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se ae a, 6 MARINE REVIEW. [December 21, - A BRIGHT VIEW OF 1900. ' When it was said in these columns a short time ago that the output of iron ore from the Lake Superior region in 1900 would very probably aggregate 20,000,000 gross tons, it was declared on all sides that the esti- mate was too high. Objection was not raised to the claim that there would be a demand for the ore, but it was said that it could not be mined, and if it were mined it could not be moved with the present railway facil- ities. But now that preparations are being made by all the leading rail- 'ways for additional equipment and an output of more than 18,000,000 tons of ore is assured for the year that is not as yet quite at an end, there is no objection to the twenty-million estimate. "In fact the Iron Age of New York, claiming to keep fairly well posted on'the Lake Superior situation through leading interests of New York and Pittsburg, puts -the require- ments of next year, if new and old furnaces are to be kept going through 1901, at 22,000,000. The Iron Age editorial on this score is quite inter- esting. It is as follows: "Perhaps lake and rail shipments of iron ore in the now closing year will reach the sum of 18,000,000 tons. There was little ore on lake docks last May, and should melting go on during the winter at about the rate of the past few weeks there will be little next spring. It has been stated that furnaces to make close to 5,000,000 tons of metal a year are now under construction, or are planned for an early start. Most of these are for lake ores, and the portion that are for lake ores will add at the rate of 7,000,000 tons to the present annual consumption of ore from Lake Superior mines by the time we enter the year 1901. In other words, there will have to be shipped to lower lakes by the fall of 1900 a supply of ore to keep furnaces going through the winter that will require an annual supply of close to 22,000,000 tons. Of course many of these will not be in operation till,late in the year, but the figures are not without their sug- gestion. Perhaps the total may be increased, for it is a well known fact that while assays on Mesabi shipments seldom run as low as 60 per cent., it is a rare ore from that range that will show that much in furnace results. "Some time ago it was estimated that vessel capacity for. moving 18,000,000 tons from upper lake docks had been secured by ore interests, and it was then stated that not more than this would or could be mined or shipped. But these interests are still in the market for vessel room, and that 18,000,000 tons has been very materially increased to date at the same rate as was paid for the early bulk of it. This is an indication of what these interests figure on in the way of movement for the coming year. All over the mining districts preparations for stock-piling, strip- ping and making ready for another year are in progress on a scale never before dreamed of. Enormous contracts for earthwork have been let, in the case of two Mesabi mines alone amounting to nearly 3,000,000 cubic yards, and many shafts will be sunk on all ranges at once. There have been two mines in Minnesota reaching a product of 1,000,000 tons this year, and two in Michigan. Next year there may be five in Minnesota and four or five in Michigan. Improvements to railroads, both in the upper lake region and from lower lakes to furnaces, are such as to give confidence that their ore handling capacity can be increased an average of 15 per cent. Betterments to docks and equipments are such as~-to assure a dispatch that will increase the seasonal capacity of the fleet in about the same percentage. Old mines are ready for a larger output, new mines are wheeling into line, new equipment and facilities will be ready, all to give the iron industry such a supply of raw material as was not dreamed of ten years ago." SHIP BUILDING IN GREAT BRITAIN. During the month of November English ship builders put into the water twenty-four steamers of about 76,494 tons gross, against twenty- nine vessels of about 69,194 tons gross in October, twenty-six vessels of about 72,604 tons in November last year, and fourteen vessels of about 34,681 tons in November, 1897. For the eleven months English builders have launched 277 vessels of about 780,148 tons gross, as compared with 311 vessels of about 780,315 tons gross in the corresponding period of last year, and 530,030 tons gross in 1897. Two steamers of 18,835 tons gross were launched at Belfast. During the eleven months there have been launched in the United Kingdom 598 vessels of about 1,323,665 tons gross, which compares with 653 vessels of about 1,293,563 tons for the corresponding period last year, and 601 vessels of 911,569 tons in 1897. Clyde ship builders during the month of November sent off the stocks 38,830 tons gross of new shipping, as compared with 33,350 tons the month previous, and 31,000 tons for November of last year. The present November output, in fact, has only been twice exceeded in any corresponding period during the past ten years. The aggregate output for the eleven months now past reaches 406,770 tons, which is much the highest figure for any corresponding period in the previous history of the industry. The aggregate for the whole twelve months is almost cer- tain to be the record output, it being only necessary that the output for December should reach 60,000 tons in order to equal last year's grand aggregate, which was 466,800 tons, and the highest figure ever reached. December outputs as a rule exceed those of the other months, and there is every probability that it will on this occasion reach not only 60,000 tons, but 70,000 tons or more, seeing that two vessels, each of over 10,000 tons, and a warship of 12,000 tons, fall to be sent off the stocks before the end of the year. The new work placed with the Clyde builders during November amounts altogether to about 40,000 tons. A rather interesting trial was that of the new British torpedo hoat destrover Spiteful, which was completed a short time ago by Palmers' Ship Building & Iron Co. at Yarrow-on-Tyne, England. At a speed of 29.9 knots the coal consumption was at the low rate of 2.3 pounds per indicated horse power per hour: On six runs over a measured mile the vessel on each occasion exceeded a speed of 30 knots, and finally on a twelve-hour run at 13.05 knots speed the coal consumption was found to be at the rate of 1.5 pounds per indicated horse power, so that at this rate the vessel has a steaming radius of 4,000 miles. The Spiteful has two sets of triple expansion engines capable of developing 6,300 indicated horse power and to which steam is supplied from four water tube boilers working at 250 pounds pressure. CONSOLIDATION OF NAVAI, BUREAUS. The full text of the bill now before congress for the consolidation of the navy department bureaus of construction and repair, steam en- gineering and equipment, is as follows: : Be it enacted, etc., that the bureaus of construction and repair, steam engifieering and equipment of the department of the navy, are hereby consolidated and merged into one bureau to be called the bureau of ships. ne Sec. 2. The duties and business heretofore performed and transacted by the bureaus of'construction and repair, steam engineering and equip- ment, are hereby transferred to and shall'be performed and transacted by the bureau of ships, subject to the provisions of sec, 419 of the re- vised statutes, relating to the distribution of business of the navy de- partment. Fnasec} ia Sec. 3. In the bureau of ships there shall be two divisons, to be called, respectively, "the division of construction" and "the division of machinery." ; Sec. 4. -The duties and business of the bureau of ships shall be dis- tributed between the two divisions-as the chief of the bureau, under the supervision of the secretary of the navy, may direct. Sec. 5. The hydrographic office is hereby placed under the super- vision of the office of the assistant secretary of the navy, or under such bureau as the secretary may direct.': The chief of the hydrographic office shall hereafter be called the hydrographer of the navy, and shall have the rank and highest pay and allowances of a captain of the navy. Sec. 6. The chief of the bureau of ships shall be appointed from the list of line officers, or naval constructors, not below the grade of com- mander, and if below the grade of rear admiral, shall, while holding said office, have the rank of rear admiral and receive the same pay and allow- ances as are allowed a brigadier general in the army. The chief of the division of construction shall 'be appointed- from the list of naval con- structors, and the chief of the division of machinery from the list of line officers having skill as engineers, in each case not below the grade of commander, and shall, while holding said office, receive the highest pay and-allowances of a captain in the navy; and if below the grade of cap- tain have the rank of captain. Sec. 7. The provisons of law and appropriations for establishing, maintaining and conducting, and all authorities, jurisdiction and powers vested in the bureaus of construction and repair, steam engineering and equipment shall, except as they conflict with the provisions of this act, remain in full force and are vested in and made applicable to the bureau of ships. Sec. 8. This act shall take effect on and after July 1, 1902. In a letter just submitted to congress in support of the bill Secre- tary Long says: "The consolidation of the bureaus named is desired merely as a matter of good administration tending to promote sim- plicity, efficiency and economy in the construction and equipment of naval vessels. It may be proper to add in explanation of section 5 of the enclosed draft that it is deemed desirable to place the work of the hydrographic office, now by statute assigned to the bureau of equipment, under the immediate administration of the assistant secretary of the navy, who could also be given, without any change of statute, general control over the affairs of the naval observatory and the nautical almanac and compass officers. There seems to be no reason for making, in the case of the hydrographic office, an exception to the provisions of section 419 of the revised statutes, prescribing that 'the business of the department of the navy shall be distributed in such a manner as the secretary of the navy shall judge to be expedient and proper' among its several bureaus. In order, however, to provide for future contingencies, the section has been so drawn as to confer upon the secretary of the navy the power to. assign the hydrographic office to any bureau of the department, in his discretion, should the development of the public business render a further change possible." SUBMARINE BOAT LE GOUBET. French naval authorities manifest unusual satisfaction with experi- ments recently completed with the new submarine torpedo boat Le Goubet, named after its constructor. The boat was practically invisible during the tests, for it was only at intervals that the conning tower was allowed to emerge in order to allow the pilot to get his bearings and then dive again. The vessel is controlled entirely by electricity. The great object of the inventor has been to make the vessel as small as possible in order to facilitate convenience in transportation. The Goubet is a cigar-shaped craft and port holes are placed on the upper section. Precautions are taken against the breaking of the glass by the addition of steel caps that can be instantly closed at the moment of dan- ger. The motive power is an electrically-driven screw. Diving and returning to the surface are accomplished by means of fins placed at the side of the boat and the compressed air storage tanks are placed forward. Four men can manage the boat and launch the torpedoes. The French government has requested the inventor, M. Goubet, not to dispose of the invention to any foreign nation until they have decided whether or not to purchase the exclusive right to its use. _ /Examinations will be held under the direction of the United States ciyil service'commission on Jan. 9, 10 and 11 in cities where the commis- sion has boards' of examiners for the position of architectural and struct- ural Steel draftsman. From the eligibles resulting from this examination certification will be made to the position of architectural and structural steel draftsman in the bureau of yards and docks, navy department, in the yards and docks department at Boston and at League island, Pa, The first two have compensation fixed at $4 per day and the last men- tioned at $4.50 per day. The Nickel Plate road will sell holiday excursion tickets good goin on Dec. 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31, 1899, and Jan. 1, 1900, at one a ane third fare for the round trip; good returning to and including Jan. 2, 1900. With its peerless trio of daily express trains and an unexcelled 'dining car service, the Nickel Plate road offers special inducements for holiday travel. 181, Jan. 1.