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* needs, can be served by established American lines. ‘kh campaign of publicity should be pro- - yided for. Such a campaign should have the benefit of direction by the most qualified agen- cies for this purpose. Only recently Chairman O’Connor said that what the American mer- chant marine needed now is a different atti- tude of mind on the part of all Americans in regard to patronizing their own ships, rather than more and better ships. It is this attitude of mind that a properly conducted, bold and comprehensive publicity ee would affect favorably. The third and also an important factor in setting our merchant marine affairs in order, is to get rid of the laid up shipping board fleet. Here again the chairman of the shipping board has had the right idea and he is directly re- sponsible for the scrapping which has already taken place. What is meant now is to get rid of the remaining ships in layup in short order and with few exceptions. These vessels are already obsolescent and many of them are no doubt showing marked signs of deterioration. As long as they remain, however, they will exert an altogether unnecessary influence which is nothing more or less than a threat against all established steamship services and against the ordering of new properly designed up to date ships definitely suitable to the service intended. -.. Much good would result if these three things were done. 1. To extend government aid and encour- agement in the building of first class high speed modern freighters. 2. To inaugurate a practical well-conceived comprehensive plan of national publicity to let American industries and the public know how they can now be served by ships flying the American flag. 3. A drastic program of scrapping of prac- tically all shipping board vessels now in layup. Build the St. Lawrence Waterway F an a century the battle between railroads and waterways has gone on with unabated . intensity. In the meantime the public is vitally interested in a carefully ordered steady improvement of transportation means. Cer- tainly nothing should be done to impair exist- ing means of transportation by any action harmful to efficient and economical service rendered by any railroad. Economically sound waterways can have no such effect and oppo- sition on the part of any railroad can only be based on a limited outlook of selfish interest. In a recent address, Elisha Lee, vice president of the Pennsylvania railroad, made the state- ment that the railroads do not have nor could they properly have any objection to water- ways that are economically sound. On this basis no opposition should be expect- ed in the prompt formulation of an agreement between Canada and the United States to carry out the plan to complete the canalization of the St. Lawrence from above Montreal to Lake Ontario so that ocean ships of dimensions lim- ited to the transit of the new Welland canal could pass from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes. The useful dimensions of the locks of the new Welland canal are 820 feet in length, 79 feet in width, and the sill depth is 30 feet. Such a waterway would give direct access to the sea during seven and one half to eight months of the year and it has been estimated would not cost much over $300,000,000. Every effort should be made to facilitaté these negotiations so that such a waterway can become an accomplished fact within the next six years. The power generated in this project would ultimately pay for it. The best interests of the people of both countries de- mand the building of such a waterway in the near future. It is bound to come and the ports on the Great Lakes should plan now to under- take the development needed in order to be ready to take advantage of this direct access to the sea which cannot be long deferred. Naval Architects and Marine Engineers HE thirty-ninth annual meeting of the So- | eset of Naval Architects and Marine En- gineers to be held in New York Nov. 19 and 20, brings to mind the unique and valuable service rendered the marine industry by this society. Throughout the years it has served as a forum for exchange of ideas and experi- ence in the design, building and operation of ships. No industry can hope to advance with- out co-operation in knowledge and experience. The society is lending its active support to the advanced training of young men in the science of naval architecture and marine en- gineering. In its transactions each year aré published from 12 to 14 papers on many varied phases of marine engineering and ship opera- tion. These papers are a valuable source of in- formation. The society should be supported by everyone in the marine industry who has the interest of the advancement of the industry at heart. Three classes of membership are open, members, associates and juniors. Action on applicants for membership will be taken at the coming meeting in November. 14 MARINE REview—October, 1931