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of MARINE REVIEW. [May 8 EXPORTS DROP A BIT. The United States maintains its position at the head of the world's exporting nations, despite the temporary reduction in the value of exports due to the shortage in corn available for exportation. The export figures for the nine months ending with March, as shown by the report of the treasury bureau of statistics, indicate a drop of $58,681,957 in the total value of exports. When it is considered, however, that the value of corn exported fell, owing to the shortage in the corn supply, $52,000,000 below that for the corresponding period of last year, and that cotton, ow- ing solely to a decrease in price, fell $12,000,000 below the exports of the same period of last year, the entire decrease is more than accounted for. Corn exports fell from 146,000,000 bushels in the nine months of the fiscal year 1901 to 24,000,000 bushels in the nine months of 1902. Cotton ex- ports increased 344,000,000 lbs., but owing to reduced prices, fell $12,000,000 in the total value exported. These two items--due in the case of corn to the shortage at home caused by the drouth of last year, and in cotton to the reduced prices in the markets of the world--more than account for the reduction of $59,000,000 in the total exports. Notwithstanding the reduction of $59,000,000 in exports the grand total of domestic exports from the United States exceeds that of any other country. The figures of domestic exports for the nine months end- ing with March are: From the United States $1,062,432,158, United King- dom $1,019,466,437. The fact that the commercial and fiscal years of the various countries differ in dates of termination renders a comparison by parallel years difficult, 'but the bureau of statistics in its statement of ex- ports of various countries gives the monthly average of each during the year or the portion of the year which its latest figures cover. By this process it is practicable to show the relation of the various countries in the supply which they furnish to the markets of the world. This analysis shows that the average monthly exportation of domestic merchandise from the United States exceeds that of any other nation, that the United Kingdom stands second, Germany third, France fourth, Netherlands fifth and British India sixth in the list of exporting nations. On the other hand, the list of importing nations shows that the United Kingdom stands first, Germany second, France third, the United States fourth, Nether- lands fifth and Belgium sixth in the relative demands upon the markets of the world. One especially marked characteristic of the commerce of the Unite States, in comparison with that of other countries, is its large excess of exports over imports. Of the thirty countries whose average monthly imports and exports are shown by the bureau of statistics, only twelve show an excess of exports over imports. These twelve countries are Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, 'Canada, Chile, Egypt, British India, Miexico, Russia, Uruguay and the United States. The average monthly excess of exports over imports in the case of India amounts to about $9,000,000 and Russia also about $9,000,000; while that of the entire list of countries which show an excess of exports over imports (exclusive of the United States) amounts to but $38,000,000 per month, while from the United States alone the excess of exports over imports is $42,637,127 per month. The following table shows the average monthly imports and exports of the principal countries of the world during that part of the fiscal ycar for which figures have been received by the bureau of statistics: Average monthly Countries. Imports. Exports. Pen sites) eS $ 75,410,891. $118,048 018* eed Kinedom:.. 26.0656 i st 212,208,056 113,274,048* a ei a ee ee 112,584,769 92,760,421 LG fe eS ee ee eee 75,602,250 66,736,023 WIRING AMOR 22.2. ke ee ive bles 65,922,642 56,790,923 Pei WiGia.. ed oss Se se 22,433,972 31,790,036 Peed (PATONG) ........ ee ds 22,457,583 31,310,500 ik ois has cee 35,236,846 28,866,753 Peet fiMealy .... 6. eee whe s 28,853,158 28,517,390 ee ee 28,080,802 21,658,575 OMe ee eh ee oe 15,463,905 16,900,028 el hie ese 7,214,116 13,835,945 ee ce 9,164,263 13,487,170 te ke ee 17,661,468 13,453,048 ie ee wus 16,411,195 10,377,338 PN i, 2). ee ec 12,913,456 10,167,924 ee cls 10,838,691 9,754,509 Eck. reese. 5,679,401 8,869,927 ON rn 11,933,538 8,739,792 sk ik ees 4,615,254 5,457,624 os een ou 5,517,491 5,449,376 ae 3,909,702 5,100,104 Came of Good Hope..........5; 9,057,554 4,466,735 ee 3,489,856 4,503,340 *Domestic exports. GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN NAVY. Adding the two battleships, two armored cruisers and two gunboats, authorized by the present congress, there are now building altogether 138 vessels for the United States navy. The present navy may be said to have been created since 1883. In March, 1883, congress passed an act for the construction of three steel-protected cruisers with a speed equal to the average merchant vessel. The first one was named Chicago. Then came the Boston, the 'Atlanta and the Dolphin, so creditably done that they well nigh ruined John Roach, the famous ship builder. Having done so well in its first attempt, the forty-ninth congress, on the last day of its _ existence, March 3, 1885, authorized the construction of two more steel cruisers and two steel gunboats. This act gave the navy the Newark and the Charleston, the Yorktown and the Petrel, all now in commission save the ill-fated Charleston, lost on the rocks near the Philippines. _ When Wm, C. Whitney became secretary of the navy he undertook the task of putting the service on a proper footing. Then followed a period of unusual liberality by congress for the upbuilding of the navy, leading to the construction of a large number of cruisers, gunboats, and at last a battleship was authorized. The first was the Maine, then came the Texas, both of which were seven years,in building at government navy _ yards. This was an experience not to. be ignored, and, the government _ abandoned ship building at the navy yards, with the completion of the fine cruisers Raleigh and Cincinnati. Battleships, armored cruisers and protected cruisers followed in rapid succession until April, 1893, at the time of the grand review in New York, the navy was enabled to present a fleet of thirteen warships, every one nearly of a different class and dis- placement. This little fleet was in command of three rear-admirals. Com- pare this to the fleet commanded by Rear-Admiral Sampson, who had no less than fifty ships of all types under his command during the West Indies campaign. The fleet of 1893 did not equal the fighting strength of the squadron that smashed the Spanish in Manila bay under Admiral Dewey, and the whole lot could have been wiped out of existence by the British flagship Blake, flying the broad pennant of Vice-Admiral Sir John O, Hopkins, now a full admiral in the British service. From that time on the navy grew until it soon had five battleships and a respectable number of cruisers. Germany was being rapidly pushed for naval supremacy; Russia was just a peg ahead, and still the country continued to demand more ves- sels. It was not, however, until the Spanish war that the United States navy had assumed any real fighting condition, or could be regarded as competent to take the seas against any power perhaps except France and England. All this had been accomplished in about fifteen years. Fifteen years ago the floating strength did not amount to a dozen ships, and they were all wooden and antiquated. Since then the United States has made greater strides in naval progress in a given period than any world power, and has come out of a position scarcely ranking with the infant South American republics to that of fourth among the naval powers of the world. It now has nine first-class battleships the equal of any of their class in the world, and besides a number building. It has also two first-class armored cruisers. There are in addition six large protected cruisers, two of which are the fleetest warships afloat, a second-class battleship and nearly a dozen protected cruisers. In all it has eleven vessels placed in the first rank and fifteén in the second rank. Of the third rank ships there are more than sixty, including cruisers of all types, gunboats, dispatch boats, colliers, repair ships and a large fleet of small vessels used in the Philip- pine service. These vessels range from 4,000 tons to 1,000 tons displace- ment. Of the fourth rate there are at least fifty vessels, comprising gun- boats, small cruisers and repair ships. In addition there are five first-rate monitors, armed with the highest power modern ordnance. It is, however, in the number and power of the various types of war- ships building that the greatest strength of the navy lies, for there are eight magnificent battleships now in course of construction, as compared to nine built and in commission. But those now building are perhaps superior to any ships afloat, not only in battery power, speed and steam- ing radius, but also in displacement and protection. Five of them are to have 19 knots, a speed greater than has been attained for a long period by any battleship in the world. Next in point of fighting ability are six great armored cruisers of nearly 15,000 tons displacement, enormous horsepower, 22 knots speed and having protection and battery power almost equaling the 19-knot battle- ships. They, in fact, closely approximate battleships, and have the advan- tage of high speed and a large area of steaming radius. In fighting strength they will be the most remarkable vessels ever designed for the United States navy. Work is progressing rapidly on all. Then come three large protected cruisers of 10,000 tons, larger by 3,000 tons than 'Admiral Dewey's flagship, the Olympia, and of greater speed and protection. There are also six fine 17-knot cruisers building. One of the protected cruisers takes the name of the Charleston. There are also a Maine, and four monitors of 12 knots speed under construction. The latter are single turret affairs and so well along that salt water should break over their bows before the year closes. Fifteen 30-knot torpedo boat destroyers and twelve torpedo boats of from 24 to 28 knots are also building. In the designing of these boats the naval constructors appear to have made their first serious mistakes, and all of these ships will probably fail to make the speed required in their con- tracts. They are overweight, have too delicate machinery, and constantly break down on trials. All will be changed in some respects. ' That newest type of craft, the submarine boat, ends the list of vessels. Seven are building, and if they prove a success may revolutionize warfare as the Monitor and Merrimac did in Hampton Roads., They have their advocates, but are as strongly opposed. So was the Monitor until she proved her value. The upbuilding of the United States has progressed evenly, and ship for ship there are no superiors in the world. SHIP YARD NOTES. The steamship Tremont of the Boston Steamship Co.'s line was launched a few days ago at the works of the Maryland Steel Co., Spar- row's Point, Md. She is a sister ship of the Shawmut, which had a trial trip recently. Her length is 505 ft., width 58 ft, and depth 40 ft. The Tre- mont has a straight stem, elliptical stern, three steel decks, and a total water ballast capacity of 2,800 tons. She has a double bottom, extending her entire length, and six water-tight bulkheads. She will have two masts and one funnel, four boilers and triple-expansion engines. A dispatch from Tacoma announces that the ship building industry continues to flourish and that'many new vessels are under way at present. Crawford & Reid have received a contract to build a new tug for Capt. Thomas Grant of Seattle. The tug will be 75 ft. long, 18% ft. beam, and 10 ft. deep. They also have an order for a gasoline tug for the Pacific Cold Storage Co. She will be 55 ft. long, 12 ft. beam, and 6 ft. deep. The Tacoma Ship Building Co. is at work upon two new barkentines and a fast steamer. The Electric Launch Co., Bergen Point, N. Y., launched an electric ambulance launch last week, the gift of Mr. Isaac N. Seligman to St. John's Guild, New York. The launch is the first of its kind made. It is 38 ft. over all and is strongly constructed of oak and cedar. ' The Tietjen & Lang Dry Dock 'Co. has received its new dry dock from Verplancks point on the Hudson and will have it in place at its yard shortly. The new dock is of the balance type and is about 150 ft. in length. It is intended for the use of heavy-draught ocean tugs. A steamer to be known as the City of Haverhill was launched from Kehoe's ship yard, East Boston, Mass., last week for the Haverhill, New- buryport & Boston Steamship Co. Her dimensions are 184 ft. over all, 24 ft. beam and 11 ft. deep. a i