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Notes: With the cessation of hostilities and the slowing of the USSB's building program, the Emergency Fleet Corporation began to consider building vessels larger than its wartime standard designs. By March 1919 the EFC had developed a design for a 470-foot shelter deck steel cargo ship in two variants, "A" (the basic design) of 12,500 deadweight tons and "B" of 14,200 tons. The two had the same hull size and configuration but type "B" had less powerful machiney and a larger cargo capacity. The choice between the types would depend on the trade routes to be served. A memo dated 5 March 1919 stated that it was desired to secure bids for 50 ships and that plans were being prepared. As of 7 March 1919 the EFC Vice President, Charles Piez, wanted to build six ships. Seventeen prospective bidding yards were identified. The plans and specifications were forwarded on 11 March 1919. On 15 March 1919 the Director General of the EFC, Charles M. Schwab, authorized soliciting bids for six type "B" ships, though only from contractors not bidding on the type "A" ships. Between 28 March and 15 April 1919 proposals were received from six yards: Sun, Moore, Long Beach, Newburgh, Downey and Federal. Of these Downey and perhaps Federal and Sun proposed to use their own designs, the other three bid on the EFC design. A memo of 18 April 1919, however, stated that "just at present the policy of the [Shipping] Board is inclining towards a more radical program of cancellations than they have heretofore indulged in." The memo explained that the bids had been requested because the EFC expected to substitute some vessels of this class for vessels of a smaller tonnage and slower speed on which work had been suspended. Ten days later the American Bureau of Shipping returned the plans for Design 1117 and work on the design ceased. However one project to substitute larger ships for smaller cancelled ones was eventually implemented at the Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., resulting in Design 1133. (Special source: U.S. National Archives, Record Group 32, Records of the United States Shipping Board, correspondence files.) Specifications: Design 1117 "A" and "B" (not ordered or built): Steel Cargo. Deadweight tons: 12,500 (A), 14,200 (B). Dimensions: 470.0' length pp x 63.0' breadth x 43.0' depth. Propulsion: Quadruple expansion engine, Scotch boilers, 5600 IHP (A), 4000 IHP (B); 13 kts (A), 11.5 kts (B). Configuration: Shelter deck, 3 decks. |