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398 DEVOTED TO EVERYTHING AND EVERY INTEREST CONNECTED OR _ ASSO- CIATED WITH MARINE MATTERS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. Published monthly by The Penton Publishing Co. CLEVELAND. MUBRALO. scenes sas 932 Ellicott Square. CHICAGOS, 05.5: 4% +1328 Monadnock Blk. CINCINNATI... .. First National Bank Bldg. NEW: MORK. co 205505 1005 West Street Bldg. . BIT PSBURG. oe... eos es 510 Park = Bids. SEATT UB fcc. cpu cases ees 302 Pioneer Bldg. Correspondence on Marine Engineering, Ship Building and Shipping Subjects Solicited. Subscription, U. S. and Mexico, $1.00 per 'annum. Canada, $1.50. Foreign, $2.00. Single copies, U. S. and Mexico, 10 cents. Elsewhere, 15 cents. Back numbers over three months, 25 cents. Change of advertising copy must reach this office on or before the first of each month. The Cleveland News Co. will supply the trade with the Marine Review through the regular channels of the American News Co. European Agents, The International News (CCompany, Breams Building, Chancery Lane, London, E. C., England. Entered at the Post Office at Cleveland, Ohio, as Second Class Matter. . October, 1909. THE MERCHANT MARINE LEAGUE OF SEATTLE. Elsewhere in this issue we print an article detailing the organization of the Merchant Marine League of Seat- Ie. This action is significant of the trend of events. The people of the Pacific offended 'by domination of the western ocean, un- coast, foreign able to develop their*: commerce to its fullest extent and hampered by the absurd collier policy of the navy de- partment, have been patient and long suffering. But the end of patience has been reached and from the Pacific more effectiveness than ever now on coast will demand with before an American Merchant Marine for American commerce. The 'circumstances surrounding the launching of the Merchant Marine aeaeue of Seattle are particularly ausipicious. The new league has the active support of the Seattle Cham- THE MarINeE REVIEW ber of Commerce, the unreserved en- dorsement of the city's leading news- papers and numbers among its mem- bers the most powerful business men of the west. Tue Marine' REVIEW the business men of Seattle for their energy and foresight in organizing for the protection of American com- merce. We believe the new organiza- tion will grow and flourish and that it will be of great assistance in con- vincing congress of the crying need for tangible aid to American shipping. 'compliments THE IDOL WITH FEET OF CLAY. In our August issue we referred to and quoted abstracts from corres- pondence between shipping interests on the Pacific coast and Acting Secre- tary of the Navy Beekman: Winthrop. The icisms of the department's action have statements made in our crit- not been and cannot be controverted. But the chamber of commerce of Se- attle has taken up the subject and as the department has now another acting secretary it has also another itself ridiculous, itself. opportunity to make of which it promptly avails In his reply to the communication from the chamber of commerce Act- ine Secretary W.. P.° Potter says: "The department can take no other position than one of sympathy with the that but it. musi dlso be pointed out that its complaints are made; position is one of considerable em- barrassment, which it sees at present The coast states, as no way of removing. coals mined within Pacific well as those from foreign countries, British and Japan, are not considered by of- namely, Australia, Columbia ficers of the navy, who are held re- sponsible by the department for the condition and speed of their ships, suitable for use in the furnaces of a -_ ' modern ship of war. To make a vom- parison between the engines of such ships and those of merchant ships, even swift liners, is beside the point. While the shippers of the Pacific coast have certain interests, which the department wishes to foster in- stead of oppose, it must be remembered that the department is required by -deliberate and was sonice.. tO October, 1909 law to give preference to an Ameri- that We have before paid our respects to the platitudinous and Pecksniffian sympathy can product; is eastern coal." assurances of the emanating from department. The plan: is to be used and is being used as a justifi- intended cation for the upbuilding of a fleet of colliers under the control of the navy. When naval officials profess anything else they do not speak the truth. If Mr. garding the unfitness of Pacific coast Potter repeats the statement re- coal. for ships of war in ignorance and upon information he is being de- liberately misled and if otherwise there is a "short and ugly term" which fits the case. We are not concerned with the coals of Australia, British Columbia and Japan; we repeat that Washington coal is perfectly satisfactory fuel for war- ships, especially in times of peace,' and this on the authority of those who know at least as much of the subject as navy officials. They are not by any means the only authority on the sub- : the best. We 2 already quoted the geological survey- ject nor even have on the subject and there is no need to repeat it here. The citation of its use in merchant ships and swift liners ig not beside the point at all; it 'ts right to the point. Furnaces of ships of war are not different from _ those of others and any attempt. to create a different impression is merely an ef- Fore 10 cefoe the issue. The types of boilers used in the navy are used in Ships of all classes and in all services, and with the poorest coals found any- where. The acting secretary refers to Japanese coal. Perhaps he will say next that the Japanese navy uses only Welsh or Atlantic. coast coal. refers to British Columbia pointed out He also We that British tion use it. coal. have already naval vessels on that sta- The reference to the re- quirements of law as to giving prefer- deliberately eastern coal is misleading. It -iS just as applicable to Washington coal as to castern. If the department's position were sound our navy on the Pacific coast could not go to sea without eastern