Harbor Craft Ship-to-Shore Radio Telephone Service in Puget Sound Area*

Abstract

Puget Sound with an area of about 6,000 square miles serves a large region whose principal resources are lumber and fishing. Movement of the raw products to points where the manufacturing and processing are carried on comprises a major part of the short-haul shipping in the Puget Sound area. Large lumber and pulp mills have been permanently established at locations where deep sea shipping and rail facilities are readily available. Logs in the form of large booms are towed to the mills from the sources of supply which extend throughout the area drained by the Puget Sound. The average haul of each boom is about 75 miles and consumes several days. Because of the relatively long time a tug is isolated in each operation, some economical means of dispatching and directing the activities of the tow boats from the land headquarters is desirable. In the case of fishing, there is an even greater need than in the case of log towing for dose contact between fishing boat and cannery in order that both the fishing and cannery activities may be coordinated so as to prevent waste of fish during large runs.