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May, 1909 in length and of about 15,000 tons, and, in addition to large cargo carrying capacity, can accommodate about 1,700 passengers. She is 'of the 'highest type of modern 'constrict:on, with double-bottom extending the length of the vessel and numerous water-tight bulkheads. She has in ad- dition to other equipment the latest and most improved Marconi system of wireless telegraphy and submarine signalling apparatus. The arrangement of her propelling machinery is notable in that it con- sists of a combination of reciprocat- ing engines low pressure tur- bine, an entirely new departure in marine engineering, driving three pro- with pellers. The first class dining Saloon 1s sit- uated on the saloon deck and has seating accommodation for 212. per- sons. The reading, lounging, smok- ing and other first class public rooms are situated on the upper promenade deck. The second class' saloon is on the middle deck, extends the whole width of the vessel' and seats 264 persons. The smoking room is on the upper promenade deck, while the library and other rooms are situated on the lower. The third class dining room is on the upper deck ait. The furnishings are unusually handsome throughout the vessel. CHICAGO FIRE BOATS. The new fire 'boats Joseph Medill and Graeme built for the City of Chicago by the Manitowoc Dry Dock Co. from the designs of Mr. OW: I> Babcock,' engineer "and naval architect, of New York, have finally been completed and gone into service and have demonstrated, at two or three large fires on the river 'bank, notably at the.burning of the Illinois Central elevator recently, what very successful fire fighting machines they are. Considerable criticism of the boats has been heard, however, and it must be admitted that much of it has been justifiable up to a late date, for one of the first requisites in a fire boat is reliability in service and since last fall there has been a con- stant series of break downs and acci- dents on both boats. The general impression, 'however, that this has been 'because of the fact that the boats were electrically pro- pelled, and that all their troubles have been due to the electric propulsion, which was an experiment which *there- fore should never have been tried, is entirely erroneous. As a matter of _ fact, the electric propulsion has been Stewart, full. "TAE Marine REviIEw Cuicaco Fire Boat 1n ActTION, a. StTedt .success tfom the start, has never given the slightest trouble or delayed the boats in any way what- ever, and the handling of the boats from the pilot house with the motor- driven twin screws has been perfect and, exceeded alll expectations... That a generator in one 'boat did. break down 'at one time does not affect this: statement, as the accident meant no more than would the breaking of a shaft in an ordinary engine, which is liable to happen at any time. As is well known, the boats are operated by Curtis condensing tur- bines, 'which drive 'both the centri- fugal fire pumps ind the electric gen- erators which furnish the current to the motors driving the twin screws. Both in the design and construction of this machinery the General Electric Co. have (been, tg say the least of it, extremely careless. It is evident that everything depends on the continuous operation of the turbines when once started, for any stoppage, no matter how brief, stops either the motors or the pumps, whichever are in service at the time... These turbines run at a high speed, 1,800 R. P. M., and, when operating the motors, the whole load may be thrown off or on. instantly. These conditions are ¢ommon enough in such apparatus and should have given no, trouble whatever, yet no suf- ficient provision was made, in either Cuicaco Fire Boat 1n ACTION.