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of diesel electric drive as a solution. Each ship is to have four diesel engines, each with 1200 horsepower. The ships are to be operated by a single screw by two motors of 2000 horsepower each. In selecting the diesel electric drive several factors were strongly influ- ential. One of them is that with the electric drive, the operation of the motors may be fully controlled from the bridge. Another is that there are a number of manufacturers in this country who can produce the small diesel units which are required in the electric drive. Another is that it was felt to be much more simple to reverse the propeller. with motor drive than with direct diesel drive. Another is that with electric motors of constant speed, there would be no racing of the engine when the propeller was out of the water, and in this way likelihood of breakage of the propeller shaft or damage to the machinery would be much _ re- duced. Another is that with four en- gines, four generators and two mo- tors, a complete breakdown of the power plant was practically an im- possibility and that, should one unit fail, the ship would be able to com- plete her voyage with the. remain- ing equipment. The COURAGEOUS, DEFIANCE and TRIUMPH were built at a time when the national emergency demanded ton- nage carriers, so that these boats were given an unusually deep draft. The plan of reconditioning approved by the shipping board involWed a loss of about 1300 tons in the dead- weight of each ship, bringing them down to around 10,500 tons. It is stated that the resulting lightening of the hulls will bring them into compliance with the latest practice in design; and the installation of. the new machinery will improve the stability. To summarize, the plan proposes that the vessels named shall be con- verted into 10,500-ton boats, of about 600,000 cubic feet cargo space each, and with a speed of 138 to 14 knots an hour, thus making them the equal of the best merchant vessels afloat today. As previously stated, the ship- ping board estimates that this work can be done at a cost of about $1,- 250,000 for each boat. This cost is expected to yield a boat which will be able to compete on even terms for the world’s business with mer- chant ships under any flag and thus keeping abreast of recent developments. U.S. Lines’ Exhibit Attracts Attention MONG American exhibitors at the advertising exhibition and convention held at Olympia, London, July 18 to 23, the United . States lines’ attractive stand was the center of much interest. Situated on the ground floor of Olympia, not far from the palace of beauty, no less than 10,000 people passed it daily. Modern advertising methods were nowhere better utilized than by this shipping company. The interior of its stand was not unlike a cosy writing room on board ship, with an inviting setting of bay trees and flowers, soft rugs, comfortable chairs and tables, with writing materials and literature at the disposal of visitors. Two large textophote pictures of the LEVIATHAN, illuminated by concealed lights, adorned the walls and put one into the atmosphere of a big liner at once. One was a view of the large liner nosing her way into her berth at New York, and the other was a replica of her luxurious dining saloon. The visitors’ book was signed by hun- dreds of people from all over the world. An interesting film showing the good times enjoyed by passengers on United States lines’ ships, drew a crowd to the cinema, a special leaflet calling attention to the film having been dis- tributed. Interest was heightened in views of the news from Rumania, when it became known that the Queen of Rumania, Prince Nicholas and Prin- cess Ileana, who crossed to America in the LEVIATHAN, were among the “sereen stars” in the picture. The United States lines devoted their beautiful window on Regent street to advertising the exhibition during the week. One of the fine modern posters of the _ exhibition served as a centerpiece, flanked on either side by framed pictures of the company’s stand at Olympia, and the illuminated suggestion, “Pay a visit to Olympia this week,’ sent many visitors who crowded around the window daily, to see the greatest ad- vertising exhibition held in Britain. STAND OF THE UNITED STATES LINES AT THE ADVERTISING EXHIBITION HELD AT OLYMPIA LONDON RIGHT—TEXTOPHOTE PICTURES OF THE LEVIATHAN APPROACHING DINING SALOON MARINE REVIEW—October, 1927 JULY 18-23. HER BERTH IN NEW YORK AND VIEW OF AT 37