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discharge and the quantity destined for each port in each of the hatch- ways. The hold gang makes up the drafts of lumber. Two lumber blocks are laid at distances appropriate to the length of lumber being handled, The lumber block is made up of a cross- piece approximately 4 inches wide, mounted on two short blocks of the same type of lumber, so arranged as to leave the cross-pieces free on the ends for a distance of about 6 inches. A line is drawn around the free ends of each block and over the draft. Here it is hooked on to a movable ring which, when the draft is lifted, forces the ropes tightly around the draft and prevents the lumber from slipping. The size of the draft depends to a great extent upon the type of lumber being handled and also upon the ca- pacity of the ship’s gear being em- ployed in the discharging, but the most common draft measurement is approximately 4 feet square, The rate of discharge varies greatly, de- pending upon many factors such as type of lumber, character of stow- age, efficiency of the gang, adequacy of the ship’s gear, available landing space, dexterity of the Ross carrier drivers, the weather, and a host of other factors all of which contribute to speed up or hinder the operation. The average rate of discharge varies from approximately 14,000 to 26,000 feet board measurement per hatch hour, Types of Slings Used When handling dressed lumber a different type of sling is used. Two steel rails are laid down in the holds at a distance appropriate to the length of the lumber being handled. At each end of these rails there is a ring. A line is drawn from the rings, up along the side of the draft and over to the center where the hook is located. At the top corner of the draft, where the pressure of the lines on each side might possibly injure the lumber, an angle iron extends between the lumber and the line, run- ning over a bit on both top and side of the draft. These angle irons are fitted with rings on their outer edges through which the lines pass on their way to the hook. Rough lumber is made up into drafts on the lumber blocks in much the same manner as is the dressed lumber, The type of sling used on such drafts, however, varies from the others. A steel rope is passed around the blocks and around the draft. The bight of this cable is fitted with a ring. This ring is hooked on to a sliding hook which is on the same cable. As the draft is raised, its weight forces this sliding hook into a position approximately over the center of the draft and binds the lumber very tightly, so that all pos- sibility of its slipping is eliminated. 28 On the open pier at India street the lumber cargo is landed on the deck, about 10 feet in from the stringpiece. This is an ideal posi- tion for rapid pick up by the Ross carriers, which can reach the drafts with a minimum loss of time. The number of Ross carriers used per gang varies with the length of the haul involved. One or two per gang is generally sufficient. ‘On the covered piers it is a bit more difficult to land the draft very far inside the shed. On these piers the draft is lowered over the side of the ship, almost but not quite to the deck of the pier. One end of a line is made fast to the hook from which the draft is suspended and the other end to a Ross carrier. By proper co-ordination between the driver of the lumber-carrying machine and the winchmen, the draft is pulled into the shed for a distance of about 7 or 8 feet, in which position the car- rier can readily pick up the draft. The stevedoring, which is ably per- formed by The Jarka Corp., New York, calls for the application of scientific principles of modern ter- minal management. The type of ships calling at the terminal present many interesting and varied prob- lems, all of which are satisfactorily and economically solved by that or- ganization. Quite a few of the ves- sels are equipped with cargo booms of ordinary length, of the type used in handling general cargo. Such ships, naturally, are much more diffi- cult to work when handling lumber than are others equipped with long booms, which are more favorable for the handling of such cargo because it is possible to land drafts well in- side the stringpiece on the pier. Some of the ships that have short booms, however, have them mounted on ta- bles which rise to a height of 10 to 12 feet above the decks. By such an arrangement, the length of the booms is increased correspondingly. Handling General Cargoes The efficiency of the terminal op- erators and stevedores is also illus- trated in the handling of general cargo. The lumber ships which call at the terminal usually carry a small amount of general cargo. The amount of such cargo moving through the terminal, however, is so small that it would not be econom- ical to furnish the terminal with suitable equipment for the handling of the small tonnage involved. Yet, to be without such equipment would be to increase the costs of handling the general cargo. This difficulty is solved by an admirable demonstra- tion of the flexibility of the equip- ment used by the stevedores. The Jarka Corp. does the stevedoring at a number of terminals along the Brooklyn waterfront. The company’s equipment is utilized at all of these operations, Movements are made MARINE REVIEW—March, 1935 from pier to pier by motor truck as the equipment is needed. Under this system, materials handling equip- ment may be concentrated at one pier, or spread over several of its operations, depending upon the ton- nage handled at any one point. This avoids an expensive tie-up of costly equipment by making such _ units available for use at all times. All-steel trailers of a special type are available for use whenever nec- essary at the Brooklyn Intercoastal terminal. The platforms of these trailers are 6 and 9 feet in length, and provision is made for the inger- tion of steel tubular racks. The racks are used when loading and dis- charging loaded trailers from the ships. The top of the platforms on these trailers is about 8 feet from the deck of the piers and they are easily loaded and discharged. Pie-plate Slings are Used When loading or discharging small- package freight, the cargo is placed on trailers which are wheeled direct- ly onto pie-plate slings and blocked in place. The pie-plate sling is a round wooden platform 6 feet in di- ameter which is placed in the center of a net sling. The width of the pie-plate prevents the net sling from coming in contact with the cargo and causing damage. Once the trailer is blocked in place, the pie-plate is lifted over the side of the ship and down into the holds. In the unload- ing operation, empty trailers are low- ered into the ship, loaded, and then hauled out and rolled into position on the pier, All operations at the Brooklyn In- tercoastal terminal show an admira- ble application of the scientific prin- ciples of modern materials handling, Adapting itself to some of the exist- ing conditions, altering others, de- veloping still more and taking advan- tage of the knowledge of experts in the field of cargo handling, this ter- minal bids fair to become one of the most efficient along the Atlantic coast. Recondition U. S. Liners Bids ranging from $350,000 for both Ships and 65 days’ time for each ship to $450,000 and 125 days for both ships were received by Gibbs & Cox, naval architects, New York, for alteration and improvements in passenger ac- commodations, particularly in the third class, on the United States liners PRESIDENT HARDING and PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. The low bid was received from Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, Pa., and the high bid from the Mary- land Dry Dock Co., Baltimore, Md. Additional bids, between the limits mentioned, were received from six oth- er shipbuilding and ship repair yards.