union has found that these four vessels are insufficient to meet Gulf passenger and cargo re- quirements. Shipyards with which the union will negotiate will be in- vited to send representatives. The vessels which the union pro- poses to acquire will be of one type and suitable for Mexican Gulf of Mexico coastwise service, Hach must have a minimum cargo displacement of 1000 tons and accommodations for 60 first class and 75 second class passengers, and be powered with machinery adequate to assure a mini- mum speed of 15 knots. New Tanker Construction is Now Anticipated Considering the fact that but few tankers have been laid down in Amer- ican shipyards in recent years and the further fact that the life of a tanker, depending on her service, is much more limited than that of an ordinary cargo ship, new tanker construction cannot be deferred much longer. As an indication of a trend in this direction mention might be made of a rumor that an attempt is being made by a number of the oil companies and shipbuilders to work out a program for the construction of 40 tankers of high speed which could be used in efficiently serving the navy at sea should the need arise. If this pro- gram materializes production costs could be equalized with the cost of building abroad if the subsidy policy proposed by the administration is en- acted into law by congress. Whether the scheme could be worked out on the basis of a speed of 18 knots is doubtful to say the least. Such a speed would mean much greater first cost as well as higher operating cost throughout the service life of the ves- sel. According to past experience the oil companies do not need much higher speeds than is now customary, that is, in the vicinity of 11 knots. The high speed mentioned would, therefore, seem to be a naval requirement. In pointing out the need for replace- ment of tankers within the next year or two R. L. Burke, vice president, of the Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., called attention to the fact that most of the tankers now in operation were built between 1914 and 1920. He is of the opinion that it would be prac- ticable to step up to a speed of 16 knots and that the 18-knot speed, men- tioned in connection with the program referred to above, would be possible if it is finally considered necessary. It is understood that the navy de- partment recently awarded a contract to The American Rolling Mill Co., Middletown, O., for 400,000 pounds of stainless steel sheets. This is one of the largest orders for stainless steel sheets ever placed. si —_—_—_—'eews—ao_—e— SSS Bunker Prices At New York At Philadelphia Other Ports Coal Fuel oil Diesel engine _ Coal Fuel oil Diese engine April 19, 1934 F. o. b. alongside oil alongside trimin bunk alongside oil alongside Boston, coal, per ton.$ 8.00 per ton. per barrel per gallon per ton per barrel per gallon Boston, oil, f. a. s. per April 19, 1934...5.63@5.48 1.35 Ne April 19, 1934...4. Bae 7851535 4.76 Darrelivscce ences Dui $1.19 i a 5.35@5.20 1.25 4: AGE Rea Re 4.65@4.50 1.25 4.76 Hampton Roads, coal, per Feb: $9000.00: 5.35@5.20 1.25 4, Febot9isscce 4.65@4.50 1.25 4.76 ton, f.o.b. piers........ $5.00 ee Saee: i Le ra Jan. ce amare 4.65@4.50 1.25 4.76 Cardiff, coal, per ton....138 3d ae psa: ets ate a. CCS 4.65@4.50 1.15 4.76 London, coal, per ton...—s —d No Sy hora eee 5.35@5.20 115 4.70} NOV Si sacs 4.65@4.50 1.15 4.76 Antwerp, coal, per ton. .16s Od Oct 18 "Ss 00@5.75 1.15 4.70% Octilors voce. 500@5. 75: 1.15 4.76 Antwerp, Fuel oil, perton67s 6d oi 4.45@4.75 1.15 4. Sept, 18) oe ee 1.15 4.88 Anwar: Diet Glo © LO. eee eae . . * Nigel Sick wees 4, i oO a fo OM srgcs cee tb miele isis bisieces 8 fae ae pe Sawa . et ie en He Jul 8 ye eee 4.30@4.60 .90 4.28% British ports, Fuel oil...878 6d June 18, "1933. 4/30@4.60 :80 oe 18, 1933...4.30@4.60 .80 4.04 British ports, Diesel oil.1028 6d Note: Figures given for coal at New York and Phila delphia are for Classes A and B according to the Code; Class C is slightly less. a MARINE REVIEW—May, 1934 27