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oe was built, consisting of a single floor at either end with a double-decked house in the center, the roof line of which runs at right angles to the main building, which extends longitudinally. The ver- tical uprights of the iron reinforcement of the building rise from the floor level, and the intervening spaces between are filled with expanded metal, the roof be- ing built upon the same lines. As may be seen from the accompanying illustra- tion, the external characteristic appear- ance of a chalet is preserved, the pseudo- wooden joists being relieved with rough- cast. In the past two or three years, the effi- ciency of the system having thus been demonstrated over a period of nearly a decade, the principle was applied to larger vessels, such as freight barges, one of the first of these being the "Liguria," the construction of which was com- menced in 1905. This craft is 54 ft. in length with a beam of 18 ft. Con- struction was carried out upon the same lines, and the disposition of the iron re- inforcement and expanded metal may be seen in the accompanying illustration, where the hatchway is being completed. In order to reduce resistance to the water to the minimum, the outer surface is cleaned, rubbed down, and smoothed until it has the appearance of polished marble and experience has shown that once this effect is achieved, the surface is preserved indefinitely, so that the craft always offers a minimum of skin fric- tion in the water. - The illustration also shows the man- ner in which the vessel was constructed. Instead of being built upon an inclined slip on the river bank and then launched when completed in the usual manner, the stocks were provided on a floating pon- toon dock, built in reinforced concrete. When ready for transference to. the water, the pontoons at one end were sub- merged, in this manner providing the necessary inclination to insure the boat's traveling down the slipway into the river. Upon completion the "Liguria" was towed down the Tiber from the building stage to Genoa, and is now in daily ser- vice in the harbor, transporting coal. During the two and a half years it has been in commission, the barge has given complete satisfaction. There have been no maintenance charges whatever, and the slight resistance offered to the water, owing to the smoothness of the outer surface of the hull and its immunity from clogging by marine growths, has been a noticeable feature, in comparison with the difficulties encountered in this direction by other wooden, iron, and steel vessels plying in these waters. In consequence concrete craft maintain a constant high degree of efficiency. The results that have already been Tae Marine REVIEW THREE 100-TON REINFORCED CONCRETE CARGO BOATS, BUILT FOR THE ITALIAN GOVERN MENT, READY TO BE TOWED TO THE MILITARY HARBOR OF SPEZIA.