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October, 1925 asset as the mining districts are fre- quently located a considerable distance from ports where fuel is obtainable. Some time ago this vessel was purchased by the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., Honolulu, Hawaii. A survey of the engine and vessel was made before purchase and although she had passed through five very strenuous years of service, it is re- ported that everything was found in excellent condition. It was considered advisable to make certain repairs and adjustments to the engine, but as these were of a minor nature, it was decided to send the boat to Honolulu before effecting same. Mr. F. Hons, assistant manager of the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co. in commenting upon the AMBASSADOR and her trip of 2500 miles said in MARINE REVIEW part: “The mine tender AMBASSADOR after an uneventful trip of 12 days and 18 hours, arrived at Honolulu on Oct. 31, 1924. We are very much pleased with our purchase and feel that we will get good service from this vessel on account of her combined freight and passenger and towing fa- cilities. According to the chief’s state- ment to us, the engine performed per- fectly during the entire trip no stop- ping of the engine having been neces- sary, except just a few hours prior to her docking when the breaking of a belt caused the shutting down of the engine for the purpose of belt re- placement.” The transference of the AMBASSADOR to eastern Pacific waters should further, to a large extent, the acceptance and use of diesel engines in the Islands. Former Passenger Vessel | is Converted “po reconditioning and conver- sion to a freight vessel of the steamship EL Coston has re- cently been completed at the plant of the Robins Dry Dock & Repair Co. This vessel, 445 feet in length over all, by 57 feet in beam, and 37 feet 6 inches in depth, formerly known as the steamship BIENVILLE, was built for the Southern Pacific Co. at the Todd Dry Docks and Construction Corp. plant, Tacoma, Wash., in 1924. She was the last word in modern passenger ship design for the coast- wise trade and was equipped with every known convenience both for the safety and comfort of passengers and crew. In March 19, 1925, while on her second regular voyage between New York and New Orleans, she caught fire while at the latter port and her entire superstructure and passenger accommodations were destroyed. Officials of the Southern Pacific Co. surveyed the damaged vessel, wrote specifications for reconditioning her as a freight ship, and the Robins plant of the Todd Shipyards Corp. was the successful bidder. One of the stipulations of the contract was that the contractor should move the damaged ship from New Orleans to his plant. This in itself was a prob- lem of no little magnitude, but the transfer was accomplished with the facilities possessed by the Todd or- ganization without untoward incident. Temporary repairs were made to the vessel’s hull and to such of the machinery as was affected by the fire. Ports and windows were blanked, the pilot and chart houses were rebuilt. A new steering control system and a communicating system between bridge and engine room were _ installed. These and many other temporary re- pairs made possible the safe delivery of the vessel to the Robins plant in Brooklyn. The tremendous work of cutting away her entire superstructure and passenger accommodations was begun 373 fore replacing, as _ the had buckled it considerably. Steerage and crews quarters below the weather deck were completely re- moved, together with the steel bulk heads which enclosed them. These removals required additional beams, web frames, and stanchions to be fitted to compensate for same. Prac- tically all of the air ports in the hull proper were blanked with spigoted flush patches, new cargo ports were fitted and some of the existing ones were relocated to suit the new condi- tions. All unnecessary «soil, waste and other piping was removed together with the scuppers through the ves- sel’s side and such piping as _ re- mained was encased with steel cover- ing for protection against cargo. A new hatch was built through the after weather deck and another was re- located. The main mast was relo- cated, with a new mast table and cross trees and the whole completely rerigged with four new booms top- ping lifts, stays and shrouds. The forward end of the bridge deck enclosure was arranged to carry cargo and fitted with two watertight cargo doors at the forward end. In the after end of this space the engineers, firemen, oilers, water tenders, and cook’s quarters were constructed, as well as a mess room with adjoining pantry for the captain, officers and firemen. The galley and ship’s pro- vision chambers adjoin these quarters, the layout affording spacious and heat THE S. S. EL COSTON (EX BIENVILLE) LEAVING ROBINS DRYDOCK OF THE TODDS SHIPYARD CORP. WHERE SHE HAS UNDERGONE A COMPLETE CONVERSION TO A FREIGHT VESSEL : immediately on her arrival. Her lower-most passenger deck was. re- moved and completely rebuilt, both smoke stacks, fiddley, engine and boiler casing were entirely removed and rebuilt. The main mast was also removed from the ship and rebuilt be- convenient quarters. The captain’s and officers’ quarters, pilot house, chart room, navigating bridge, hos- pital, and radio room were constructed above the bridge deck space. To make a thorough job, the inner bottom tank top ceiling was removed,