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MARINE REVIEW. 23 GREATLY IMPRESSED WITH PNEUMATIC TOOLS. Chicago, Ill., June 18--kecognizing the rapid advancement of ship building in America and as an acknowledgement of the necessity of bet- tering their own methods in this line of industry, the German government has sent two representatives to this country to investigate and report fully upon all that is new in our ship yards. These two eminent engineers are Tjard Schwarz, imperial high director of marine of his majesty's navy, and Professor E. Von Halle, engineering expert. The latter was in America during the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1898, introduction to Mr. John W. Duntley, president of the Chicago Pneu- matic Tool Co., and by him were turned over to Mr, Fred F. Bennett of that company who escorted them to the yards of the Chicago Ship Building Co. at South Chicago. The German Consul at Chicago, Dr. Wevers, accompanied the party. Though imperial in its personnel the trip was made in democratic fashion and the gentlemen tramped about the yards, through the various shops, on board and beneath ships in course of construction during the whole afternoon, in spite of extreme heat. Mr. Eli Gunnell, superintendent, showed the party every courtesy and explained with minute precision the various phases of the work, answered questions, demonstrated tools and in fact 'kept open house," SHELL RIVETER AS APPLIED TO SIDE OF SHIP. He has been in this country on his present sojourn for several months gathering data for use upon the arrival of Herr Schwarz. Together these men have been making a tour of American ship yards, having already visited the works of the 'Cramps at Philadelphia, the New York company's new plant at Camden, N. J., the Newport News works, and last week they were at Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. By the end of this week they will have visited New London, Conn., and Bath, Me. This will complete their plans regarding American yards with the exception of those on the Pacific coast. The limit set for their return, July 1, alone prevented their including these in their itinerary. As the net result of their researches, they say that the principal ad- ee CAULKING, DRIVING RIVETS AND REAMING. vantage which their American brethren enjoy over them is in the varied and extensive use of pneumatic tools as applied to ship building. They also found that the methods of annlying these tools were uniform in the leading yards. These tools have been used to a great extent in German yards but up 'to the present time they had failed to recognize the many ways in which they could be utilized to advantage. Herr Schwarz and Prof. Von Halle, however, now return to their native land enthusiastic on the subject and will recommend the enlargement of their pneumatic plants to proper proportions. Last week was given up almost exclu- sively to the investigation of tools made by the Chicago Pneumatic Tool 'Co. On Wednesday morning they arrived at Chicago with a letter of y BOYER DRILL AT WORK ON HULL. so to speak. As a consequence Herr Schwarz and Prof. Von Halle are awaiting an opportunity to reciprocate, so keenly did they appreciate the courtesies extended. Matters of comparative cost of drilling, reaming, riveting, chipping, caulking and other lines of work were fully investi- gated to the great advantage of the pneumatic tools. Perhaps the device which most impressed the Germai experts was the improved form of shell riveter. This machine, applied in various ways, has several times been illustrated in these columns, but some new views (not of this tool particularly, but several of the Chicago Pneumatic com- pany's make) are presented on this page. The shell riveter is so arranged as to be bolted at the center by a single bolt to the deck, side or bottom DRILLING 3-IN. HOLE IN STEEL STERN POST WITH BOYER DRILL. of vessel and can be pushed, pulled or rotated to any point within 10 ft. of center without moving the anchor bolt. This machine was seen at work on deck, at the side of the ship and riveting from below. The varied uses of the long-stroke hammer also caused favorable comment as did also the work of the chipping hammer in removing surplus material. The efficiency and application of drills of the Duntley flat piston and Boyer types were also looked into. The most remarkable performance of these drills was thought to be the drilling of 3-in. holes in a solid stern post. However, its uses drilling on the side of ship, reaming on deck, drilling and reaming ship plates, were also looked upon as: great. advantages. In addition to these tools the side-light cutter, deck boring -