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MARINE REVIEW. Pe | Passing of the Sailing Vessel. We all know, in a general way, that the decline in glory of the packet fleet began years ago, and has steadily progressed ever since; but we also know that new sailing schooners and other vessels are being built to-day having greater canrying capacity than many steamships, and greater than the most ocean steamers of a former period. Such ships carry freight at wonderfully low rates; and we cannot, therefore, correctly judge of the influence of steamships upon water transportation by the study of isolated or peculiar conditions. The subject must be viewed from its broadest points of observation in order to see how steam is affecting the mer- cantile fleets of the world. Statistics recently published by the Bureau Veritas afford the opportunity not only of tracing the effect of steam in supplanting sails all over the world during a long period of years, but they show, in addition to the decrease of sailing tonnage and the increase of steam tonnage, the relative rate of change in the merchant navies of different nations and the total capacity of all. Several surprising facts may be noted in these tables. The first striking observation is that the total registered tonnage of the world for the first time passes the high- water mark of a round twenty million tons. The increase in 1897 is greater than that of any other year, being 424,000 tons as compared with 263,000 tons in 1891, which was considered a record-breaking year. Then again, the increase in steam tonnage was 242,000 tons greater than the total increase, owing to a decrease of that amount in sailing tonnage. In Great Britain alone there is a disappearance of no.less than 506,000 tons of sailing tonnage in this year's returns. This is more than twice the net decrease for the whole world, and shows that in some countries there has been an opposite movement offsetting the declinle in con- struction of sailing vessels in England. In France, for example, the building of sailing ships during the year has proceeded apace, no less than 16,139 tons being reported on the stocks on Oct. 1, while in Great Britain the total at the same date on the stocks was 6,949 tons. The tonnage of steam vessels of Great Britain is now two-thirds of the entire registered tonnage, or 6,741,000 tons, being an increase of 328,000 tons during the past year. The following table, compiled from statistics published by the Bureau Veritas, show' steady growth of all the merchant navies of the world put together from 1889 to 1897 inclusive: STEAMERS. SAILERS. TOTAL Net Registered Net Registered Net Registered AUTUMN OF Tons. Tons. Tons. OOO cite pee eee 7,748,000 11,081,000 18,829,000 IS) ae eevee st ateeransee ei teterseeiaeee 8,286,000 10,540,000 18,826,000 SO era iegeae eaeee oea 8,872,000 10,217,000 19,089,000 SO ee es gee ce eee 9,226,000 10,093,000 19,319,000 LO cree cate fe te eee ra 9,674,000. 9,829,000 19,503,000 OOH reise ines cipicye ofan ge circy: 9,994,000" £20, pa 000 19,541,000 OM. oa Syaloss oyotet bate cares 10,360,000 9,324,000 19,684,000 NOOO SS eater eee A: 10,761,000 9,136,000 19,897,000 ST ee esccape eee oe 11,427,000 8,894,000 20,321,000 In examining the detailed statement of countries it appears that Ger- many holds the second place as regards steam tonnage, with 1,034,000 tons; the United States come next in net tonnage, with 535,000 tons. Japan appears at the foot of the list, with 192,000 tons; but she is pushing Ttaly (218,000 tons) closely, and will probably soon pass her in the race. Again, by looking backward a score of years, we behold a wonderful change in the aspect of the British merchant marine. In 1876 the British flag waved from the masts of 20,265 sailing vessels, with a registered tonnage of 5,807,000 tons; to-day there are only 8,545 Engl sh sailing ships, with 3,098,000 tons, a falling off of nearly 50 per cent. in tonnage and nearly 60 per cent. in the number of ships. The decrease in sailing ship tonnage during the past year, amounting to 506,000 tons, suggests the query, What becomes of all the ships that disappear from these registers? Do they go down to the sea in unsafe condition, caused by overloading, by "want of proper supervision, by poor seamanship or by "acts of God?" To properly answer this question is, we confess, beyond our ability. A disappearance of half a million tons in one year out of a total of about 9,000,000 tons seems a large proportion; but whenl we take into considera- tion the fact that new inventions and improvements in the machinery and construction of steam vessels are continually being made, while the day for invention and improvement in sailing vessels is past, we can sce that many sailing vessels are undoubtedly abandoned because they have proved to be unprofitable property to hold. The total increase in steam tonnage in the world during the past year 1s even larger than appears from the table, for the reason that 267,000 tons represented the loss, from various causes, in steamships. It is calculated that if the change from sail to steam should continue at its present rate "the last sailing ship would disappear from the face of the ocean a little more than twenty-seven years hence;" but this is very unlikely Philadelphia Record. A steamer for carrying petroleum in bulk will be built by the Birg- sung Engineering Co. of Stockholm, Sweden. The vessel was ordered by an Armenian merchant for the Caspian sea trade. The length is 280 feet, the engines are to be of 1,200 horse power, and the contract speed 10% knots. The price is to be about $135,000, and the time of delivery next May. A bill that will be given consideration by the present congress pro®* vides that $100,000 be appropriated to renew and to put into proper con- . dition for a training ship, or such other use as the navy department may determine, the old frigate Constitution, now lying at the navy yard at Boston. A supplement to the United States Standard Register of Shipping (Red Book), published by the United States Steamship Owners', Build- ers' and Underwriters' Association of New York is at hand. It contains particulars of all ships built on the lakes of late, a number of which have been built in accordance with the rules of the association. Travel at holiday rates via the Nickel Plate road, Dec. 24, 25 and 31 and Jan. 1. Tickets are good returning until Jan. 4, 1898. 406--Dec. 31 English Influence Detrimental) to our Industries, 'Oharles Hi Cramp says that Englisty influence; affd' the acceptance of English ideas and. doctrines in this country formgthe great underlying -cause of prevailing financial and industrial conditions here and are es- pecially detrimental to the ship building industry. In a letter to the Manufacturers' Club of Philadelphia, dealing with the subject of our merchant marine, Mr. Cramp says: "I have no patience with those seeking to inculcate the doctrines, the effect of which would be to aggrandize foreign peoples or nations at our expense, or with those who 'use the epithet jingo and jingoism to describe everybody and everything not Anglomaniac or not un-American. You will pardon me, however, if I say that to a very great, and from my point of view, deplorable extent, American views and American doctrine seem unpopular in this country. During the last.quarter of this century, or say since the end of the civ.l war, the growth of English influence, the spread of English ideas and the acceptance of English doctrines in this country has been nothing short of marvellous. I lack time here to go into discussion of the causes of this state of affairs. Its truth as a fact will hardly be questioned by any keen observer of current events. English influences, ideas and doctrines pene- trate every walk of life and every branch of activity in the' United States. I do not think it too much to say that at no time prior to the declaration of independence during the colonial period of our history, was our moral and intellectual subjection so complete as itis now. It has come to pass that many American statesmen and jour- nalists seem to await expression of British views on any subject connected with our national existence or attitude before making up their minds." _ Asan example of English influence Mr. Cramp pointed out the pend- ing question of the annexation of Hawaii. He said the governing power in these islands, realizing the impossibility of much longer maintaining themselves against the powerful nations of Europe and Asia, have offered themselves to our government. Mr. Cramp contended that the accept- ance of this 'gift was the wise and proper course to take. He spoke about the opposition of a section of the American press to this action, and declared that, sifted to the bottom, the opposition has no foundation, except that the possession of the islands is ardently desired by Great Britain, and she is exhausting her ingenuity to acquire them without incurring the hostility or resistance of the United States. In view of the settled policy of the United States towards these islands in the past, Mr. Cramp contended that if we refuse to accept their overtures for union, we could have no further right to interfere with their future freedom of action or selection of their own destiny. If the pending treaty is rejected, he declared that the islands, left to be the prey of rapacious nations, will offer a similar treaty to Great Britain, and he did not see what right the United States would have to object. Mr. Cramp asserted that the efforts of the Hawaiian government as shown by the pending treaty, were towards suitable government and permanent security. Great Britain, he said, covets the islands and every American statesman or newspaper which opposes annexation is simply pulling English chestnuts out of the fire. Recurring to the question of the merchant marine, Mr. Cramp spoke of the manner in which Germany has come to the front as a maritime nation within the last ten years... Until that country began to build and own ships on a large scale, her rank in the carrying trade of the world was secondary and subordinate. In concluding his letter, Mr. Cramp said: ""The great. change that has occurred is nearly coeval with the reign of the present emperor. From his accession till now he has been a most indefatigable promoter of the foreign commerce and the shipbuilding interests of his empire. It is hardly too much to say that the capacity of German ship yards to build such vessels as the Wilhelm der Grosse is due - almost entirely to the fact that he has exerted both his personal influence and his imperial power to promote that industry in Germany." In this connection Mr. Cramp referred to the German emperor's last effort to promote Germany's commerce and extend the scope of German industries by establishing a permanent foothold on the Asiatic mainland. Combined Boiler Installation. Some time ago the English firm, Yarrow & Co., constructed a num- ber of water tube boilers for the Dutch navy, to be worked in conjunction with ordinary return tube boilers in three cruisers, Zeeland, Holland and Friesland, which were to be built in Holland by the Figenoord Ship Build- ing & Engineering Co. of Rotterdam. We now hear that the Friesland has completed a most successful four hours' full-power trial, upon which 10,416 indicated horse power was developed with 147.2 revolutions. In each ship there are eight straight tube Yarrow boilers and two return tube boilers: The former have tubes 5 feet long between drums and 1% inch diameter, arranged in ten rows on each side of the furnace. The total grate area of each boiler was designed to be 40% square feet, and the total heat- ing surface 2,017 square feet: It was intended that the total horse power should be 9,250, indicated, of which steam for 2,000 horse power was to be supplied by the shell boilers and 7,000 from the water tube boilers. It is seen, as a result of the trial, that this estimate has been exceeded, and it may now be of interest to state the respective weights of the boilers. The two cylindrical boilers in each ship are estimated to weigh 120 tons, whilst the eight Yarrow boilers with water weighed 88 tons. In both cases fire- bars and fittings are included, but not chimneys. The return tube boilers, in terms of the power to be developed, were, therefore, four times as heavy as the water tube boilers. In regard to space occupied, it was found that three of the Yarrow boilers occupied about the same floor space as the two return tube boilers. The fact that 1,000 horse power above that originally estimated was obtained on trial may upset the above calculations as to ratios, and would do so unless both types of boiler supplied steam addi- tional to that estimated in equal ratios. It is extremely probable, however, that the extra steam came chiefly from the water tube boilers--Engineer- ing, London. An assorted box of pencils, always appreciated in a newspaper office, is the most forcible reminder of.the Christmas season that comes to the 'Marine Review. The Joseph Dixon Crucible Co. of Jersey City, N. e famous throughout the world for the high quality of its various products, is kind enough to remember us in this way each year.