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to a common eye in which hook is placed, with open sides of the boxes towards each other. The angle of this connection is such that when weight of draft comes on the eye, the two boxes are drawn towards each other and the draft comes out perfectly level. It is then landed on a skid, the boxes fall off the ends of the sheets and when two drafts have been landed on an ele- vating platform, the truck takes the load away. A flat platform truck about a foot high is used for handling very heavy weights that are not loaded on flat cars. The surface area of the plat- form truck varies from 8x4 to 6x8 feet and is mounted on steel wheels, the number of wheels varying ac- cording to the weight to be handled. The platform trucks are hauled from point to point by electric trucks, or - one of the tractors. The industrial haulage equipment at the canal consists of the following: Four Fordson tractors; 1 gasoline shop mule; 34 electric elevating trucks 2-ton capacity; 12 electric elevating trucks 3-ton capacity; 5000 skids (2000 4x6, 3000 5x6); 1 elec- tric tractor; 89 rubber tired trail- ers; 15 electric platform trucks, 2- ton capacity; 3 portable stackers; 31 flat (heavy weight) trucks (dol- lies); 438 hand trucks; 6 sections gravity roller conveyors; 4 50-ton stiff leg derrick is provided at Pier 8. There are a total of 10 electric winches for supplementing ship’s gear. A two-ton electric winch when rigged to the cargo masts, locally known as the ‘‘monkey rail,’ on top of the pier takes the place of the ship’s outboard boom and one steam- er winch. Ships with short booms or disabled winches can therefore work without delay. Also as the ordinary merchant vessel only has two booms to a hatch, it is possible to put them both over the hatch opening and by using two electric winches on the pier, a double gang can be worked in the hatch. Another feature, and an important one, in a rainy port, is that by rigging to the ‘‘monkey rail,’ drafts can be swung through. the doors and landed under cover. Of course, this is impossible for short booms, and during drizzly weather a hatch with short booms, and without an electric winch has to be shut down. Cargo for Transshipment For the first handling of cargo dis- charged on the pier the hand truck has been found to be most satisfac- tory in practically all cases. Nearly two-thirds of the cargo discharged at Cristobal terminal is for tranship- ment to other vessels for many ports. This transfer cargo comes out of the ship mixed with other cargo for the cities of Colon (freight house deliv- ery) and Panama (by rail), the Pan- ama canal, army, navy and commis- TUQNUUENUVGQEUUUENTAALALCUTEUELLUUUGHALELD Pier 7, Cristobal, Canal Zone, Stack- ting Coffee with Portable Conveyor AUSUUTUUUVOOUAUECUQUUCCTUNY LTE QUT HATED sary (rail, truck and freight house). Quick connections are not possible, except by making separations at time of discharge. This can only be ac- complished by scrutinizing the mark and destination of each package and applying the distinguishing routine symbol or paint mark. This is im- possible should the entire draft be landed on any kind of truck or trail- er and hauled away from the gang- way. Consequently cargo is loaded Cargo in Tons Handled Annually at the Panama Canal Year Cargo *1920-1 1,050,565 1921-2 807,897 1922-3 822,713 1923-4 911,676 1924-5 971,291 1925-6 1,064,426 1926-7 1,119,672 1927-8 1533 625 tel 1928-9 1,559,311 1929-30 1,347,264 *Riscal year July 1 to June 30. Fig- ures cover both Balboa and Cristobal terminals. from the sling to a hand truck which takes it to the ‘‘check’’—usually two clerks, one for the ship and one representing the Panama railroad. It is at this point that custody of the cargo changes hands. Here at the check the package receives its paint mark which in addition to showing destination and routing, is an indi- UTVOUUHUUAHRRCUOUALVULUGAULUUUOE LUO Cristobal, Canal Zone piers. Handl- ing skids loaded with logs. High Lift Truck prepar- ing to tier two skids at the same time TTTTUUVHTTAVUUUUGHHAAIU LULU UUUELLLLLOLLLL MARINE REVIEw—July, 1931 cation that the Panama Railroad company has checked and received this package in its custody, that it must not be checked again, nor per- mitted to go aboard any steamer un- til regularly ordered and entered in an outward or ‘‘per’’ check book. As soon as this symbol is on the package, the trucker either knows, or is directed, where to take it, to a car perhaps, to a skid for the local freight house, to a certain pile or to any one of a row of skids lined up near the check, each bearing cargo of one symbol. The package then leaves the hand truck forever. It has become a part of a unit of from one ton to two tons, all one destination and routing. When the skid is loaded it is moved by elevating truck, or trailer and tractor, to place of stor- age. By the use of dunnage, when required, loaded skids can be double- tiered and consequent saving of floor space effected. The necessity for quick comnections is not the only reason for checking and separating cargo as it is dis- charged. The Panama railroad, while in sole charge of cargo handling on the piers, stevedores less than one-third of the total cargo received and loaded. The ships want a receipt for the cargo as soon as it reaches the pier. If the vessel simply threw 43