BOOK DEPARTMENT
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Address all communications to: Secretary-Treasurer, U. S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md.
INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE. Edited by Charles Seymour, Professor of History, Yale University. This book is coming out at present in serial form in certain newspapers through arrangements with Houghton-Mifflin Company, and New York Tribune, Inc.
The prefatory note by Colonel House is very interesting, especially so to the Navy that portion wherein he refers to the late President Wilson and their relations prior to our entry in the World War, which states "The President, I believe, represented the opinion prevailing in the country at large, apart from the Atlantic seaboard; and I am not certain, had he advocated the training of a large Army, that Congress would have sustained him. But I am sure, given a large and efficient Army and Navy, that the United States would have become the arbiter of peace and probably without the loss of a single life. When the President became convinced that it was necessary to have a large Navy, Congress readily yielded to his wishes. But even so, it is not certain that had he asked for such an Army as I advocated he would have been successful. The two arms do not hang together on even terms, for building of a great Army touches every nerve center of the nation, social and economic, and raises questions and antagonisms which could never come to the fore of a large Navy program.
H.A.B.
THE GLORIOUS “SHANNON’S” OLD BLUE DUSTER; and Other Faded Flags of Fadeless Fame, by C. H. J. Snider. McClelland and Stewart, Publishers, Toronto. $4.50.
This book, although published a little over two years ago, has an interest for the American Navy, and particularly for all those who are interested in any way in the revolutionary history of the Navy and the stirring days of the War of 1812. As its title indicates, the book deals with the various British trophies and flags captured by American ships during the periods referred to above. The American version of the capture of these trophies is more or less familiar to all of us, but this book gives the story of the other side. The trophies and flags referred to by the author are those that have been in the collection of the Naval Academy for a great many years. It is hoped to have a very complete review of this book, by Commander Byron McCandless, U.S.N.
An interesting extract from the book is given below and is purported to be a copy of the challenge sent by Captain Broke, of the Shannon to Captain Lawrence of the Chesapeake. So far as the records show, Captain Lawrence never received this challenge, the Chesapeake having come out of Boston harbor before it was delivered:
“On the morning of the battle Captain Broke sent into Boston one more challenge, by means of a Captain Slocum, of Marblehead, whose boat had fallen into his hands. From the masthead of the Shannon Captain Broke watched the little craft on her journey and saw that the Chesapeake was coming out too soon to have received this last challenge. He had, however, every reason to believe that his preceding challenge had produced the result. The wording of the message reflects credit on the sender; he was fair to a fault, overstating, if anything, his own resources, and giving his opponent generous opportunities as to time and place of meeting. Broke did not insist on the battle being fought as soon as the Chesapeake rounded the lighthouse. That was Lawrence's choice. The great captain's great letter is thus given:
"As the Chesapeake appears now ready for sea, I request you will do me the favor to meet the Shannon with her, ship to ship, to try the fortune of our respective flags.
"The Shannon mounts 24 guns upon her broadside, and one light boat-gun; 18-pounders upon her main deck, and 32-pound carronades on her quarter-deck and forecastle, and is manned with a complement of 300 men and boys (a large proportion of the latter), besides thirty seamen, boys and passengers who were taken out of captured vessels lately.
"If you will favor me with any plan of signals or telegraph, I will warn you should any of my friends be too nigh, while you are in sight, until I can detach them out of the way. Or I would sail under a flag of truce to any place you think safest from our cruisers, hauling it down when fair, to begin hostilities. Choose your terms, but let us meet. I entreat you, sir, not to imagine that I am urged by mere personal vanity to the wish of meeting the Chesapeake, or that I depend only upon your personal ambition for your acceding to this invitation. We have both nobler motives. You will feel it as a compliment if I say that the result of our meeting may be the most grateful service I can render to my country; and I doubt not that you, equally confident of the success, will feel convinced that it is only by repeated triumphs in even combat that your little navy can now hope to console your country for the loss of that trade it can no longer protect. Favor me with a speedy reply. We are short of provisions and water and cannot stay long here."
H.A.B.
THE METALLURGY OF ALUMINIUM AND ALUMINIUM ALLOYS. By Robert J. Anderson, B.Sc., Met.E. New York City: Henry Carey Baird and Company, Inc. $10.
Reviewed By Commander R. D. Weyerbacher (CC), U. S. Navy
This book is a welcome addition to the literature of aluminum, and although it has certain defects, it is a very comprehensive volume. In some respects, this book is the only one published where you can get an equal amount of information. At the end of each chapter, there is a very good bibliography, and I would say that this part of the book is probably its most valuable feature. The author states in the preface that, “The present work may be regarded as the result of the author’s investigations in the metallurgy of aluminum and aluminum alloys, and considerable original experimenting data are included.” The book is largely made of references to existing literature, rather than from the author’s own investigation. He shows great ability for gathering together all sorts of public information, but unfortunately, compilers are seldom able to sift the wheat from the chaff.
A trivial criticism may be made as to the spelling of the word “aluminium,” even in quoting American references, in which the original spelling was “aluminum.”
When you get into that part of the book which may be termed the metallurgical part, such as metallography and manufacturing, the book requires more detailed consideration. The author is primarily a metallographist and necessarily, his discussion on .the metallographic side of the work is more full and complete, and represents the present development of that rather limited field of metallurgy. When it comes to the manufacturing end, however, I feel that the author is no help to the man who is in trouble and is seeking information, or who is seeking information and may not be in trouble. He has filled his book with a lot of padding, and has put a lot of trivial information into it that will confuse the man who seeks information, and exasperate the man who does not seek information but reads it for entertainment.
The subject matter in many parts of the book is obsolete; and not up to date on such subjects as aluminum silicon alloys, strong heat treated wrought alloys, and the strong heat treated cast alloys of aluminum.
To sum up, the book is a fund of information particularly with regard to its references, and therefore, it is of value to the research worker. It is also probably the best book that is published today containing so much information, but it has some glaring weaknesses that make it unsuitable for students, and engineers consulting the book should read it with a discerning mind. It is noted that in the author’s index, there are no references to the meritorious articles contributed by Dr. Jeffries.
Note: The use of aluminum and its alloys by our naval personnel is rapidly increasing. It is now being used by our aeronautical engineers and the field is growing. Owing to the limit on tonnage of naval vessels, these materials are now being considered by our naval constructors. The corrosion of aluminum alloys presents a very complex problem, and, up to the present, it has not been satisfactorily solved. Our designers must use this material with care, designing all parts so that they may be readily accessible for inspection, and operating personnel must be indoctrinated with—“how to care for this metal.” At the present time, the best protective coating is bitumastic solution.