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as agent of the United States ship- ping board, is building and operating the Hog Island yard, recently issued this statement: "We can see no rea- son to helieve that it will be necessary to change the schedules laid down in Our contracts, --which call 'for -the delivery of 50 ships from Hog Island yard by the middle of December, 1918," Although the cold weather and the delay in letting the original contract were the greatest handicaps to the builders of the Hog Island shipyard, there were countless other difficulties. When the plans for the yard were first made it was expected that all the ships to be built would be of the Same size and type, namely, 7500-ton, 11%4-knot, 400-foot, steel cargo car- riers. The contract signed on Sept. 13, 1917, did call for 50 vessels of this type. On Oct. 23, however, was placed a second contract for seventy * 8000-ton, 450-foot, 15-knot; combined troop and cargo carriers. To accom- modate the larger vessels, it was found that instead of making all of the ways 491 feet long, it would be necessary to lengthen 30 of them to 541 feet. With the one type of vessel, only one material classifica- tion and storage yard would have been necessary; with the addition of a second type, additional material yards were required. It became essen- tial to relocate buildings and make general changes in plans. As_ the yard now is being completed, ways are being provided for the simultane- ous construction of twenty 7500-ton and thirty 8000-ton vessels. When the plant is in full operation, the out- put will be one ship every two work- ing days. : The schedule calls for their com- pletion and delivery to the govern- ment as follows: Twenty-five 7500- SJ WS <s. SS SSS WSS ton vessels within 1314 months from the date of the original contract, Sept. 13, 1917; twenty-five 8000-ton vessels in 15 months; twenty-five 7500-ton vessels in 1814 months; twenty-five 8000-ton vessels in 20 months, and thirty 8000-ton vessels in 22 months. A third contract just has been placed which calls for an additional sixty 7500-ton freighters. Officials of the American LAYING THE BOTTOM PLATING FOR A CARGO CARRIER 243