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"TAE MarRINE. REVIEW SECTIONAL END VIEW OF MURRAY TRIMMING WEIGHT FOR STEAMBOATS. This trimming-weight, the invention of Charles Calixte Rouillard, of Mon- treal, Canada, consists essentially of a balancing weight traveling in a guide- way suitably supported from _ side to side of the vessel, and means for con- trolling the movements and_ position of the said weight, and has for its -- object the provision of a means of keeping the vessel constantly trimmed without the necessity of handling the baggage or cargo when the vessel is under way. The accompanying illustrations are two views of the trimming weight in position, Fig. 1 showing a cross-sec- tional view of the vessel with the trimming device suspended under the main deck, Fig. 2.shows an enlarged end view of the parts in detail. This traveling weight runs on hang- ers suspended preferably under the main deck, the pulleys on which the weight runs. being attached to four lugs or projections on the side of the weight. Attached to two lugs at the center of the top of the weight is a flexible thimble, threaded internally. See Fig. 3. A -threaded shaft, sup- ported in suitable bearings, is ar- ranged in proximity to each side of the vessel. On this shaft the thimble and consequently the weight, travels. At the immediate side of the ship is placed the motor actuating shaft. The motor herein shown is an ordinary reciprocating engine, though any suitable type of motor may be ap- plied. The cranks of the engine are secured to the threaded shaft, so that any movement of rotation of the crankshaft will affect the position of the weight. The reversal of direction in the ro- tation of the shaft is accomplished by the " 'this system are: FLOATING BREAKWATER, the ordinary link-motion reversing gear, the link being connected to the valve spindle in the usual manner. Beneath the motor or engine a plumb-rod, pivoted at its upper end, is attached to the reversing gear in such a manner as to control the admission he foie U eas Sgjo\o ° Fig i ------_ | TRIMMING WEIGHT FOR STEAMBOATS, © of the steam to the cylinders and op- erate the shaft in either direction. Among the advantages claimed for -Listing of the ship, which is not only dangerous, but in- terferes with the progress of the ves- sel, is avoided; the usual practice of having movable weights or ballast, par- ticularly on lake or river steamers, can be dispensed with; the automatic part of the invention obviates the diffi- culties now experienced; safety to pas- sengers and deck cargo. 29 SHIPPING WORLD YEAR BOOK. The Shipping World Year Book, edited by Major Jones, is at hand, a trifle de- layed, owing to the time taken to make digests of the amendment to the mer- chant shipping act and the workmen's compensation act. This Year Book has grown to be a monumental affair and is constantly growing. The editions this year embrace the load line tables and the new tariffs of Canada, the South African Customs Union, Japan, Spain and Ger- many. The tariffs of all countries are revised up to date and the port directory of the world is the last word upon the subject. Major Jones is always interest- ing in his retrospective views and _ his retrospective for 1906 is no departure in this particular. He says: ; es The year 1906 came in with a rising tendency in the rates of freight, the cost of materials, and the price of new tonnage. Unfortunately, how- ever, for the ship builder, the order book was still groaning under con- tracts made at "bottom prices," or thereabouts; while coal, ship plates, and all things which go to make a ship went climbing upwards from Jan- uary to December. In addition to the displacement of tonnage through the operations of the war in the Far East, no less than 503,566 tons of second- hand British vessels were sold to for- eign buyers during the year ended June 30, 1906; 63.197 tons transferred to Colonial registers; 158,087 stranded or lost at sea; and 46,111 tons broken up or dismantled during the same pe- riod, making an aggregate tonnage re- moved from the British register of 770,961 tons. That was a _ displace- ment well intended to inspire confi- dence to buy even in wise and cau- tious ship owners of hereditary advan- © tages; and they did buy the famous Cunarders, the Adriatic, and other great ships, until the output of British yards and dock yards reached the un- paralleled total of 1,921,897 (Board of Trade) tons, against 1,694,108 tons launched in 1905. Moreover, buyers were encouraged by the pledge of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to abol- ish the coal export duty, which disap- peared on Oct. 31; and by the bound- ing prosperity of the over-sea trade, which for this country reached the un- precedented value of £1,069,000,000. These, with some loading provisions for foreign ships in British ports, are still potent influences making for bet- ter freights and prices for tonnage dur- ing the years tyo7 and 1908. As a factor which had some influence in keeping freights low, the change in the load-line tables, which came into operation during the old year, and added about 1,000,000 tons to the car-