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22 SHIPPING WORLD YEAR BOOK. The Shipping World Year Book, edit- ed by Major Jones, and published by the Shipping World, Effingham House, Arundel street, London, W. C., England, has just been issued for 1909. This book is a standard directory of. trade, commerce and navigation and is now in its twenty-third year. Annually it has grown until it has become of monu- mental proportions. The tariffs of all countries have been corrected up to Jan. 1, 1909. 'The port and harbor directory of the world with charges, tides, trades, pilotage and towage has been revised up to the last minute. Aiong the new fea- tures is a list of the new wireless sta- tions open for the trarsmission of over- sea messages. There is also incorpor- ated a map in colors showing the routes of steamers and railways throughout the world. As usual, Major Jones gives a retrospective view of the year just closed, saying: A Retrospective View of 1908. The year 1908 has been remarkable, not for inventions and improvements in science and mechanics, but 'for de- pression in the world's commerce and the industriés, perhaps without parallel in history. The low freights of 1907 fur- ther declined in the succeeding year; and the situation was confused and ag- gravated by conflicts between employers and employed (especially in the engi- neering branches of shipbuilding), havy- ing their origin in demarcation dis- putes among the men, and their re- jection of the proposals of the em- ployers, which stipulated for a_ reduc- tion of earnings. both in piece-work and wages. Finally, after many consultations and confusing ballotings, agreement was reached. Better still and more signifi- cant are the two great events which grew out of these labor troubles. First, the conversion of the shipyards of Messrs. Futness, .Withy & Co,,. Ltd.,. into. a copartnership business in which every employee has become a shareholder and profit sharer; and second, the agree- ment entered into between the Ship- building Employers' Federation and the Shipbuilding Trade Unions, whereby machinery is set up for prompt deal- ing with all disputes, and settling the same by joint conciliation boards and a final joint conference, all without any suspension of work. The severity of industrial depression during 1908 will be appreciated when we point out that the decline in the world's shipbuilding, including naval and com- mercial tonnage, is represented by 419 ships, having a volume of 955,198 tons: the falling off in the output of the United Kingdom being 253 ships, mea- suring 691,854 tons. = TAeE MarRINE. REVIEW Ships and Engines of the Year. Although there is no great invention to be placed to the credit of the year 1908, the new types of ships, for carry- ing oil in tanks, trimming coal and grain cargoes, and reducing the num- ber of decks to one, have made good progress. They ensure a substantial sav- ing in weight and therefore in register tonnage and fees, and have demonstrated the accuracy of the calculations of in- ventors, and justified the confidence of the registration societies in giving the highest class to these types. The opinion has been strengthened that the turbine itself is not the most suitable machinery for the propulsion of cargo vessels of moderate speed; and the solution of the difficulty has been found in a combinatiun of the recip- rocating engine and the turbine. This combination has been adopted for sev- eral vessels of different sizes, including big Atlantic liners now being built in Belfast. Some progress is being made with gas engines in marine propulsion; and Messrs. Beardmore, of Dalmuir, who have been: working and experimenting assiduously at this problem, are con- fident of winning important results. Oil engines, especially in small craft, are multiplying rapidly, and the advantages they offer in weight, space, and cleanli- ness over steam engines, must continue to tell in their favor. The Big Cunarders. The experiences of the Lusitania and Mauretania have enjoyed the full blaze of public criticism and comment, and it is unnecessary to write at any length of the practical trials and their valuable lessons. Let us, therefore, be content to say that the Cunard Company have realized their anticipations in respect of speed, while the government conditions have been fully met. Changes in Import Duties. Readers who are interested in duties on imports will remember that we were only able to give in the edition of 1908 the schedules and particulars of the tariff of the Australian commonwealth as they appeared in the bill at its second reading; many changes' were afterwards made by the commonwealth parliament, and these are all incorporated in the tariff as it appears in this volume of the Year Book. The tariffs for Den- mark and Venezuela are entirely new, having become law during 1908 It should be remembered that the French tariff we publish is that which became law in June, 1907; but there. has ap- peared a proposed new French tariff, recommended by the customs commission of the French chamber of deputies, and this has been published by the board of trade. We would point out, however that the changes made in the schedules are only proposals; they do not rep- resent duties levied upon imports en- tering France; nor is it probable that the tariff will be adopted in its present form. Therefore, we have not published the "Proposed Tariff", for it could only serve to mislead until it becomes lay. Should it be adopted during the year 1909, the fact will be dealt with in our weekly publication, the Shipping World. FAST TURBINE STEAM YACHT. Messrs. Cox & Stevens, naval archi- tects of New York, have just placed an order through their London repre- sentatives, Messrs. Cox & King, with Messrs. Yarrow & Co., of England, for a turbine steam yacht that will be faster than any vessel of her type yet built and will attract much attention on her' | arrival in these waters this summer. The hull is being built of special high tension steel, the motive power will consist of three Parsons turbines sup-. plied with steam by two Yarrow boilers using oil fuel; this will be the first yacht to have the combination of turbines and oil fuel, although many modern tor- pedo boats are equipped in this manner and most satisfactory results have been obtained. Better than 30 statute miles an hour is anticipated and there will be interesting trials of speed between this craft and the new boat being built in this country for Mr. M. C. D. Borden. The length will be about 170 ft., beam 17 ft, and she will have unusually good accommodations, the owner having three double staterooms, two bath rooms and a large and attractive saloon aft; while in the deck house forward will be a dining room capable of seating 12 guests comfortably. As she will have to cross the ocean under her own power, and as the de- signers wished to produce a good ser- viceable craft, she has been given good freeboard and as powerful a form as possible under the circumstances; the deck line forward is quite full and is associated with sharply flaring sections that will tend to keep spray from com- ing aboard. The details of the design and the superintendence of the vessel while un- der construction will be in the hands of Messrs: Cox & King, of London, with which firm Messrs. Cox & Stevens have combined their interests as far as con- cerns buying, building or chartering ves sels abroad. This business arrangement will be beneficial to both firms and to their clients, and will greatly simplify any further transactions of this charac-" ter, 'as all details can be attended to equally well either from the New York