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i) A) ] Service ~ Ww. F. White is Largest Vessel of Her Type on Great Lakes—Unloading Equipment Will Discharge 1,700 Tons an Hour—Description of Conveyors HE designers and builders of ships for service on the: Great Lakes have always been noted for the readiness with which _ they adapt themselves to meet unusual problems. The development of com- merce ‘on this country’s chain of inland lakes has called for the evolution of a distinct type of carrier. Despite its divergence from the long established and familiar designs of ocean freighters, this type has firmly established its place in the shipping world, through the facility and rapidity’ with which im- mense tonnages are handled in a short season of navigation. These bulk freighters, developed prin- cipally for the ore carrying trade, are peculiar to the Great Lakes. Their de- sign was the result of the demand for a boat of large carrying capacity, and moderate speed, which would permit the loading and unloading of the cargo with greater rapidity than was possible with the ordinary type. Such freighters were brought out practically simul- taneously with the advancement in load- ing and unloading machinery. These two developments together, have re- sulted in producing the, equipment that can meet a demand for 50,000,000 tons of iron oré in less. than eight months. The insistent demand for quick un- loading facilities has extended, in re- ment and cent years, to other bulk freight carrying trades, notably limestone. Compared with the ore handling trade, the lime- stone traffic is still young. Its rapid growth during the past few years, ren- dered the need for quick unloading ar- rangements imperative. Huge stationary unloaders, of the type familiar at ore docks, are not feasible for several rea- sons. The traffic is not of sufficient size to warrant the erection of such equip- in addition, the routes of trade are not so clearly defined. All ore cargoes are unloaded at certain ports on the lower lakes while lime- stone cargoes may be brought to ports not suitably equipped for discharging the cargo rapidly. Latest Self-Unloader To meet this condition, a modification of the bulk freighter which carries self- unloading equipment, was developed and has been in successful operation for several years. The experiments were conducted first on vessels of small capacity, HENNEPIN, for wooden steamer built in 1888, carrying only 750 tons. The results were so en- couraging that several steamers have now been built, which were designed especially for carrying unloading equip- ment. Each vessel, in turn, larger than her predecessor. 7 TO a IT es BIL instance, a was The By R. V. Sawhill latest vessel of this class is the steamer W. F. Waite, launched .at © the Lorain, O., ship yards of the American Ship Building Co., July 24, and placed in commission Sept. 1. Her capacity is 10,000 tons on a 19-foot draft. The con- veyor is designed to unload 1,700 tons an hour. Huron, which previously had ranked as the largest self-unloader on the lakes, has a capacity of 6,500 tons. The length of W. F. Wuirte over all is 550 feet, length on keel, 530 feet, breadth molded, 60 feet, and depth molded, 31 feet. The water bottom is 4 feet deep, Her cost’ ~was-: about $500,000. She was built for the Lime- stone Transportation Co. and will oper- ate between Rogers City, Mich. and lower lake ports. She was the only large freighter built for the lake trade during 1915, as any contracts placed from now on will call for spring de- livery. She is of all steel construction, and is of the familiar single-decked type. The system of conveyors for unloading was furnished by the Robins Conveying Belt Co., New York. The limestone is trans- ferred by the conveyors to a two-way hopper and thence by elevating pans. to the unloading boom. The new steamer is of arch girder construction, the cargo hold being divided into three separate compart- FIG, 1-SELF-UNLOADING STEAMER W. F. WHITE READY FOR:>MAIDEN VOYAGE 371