Of all the freak engineering feats with which the U.S. tried to bridge the Atlantic in World War I, none was more freakish than the concrete ship. Of these "floating stones" the U.S. built 43. Last week the Maritime Commission, leaving no floating stone unturned, ordered 15 concrete barges costing $9,000,000.
All concrete ships built in World War I had the reputation of cracking easily, even when they struck a pier. Nevertheless, many survived the Armistice. The McKittrick hauled oil until 1932, then became a nightclub boat off California until broken to bits in a storm. The Faith...
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