Evening star., 1941-09-19
New Sea Otter Type
May RevoIutionize
Ship Designing
smolI but QuiekIy-BuiIt
Freiehter Expected to
Challenge Submarines

How revolutionary type of light
ocean freighter powered with gaso-
line engines will 60 into mass pro-
duction to provide bridge Of ships
30 the free nations was revealed yes
terday as the first of the vessels
neared completion in a Texas yard.
The Navy's announcement of the
project was followed within few
hours by formation of corporation
to manufacture the freighters at in
land yards not now occupied with
the production of heavier vessels.
The new vessel is the first of its
type ever tried. No deep-sea tests
have been given the first vessel,
The Sea Otter, but the Navy said
Its success was virtually a foregone
conclusion" because of experimental
work with models in test basins.
Carry Small Cargo.
The new ships to challenge the
submarine are comparatively cheap
to construct and operate and are
simple in design. The Sea Otter is
only 270 feet over all and will carry
net cargo of 1.500 tons with dis
placement of 1000 tons when loaded.
Navy designers developed the
type at the urging OF President
Roosevelt. it was said
The real revolution in design"
the Navy announced. was wrought
In the application of power. A means
has been discovered of driving q
6foot propeller, not on the stern of
the ship. but sunk into the water
smidships. No less than is gasoline
engines, such as are used in propell-
ing motorboats. drive the vertical
shaft much after the manner of the
cupboard motor.
The engines are OF 10 horsepow-
or, six cylinders, developing total Of
1,700 brake horsepower"
Experts estimated the new vessel
can be turned out in two months
building time after plans have been
standardized. They saw no reason
why mass production of this type of
vessel should not Offset the loss of
tonnage at sea.
Fleet Ready in Year.
A large and mobile fleet" was
expected to be ready for the sea
within a year. The Sea Otter was
built by the Livingston Shipbuilding
Co. Orange, Tex, after a one-third
scale model had been constructed
and tested off Long Island.
The vessel is only about one fifth
the size of the freighters being built
by the Maritime Commission. The
size will enable the ship to be built
In small inland or Gulf coast yards
and transported to the ocean
through rivers and canals.
The ship. the Navy said, was CON
eeived by daring minds and carried
to completion with the active, i'm
sistent help of President Roosevelt" :"
Secretary Knox also was intensely
interested in the project. The pro-
posal was made early this year and
carried through over a number of
protests. it was said.
Useful After War.
It was hoped the vessels soon will
be helping fill the urgent need to
send lease-lend goods to Britain in
ever-increasing quantities. Cost of
the ships will be charged to lease
lend funds, it was said.
The vessels were expected to be
useful after the war because of their
radius of 5000 miles and their econ
omy of operation. In wartime they
will mount suitable anti-aircraft
batteries.
The new company to supervise the
construction of the ships is backed
by the Reconstruction Finance Corp.
Secretary Knox and Rear Admiral
Emory S. Land, chairman of the
Maritime Commission, will be on the
Board of Directors.