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iesel Power and a Merchant Marine Widespread Use Abroad Based on Lower Operating Cost—Only One Diesel Passenger-Cargo Ship Built in America in Five Years T THIS critical time in world . A history, when the fate of na- tions is being gaged by the net loss or gain of their gold supply, this yard stick of national prosperity may well be applied anew in measuring the value of our new American merchant marine. William W. Bates in his American Navigation published in 1902, refers to our net export of $1,366,755,000 in gold, silver coin and bullion during the 33 year period prior to 1896, as “a waste of wealth at once perfectly needless, ab- solutely dangerous and ruinously ex- hausting.” Bates shows that our fav- orable balance of foreign trade of $1,- 203,945,992 for the period 1862-1896, in- clusive, was more than offset by ad- verse transportation costs, paid to for- eign vessels, which aggregated $2,878,- 518,913—leaving us poorer in gold by $1,674,572,921, the outflow of which con- tributed to the panic of the nineties. Unless we carry in our own ships at least one-half of our foreign com- merce, the nation must balance the cost of carrying the excess by exports This article was prepared for MARINE Review at the request of the editor. The author, Edward B. Pollister, is president and general manager of Busch-Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Co., St. Louis. AGO Goan HO 9. 11. Crosshead, 2-cycle double acting, airless (/njection Weight 136 /bs per s hp By Edward B. Pollister of gold or its equivalent. When we import goods in foreign bottoms, the freight becomes also an import. If imported in an American vessel, the loss in American wealth is limited to the purchase price of the goods in the foreign country of origin. When we sell goods in foreign mar- kets, the freight, if paid to an Amer- ican ship, is likewise an export; but if such freight is paid to a foreign ship it must be deducted from our exports to determine the true trade balance. Commerce Important to Revenue The increase in our foreign com- merce and the rising cost of higher speed ocean transportation will play an ever increasing part in our national revenue, and the maintenance of a favorable balance in foreign trade, as well as in our national independence and security during war at home or abroad. Further, ocean passenger fares and freight bills if paid to American ship- ping companies provide capital to con- tinuously build new American ships, repair old American ships, pay Amer- ican crews and purchase American sup- plies—a substantial industry of first importance in maintaining the full em- ployment of our people and our capi- tal. The bureau of the census reports SE a) 4,438,605 transportation employes in 1930. We are more familiar with the extent of employment depending upon land transportation, especially the rail- roads. The transportation of our for- eign commerce is, likewise, a great in- dustry, providing substantial employ- ment throughout the country. Ocean shipping is highly competitive and international in its scope. Its study, therefore, should embrace the marine activities of foreign nations, especially progress in modernization of ships to reduce transportation costs and increase speed. Unless we build equally modern, economical and fast ships, we cannot successfully compete. The outstanding marine engineering development of the past decade has been the widespread adoption abroad of the economical diesel engine for ship propulsion. In contrast, America con- tinues almost exclusively with steam for commercial passenger and freight vessels, other than oil tankers. Unless the great majority of old sea-faring na- tions are wrong, America is rapidly losing ground in not dieselizing her ocean transportation to accomplish the purpose of carrying at least one-half of her foreign commerce. Lowest cost ocean transportation will eventually win out. In sizes 6000-15,0000 tons which com- oman ane 5,600H,P 140r. p.m. Crosshead, 2-cycle double acting, a/rless thjection Weight 108 /bs. per s.h.p, {> =, a \ 4b oir =i ss Se f Fig. 1. 6,000 1.R-104Fr p.m. Crosshead, 2-cycle, single acting, alr (Hfection Weight 216 /bs. per s.h.p. Diagrams showing progress in diesel engine design. 2-cycle Busch-Sulzer engine supplied for the first Shipp OMPR =- (29 Gpsn, Crosshead, 2 cycle, sing/e acting, , ‘ Weight 200 /bs. per s.hp. ee 600 Cr ae — 513". [Eas 9,850 H.P -180 r. p.m. Trunk piston, 2cycle single acting, airless (nyjection Weight 106,5 /bs. per s.h.p. ia: Sion iAe s OO OOOO ma fore ere) ol fi il alr injection Comparing the slow speed, air injection, single acting, crosshead, ing Board Conversion Program in 1924 with subsequent designs and finally the medium speed, trunk piston, airless injection two-cycle engine of virtually 44 the same power and of less t MARINE REVIEwW—November, 1931 han half the weight