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May, 1925 those proposals that are of more general: interest for groups of three and two engines per ship. In each case the proposal involving the lowest monetary bid was retained. Though not com- plete, the table gives quite thoroughly the characteristics and sizes of engines and the prices bid. Awards have now been made for the auxiliary diesel engines to three com- panies as follows: To Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp., New York, four engines under proposal No. 2-A, bid No. 1, for $48,813; two engines and compressors under proposal No. 4, bid No. 1, for $35,566 and two sets of spares and tool for $4450, a total of $88,830; to Pacific Diesel Engine Co., Oakland, Calif., 22 engines under pro- posal No. 4 for $257,125 and eight sets of spares and tools for $20,200, a total of $277,325; and to an eastern builder, nine engines under proposal No. 3 for $133,- Sincerity EVERAL rather significant things S have come to the surface in the two-sided squabble in the ship- ping board over the sale of the five President vessels of the Fleet corpora- tion to R. Stanley Dollar and asso- ciates, and the rejection of the Pacific Mail bid. The most ordinary family dispute may be expected to bring out some striking characteristics. Perhaps not the most admirable ones, but char- acteristics at any rate. The shipping board controversy turns a spotlight on the real sincerity of some individuals in the shipping board organization and Fleet corporation toward their publicly-professed policy of helping to get the government out of its wasteful occupation as a_ ship operator, contrasted with their real intent when it comes to a showdown. Minority members, who vigorously op- posed the only actual step that has been taken in years to liquidate at least a part of the costly experiment of the government in running ships, in public statements in the past af- firmed ‘their most earnest intentions of working toward such a policy. But were they sincere? Those who have been watching the attacks on the Dollar bid cannot help asking such a ques- tion. No doubt the opponents of the sale may have been actuated by the most worthy of motives in declaring the Pacific Mail bid the more nearly in harmony with the policy of getting the ships into private hands. But it is no less worthy of note also that the speedy outright disposal of the vessels at a good price might have the effect of more quickly winding up the af- MARINE REVIEW 742 and four sets of spares and tools for $10,412, a total of $144,154. This makes a total award of 37 engines for 14 ships. Bids were also received by the Fleet corporation on April 15, for generators to go with the auxiliary engines. Tend- ers were received from the Crocker- Wheeler Co., Diehl Mfg. Co., Electro Dynamic Co., General Electric Co., Ridg- way Dynamo & Engine Co., and West- inghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. The prices for the- four different items, ranging from thirty-one 75 kilowatt, 240-volt direct-current, 265 revolutions per min- ute, to two 75 kilowatt 240-volt direct current 200-225 revolutions per minute, generators, varied from $1403 each to $3850 each. The specific ships to be dieselized, 14 shipping board cargo vessels, have been selected for conversion. These are listed in an accompanying table giving their name, deadweight, builder and _ present Thou Art fairs of the shipping board and put- ting an end to some high-priced office holding. Trouble and government operation of shipping are inseparable. One de- plorable feature of the recent row in the shipping board is the possibility that the opposition to the sale may throw a scare into the shipping board over any policy that might have been evolved for disposing of the white ele- phant fleet as expeditiously as pos- sible. Whether some sort of definite policy of getting rid of ships and trade routes may be set forth for the future, or whether a majority in the board may fight shy hereafter of criticism that might be leveled at the sale of ships at lower than their original cost to the government is a question. Outstanding among the vital needs of the country no doubt is the need for a “ship-minded” public conscience. The country is not “ship-minded” be- cause it knows little or nothing about the shipping business. No one in con- gress knows all about shipping, which is matural considering the fact that congress itself comes from the peo- ple. A broad and sensible merchant marine which will compel action can- not be expected from congress. ‘It has been suggested that a con- ference of “big minds,’ composed say of the President and the most out- standing public men, might engage in a study resulting in a shipping policy that would win the hearty support of the country. But this, of course, is impracticable. As a_ substitute, it is suggested that a committee of perhaps 100 men of such character as would 179 location where they are laid up. Following the procedure laid down, bids remain to be obtained on all man- ner of deck and engine room auxiliaries, pumps, winches, windlasses and steer- ing gears or the conversion of existing machinery to electrie drive. Before the main engines, auxiliary en- gines and other items are ready for de- livery bids must be obtained from ship- yards and repair yards on the work of gutting the ships selected, and on the installation of the new machinery and equipment and the complete recondition- ing to a finished job. If and. when this job is done and these ships sail out proudly for their trial trips, a merchant armada the like of which has never before been seen, nothing has been forgotten, congratula- tions will certainly be due the manage- ment of the department of repair and maintenance of the Fleet corporation. a Jewel command public confidence meet to evolve a sane shipping policy from the present entanglement. To this end, the United States chamber of commerce is planning a general conference of public-spirited men to work out the preliminaries of a merchant marine policy to select just such a com- mittee. Undoubtedly this conference will be called within a comparatively short time. The first actual step in the prelimi- naries was taken at the recent meet- ing of representatives of manufactur- ing, exporting, insurance, shipping and other activities held in New York, which was called by Richard F. Grant, head of the United States chamber of commerce. Secretary of Commerce Hoover and a number of other men of prominence attended. It was de- clared the sense of the meeting that despite “all the millions, in fact bil- lions, expended on it (the merchant marine) by the government during the past eight years it seems today not much closer to definite establishment on a sound and permanent basis than it was before the war, when, as a matter of fact, practically all the gen- ‘eral ocean carrying trade, other than in coastwise shipping, was in foreign hands.” Consideration of the plan to cut down the tremendous expense of the ship- ping board to the taxpayers by put- ting the board under the department of commerce to be administered by a merchant marine division has been given much support in the past few weeks. At any rate a definite policy is needed to begin with.