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410 classification and forwarding yards, triple trackage between alternate _warehouses, and tracks along the en- tire length of the wharf. The track- age between the warehouses is sunk so as to facilitate. the movement of merchandise from cars direct to 20- foot loading platform with which each warehouse is provided. The total capacity of the terminal track- ave is 1435 'cars. Can Berth Seven Vessels The aggregate operating capacity of the Charleston terminal is rated at 4000 tons, or 200 cars of through merchandise in either direction dur- ing a 10-hour working day. The THE MARINE REVIEW the need for ccmmercial utilization of the facilities of this plant, arrange- ments have been entered into where- by all available wharfage facilities in excess of the small amount required for military purposes have been made available and are now being actively absorbed in handling commercial trai- fic passing through the port of Charleston. _ A considerable amount of the storage warehouse facilities of this terminal are being utilized for the temporary storage of ordnance material; its occupancy, however, is cnly temporary. While under the existing policy, title to this property will, as a meas- 'ure ef national defense, remain with HEADHOUSES AND DOCK AT CHARLESTON TERMINAL tatal sicrage capacity is 325,000. tons. Mie ship capacity of the plant is restricted to the simultaneous berth- me of seven average size vessels. The material handling equipment, in addition to cargo masts and steel walkway, includes cargo winches and two cranes. Detween, Heb. 10 and July 15, 1919, the Charleston army base was active- ly utilized as a port of debarkation for the return of overseas soldiers destined to points in the south and scuthwest. During this period a total of 49,600 troops passed through. this terminal and proceeded to demobiliza- tion camp at-Jackson, S. C. In accordance with earnest pre- sentations made to the secretary of war by the mayor of Charleston, the Charleston chamber of commerce and important interests of that city as 'to appliances the government, it is probable that the present degree of .commercial utilization will soon 'be extended to include the entire facilities of. the plant, both for the transfer of cargo cn and off ship, and for storage pur- poses. Book Reviews Ships' Boats, by Ernest W. Block- sidge ; cloth; 500 pages, 5% x 8% inches; published by Longmans, Green & Co., ra ae by THE Marine Review or $9, Qualities, ment of construction and ships' boats together for launching them discussed at lengith. The author brings to his subject a specialized knowledge, being a ship surveyor of Lioyd's, and former ship surveyor to equip- with are July, 1929 the marine department of the British board of trade and a_ lecturer on naval architecture. The book was prepared in order to make available complete information on the equip- ment of life saving appliances on cargo and passenger vessels. Ore, inally undertaken while the aurthice resided in Great Britain, the work was completed after professional dy. ties brought him to the United States Boats of a great variety of types are considered with brief analyses of their form, stability and strength, Timbers suitable for small boat con- struction are considered and an out- line of the equipment necessary for a boat yard is presented. Various types of open life boats are- dis. cussed, construction of each design being analyzed and explained at length. Complete _ illustrations are given to illustrate the text. The section of the book on boats is com- pleted with a survey of nested, surf and steel boats. Half of the book is devoted to the equipment of ships' boats and the means for launching them. A num- ber' of tables of value to the oat builder are included. power, The book is a complete study of the important question of life boats and as such its appeal extends be- yond the field of the boat builders alone. Safety of life at sea depends in such a jdarge degree upon the quality of life boats and the assur- ance of their successful launching in times of emergency, that a- broader appreciation of small boat construc- tion and handling is essential. This appreciation the author has aroused by an unusually complete analysis of his subject. Marine Insurance, by William D. Vater; cloth: «433. pages, .534 x28 inches; published by the McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., and furnished by THE Marine Review for $3.50. The author is a lecturer on marine insurance, New York university, and in the present volume he has rewritten a number of lectures and arranged them for publication in book form. He points to the marvelous growth of our overseas trade wherein. shipping, bank- ing and insurance have expanded sub- stantially. The forepart of the book is devoted to ahistorical introduction which interestingly traces the growth of this branch of insurance. from the most remote. times. The _ part Lloyds played in the development of marine insurance is covered fully. This 1s followed by a chapter devoted to physical geography in its relation [0