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Latest Data on New Marine Work Information on New Ships Ordered—Building and Repair Con- tracts Let — Sales — Reconditioning — Launchings — Trial Trips ERCHANT shipbuilding in the M United States during 1934 con- tinued at an unusually low level. As far as activities in the prin- cipal shipyards are concerned, this was more than offset by the comparatively large program of naval building. In his annual report, covering shipbuild- ing in the United States and abroad, during 1934, issued Jan. 1, H. Gerrish Smith, president of the National Coun- cil of American Shipbuilders, said in part: “Throughout the year the United States remained at the bottom of the list among the principal maritime na- tions in the volume of merchant ton- nage under construction. “During 1934, the private shipyards of the United States were engaged al- most wholly in the construction of naval vessels. “On Jan. 1, 1934 there were under construction in the private shipyards of the United States, which build sea- going vessels, two cargo vessels, three small tankers and 27 naval vessels, rep- resenting an aggregate value of un- finished business totaling approximate- ly $147,000,000. “In the current year (1934) con- tracts were awarded for two 15,000- deadweight-ton tankers, one small tanker and 11 naval vessels. The ap- proximate total value of these new contracts aggregated $57,000,000. “The approximate value of work performed on new construction, in- cluding vessels under construction at the beginning of the year and vessels for which new contracts were placed during the year, totaled $85,000,000. The greater part of this amount was expended for the purchase of ship- building materials and equipment from allied industries. This amount gave employment to about 45,000 persons throughout the year. The value of un- finished business on hand at the end of 1934 was approximately $119,000,- 000. “There has been no construction ot new merchant vessels on the Great Lakes during the (past) year and con- struction on the great rivers has been below normal. “At the beginning of the year (1934) 27 naval vessels aggregating 134,300 displacement tons were under construc- tion in private shipyards. “In August, additional naval con- tracts were placed with private build- ers for 11 vessels aggregating 33,600 displacement tons. “Deducting five naval vessels, total- 22 ing 27,900 displacement tons which were delivered during the year, there is a balance of naval construction on hand in the private shipyards at the end of the year (1934) of 33 naval ves- sels totaling 140,000 displacement tons. “Certain factors upon which the building of merchant vessels depend have shown improvement in the past year as follows: (a) Both the import and export trade of the United States during the first nine months of 1934 increased considerably over the corresponding period of 1933, the actual figures be- ing $2,141,663,000 for import and export trade combined in 1933 and $2,782,362,000 in 1934, or an in- crease of 30 per cent. (b) During the first nine months of 1934 the volume of intercoastal trade increased 18 per cent over that of the corresponding period in 1933 and 49 per cent over the same period in 1932. (c) Panama canal traffic in 1934 has shown a marked improvement over that in 1933. The percentage of Amer- ican vessels remains about the same for each year. (d) Idle tonnage throughout the world declined from 8,891,000 gross tons on Jan. 1, 1934, to 6,035,000 gross tons on Oct. 1, 1934. Replacement of Merchant Ships “As is well known, most of our for- eign trade merchant fleet was con- structed during the World war period and these vessels now average more than 15 years old. “Tf the United States is to continue its present position in the carriage of its own foreign trade in its own ships, a replacement program must be begun without delay. Based on the present tonnage of American vessels in for- eign trade, it will require an annual construction program of at _ least 150,000 gross tons of sea-going mer- chant vessels each year to carry one- third of our trade in our own ships.” Boilers for Lake Vessels Considerable recent activity is not- ed in the reboilering of a number of vessels on the Great Lakes. The fol- lowing is a summary of these projects, in each instance calling for the instal- lation of Babcock & Wilcox marine wa- tertube boilers. Two- Scotch boilers are being re- moved from the United States army MARINE REVIEwW—February, 1935 dredge SAVANNAH and are being re- placed with two marine watertube boil- ers, each having 2550 square feet of heating surface. The new boilers are being equipped with superheaters to give approximately 50 degrees of super- heat. The boilers will be equipped with oil burners also supplied by The Babcock & Wilcox Co. Four boilers are being removed from the dredge InpIANA of the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. and are being re- placed with two oil-fired marine water- tube boilers to operate at 325 pounds pressure with approximately 200 de- grees superheat. The bulk freight steamers WILLIAM J. Firrpert and FrAncis E. Houss, be- longing to the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. and located in River Rouge, Mich., are having their Scotch boilers re- moved and replaced with coal fired marine watertube boilers. Air heaters are to be installed and the boilers will operate at 240 pounds pressure, each boiler having 3729 square feet of heat- ing surface. The United States army tug ES- SAYONS, laying at Duluth, is having her Scotch boiler removed and one coal fired marine watertube boiler installed in its place. The new boiler is to op- erate at 225 pounds pressure and will have approximately 2500 square feet of heating surface. Converting Ferry Peralta While no contract has been awarded by the Puget Sound Navigation Co. for reconstructing of the steel ferry PERAL- TA, much preliminary work is being done at the yard of the Lake Wash- ington Shipyards at Seattle. The old turbine electric propulsion unit has been removed, a new engine bed installed and other operations started. The 3000-horsepower Busch Sulzer diesel engine has been placed in the hull and the auxiliaries have been installed. It has not yet been decided whether the new upper works are to be of steel or wood construction. The Prr- ALTA, formerly a Key System, San Francisco bay ferry, damaged by fire. will, when completed, operate between Seattle and the Puget Sound navy yard at Bremerton, Wash., carrying both passengers and automobiles. She will be the largest vessel of her type in the waters of Seattle, and also the speediest. A speed of 17% knots is anticipated.