In our May-June issue, we featured, as Ship of the Month No. 111, the Imperial Oil Ltd. tanker IMPERIAL WHITBY (51), (a) IOCOMA (47), (c) GEORGE S. CLEET (61), (d) BAYGEORGE. We mentioned that IOCOMA, although designed to carry oil in bulk, was coal-fired. To amplify that statement, we should mention that Robert Campbell, of Toronto, has confirmed to us that the original plans of both IOCOMA and her near-sister IMPEROYAL show that both steamers were designed to burn either coal or oil fuel. We must assume that they burned oil on their delivery voyages across the Atlantic, for extra bunkers could then be stored in their cargo tanks for the long ocean trip to Canada. We know, however, that they did burn coal whilst in regular service during their early years on the Great Lakes. In later years, of course, both IOCOMA and IMPEROYAL burned oil fuel only.

We also extend our thanks to member W. George Williams, of Cote St. Luc, Quebec, who was able to correct one further item concerning this steamer. We had mentioned that GEORGE S. CLEET's 1951 conversion to a self-unloader was carried out at the Montreal shipyard of Canadian Vickers Ltd. We erred in this respect but, it seems, we were not the first publication to fall victim to this misinformation. Mr. Williams confirms that the conversion was actually done at St. Lawrence Drydocks, the old shipyard that was located on the Lachine Canal. He ought to know, for he was involved in much of the electrical work which was required in the reconstruction of the vessel. After the conversion had been completed, the CLEET reportedly lay idle for several weeks, while her owners argued about the cost of the work. Then, late in 1951, she went into service for Bayswater Shipping Ltd. of Brockville, Ontario.

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