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46 required by some,of, the owners, if kept». properly, would; necessitate a bookkeeper working about 12 hours a day. Take the steamer Cyprus; the only survivor says he heard the captain remark after talking over the phone with the engineer: "It's all off now." What did he mean? One of three things: First, water in fire hold; second, steering gear; third, main en- gine. placed the three possible causes. -The steamer James C. Wallace came into. Port Huron last week fee-. bly attempting to steer by the tiller _ tackles and two tugs. I understand her quadrant 'was broken. Could the 'mate in his examination have antici- pated this? If we were all blessed with second sight, we might see a small key in a pinion, covered up with a hood to keep the ol in, working out; or a defective casting cracking, or the wheelsman operating his wheel so fast he chokes the cylinders of the steering engine, and numerous other trivial things that puts a steering gear out of business. for a short or long time. : I have advocated for seven years two complete steering gears. If I was a word painter I could draw a picture both ludicrous and_ serious. In 1891 I was second mate of. the steamer A. Everett. We were on 'Lake Superior in quite a gale; our. whecl chains parted. We wallowed around for three hours getting the til- ler and tackles shipped and rove off, then by use of messengers and snatch blocks we connected to the donkey en- gine forward of the boiler house. The captain steered, (?), the rest of us stood by to help the engine by pulling on whichever tackle was necessary. If there had been a phonograph pres- ent to record all the language and a moving picture machine to follow the cook's wife in her racing from the . steering engine to the rudder, waving a tablecloth, I believe some of the owners would be convinced: it is an utter impossibility to steer a 5,000 or 10,000-ton ship by any other means than a steam steering engine. To conclude I believe the ships being built now are possitively able and strong enough to weather any blow or sea, but let the steering gear be- come disabled in a big sea on Lake Superior,and any of them would last about as long as the Cyprus did. Respectfully, E. C. AKERS. Port Huron, Mich., Nov. 4. You will note the order I have | Tae Marine REVIEW WORK IN COAST SHIP YARDS I. L. Snow & Co. of Rockland, Me., are to corstruct a three-masted schooner for the stone-carrying trade. The New England Co., Bath, Me., is building a four-masted schooner for Capt. J. W. Hawley. Charles Rohde & Sons, Baltimore, Md., will build a 90-ft. lighter for the. lighterage department of the Atlan- tic Transport Co. The Maryland Steel Co., Sparrow's Point, Md., recently repaired the Mer- chants' & Miners' tug Apollo, giving her a new boiler. The Kelley-Spear Co. Bath, Me., launched the barge No. 4, building for the Sagadahoc Towing Co., Oct. 26.° Noe 46 150 by "35 by 12 4. J. S. Ellis & Sons, Tottenville, S. I., N. Y., have two large tugs under con- struction and when they are launched two more will be started. Charles Rohde & Sons, Baltimore, Md., launched an 80-ft. covered light- er for the Tilyard & Watkins Trans- portation Co. recently. ee George A. Cox, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, launched the 250-ton schooner Roseway recently. She is 120 ft. over 'all, 2914 ft. beam and 121% ft. deep. John H. Dialogue' & Son, Camden, N. J., will -have the 500-ton tug now building there for the McWilliams Co, ready for delivery about Nov. 15. The Maryland Steel Co., Sparrow's Point, Md. has the Old Bay line steamer Florida well in hand and she will soon be ready to go into com- mission. - The Marine Railway, Machine & Boiler Works, Baltimore, Md., was the lowest bidder for repairing and docking lightship No. 49, the bid be- ing $1,346.53. The W. & A. Fletcher Co. Ho- boken, N, J..: have the hull. of the new People's line steamer Princeton at their plant for the installation of machinery. Wilson Bros., Astoria, Ore., launch- ed the steamer General Washington recently, and she is now at the plant of the Astoria: Iron Works receiving her machinery. A. C. Brown & Sons, Tottenville, S. L, N. Y., have under construction two tugs and an oysterman, and are rebuilding several vessels, among them a freight steamer. The Mills Ship. Yard at Camden, N. J., has been acquired by the Phil- adelphia Ship Repair €o., and it is to be operated in connection with the Philadelphia plant. Charles Rohde & Sons, Baltimore, Md., have been awarded a contract by the Maryland Transportation Co., | for the construction of a covered lighter 80 ft. in length. | > I. J. Matheson & Co., New Glas- gow, N. S., are building a steel ves- sel of 475 tons, which is to be named the Ving. - Good progress has been made in her construction. Oliver Reeder & Sons Co, Balti- more, Md., are engaged in the con- struction of a tug boat for Capt. Charles Lewis to be 75 ft. long, 18 ft. beam and 8 ft. depth molded. The Moran Co., Seattle, Wash., has completed the Barneson-Hibbard Co.'s steel whaler and she will sail at once for the whaling: grounds at Admiral Island, near Sitka, Alaska. Joseph Supple, Portland, Ore., will rebuild the steamer America, owned by Captain Good, which was burned at St. Helena in September. It will take two months to do the work. The Newport News Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., launched the steamer George W. Fen- | wick, building for the Hammond Lumber Co., of New York, Oct. 26. OW. J, Gokey.. &--Co., Evie. Baga Brooklyn, N. Y., are engaged in ré- building the West Indian wrecking steamer Premier, which is owned by the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Co. William E. Woodall & Co., Balti- more, Md., are making alterations to the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlan- tic steamer Old Point Comfort, in or- der that she may be used for night service. The Kelley-Spear Co. Bath, Me., was awarded contract for repairing the former lake steamer Lucy Nef, which sprang a leak while en route from Detroit, Mich, to San Fran- cisco, Cal, The Pusey & Jones Co., Wilming- ton, Del., installed the machinery in the wrecking steamer Breakwater, built at Milton, Del., for service at the Lewes, Del., breakwater. She is 110. ft. long: The Moran Co., Seattle, Wash., has launched the -steam whaler -- Tyee, building for the Tyee Whaling Co., of "Sitka; Alaska. The Tyee is. 110 it. tong, 18 ft. beam: and is fitted with 350 H. P. engines. lL. ©: Matheson :& Co... of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, are building a steel vessel of about 475 tons, which will be ready for launching early in the new year. She is to be fitted with Oregon pine masts. William Skinner Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., Baltimore, Md., has,