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are FLEET OF 28 Bethlehem HE Alameda, Cal., and_ the ‘ Potrero (San Francisco) yards of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. will not be closed, but, on the contrary, both are to be operated for constructing a new and improved type of diesel engine, and for building large motorships in which these engines are to be installed, according to J. J. Tynan, vice president of the Bethlehem corpor- ation, and manager of the plants on the Pacific coast. Mr. Tynan recently com- pleted a survey of shipbuilding condi- tions on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and, after conferences with Charles M. Schwab, president, and other officials of the Bethlehem corporation, issued a statement, in which he said: “I'am satisfied that we have reached the bottom. Bad as things seem, they infinitely better than they were in 1908. And they are going to im- prove from now on. Speaking for the Bethlehem interests, I can say very em- phatically that we are not downhearted. The report that we are planning to shut down our Alameda yard is with- out warrant. We have no _ intention of closing the Alameda or the Potrero works. If we cannot get ships to build, we will build something else. We are going to operate both works; we are on the eve of a great industrial revival, the greatest, I believe, that the world has ever seen. And the Bethle- hem organization is going to be on its feet and moving when the new day dawns. “The Bethlehem interests have ob- tained the rights to build a good diesel engine. We are not only going to build the engines here on the Pacific coast, but we are going to build every- thing that goes with them—ships, aux- iliary machinery and everything. Our experts will be back shortly from Eur- ope, where they have been making an intensive study of the new engine and of every detail of its production.” Long strings of hulls built for the shipping board during the war, line the bank of the Oakland creek, in front of the Alameda plant of the Bethle- hem corporation, and it is reliably re- WOODEN HULLS IDLE IN to Build Diesel Engines pany will handle the debts of the Pa- cific Motorship Co. and operate the fleet ported that these hulls will be convert- ed into motorships as the first work to be done after the revival of opera- tions in the Alameda and Potrero plants. Few power plants had been installed in these hulls when the shutdown came, and, consequently, they can be adapted for the new type oil engines with con- siderably less work and at much less expense than if they were equipped with steam boilers and engines. Mr. Tynan, it is understood, will not issue further statements regarding the operation of the plants until after the visit of Charles M. Schwab, president of the Bethlehem corporation, to San Francisco, when details of the reopen- ing of the yards will be decided and made public. About 15,000 men were employed by the Bethlehem yards in the war rush, but it is hardly to be expected: that. so many will be given employment in the construction of oil engines and the rehabilitation of the steam hulls for the use of these diesel plants. Demand for Motorships Increases A slow but steady increase in the demand for motorships is being felt all along the Pacific coast according to reliable reports reaching San Fran- cisco. Greater cheapness of operation, and smaller number of men_ required in the crews are the reasons given. The reduction in the size of crews was of special importance during the ill-ad- vised seamen’s strike, but since the marine workers have accepted the 15 per cent wage cut, and the American plan of employment and have gone back to work, this is not such a factor, since San Francisco alone has about 6000 more marine workers than have jobs, due to the return to work of the union men after the majority of the jobs had been filled by nonunion men. Readjustment of the affairs of the Pacific Motorship Co. is announced by W. L. Comyn & Co., by means of the organization of the Ocean Motorship Co. to take over the contracts with the Australian government for the sale of seven motorships. The new com- 446 OAKLAND CREEK, SAN FRANCISCO BAY. T HE BETHL} on the Pacific coast. Five of the motorships of the company had been — tied up at Sausalito, Cal., for some weeks, but are now out, with the other two, on trade routes. The receivership for the Pacific Motorship Co. and the Pacific Freighters Co. has been removed by an agreement between the parties to the suit and in the United States dis- trict court. ‘The original contract with the Australian government called for the purchase of the vessels under a bond issue of $1,250,000. Beginning a new direct passenger and freight service between the Pacific coast and Europe, the British motorship Som- ERSETSHIRE, first of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.’s vessels to appear on the west coast, came into and cleared from San Francisco, with a full cargo, in August. The SomMeErsETSHIRE, 15,000 deadweight tons, is one of the largest vessels of her type afloat. She is built as a combination freight and passenger carrier and is equipped to carry every- thing from diamonds to crude oil. Practical Ship Problems (Continued from Page 441) terms, most’ operators had nothing to say about the terms of operation. They were told to sign on the dotted line and did it. All operators had to work amid the discouragements of war con- ditions, and postwar disorganization here and abroad; shackled by the pro- visions of American laws, hampered by official interference with their efforts, which, however well or ill meant, was absolutely fatal to real efficiency. There were bad operators and good opera- tors. In justice to the many who went quietly ahead and did their best un- der all discouragements, the public should make some discrimination be- tween the two. All discussion of the past is fruit- less under present conditions except as it may ‘throw light on our future course. A new administration has in-