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Latest Data on New Marine Work Information on New Ships Ordered—Building and Repair Con- tracts Let — Sales — Reconditioning — Launchings — Trial Trips G. Sharp, New York naval archi- tect, has in preparation plans and specifications for three fast new pas- senger and cargo liners for the New York-Mediterranean service of the American Export lines. Speed, it is said, will be 20 knots, and accommoda- tions will be provided for 300 first class passengers. Approximate length, it is believed, will be about 550 feet, and the gross tonnage, about 12,000. Ample cargo space will be provided. No confirmation of this proposed program of new building is available, but it is understood that bids will be requested early in the new year, and that the vessels will be ready for serv- ice late in 1936. The American Export lines now operates a fleet of 24 vessels, one of the largest controlled by any private American steamship company. The trade is between New York, Mediter- ranean and Black Sea ports. Mr. Sharp was the designer of the four new ves- sels of this fleet, EXCALIBUR, EXxo- CHORDA, EXETER, and ExcAmBron, built by the New York Shipbuilding Co., the last of which was completed in the summer of 1931. The first, the EXCALI- BUR, was completed in December, 1930. These vessels are 475 feet, 414 inches in length overall; and have a beam of 61 feet, 6 inches. Passenger capacity in one class is 150. The deadweight capacity is 9298 tons. They had a speed on trial of 18 knots and have a sea speed of 16 knots. It is universally recognized that they are popular and successful ships. Passenger accommodations are most attractive and comfortable without being ornate. Re. ston are current that George Bids for Diesel Engines On Dec. 11 the United States engi- neer office, Louisville, Ky., received bids from eight diesel engine building companies for furnishing two _ 750- horsepower diesel propelling engines and one 575-kilowatt diesel driven gen- erating set. The adjusted bids were as follows: The Cooper-Bessemer Corp., Mt. Vernon, O., $112,490; McIntosh & Sey- mour Corp., Albany, N. Y., $114,060; Busch Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Co., St. Louis, $121,522; Nordberg Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wis., $124,366; Fair- banks Morse & Co., Chicago, $126,196; Ingersoll Rand Co., New York, $127,- 800; Winton Engine Corp., Cleveland, 24 $133,631.25 and Electric Boat Co., Gro- ton, Conn., $142,000. Three of the companies also bid on one 1600-horsepower dredge engine, as follows: Nordberg Mfg. Co., $53,986; Busch Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Co., $60,- 250; and McIntosh & Seymour Corp., $61,840. These three companies also offered a combined bid on the two pro- pelling engines, the generating set and the dredging pump engine as follows: $172,781 from Busch Sulzer Bros. Die- sel Engine Co.; $175,900 from McIntosh & Seymour Corp.; and $178,352 from Nordberg Mfg. Co. As this is written no award had yet been made. To Ask for Fast Tankers Unless the shipping board takes steps to aid private companies in the construction of fast tankers, suitable for naval auxiliaries, the navy depart- ment, it is understood, will include several tankers as well as other auxili- ary vessels in its new naval building program, recommendations for which should be ready early in the new year. A speed of at least 15 knots, and maybe as high as 18 will be required for such tankers. Without an adequate number of fast tankers the fleet could not operate effectively at long dis- tances from its bases. Ferry for Erie Railroad Bids were to be received Dec. 18 for the building of the new ferry for the Erie Railroad Co., mentioned in the November issue of MARINE REVIEW. Plans and specifications have been pre- pared by J. W. Millard & Bro., 17 State street, New York. It is understood that the specifica- tions call for main propelling engines of steam reciprocating type, and steam to be supplied by oil-burning Scotch boilers. Shipyards, however, are being requested to offer alternate bids for different types of propelling power. The new vessel is to be 234 feet in length overall, 64 feet in beam over the guards, 18 feet, 6 inches in depth, and will be of the customary double ended type. She is to be used in the Erie rail- road service, across the North river, between terminals at New York and New Jersey. The Los Angeles harbor department because of rapidly increasing business for the McCormick Steamship Co. has MARINE REVIEwW—January, 1935 called for bids for the construction of a 160-foot extension of the shed at Berth 177 occupied by this company. The first unit is to cost approximately $35,000 and when completed the shed extension and facilities will cost $55,- 000. The construction will be of steel and of the same modern design used in the berth as it now stands. New Model Basin Needed In the annual report of Rear Ad- miral HE. S. Land, (CC) U.S. N., chief of the bureau of construction and re- pair, it is stated that a total of 70 war vessels of various types are now under construction or contract in private shipyards and navy yards. This pro- gram does not yet, however, provide treaty strength. Seventy-eight addi- tional ships are necessary to bring the navy up to full London treaty strength in under-age vessels. Admiral Land again vigorously urged that the necessary appropriation be made for an up-to-date model basin for experimental purposes. In this con- nection he said: “Not a_ single up-to-date experi- mental model basin exists in this country today, in which respect other maritime nations have outstripped us. While the work being conducted at the present basin has been gratifying along certain lines, it is felt that the engineers and naval architects of this country are handicapped in the in- . vestigation of the complex problems that arise in the effort to improve effi- ciency of our vessels. It is hoped that this vital need of the navy department and of the country as a whole will be met by the allocation of funds to per- mit prompt undertaking of the con- struction of a new model basin, the plans and _ specifications for which have long been ready.” In connection with the education of naval constructors, the report empha- sized the importance of having officers of the construction corps do_ post- graduate work abroad. He said: “In line with the recommendations contained in the bureau’s report for the last fiscal year that officers of the corps who showed special ability be assigned to postgraduate work abroad for period of one year, one such officer is at present studying in Paris. It is hoped that this practice may be con- tinued, as it is considered a step to- ward the diversification of ideas and methods, and is manifestly beneficial.”