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May, 1910 UNITED STATES TORPEDO- BOAT DESTROYER PERKINS. The United States torpedo boat de- stroyer Perkins was launched from the yard of the Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Mass. on April 9,° being christened by Mrs. Larz Anderson, daughter of Com. George H.. Perkins, for whom the boat is named. The principal dimensions follow: Length between perps., 289 ft.; length "TAE. MARINE. REVIEW crew, the remainder being berthed aft. The . machinery spaces occupy the amidship portion of the destroyer, the installation consisting of Fore River- Yarrow water tube boilers. The vessel it fitted with two Curtis reversible ma- rine turbines, 6 ft. in diameter and capable of developing 6,000 H. P. each, at about 600 R. P. M., which will give the vessel a speed of 291%4 knots per hour. It is expected that this speed will be very considerably exceeded. The. Perkins and her sisters are nota- LAUNCHING THE UNITED STATES TorpEDO Boat DESTROYER PERKINS. over all, 293 ft. 10%4 in.; breadth, mold- ed, 26 ft. 414 tons; trial displacement, 742 tons; trial draught, 8 ft. 4 in. Battery: Five 3-in. guns; three 45- cm. torpedo tubes on, deck; two 0.30- caliber automatic guns. The contract was signed on Oct. 1, 1908, and calls for delivery on Sept. 1, 1910. The Perkins is a torpedo boat de- stroyer, one of the three similar vessels at present under construction at the works of the Fore River Shipbuilding Co. for the United States navy. The vessel is flush decked all fore and aft with a topgallant forecastle, giv- ing. a high platform for the forward gun with a good height for conning tower and steering stations while con- tributing to the seagoing qualities of the ship. The captain's and officers' staterooms, wardroom and conveniencés are arranged in the forecastle while' on berth deck immediately below these are quarters for part of the petty officers and ble in being the pioneers of a new en- larged 'type of ocean going destroyer capable of keeping the sea with the bat- tle fleet and it is interesting to note that since these vessels were designed the first class naval powers have followed suit in laying down vessels of similar type. THE LATEST BRITISH DREADNOUGHT.,. With the launch of the Colossus from the yard of Scott's Shipbuilding & En- gineering Co., Ltd., Greenock, on April 9, a notable addition was made to the British navy. This vessel, which comes within the 1909 estimates, represents the highest development of battleship de- sign. Omitting the battleship cruisers of the Indomitable class, the Colossus- is the ninth vessel of the Dreadnought type in the British navy, and with the same exceptions, the first of these to be con- structed on the Clyde. Like the Nep- tune, launched last September, and the - en echelon. 183 Hercules, to be launched next month by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co., Jar- row-on-Tyne, the Colossus has a dis- placement of 20,250 tons, a length of 510 it. a beam of 86 ft, and a: speed of 21 knots. The propelling machinery will consist of Parsons turbines sup- plied with steam from Babcock boilers, the horsepower required being estimated at 25,000. It will thus be seen that the newer vessels represent a considerable increase in all directions over the ori- ginal Dreadnought. -The armament likewise has been im- proved. In gun power she will be su- perior to her forerunners. Thus the ten 12-in. guns with which this class of ves- sel is armed in the British navy will have a length of 50 calibers in the Colossus, as against a length of 45 calibers in the first four Dreadnoughts. In this respect the design follows the precedent set in the Vanguard, Colling- wood, St. Vincent and Neptune. In the arrangement of the guns, however, a noticeable departure has been made in the case of the Neptune and Colossus. Unlike the preceding vessels, in which © only eight of the ten guns are available for a simultaneous broadside, the latest: Dreadnoughts will be able to bring all ten guns into action in this position. To secure this, the increased length of deck has been turned to good account by placing the pair of midship barbettes The three other barbettes are placed, as before, on the center line of the ship, one forward and two aft of the funnels. The secondary ar- mament for repelling torpedo-boat at- tacks consists of sixteen 4.7-in. guns. With regard to her armor plating, it is doubtful if there will be a reduction in weight, as suggested in recent discus- sions, SUEZ CANAL DUES. At length the Suez Canal Co. has made some response to the frequent representations of the British Chamber of Shipping and the different Steamship Owners' Association, and has decided to reduce the rate of dues. This is announced in the weekly cir- cular issued by Messrs. Worms & Co. of Port Said. The announcement is in the following terms: "The Suez Canal Co. propose reducing the rate of dues by 50 centimes on Jan- uary 1 next, making it, therefore, 7.25 f. instead of 7.75 f. per net register ton for laden vessels." British shipowners regard this reduc- tion, however, as far too small in view of the fabulous profits made by. the Canal Co. out of steamers using® the waterway. @