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Reviews of Late Books The Running and Maintenance of the Marine Diesel Engine, by John Lamb; cloth, 523 pages, 5 by 7% inches; published by J. B. Lippingcott Co., Philadelphia and furnished by Marine Review, Cleveland, for $7.50 postpaid, and in Europe by the Pen- ton Publishing Co. Ltd., Caxton House, London, for 37s 6d. This book’ has seven plates and 218 illustrations. It is printed in rather small but clear type on good paper, and its popularity and usefulness is attested by the fact that this is the third edition. The author is evident- ly a practical engineer, as in the preface to this book it is stated that he has gained further experience at sea and ashore on vessels pro- pelled by different types and makes of diesel oil engines. Some of the subjects covered in chapters are: Liquid Fuels, Combus- tion of Fuel, Lubrication, Starting Mechanism, Reversing Gears, Indi- eators and Indicator Diagrams, Air Compressors, Mechanical Injection, Opposed Piston Engine, Still Engine, Port Work and Watch Keeping. The author has consistently main- tained throughout, the practical out- look of a seagoing engineer and the book is therefore particularly useful for engineers changing from steam to diesel. Practical ways are de- scribed for preventing and remedying troubles which may occur in the op- eration of diesel engines. The book is therefore really a working tool and a practical guide rather than a text book or treatise. The language used is plain. Illustrations show clearly the more important features of the different parts of the oil engines. There are 27 tables in the text. Reference to the illustrations is made easy by an alphabetical list preceding the subject index. It is a book which should be very useful for any engineer in- terested in the operation or design for. that matter, of the diesel en- gine. Sailing Ships At a Glance, by Ed- ward W. Hobbs, A. M. I. N. A.; cloth, 221 pages, 5% by 8% inches; pub- lished by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Co., New York and London; furnished by MarRiIng Revinw, Cleveland, for $2.50 postpaid, and in Europe by the Pen- ton Publishing Co. Ltd. Caxton House, London for 12s 6d. For anyone who wishes to know about the origin and development of sailing ships this book is of real use- fulness and great interest. It is in 40 fact a pictorial representation of sail- ing ships of different eras in the world’s history. There are 150 illus- trations from sketches made by the author. The author gives to the that knowledge of ships which is necessary in order to appreciate the daring explorers and pioneers in the making of history. After reading this book one can also better ap- preciate the activities of those mer- chants who laid the foundations for the vast ocean traffic we now have. Ships - have played an _ important reader part in American history from the days of Columbus and the voyage of the MaAyFLOWER. To the sailor or any man of adventuring spirit, the -real thrill comes from the beautiful sailing ship and the author has per- formed his work well because he is, himself, deeply interested in the sub- ject. Sailing ships of all periods are described and illustrated from the old Egyptian crafts 6000 B. C. up to the present racing yacht. Increase Lake Draft Early in June the recommended draft on tiie Great Lakes sent out by George A. Marr, secretary of the Lake Carriers’ asscciation was as fol- lows: For St. Mary’s river 19 feet 8 inches, for Lake Superior loading. This is an increase of 3 inches. The draft on Lake St. Clair, is 19 ft., 6 in. From ie Editor's Mail To the Editor: I have noticed recently in the nauti- cal periodicals and newspapers some discussion of shipbuilding along the lines of the need for expansion in the shipbuilding industry, which dis- cussion comes at a very appropriate time, when shipbuilding has _ fallen into serious straits. I have been con- nected with shipbuilding for many years, previous to the war and since the war, and have never witnessed similar conditions. As you know many yards have closed, some are about to close, and unless something constructive is done shortly more will be forced to close. This will affect not only the shipyards but to a large degree the steel mills which roll the plates and other forms of steel for the ship hulls and boilers. Much has been said about the pres- ent condition of the shipbuilding busi- ness, with special emphasis being laid to the fact that this condition is due to the wartime activities. The ex- planation may be satisfactory to the casual thinker who is inclined to say that under the conditions nothing can be done or should be done, and who does not give proper weight to the effect on industry as a whole when one of its major branches is serious- ly ill, so ill in fact that talk alone will not effect a cure. Under the conditions of the naval agreement be- tween the various Powers, no great help can be expected from the navy for some years to come. that eight scout cruisers are under MARINE REVIEW—July, 1927 It is true - contract for the navy, but two of these have been apportioned to the navy yards, leaving but six for all the shipyards in the country. It seems to me, therefore, that the time has arrived when action must be substituted for our old affliction of too much talk. The news prints have been carrying accounts of magnificent new passenger ships for foreign lines, while the best we seem able to get is discussion of reconditioning the AGAMEMNON and MOoUNT VERNON, which are now tied up. To completely re- habilitate them would require too much money for the class of busi- ness they would have to handle. The thought has occurred that since the expenditure of money for war vessels is restricted by the naval agreement, a portion of that which would under normal conditions be ap- propriated for this purpose should be appropriated for the building of a few passenger vessels to supplement the Fleet corporation lines. Since the money: is available and as there is opposition to subsidies to counterbal- ance the disadvantage of the greater cost of operating ships under the American flag and admitting that capital is reluctant about taking the risk involved, - congress certainly should uphold General Dalton in his laudable desire to procure a merchant marine suited to the dignity of a maritime nation. Yours very truly, . William Schaubel 3520 North Sixteenth St., Philadelphia. |