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j } : Reviews of Late Books Oil Tankers, by R. W. Morrell, con- sulting naval architect and marine en- gineer, second edition, revised and en- larged, cloth 342 pages, 6 x 8% inches, published by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Co., New York and sup- plied by Marine Review, Cleveland for $4 plus 15 cents postage and in Europe by the Penton Publishing Co., Ltd., Caxton House, London, for 20s, postage extra. This volume is a complete and au- thoritative treatise on oil carrying vessels, the handling of bulk oil and the transportation of bulk oil by water. It covers the subjects of mod: ern design, construction, repairs an/l operation with respect to hull, cargo system and machinery. Oil burning vessels are considered with respect to their oil tight compartments. Safe methods of pumping and loading oil are stressed. The author takes up in ‘order the following subjects: require- ments of the trade, economical speed, propelling machinery, structural ar- yangement, structural design, struc- tural notes, structural members, ton- nage measurement, freeboard, fire prevention, fire protection, repairs, cargo oil piping, operation, oil tank barges, and hydraulic method of handling. : . The second edition has been com- pletely revised and enlarged and re- set in larger type and format. The number of illustrations has been dou- bled with the inclusion of photographs and drawings of the latest. designs. This book is one for every marine executive. It would be found useful by marine superintendents, port engi- neers, purchasing agents, naval archi- tects, marine surveyors and_ inspec- tors, deck and engine officers on oil tankers and on all vessels using oil as fuel. The Wreck of the Dumaru, by Low- ell Thomas; paper, 271 pages, 514 ‘by 8 inches; published by Doubleday, Doran & Co. Ine., Garden City, New York, and supplied by Marine Review for $2.50, plus 15 cents postage; in Europe by Penton Publishing Co. Ltd., Caxton House, London, for 12s 6d, net. The circumstances of the wreck of the Dumaru, in the fall of 1918, while the allies were engaged in the last days of the great war, had largely been forgotten by the world at large. A war built wooden ship, the DumaAru sailed from San Francisco with a car- go of gasoline and munitions bound for the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and the Orient. In her crew were many misfits and trouble makers. A few miles off Guam the ship was struck by lightning, taking fire, and had to be hurriedly abandoned. Officers and crew escaped in two lifeboats and one raft. This book deals with the horri- 54 ble experience of the 32 men in one of the lifeboats which drifted and sailed some 1300 miles for 24 days be- fore bringing up on the island of Samar of the Philippines group. Of the 32 men leaving the DuMARU only 14 landed safely on the beach at Samar and these 14 could have held out but a matter of hours longer. The story is told by one of the sur- vivors, the first assistant engineer, now a chief engineer on the Great Lakes. The extremities in which the men in the open boat found them- selves, including cannibalism, is told with absolute realism. It isn’t a story, - it is a true log of a horrible experi- ence transcending even the imagina- tion of fiction. Strength and weak- ness appear from unexpected quar- ters in the motley crew of the life- boat. It proves to be a leveler of rank and the strength and ingenuity of the third assistant (he develops a still for condensing small quantities of fresh water from salt) stand out in contrast with the weakness and fail- ure of the chief engineer. A soft appearing boy with natural timidity outlasts George the Greek, who has the strength and disposition of the devil himself. Of the 18 men lost, two committed suicide, one an officer of the United States navy. Two lost their lives on the beach at Samar too weak to make the shore through the surf. Thirteen of the 14 who died in the lifeboat went insane before *death relieved them. One of these, George the Greek, became murderously violent, threatening the lives of all others. This is the story of the wreck of the DumaRu, and most horrible of all _ were the circumstances leading up to the use of human flesh to sustain life in those that remained; a thrill- ing true story of the sea if ever there was one. Modern Diesel Engine Practice, by Orville Adams, cloth, 650 pages, 6 x 9 inches, over 400 engravings, published by Norman W. Henley Publishing Co., New York, and sup- plied by Marine Review, Cleveland, for $6 plus 15 cents postage, and in Europe by the Penton Publishing Co., Ltd., Caxton House, London, for 30s, postage extra. This book, one of the most com- plete on the subject yet published, was prepared to combine a text for study and reference and a practical manual on operation and repair in one volume. It includes’ instruc- tions suitable for the owner, Opera- tor, repairman and engine salesman, and is also valuable to all students. Every fact requisite to a complete knowledge of diesel engine construc- tion, operation and maintenance is MARINE REVIEw—May, 1931 included in the scope of this book The information is presented in non-technical language, and ig guit- able for classroom use or home study. The presentation indicates g recognition of sound methods of en- gineering apprentice training, The author’s knowledge of diesel prac- tice, combined with his faculty. of clearly presenting the subject, ree- ommends the work to the diese] in- dustry. Twenty-one chapters detail technical data for diesel applications and review modern installation prac. tice, including the standards of the Diesel Engine Manufacturers’ asso- ciation and the underwriters regu- lations for standard installation. Numerous tables, charts and operat- ing data are analyzed. ; High speed oil engines of recent design are shown and several chap- ters with drawings are devoted to the stationary diesel engine, All auxiliaries, air filters, pyrometers, exhaust silencers and centrifuges are described and illustrated and instruc- tions on lubrication, maintenance, operation and repair of engines are unusually complete. The Packard- diesel aircraft engine and the Inger- soll-Rand locomotive oil engine are described and illustrated in detail, as well as the Cummins automotive diesel. The Autobiography of an Engineer, by William LeRoy Emmet, cloth, 213 pages, 5144 x 8% inches, published by Fort Orange Press, Albany, N. Y., and supplied by MARINE REvIEw, Cleveland, for $2, plus 15 cents for postage, and in Europe by the Penton Publishing Co., Ltd., Caxton House, London, for 10s, postage extra. This volume describes notable elec- trical developments throughout 45 years and is written in the form of a fascinating personal story. The book is both historical and technical in ad- dition to being autobiographical. Some of the interesting features covered in this interesting work are: Cadet’s lite at United States naval academy; cruising around the world; pioneer- ing in electrical engineering; service in the Spanish-American war; de- velopment of steam turbines; electric ship propulsion; and invention of the mercury turbine. There are ten il lustrations scattered through the book. The story of the development of the mercury vapor power system should be of interest to all, whethe layman or engineer. The author, a graduate of the United States naval academy a navigator who saw active service in the Spanish- American war, who was one of the chief collaborators in the development of the steam turbine, and who really initiated electric ship propulsion work, brings into this book not only descriptions of his work as an engineer and inventor but also his association with such men as Thomas A. Edison, Samuel Insull and E. W. Rice, Jr. former president of the General Elec- tric Co., the author’s employer.