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256 president down through the ranks, is imbued with the spirit to make its enterprise profitable to the stock- holders. Every official and every em- ploye knows that his job depends upon his doing his part to produce dividends. He knows, too, that suc- cess will bring its reward in promo- tion and security of position. On the other hand, the personnel of a gov- ernment-owned line cannot help but feel that the national treasury is be- hind it, which feeling is not conducive ta rigid economy and the highest ef- ficiency; and the employes lack the definite prospect of reward for serv- ice and the security of position which appeal so strongly to men of am- bition and _ ability. The differential of about $4500 be- tween the operating costs of pri- vate American and British vessels may be largely offset by the ex- tremely favorable terms on _ which American operators can purchase ves- sels today; but in the long run it is not going to help the situation to sell our lines at nominal prices in consideration of a guaranteed op- eration for a period of, say, five years, unless government aid shall a Combustion in the Power Plant, by Thomas A. Marsh, M. E., 255 pages, published by D. Van Nostrand Co., and furnished by MARINE REVIEW for $2.00 net and in Europe by the Pen- ton Publishing Co., Ltd., Caxton House, London for 10 shillings net. Though intended primarily as a guide for proper combustion in the power plant ashore, and devoted largely to coal burning, this book is full of excellent practical infor- mation on how to burn various kinds and grades of coal with the greatest efficiency. Not only the nature of the fuel but also the appliances used in burning it are thoroughly reviewed, analyzed and practical conclusions of value es- tablished. Any engineer whether in charge of a power plant ashore or the engine room of a ship would find this book both interesting and in- structive. A New Marine Handbook “Westinghouse Apparatus for Ma- rine Application” is the title of a 528- page book just issued by the Westing- house Electric & Mfg. Co., East Pitts- burgh. This book is the first: of its MARINE REVIEW be forthcoming before the end of such period. I do not want to be un- derstood as discouraging the prospec- tive purchasers of our lines; on the contrary, I think we should encour- age such sales for the reason that the private operator can be depended upon to make a much better showing on the routes than the government ean, and I do not think he stands to lose; but I do want to emphasize the necessity of adopting an ade- quate and workable scheme of gov- ernment aid without further delay. Follow a Definite Plan The program, so far as the gov- ernment-owned fleet is concerned, should, I believe, include the follow- ing: (a) An aggressive and well thought- out plan to transfer the government fleet to private ownership on terms that protect the government interests and at the same time give the buyer an opportunity for profit that will insure his continuance indefinitely in the trade. (b) Continuance of the operation of government lines on such of the trade route as are considered eco- July, 1925 nomically essential to the national interest and which cannot be dis- posed of to private operators. (c) Continued improvement of these lines until they show the best economic results obtainable under government operating conditions, thereby reducing the present operat- ing loss by half. (d) On the most heavily losing routes, the maintenance of only such service as may suffice to hold a po- sition in the trade and to conserve our national trade interests; but, on the more promising routes an ex- pansion of the services to meet the demands and prospects of the na- tional trade. (e) Where sales are impossible, the charter of the lines to private responsible operators, if practicable, on terms that will be advantageous to the government and that will give the operator an opportunity to become eventually an owner. I will not now suggest the form of the aid that should be given the privately owned merchant marine. This is a problem that must receive the earnest attention of the entire business community and of congress. Reviews of Latest Books kind ever issued by any manufactur- er on the application of mechanical, steam, and electrical apparatus for marine application. In addition to a complete descrip- tion of the diesel electric, turbine- electric and turbine-geared drive and apparatus this book contains com- plete mechanical, steam and electrical data which is of special interest to the engineering and chief operating personnel of the marine industry. The comprehensiveness of this book is best suggested by the index of 23 sections, which are as follows: Section 1, Useful notes on naviga- tion and steamship; 2, trade informa- tion; 3, general tables; 4, mechanical data; 5, fuel and lubrication; 6, steam data; 7, electrical data; 8, spare parts; 9, propulsion equipment; 10, generating equipment; 11, steam condensing equipment; 12, switch- board equipment; 13, distributing equipment, insulating materials and supplies; 14, deck auxiliaries; 15, en- gine-room auxiliaries; 16, equipment for shipyards and docks; 17, elec- trical appliance, fans and lighting equipment; 18, galley, bakeshop and repair equipment; 19, radio equip- ment; 20, electric dredging equipment; 21, drydock equipment; 22, govern- ment equipment; 28, marine service. From a brief survey, it appears that this publication will become a refer- Se ee