26 | PANAMA RAIL ROAD COMPANY.

On the other hand, sailings to. New York for fe same period were
increased to 91, as against 89 in 1918-1919, an increase of 27,165 tons or

9.02% of cargo carried. |
Reboilering Last year’s report gave a total of $256,258.21 expended upon the
and Instal- §,§. “Ancon” as the Company’s approximate total outlay in excess of
lation Fuel her proportion of the Congressional appropriation of $720,000 to cover

<n the cost of reboilering and incidental repairs of that ship and 8. §.
SS. “Cristobal.” The reported outlay for 8. 8. ‘“Ancon’’ was later corrected
“Ancon” to the ascertained sum of $258,108.30. | : |

and The plan to increase 8.8. ‘“Ancon’s’ passenger accommodations to

e enetebal: equal those of 8.5. “Cristobal” has been abandoned for the time being.

Subsequently, for well established reasons of economy and efficiency

- In operation, it was decided to convert the two ships from coal to fuel oil

burners, and in the case of 8.5. ‘‘Ancon,” necessary. outlay for that and
other work at the same time was $407,720.77, described as follows:

Installation of Fuel ae 2 Po Fee 209,024 64
General: Overhaul. 3 a ee 198,696 13

The elapsed time sca! to Her return to service after reboilering
at the Isthmus was from June 30, 1918, to November 20, 1919, during
which interval she was employed under charter in Army service overseas
for eight months, from November 19, 1918, to July 25, 1919, and there-
after was out of commission at New York for four months until November
20, 1919, to be reconditioned, converted to oil burning and for general.
overhaul. Of the total outlay, $110,000, expended to re-condition her,
was reimbursed the Company by the War Department as provided by

_¢ her charter party.

5.8. ‘Cristobal,’ as stated in last year’s report, went out of com-
mission and was turned over to the Mechanical Division of the Panama
Canal at the Isthmus for the reboilering and repairs incidental thereto

~ authorized by a Congressional appropriation that was inadequate and
the estimated excess expenditure for this Company’s account of $686,000
was authorized (for the reason stated in last year’s report in respect of
5S. S. “Ancon’’) to cover the excess cost beyond her allotment of the
Congressional appropriation of $720,000 for both ships; the estimated
cost of enlarging and improving her passenger accommodations, her
conversion to oil burning, and as well her general overhaul, required,
largely as the result of her diversion to the transportation for account of
the Ordnance Department, U.S. A., of several full nitrate cargoes from
Chili, three to the United States and one to Europe. When the work
was started, unforeseen delays were encountered, and it was found to
exceed all expectations in that it amounted almost to a reconstructi
of the ship. All estimates as to both time required and cost were ait
exceeded, but the work once begun had to be carried to completion, fol-
lowing which she was returned to commission practically a new and more
valuable ship with greatly enlarged capacity.

The total cost was $1,486,094.73, divided as follows:
Expense i in Excess of Appropriation, for See assumed

by Panama Rail Road Company. . ee ee §249 549 04
Increased Passenger Accommodations... oe 687,006 82
Cost and Installation of Oil Burning System . . 21.425 260,483 96
Additions and betterments. . a 18, 130 39

General Overhauling Completed at New York... eo 20 A23 62