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Equipment Used Afloat, Ashore Electric Steerer--Heavy Duty Miller--Fuel Oil Heater HREE steel barges just' built for the Standard O:1l Co. of New York by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Ltd., are self-pro- pelled and electrically steered. They are designed to carry oil in bulk and will be placed in service on the New York state barge canal. These barges are 156 feet long and are listed at 690 tons deadweight. They are driven through a single screw, and the propelling power is furnished by an oil engine, which also runs a gen- erating set of sufficient size to furnish the electricity required to operate the electric steering gear. The electric steering gear installed on these barges is of the drum type, specially designed to combine light service with compact arrangement. It was designed by the auxiliary machin- ery department of the Bethlehem cor- poration, and built at its Moore plant, Elizabethport, N. J. All working parts of the steerer, including the motor and brake, master switch, drum, hand wheel and the re- quired gearing, are mounted on a sin- gle base measuring 25 inches by 4134 inches. This compact arrangement ELECTRICALLY OPERATED STEERER makes it possible to place the entire gear in the pilot house. The motor employed in the steering gear is of the compound-wound, direct-current type, rated at 3 horsepower, 110 velts. It is provided with ball bearings and is suitable for 100 per cent overload KEEL FOR LARG" TANKER SUPPLIED BY AMERICAN FIRM TO A FRENCH SHIPYARD for 5 minutes. The motor is controlled by means of a magnetic control panel -operated by a master switch at the steering stand. A. shift -of the -master :switch to right or left causes the motor to be operated through the magnetic panel in the required direction. Power is transmitted from the motor through triple gears to the drum and to the quadrant on the rudder stock by means of a 34-inch flexible steel wire rope. When the switch is brought back to the central, or off, position, the line is disconnected and the motor is stopped by means of a quick-acting shunt brake. Electrical dynamic brak- ing is also provided. A rudder indicator mounted on the framework of the steerer' shows the position of the rudder at all times. When the rudder reaches a hardover position, a gear limit-switch discon- nects the power, stops the motor and prevents damage due to operating the steering gear beyond the working rudder-angle. The steerer is provided with a 60- inch hand wheel for use, when steer- ing by hand. Shifting from electrical steering to hand steering is accom- plished by a clutch wheel, which shifts two jaw-clutches. When the hand steering wheels are connected to the drum, the motor is disconnected auto- matically and vice versa. When the gear is connected up for hand steer- bl ing, the clutch is held in place by a spring latch, so when it is desired to shift to electrical steering, the spring latch is raised and a steel coil spring automatically moves the clutches to the required position. This renders it im- possible for the motor and hand-wheel to be connected to the drum at the same time and eliminates all danger of accidents from this source. This type of electric steering gear is suitable for service on river barges, yachts or any other light draft ves- sels. Agent for French Yard An arrangement for supplying Amer- ican steel to a French shipyard and for selling the products of that yard in the United States, has just been made by the Smith-Eisemann Corp., of America, New York. This firm will act as American and Canadian purchasing agent for the Chantier et Ateliers de St. Nazaire, Penhoet, Paris, and will be American sales agent for the French built steamers. This shipbuilding company has yards at St. Nazaire and Rouen, with six and eight ways respectively. These plants employ about 9000 men, the yards con- suming more than 80,000 tons of steel annually. The company has built large liners such as LA France and is com- pleting the Paris of 37,000 tons. The firm also specializes in oil tankers. The Smith-Fisemann Corp. has been