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14 MARINE REVIEW. [October 26, BUFFALO TUG OPPOSITION. Officials of the Great Lakes Towing Co. do not seem to be at all dis- turbed over the announcement that the Maythams of Buffalo are about to establish an opposition tug line at that point. They seem of the opinion that although the boats are to be operated in the name of Capt. Charles Maytham, the opposition is supported by the same interests that sold out to the consolidation under an agreement not to again enter tow- ing business for a stated period of years. Capt. Charles Maytham was not a stockholder in the old company, but it is claimed that there is. never- theless an indication of bad faith in the matter. At first thought it would seem that opposition might easily be developed in several parts of the lakes, but officials of the consolidation point to the fact that the tugs are not owned by a corporation that is simply in towing business, but by the vessel owners themselves. The stock is almost entirely held by corpora- tions and individuals owning large numbers of vessels, and whose in- fluence and connections extend to all branches of the lake business. This is the condition that causes the officials of the consolidation to feel thor- oughly fortified in their position. "We do not expect," said one of the officers of the big company, re- ferring to the new Buffalo line, "to be free from occasional opposition from a tug or two at the different ports, but there can be no effective competition against our present position. Our own stockholders will not 'give their business to opposition tugs, and it would seem that other owners will not be disposed to antagonize us by patronizing a line: in Buffalo that must give them poor service at the best. The talk of boy- cotting such vessels at other ports is nonsense, but it can not be expected that we will put ourselves out to favor the owner who gives us only such business as he is forced to give us. Aside from the line boats, the ships going to Buffalo are largely those of our stockholders. The line boats want, first of all, good service, and this they can only get from the fleet of Buffalo tugs owned by the Great Lakes Towing Co. It is one of the best fleets on the lakes." NAVAL ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR. Estimates of appropriations needed for naval purposes, to be presented to the next congress, have been approved by Secretary Long. The esti- mates for the naval establishment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, amount to $73,045,183.15; as compared with the appropriations for the current year of $48,507,995.58, showing an increase of $24,537,187.57. This increase includes for public works at all navy yards and stations, $12,268,- 474.32; as compared with current appropriations for the same purpose, $5,840,786.50. It includes for the new naval academy, $2,021,000; as com- pared with the current appropriations, $720,000. It includes for increase of the navy, construction and machinery, armor and armament and equip- ment, $22,983,101; as compared with the current appropriations, $10,392,- 402. The estimate for the bureau of construction and repair is increased by about $3,000,000. The estimate for the bureau of steam engineering is increased about $1,000,000. Estimates for pay of the navy are increased about $700,000. Estimates for ordnance are decreased about $700,000. The estimates include $1,498,300 for the Boston navy yard; $1,669,000 for the Brooklyn navy yard; $875,017 for the Washington navy yard; League island navy yard about $2,160,000; and almost an equal amount for the Norfolk navy yard. About $200,000 is asked for dredging at Dry Tor- tugas and $650,000 for the floating dry dock at Algiers. CARNEGIE IMPROVEMENTS AT CONNEAUT. The Carnegie Company has practically decided to make extensive im- provements at the ore unloading docks at Conneaut during the coming winter. The most important work will be the construction of another slip, running north and south, parallel with the present slip and further east. This will be used for stocking purposes. In the beginning but one side of the slip will be utilized, although this alone will make an addition of fully 1,000 feet to the company's dock frontage. No contracts have yet been placed, either for the dredging or the unloading machinery to be installed. During the winter the Carnegie officials will also make fur- ther experiments with the Hulett automatic ore unloading machine, which has been erected on the Conneaut docks. In all probability several ves- sels loaded with ore will be tied up at the dock in the fall for this purpose. It is estimated that with the five original Wolvin boats, as well as six now building, and the steamer W. H. Gilbert just purchased, the American Steel & Wire fleet will be capable of moving 2,000,000 tons of ore annually. These vessels are not owned by the American Steel & Wire Co. The company controlling them is made up mainly of officers of the American Steel & Wire Co., but the vessel corporation is entirely separate from the Steel company. The two new steamers of Welland canal size will be suited to moving the ore of this company to places where big | vessels can not trade to advantage, such as the furnaces far up the river in Cleveland. This big fleet will this year be engaged largely in carry- ing ore for the Carnegie company and the Federal Steel Co, (they are said to be chartered for 1,000,000 tons), but it is expected that by another year mines of the American Steel & Wire Co. will be so developed as to require the vessels. It is said that the price paid by the Carnegie Steel Co. for the steamer Linn and barge Carrington was $475,000. Simon Langell of St. Clair, Mich., will turn out on the opening of navigation next spring a wooden steamer of 2,700 tons capacity. This vessel has been in frame for a long time past, but was allowed to remain on the stock uncompleted, on account of the unsatisfactory condition of lake freights upto a few months ago. Work on her will now be hurried, as she is chartered to carry $1.25 ore next year. The burned hull of the steamer Aurora, being rebuilt by Alex Anderson of Matine City. is to be converted into a tow barge of about 3,000 tons capacity. This vessel is owned by Edward Carter of Erie. Joseph Sellwood has been appointed general superintendent of the American Mining Co., an allied company of the American Steel & Wire Co., for the operation of Lake Superior iron mines, TORPEDO BOAT DAHLGREN'S REMARKABLE SHOWING, The United States torpedo boat Dahlgren, built by the Bath Iron Works, at a full-power sea run this week developed a speed of 31 knots. The Dahlgren thus exceeded her contract requirement by fully half a knot and also made a higher rate of speed over a mile course than has ever heretofore been attained by any torpedo craft of her size in the world. As the Dahlgren was to be tried on the standardizing screw method the tests began with a progressive trial on the day previous to that on which the run above mentioned was made. The first mile was made in 2 minutes 48 seconds, and after making a long. easy sweep with- out slackening speed, the vessel began her return trip south, which was made in 2:40. The mean speed of the first double run with and against the tide was therefore 22 knots. The mean number of revolutions of the screws was 238. The speed was increased, and with 264 revolutions a mean speed of 24.5 knots was obtained for the next double run. The vessel's change of trim was now particularly noticeable. Walking from the quarterdeck forward it seemed as if one were walking up a steep hill. Flames shot from the stacks and thick smoke was trailing astern. At 22 knots vibration was quite noticeable, but from this point as the speed increased the vibrations and disagreeable whipping and shaking seemed to decrease. The third double run resulted in a mean speed of 2634 knots with 283 revolutions. The speed was now getting so great that it was dangerous to turn her at full speed. The vessel was therefore slowed down to make the turn, which is a bad thing for speed with quick-steam- ing water tube boilers. The fourth double run on the mile resulted, nevertheless, in a mean speed of 30 knots with 317. revolutions. A fifth run was about to be made at maximum power when it was discovered that the supply of feed water was such as to necessitate discontinuing the high speed tests. ry tap NEW 600 FOOT CUNARD LINER. The new Cunarder Ivernia, recently launched, will be notable in many ways aside from her size, which enables her to rank as the fourth largest steamer in the world. The Ivernia was ordered last autumn, was laid down in December, and unless something totally unforeseen should interfere will be placed in service between Boston and Liverpool next January. She is 600 feet in length over all, 580 feet between perpendic- ulars, 64%4 feet beam, 41% feet depth, molded, to upper deck, 4914 feet depth, molded, to shelter deck, 13,900 tons burden and 16% knots speed. The vessel has accommodations for 150 first-class passengers, 200 second- class and 1,000 third-class. There are four decks--lower main, upper and shelter decks, with an orlop deck forward of the boiler compartments and over all a bridge deck 280 feet long in the center part of the ship. In the lower portion of the ship, forward, are rooms insulated for carrying chilled beef, the cold air being supplied by three refrigerating engines fitted above. On the lower deck are cargo spaces, and on the main deck the third-class passengers will be accommodated. The second-class pas- sengers are aft on the shelter deck, the top of which partly forms the bridge deck, on which, at the after end, is the dining saloon. Above the bridge deck in a large house will be accommodated the first-class pas- sengers. Over this structure will be located a deck on which the ship's boats are carried and on which a promenade is afforded. SHOALS IN LAKE MICHIGAN, Referring to the Lansing shoal rock (Lake Michigan) on which the steamer Victory struck and which was found and buoyed later nearly a mile from where the Victory found it, Captain Perkins of the U. S. S. Michigan, says that he thinks the boulders are picked up by the ice in the winter and carried on shoals and in channels where they become dan- gers to navigation. As six-sevenths of any floating ice is below water and ice is frequently seen 3 feet above water in the spring, it follows that such ice if three feet above water is 18 feet below it and would readily scrape rocks along until they found lodgment in channels. Capt. Per- kins' suggestion is that channels should be swept in the spring and such dangers noted at the opening of navigation, rather than later on after they have caused injury to navigation. Captain D. H. Mallory of the steamer Pathfinder, reports to one of the branch hydrographic offices that having just passed Grays reef light- vessel, bound to Chicago, the Pathfinder, drawing 18% feet of water, touched bottom in a position % to 34 mile S S E. from Grays Reef light-vessel. There was no pounding, just a rubbing over a smooth sur- face, Afterwards, in the dry dock, could be seen where the ship had rubbed, 3 feet wide two-thirds of her length. FLOATING DRY DOCK .FOR HAVANA. The Havana Dry Dock Co. of Havana, Cuba, has made arrange- ments for the construction of a new floating dry dock, which will in a - measure replace the floating dry dock recently sold by the Spanish government to Vera Cruz. parties.. The new dock will be of steel frame, covered with wood and sheathed with copper. It is to be 360 feet 'in length and 90 feet wide, and will be capable of docking a vessel of 5,600 tons. The cost will be in the neighborhood of $750,000. A Pittsburg firm has been given a provisional contract for the steel construction. The specifications call for 1,500 tons of material, which it is estimated will cost fully $150,000. It is also practically settled that the dock machinery and equipment--engines, boilers, pumps, etc.--will be purchased in the United States. Ship builders will be interested in advertisements from government officials on page 25 of this issue. The United States light-house board will open proposals Monday, Nov. 6, for the construction of a first-class, steel, steam light vessel, No. 73. Capt. C. A. F. Flagler, United States engineer at Montgomery, Ala., will open proposals Nov. 22 for the con- struction of a sea-going hydraulic dredge. The appropriation for the construction of the light vessel is said to be much too small considering the present high prices of ship building materials,