REVIEW OF BOOKS

ON

SUBJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Marine Engineers' Handbook."-Sterling. 1450 pages, fully illustrated. Index of 28 pages. (Published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York.)

This handbook, as its preface states, is compiled for the use of operating and designing engineers and of students.

It will supply the need long felt by Marine Engineers for a handbook covering every phase of marine engineering.

It is divided into fifteen sections with subdivisions.

Every section being prepared by a recognized expert gives the best practice and the most approved modern theory of marine engineering.

It includes: Section 1. Mathematical Tables and Formulæ, Mechanics of Rigid Bodies; Section 2. Non-Ferrous Metals and Alloys, Iron and Steel, Oxy-Acetylene Welding, The Thermit Welding Process, Heat; Section 3. Coal, Oil Fuel, Combustion Oil Fuel Burning; Section 4. Boilers; Section 5. Turbines, Mechanical Reduction Gears; Section 6. Reciprocating Engines; Section 7. Marine Diesel Engines; Section 8. Vacuum and Condensers; Section 9. Ships Forms and Powering, Screw Propellers; Section 10. Evaporators and Distillers, Oil Coolers and Feed Water Heaters, Centrifugal Pumps, Reciprocating Pumps, Air Compressors, Centrifugal Fans, Heating and Ventilating, Deck Machinery; Section 11. Piping, Valves and Fittings, Reducing Valves and Pumps, Governors, Steam Traps, Pipe Covering and Lagging; Section 12. Marine Electrical Installation; Section 13. Lubrication and Lubricants; Section 14. Measuring Horsepower of Marine Engines; Section 15. Tests, Trials, Inspections, Classification Societies.

The book is concluded with a very valuable chapter giving the names and addresses, and duties or aims of societies, associations and commissions which have various functions utilized by Marine Engineers in planning and executing Marine Engineering work.

This handbook is a valuable work and deserves a permanent place in the library of all marine engineers, whether designer, operator or students. It also will supply much valuable information to other engineers.

46

W. L. F.

'Forty Years in the Pacific." By Frank Coffee. 350 pages. (Published by the Oceanic Publishing Company.)

An account of wanderings in the Pacific covering many years, told in a wandering style. The author tells of many voyages and deals more or less fully with the description, physical geography, history and customs of

the places visited with deviations into personalities and "that reminds me's." There is much information of value to the prospective traveler by sea, such as time, day's run, oil burning, amusements, wireless, cables and even advice as to the prevention of seasickness. Unfortunately the information regarding the little known spots such as Fiji, Yap, Solomons, is meager, being mostly abridged from other works.

The author begins with a history of navigation in the Pacific, then describes voyages to Auckland, Sidney, Canton, the Philippines, Honkong, Japan Hawaiian Islands, Norfolk, Lord Howe and Christmas Islands, the latter the scene of the wreck of the Aeon upon which were the wives of Capt. W. K. Reddle and Capt. B. R. Patrick, Ch. C. U. S. N. Then follow New Caledonia, New Hebrides, British Solomon Islands, Gilbert Islands, Dutch New Guinea, Tahiti, Tonga Samoan Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, with information upon Polynesian pastimes, volcanoes, copra, sugar and other products, favorite forms of "Tipple," missionaries, fish stories, Then follow miscellaneous short articles upon wireless, Alaska and Yukon telegraph, submarine signals, oil and fuel used at sea, difference of time, rule of the road at sea, classification and tonnage. Alaska and Australia are dealt with quite fully, and the Pelew Caroline, and Marshall Islands and German New Guinea briefly. The rest of the book is taken up with "random notes."

This work should be of value in ship's libraries, though much of it is of little value to sea-going people. It is of great value to the prospective traveler in the Pacific.

66

B. C. A.

'Navigation by Position Lines, or Marcq Saint-Hilaire, Method: By J. W. Saul.

This book is a distinct contribution to the further spread of the knowledge of a method of navigation, which is unquestionably the best so far found. This method, which is a development of the old Sumner position line, has been practically standard in the United States Navy for several years.

The haversine formula advocated by the author is the one most used, but in a somewhat different form, although the sine-cosine formula, the versine formula, or the numerous types of spherical traverse tables may be utilized.

Using the author's abbreviations (ref. page 5) the following is the formula recommended by both Bowditch and Muir:

Lhav0 Lhav P+ Lcos lat + Lcos dec.

(The ( — 20) is only to adjust the logarithmic characteristic.)

=

Nathav zen. dist. Nathav+ Nathav (lat~ dec.)

It will be noted that the use of this formula requires less subtraction, and therefore reduces the probability of error. From the zenith distance, by the above, the “computed altitude" is found and this combined with

the "true altitude," gives the "altitude difference" or the "intercept," which is the number of miles, the position line must be removed from the dead reckoning position, toward the body if the true altitude is greater, and away if the true altitude is less.

It is to be regretted that the author did not include the formula for the great circle course, as well as the distance, as it would have made the book more complete.

In another edition, the book should be more carefully gone over, as there are some slight errors in the statements of the problems and their solutions which do not however affect the principles involved.

A. M. R. A.

"Sea Power in the World War." By Captain R. Bernotti, Italian Navy. This work consists of a review of the World War in order to draw the lessons in tactics, strategy and organization that actual experience has tested out and shown to be successful.

Captain Bernotti makes a brief review of the naval forces of the world powers, leading up to the war and the political attitude of these powers, and development of their naval strength in consequence of that attitude.

He handles the strategy under the three geographic groups of Baltic and North seas, Mediterranean and Black seas and the general operations on the High Seas, including Tsing Tau, the Pacific and the South Atlantic. A special chapter is given to the submarine warfare against the merchant service and another to the overseas expeditions.

Under naval tactics after a brief review of the changes since JapaneseRussian War showing the great development in fire control, he reviews the various cruiser actions and finally gives a chapter on the Battle of Jutland. This is a very interesting chapter, as well as the two following ones in which he shows the effect that the long range torpedo from the destroyer, and the short range torpedo of the submarine have had on the battleship tactics. The general subject of approach, and the need for formations for quick deployment are also discussed.

In conclusion Captain Bernotti emphasizes the need for underwater protection, giving a table of losses of naval vessels during the war in which only 17 per cent was due to gunfire, the torpedo and the mine accounting for the rest.

R. H. J.

NOTICE TO MEMBERS

Please enroll my name as a regular member associate member

Postage Canadian

.15.

192