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COMPETITION in shipping depends on several fac tors. One of the most im- portant of these is economical power. It is therefore urgent for every shipowner, naval architect and engineer to keep imformed on the trend in types of power for ships. Statistics show that the Euro- pean shipowner is more favor- able to the diesel drive than is the American operator. In order to get at the real significance of this condition and to give a true and im- partial appraisal of the stand- ing of diesel power in Europ- ean shipping, Marine Review has commissioned a_ British authority on the subject to give the facts as he sees them and the accompanying article is the result. This article is presented with the hope that it will give our readers a clearer conception of the actual status of the marine diesel engine at the present time. Editor's Note NEW. development generally A owes most of its progress to the stagnation of existing methods brought on by lack of com- petition rather than to its own in- herent advantages, a fact that has been recently established by the rela- tive advances during the last few years in the economy of steam and motor vessels. The former has defi- nitely improved its position to such an extent that the prophesies of ten years ago have been completely fal- sified and instead of reading its epitaph we are today watching an old rejuvenated rival holding its own in the most important race for supremacy that has taken place since the oil engine threw out the challenge. The introduction and _ establish- ment of the oil engine for marine propulsion appears to have been a matter of very little difficulty. At its birth it had nothing to compete with but comparatively out of date reciprocating engines with low pres- sure coal fired boilers consuming on an average more than 2 pounds of fuel per horsepower. The few tur- bine ships were just as wasteful and the use of oil for steam raising was in its infancy and much too costly for all but the highest class of pas- senger ships. High pressures and 24 THE MARINE. DIES What are its Chance A\n Impartial A\nalys high superheats although making considerable progress on land were comparatively unknown or looked on with disfavour by most marine en- gineers. It is on record that the best use one firm could find for the superheater tubes after having dis- carded them was to make a fence for keeping sheep off the banana plantations. When therefore, the oil engine ap- peared consuming no more than one- quarter of the weight of fuel, its enormous advantages were at once ap- parent. From the owners point of view much time was saved in fuel- ling the vessel and it could make long trips without having to go out of its way to bunker and in many cases could select the cheapest zones for oil. The dirt and discomfort of coal and ashes were eliminated, the oil simply disappearing after being put on board. It could also be stored in useless and out of the way spaces, and so add to the passenger and cargo carrying capacity. Fuel is not only a non-paying cargo but costs fuel to carry it about and any reduc- tion that can be made is cumulative in its savings. The reduced engine room staff also brought about savings in wages, ra- Birmania, MARINE REvIEw—September, 1931 By D. M. Shennonifl HE writer has endeavored to detach himself from the fact that he is a 100 per cent oil engine man, having been in the profession from the very inception of the ma- rine internal combustion en- gine of the ocean going type, and he cannot therefore be accused of unduly favoring the steam engine. Above 10,000 brake horsepower the oil engine is waging and it will continue to wage a los- ing battle unless some great advance can be made of which, there is as yet, not the slightest indication. The steam engine is just enter- ing on a new phase of prog- ress, which if carried on un- checked can only end in complete victory. In the short space of five years we have seen the favorite drop into second place and it is even threatened with extinc- tion for all but moderate powers and certain special SEEN TEI ELLE LT LLL LEBEL EEE CTT SS One of Four for Venetian Company. With One 6000 B. HA. P. Fiat pacing