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442 MARINE REVIEW November, 1924 CHAIN CONVEYOR IS USED TO HELP UNLOADING OF SUGAR BARGES Handle Sugar by Special Type of Conveyor Large quantities of sugar are de- livered from the refineries on San Francisco bay to the docks on the bay for export. The sugar is hauled al- most exclusively by special barges and steamer, one of the barges. being shown in the accompanying photograph. This barge carries a portable electric- ally operated conveyor which is used in helping the stevedores up the gang plank when the tide is low. In fact, the conveyor is really a part of the gang plank, and consists of an endless chain with special lugs which engage the axle of the hand trucks, boosting the truck up the plank to the dock. Metal aprons at the top and bottom of the plank give easy access to and from the plank for the hand trucks. When not in use, the gang plank and chain conveyor is carried on supports at one end of the barge as shown in the other photograph. It is trans- ferred between the deck and the sup- ports by a heavy boom which is opera- ted by a gasoline engine driven drum and cable. This gasoline engine also drives the generator that furnishes the electric current for operating the elec- tric motor on the chain conveyor. Cur- rent is supplied to the motor by means of an armored cable which is plugged in at the gang plank. The motor is concealed within the gang plank and is connected to the chain conveyor by chain drive. By this method, one man can deliver a load of 500 pounds from the deck of the barge to the dock, with little effort. The steam trawlers FoAM and Spray recently sailed from the Tebo Yacht Basin, Brooklyn, with a party of 60 men, including three famous divers, to seek the $2,000,000 treasure on board the steamship Merma, which was rammed and sunk by the ApmrraAL Far- RAGUT off Cape Charles, Va., on May 12, 1911. The treasure consists of 21 tons of bar silver, kegs of gold coin, val- uable jewels, all of which was shipped from Mexico at the time of the Madero revolt. Announce Winning Titlesin Gyro Contest The contest of the Sperry Gyroscope Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., which called for a title for a picture showing the company’s gyropilot or automatic steering device in control of the wheel with a phantom of the traditional quartermaster standing at the wheel, opened June 1 and closed Aug. 31. This contest was limited to seagoing personnel of the merchant service and navies of the world, and seagoing per- sonnel temporarily on land duty such as port captains, marine superintendents, etc., ‘which included the personnel of the Great Lakes. It created a great deal of interest. Contributions were received from all over the world, and the following are the winning titles and the contestants as selected by the judges: First prize, $100.00—“A Fading Phan- tom—An Accurate Reality,” Master F. B. Parsons, steamer Harry CouLsy, Great Lakes Steamship Co., Cleveland. Second prize, $50.00—‘With Sperry Steering, He’s Disappearing,” Capt. Wil- liam R. Leith, Barge ‘“C,” Standard Oil Co., (Indiana), Whiting, Ind. Third prize, $25.00—“Real Iron Men Have Come Again,’ Chief Mate Walter G. Hodgins, steamer NorroLk, Coastwise Transportation Corp., Boston. The next five won prizes of $5 each: “The Human Equation Eliminated,” Everett D. Saunders, Third Mate, steam- et SEeLwyNn Eppy, Castner, Curran & Bullitt, Norfolk, Va. “Metal Mike And Vanishing Jack,” Master Robert E. Hudgins, steamer By- LAYAL, Pocahontas Steamship Co., New York. “Quartermasters Present And Past,” C. M. Christensen, Second Officer, steam- er Martinique, Colombian Line, New York. “Modern Mariner Versus Ancient Ma- riner,” Gordon B. Rabbitts, radio opera- tor, Standard Oil Co., (New Jersey), New York. “Metal Supersedes Mettle,” Lieut. Ken- neth L. Coontz, U. S. S. Corry, United States navy, New York. The judges in this contest were T. H. Possbottom, general manager of the United States Lines, New York; J. L. Luckenbach, vice president of the Luck- enbach Steamship Co., New York, and Capt. A. M. Chalmers, assistant marine superintendent of the Cunard Co. who acted for Capt. D. S. Miller, marine su- perintendent of the Cunard line who was ill at the time. All contestants received a brochure from the Sperry Gyroscope Co. covering the complete theory of the gyro-compass. Andrew W. Preston, United Fruit Co. Head, Dies Andrew W. Preston, founder, and president of the United Fruit Co. since its organization in 1899, died on Sept. 26, 1924, at his summer home in Swamp- scott, Mass. He ‘was in his seventy- ninth year, and had been ill, though not seriously, since last February. Mr. Pres- ton built up a very large business by popularizing the use of bananas in this country. The result of his enterprise was the organization of the United Fruit Co., which now handles the greater part of the tropical fruit trade of the country. In conjunction with the fruit company, the United Fruit Steamship Co. was built up into one of the coun- try’s largest steamship fleets. Mr. Pres- ton was born in Beverly, Mass., June 29, 1846. Besides his connection with the United Fruit Co., Mr. Preston was also head of a number of subsidiary cor- porations, railroads, sugar companies and fruit growers and dispatchers. He was a director of the First National bank of Boston and the National bank of Cuba.