SHIPS OF THE WORLD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 13

SHIPS OF THE WORLD.

USE OF PULVERISED COAL. CO-OPERATION IN INDUSTRY. (FROM OUB OWH CO&BEErOKDENT.) LONDON, December 28. Brasscy's "Naval and Shipping Annual" has made iti 38th appearance. Aa usual, its reference aide ii remarkably complete. It has all the essential statistics and documents, coupled with a valuable series of profiles and plans of ships. The illustrations ara a great fcoturo, and include many fresh pictures of now warships and merchantmen and their machinery. Tbe "Annual" open* with the customary chapter on British Naval Progress by Commander 0. N. Robinson, R.N. In writing of the two new battleships, Commander Robinson quotes Rear-Admiral Sir Alfred Chatflctd, Third Sea Lord, who reminds ns that one way in which the Nelson and tbe Rodney have made their mark in the history of naval construction is that while all previous battleships, except perhaps the Hood, were built by men who had to imagine what a naval battle would be like, tbe Rodnoy has been designed by Sir Eustace d'Eyncourt to meet the requirements of their war experience. "After the war," said Sir Alfred, "they luado up their minds to grapple with tho failings that revealed themselves between lai4 and 1018, and they believed these had been successfully overcome by the innovations mado in construction, equipment, armament, and machinery." Foreign Karles. There follow nine other chapters on naval matters by eminent authorities. Commander U. L. Ilitcbins writes on Foreign Navies, and notes activity in construction in almost all of them, but more in regard to torpedo and aircraft than in heavier ships. Discussing Fleet Distribution, the editors affirm that tbo Washington T-.-aly "has placed a special restriction upon the operating powers of the British Fleet." As regards Japan, Commander Ichiro Sato, «Mh the aid of many figures, seoks to prove that defence is the keynote of her armaments: "The Japanese naval authorities era far too preoccupied with the question of protecting their own trade to contemplate plans for interfering with tho trade of others." Sir George Thurston outlines the design of a future dostroyer leader, while Commander A. C. Bell reviews cruiser design in the Debt of operations of the war. One of tho by-products of war controversies is the Ministry nf Defenco idea, against which Captain Alfred Dewar, R.N., here marshals * number of telling facts. Ho is followed by Captain Edward Altham, C.8., R.N., who ehows that there is hardly a trade in the country which does not participate in tho work caused by naval expenditure. Mercantile SCarine. Sir Weslcolt Abell, who again opens tlm mercantile section with a review of tho year's trade, Bays that apart from a Tory general desire for artificial stimulants in the form of subsidies, tho doctrine of "laissez-faire" seems to be almost universal, exceot for tho somewhat hysterical acclamation of tho motor-ship aa the panacea for all our difficulties. "This is a condition which cannot continue indefinitely; the longer » return to eDlciencv in eea transport is delayed, tho harder will it become, and no revival in world trade can result in any real return to prosperity in shipping snd shipbuilding unless tha world's mercantile marine returns to a state of efficiency at least comparable with that which eristcd prior to tho war. "Tho one cheerful element during the psat Year has been the growth of co-ooeration within the shipping nnd shipbuilding industries. Our onlv hope of extrication from the present difficulties lies in the extension of that movement, actuated ns it is by joint •icrifice and jroodwill. Tlint »lone is pavimr the wav to such an understanding of our problems us will enable our merchant marine to become tho comprint handmaiden of international commerce." Tho varyinsr freight developments of 1926 aro discussed by Mr Ciitlibert Maugnari, and the present standing of the world s merchant tonnage bv the editors. On the technical side, tho principal chapters arc bv Sir John Biles, on hi-rli steam-pressure turbines, ami Mr James 15>hard«fln. who. :i» in past vears. mirvevs the progress of marine marhir.erv Another important chanter is bv Mr Walter Kunciman. M.P.. "Some Aspects of British Shipping-litfC. One ooint he makes is that an industry fo vital to national well-bein<r should be respected, and not be lighHv used for I-olemical acrobatic- Mr John P. Tsvlnr writes on the TnM«>ni»er ship rn cariocarrior. and Mr W. IT. Clapham deals with some notable morchant ships of the rear. j Pulverised Coal. Mr Uichardnon. in his chapter on marina machinery, refers to the comparatively recent system for the scnerntirn oi atcam. He says:— . "Tho utilisation nf Huiveii-.M coal in special combustion chambers linsu by tub* conveving the feed water to the boiler is a svst.Tn offering very great attractions, ami findin" a very wide application on land, particular!? in the United States ol America. 'The large combustion chamber, in which the radiant is ab-iorbed largely by the feed water, gives an extreme!* high overall boiler efficiency, nnd the, .•ombustion of tho fuel can be regulated with exactly the same facility as is-the case with oil fuel. Just as with automatic stokers burning coal on board shin, there is rtiH « question of the handline of coal from t'» bankers U th- "taker hoppers which has not vet been solved in »«>T/»« J^7. furl With oulverised fuel burnin? .»>"* »• '"f thsr th. crest disadvantage that the combnstion chamber is «o law and deep that •he normal height from the *»'*""«'».• ashpit to the top of the ateam drum is much increased. Coal, after all. is our natural fuel, and a satisfactory meant of adapting p"'""* roa] '" * h,l> P ro P T,Il!o ? is not borond the realms of future potsibilitv. Th* tvatom for use on board shin must eompri'e separate pulverising plants, to pHvcriss the fuel as it is rrquirfd, since the'danger of storir? anv quantity on board it regarded aa inidini*ibla. rt