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1900.] MARINE REVIEW. 23 be further strengthened by carrying up the side plating to the promenade deck, which is placed one deck higher than in the Deutschland, and by doubling the plating at the bilges and at the promenade deck, as shown in the midship section of the ship. _In conclusion, it is safe to say that such a vessel as this will never be built. We shall cross the Atlantic in four days, but not with a vessel of this type. The higher speed will be attained, not by multiplying engine and boiler weights, but rather by multiplying pressures and speed, and utilizing every refinement in the way of economizers, superheaters and feed-water heaters, as is being done by Mr. Mosher in his 40-knot craft, the Arrow. If a 30-knot transatlantic steamer makes its appearance within the next few years, it is safe to say that it will be driven by the combina- tion of water-tube boilers, using hot, forced draft, with fast-running re- ciprocating engines, using superheated steam, or with turbines of the Par- sons type. So great will be the reduction of weights and saving of space achieved by this change, that it will be quite within the possibilities to produce on a displacement not much greater than that of the Deutschland a 30-knot ocean steamer that shall have equal accommodations for pas- sengers. PROGRESS OF NAVAL CONSTRUCTION. The monthly summary of the progress of construction of vessels, building for the United States navy, shows a fair gain for October. The two submarine boats which are to be built by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, have not yet been laid down, but those building at Lewis Nixon's yard, Elizabethport, N. J., are making steady progress. There is considerable gain to be noted, too, in the construction of the Denver class of cruisers. Following is the summary: Degree of completion, BATTLESHIPS. Per cent. Oct. 1. Nov. 1. TMM OS Ee eS ee eee a Newport. .Ne@ws..2.3. 6.66 ee 85 86 ATADAIMG Sco. sok sues ae Cramp (&: Sons. 6225 ee co 99 99 Wisconsin ........ ale sidaevavhers wees Union: Tron; Works 5.50235 ice aks 97 97.5 Maine: 2 8eie nt eee Cramp, &-Ssons 4. 36 ot Missouri. a0. See. Gish oan ee Newport News: 0. 15 17 O10 ican a eee Union "bron Works ak sire ees 30 32 SHEATHED PROTECTED CRUISERS. 5 Denver. oo 4t ie eee e Neafie & Levy .......... 29 31 MOS MomMes: is. ccs Sees ve ee Fore River Engine Co.. Ki 9 Chattanooran .. haya ee Lewis: Nixon: 22443 e563 a: 13 Galveston ist oot eee ee, Wit Re Trice Co... 2 2 PRA GOM Bos choc Bae ic cade es « Union: Tron Works sess os cae on 3 7 Cleveland) sc aise Batheirons WOnkS sox cs nas. G sieesen ess 20 25 MONITORS. AV KANSAS 3 oes 3s aig sae Newport, News ..044 scsieen ce oss ees 42 43 INDE S Sick eke cs et cust nares Bath: Iron Works) sc 5 Gu sen ee osens 68 TW MOTO en ase s Scat cee ee HB WASCUNURONS soc sche. cee eo es 48 51 WY GOMES oe eat in eee ee Union: Tron: Works! (25360462 ..60s ce 53 58 TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYERS. Bainbridge Neafie & Levy .. 78 81 BaUry soci Shai Neafie & Levy .. fs 76 no Chauncey 3.3.2 .sccs: Neafie & Levy .......... 76 79 DRTC eee ee Wm. R. Trigg Co 83 84 WOCAUIS career eee ees Wm. R. Trigg Co 81 83 HODANS Seca ASe dS Nk a. oi. sok Harlan & Hollingsworth .............. 68 68 PENG oaks sain ae ie Harlan & Hollingsworth .............. 68 68 Bia Wrenle .6oe5 woos seca ae Fore River Engine Co................. 98 98 MaeDonough s35 ion eek eis ons Fore River Engine Co................. 96 97 PaUleIONeS ssc o vise]. S50 cae Union Iron: Works. 2.20. eo ek 76 18 ORLY. occ sie Felsen eae siee cote Union Tron. Works |. ivi... 22. 03 es 76 80 PePODIO yr liaise sie ceees ation Union Iron Works .......... 16 78 Stewart ... ....Gas Engine & Power Co 387 38 Truxton:-.. .. Maryland Steel Co...... Gate 88 43 Whipple . .. Maryland Steel Co........ See 388 42 Worden Maryland Steel Co........ site oOo . 42 : ; TORPEDO BOATS. DEMIS NAM Gos ek ee saa Harlan & Hollingsworth .............. 98 98 IG OlGSbOTOUEH <2 ooc oc ee ss WOlEE Go ZWICKOR <4. che cai c: ace ces acts 99 99 DANCY. ok SS FENG So ase br sel sie' 3 Gas Engine & Power Co............... 97 98 BALL OV oes cena es sees bois 8ES Bath Iron WéOrks. 3 2 hc sce 92 95 SET OY sien Gian, louse ses puaieie ss Bath Trom Works 2.4045 «esushe eee 97 97 IGG Geese as ie ee cess Bath Tron WOrks.) 3. ccd: gsi cues 75 85 BIAMCLy 7.25 2 oak ooo. ca he es Geo. Lawley & Som' os... siecc ec sve 94 96 DeLonge ss. J.060.5 -«s. Geo. Lawley & Son i... 06 cc.c.c ccc css 94 96 Nicholson .. Lewis Nixon ............ iehie 280 81 O'Brien ..... .. Lewis Nixon ...... e 82 84 Shubbrick ...... Wm. R. Trigg Co. 92 96 DtOCKUON 3605s. ao Wan. Rh. Eres Cone. we OF 97 PhOrnton? .. 5. Secs wip wie eee aseie ole baie Wm: Rs: Trigg Cos e035 oe. fe oo 90 NOV cs cw ieee als soo Re ae clo e'ete 6 Columbian Iron Works ............... 61 64 WAT siceins fs a Feces piste « bin mvt Gas Engine & Power Co............... 60 60 SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOATS, PIUN SOR. eis ais eyes ees sls Wan R.: Trigg Cork. asc. oveece ses: 85 85 BONOE css asikae tito s coaiiac ssc os Lewis; Nixon: ..25i25.03.4¢0.50 voice saat 6 8 SOTA UB eas ote oes se cote Woion: Tron: WOrks: 02.5.5. .ceuss cae 0 0 MOCCESING ao. ccs oiesd es ce cee es PiOWIS NIKON 350552 oe oes cee cee hee 6 7 Pike © ...: .. Union Iron Works 0 0 Porpoise .... Lewis Nixon .... 6 7 Shark ... .... Lewis Nixon 6 7 SOMETHING BETTER THAN STANDARD OIL. Some of the New York bank stocks sell at many times their par value and Standard Oil at $700 (par value $100) is the talk of the country, but these high-priced shares pale into insignificance beside the remark- able value attained by an English sectirrity, the adventurer's shares in the New River Co., a corporation which was founded in the reign of James I, and which furnishes a part of London's water supply. The last public sale of one of these shares, of which there are less than 100, was in 1896, when it brought at auction the enormous sum of £125,000, or about $725,- 000, and at private sale within the last twelve months a slightly lower price was realized for another adventurer's share. The income from each share is now about £3,000 per annum, so that an investment in them is far from unproductive, and it also seems that the company is the owner of a large amount of valuable real estate in London which was leased long ago at nominal rentals, but the leases for which will terminate in a few years. Under these circumstances the London financial papers indulge in some speculation as to the price which will be obtained for another share which is to be offered at auction in a short time. The Union Iron Works, San Francisco, will build a coasting steamer for the Pacific Coast Steamship Co. The new steamer will be 276 ft. long, 40 ft. beam, with a depth of hold of 19 ft. 6 in. TWIN-SCREW DREDGE HERCULES. _ The twin screw dredge Hercules, built in accordance with the de- signs of Mr. Lindon W. Bates of 'Chicago, by Messrs. W. C. Armstrong, Whitworth '& Co., Ltd., at their Walker ship building yard for the harbor authorities of Brisbane, Australia, had a series of trials on the 17th and 18th ult., with most satisfactory results. The Bates system of hydraulic dredging has been hitherto described in the Review, so that it is not necessary to recount it here. The Hercules is the third dredger of the Bates type that has been built this year by the firm of Sir. W. G. Arm- strong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd., and a fourth is now nearing completion. The principal dimensions of the Hercules are: Length over all 235 ft. 6 in., length between perpendiculars 230 ft., breadth molded, 39 ft., depth molded 18 ft., depth of hold 11 ft. 3 in. The hull is very substantially built, and has a double bottom. Joggling has been adopted in the shell plating on the Bell and Rockcliffe system. The arrangements of the vessel have been very carefully designed so as to secure the greatest efficiency. At the forward end of the vessel there are two dredging suctions with the requisite lowering ladders, the raising and lowering being effected by means of wire ropes worked from a powerful steam winch of special de- sign, each of these suctions being provided with hollow milling cutters. In this vessel these cutters are formed of blades which are interchange- able and reversible, so that if exceptionable wear takes place at one part of the blade, it can be withdrawn and replaced so as to secure greater long- evity for the cutter. The blades are made of Siemens-Martin steel plate. In case of the cutters being temporarily choked by debris, a water service through a 2%-in. pipe is provided, whereby they can be quickly cleansed. An operating house is provided forward of amidships on the shade deck, from which not only the lowering and raising of the ladders and forward suctions are controlled, but also the driving of the milling cutters and the anchoring of the dredger when engaged in its actual work. 'This latter operation is worthy of special note. In addition to the ordinary equip- ment of anchors and chain cables, and their accessories, the Hercules. dredger, in common with some other dredgers, is equipped with three spuds. In the Hercules these spuds consist of Oregon pine 24 in. square and 60 ft. in length, having on the lower end a forged steel shoe. Two of these spuds are placed near the stern and the other forward of amidships. Any one of these spuds when lowered can hold the dredger securely, even in a fast flowing current. They are usually used alternately; the dredger, after clearing a channel within the radius that it can work with one of the spuds in position, that spud is raised and one of the others lowered, whereby the area of operations is changed. At the after end of the vessel, on the main deck, there is another powerful steam winch from which the discharge pipe and the side suction dredging pipe are controlled. Two rudders are fitted at the stern, both working in conjunction, from one of Alley and MacLellan's "Sentinel" steam steering gears, placed about amidships. Actual dredging trials were impracticable on the river Tyne, but in passing through the Suez canal such trials will, we understand, be carried out. The vessel is being taken out to Brisbane under its own steam. The construction and fitting of the machinery was entrusted to the Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Co., Ltd. Wallsend-on-Tyne. The most important engine in the machinery installation is that which is em- ployed in working the centrifugal pump, of which the discharge pipe is 33 in. in diameter. This engine is of the triple expansion type, having cylinders 18 in., 30 in., and 50 in diameter, 30 in stroke, the initial pressure of steam being 190 lbs. per sq. in., and the full power about 1,800 I.H.P. at 160 revolutions per minute. The propelling engines are also triple ex- pansion. There are two sets, each of which drive a four-bladed screw pro- peller 6 ft. diameter. These engines are 10 in., 161% in., and 28 in. diameter of cylinders, 18 in. stroke, and with 190 lbs. pressure of steam attain 170 revolutions per minute. A piston valve is fitted to the high pressure cyl- inders, and an ordinary double ported slide valve to the low pressure and intermediate pressure cylinders. The engines, which operate the cutters- fitted in connection with the two bow dredgers, are of the compound type, although working with the same initial pressure as the pumping and pro- pelling engines, viz., 190 lbs. per sq. in. These engines are each 10 in. and 20 in. diameter of cylinders, 15 in. stroke, and at a speed of 160 revo- lutions exert 250 IL.H.P. The boilers are of the Babcock-Wilcox marine type, which type was also adopted in the two dredgers already completed by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd. The total heating surface of the four boilers is 12,080 sq. ft., and the total grate area 332 sq. ft. The whole of the machinery and boilers worked without a hitch and to the satisfaction of all concerned. MR. BURTON ON RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. Hon. T. E. Burton, member of congress from Ohio and chairman of the rivers and harbors committee, left Cleveland a few days after election for a trip down the Mississippi river. Referring to river and harbor affairs, Mr. Burton said before leaving Cleveland: "T expect to reach Washington by Oct. 22. I anticipate that this will be a busy session for me. The rivers and harbors committee has had much to do and the appropriation bill, which will probably be introduced early in December, will be of great importance. There are many projects which are strenuously pressing that will be considered. The principal points which are to be provided for in the bill will be the Boston harbor, the Delaware river below Philadelphia, the mouths of the Mississippi, to make a better outlet at New Orleans; the St. Clair, Detroit rivers, St. Mary's river below the Sault, the Mississippi river from St. Paul to its outlet, the levee system on this river and a general method of improy- ing it. On his southern trip Mr. Burton goes first to Cairo, Ill., where he joins the Mississippi river commission on a tour of inspection down as far as New Orleans. This trip will be made on board a government vessel and will last about nine days. The purpose of the trip is to determine upon the best method of improving the condition of the river from St. Louis to its mouth. As chairman of the rivers and harbors committee Mr. Burton has been asked by the commission to make the tour, in view of the appropriation to be made this winter for carrying out the work. The commission is headed by Col. G. L. Gillespie, one of the senior offi- cers of the army engineer corps, who is said to have the best chance of promotion to the position occupied by Brigadier General Wilson when the latter retires. The other members are six in number, all well known en two being engineers from the army, two civil engineers and twa civilians.