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176 possibility, if not probability, ofa defection among Democratic repre- sentatives that, combined with Repub- lican opposition, would vote the mea- sure down. While a number of Re- publican senators think the measure would be passed by the upper body, if it reached the senate, it prob- ably would be subjected to a bitter and prolonged attack, although it seems unlikely that it would be the object of a filibuster. The political- parliamentary situation appears to make the latter improbable. It seems to be generally desired by both par- ties in congress to complete national defense and other necessary legisla- tion and adjourn before the national conventions begin in June, and rather than to render this impossible by filibustering, the bill apparently would be allowed to pass the senate. Storage Battery for Emer- gency Lights In compliance with the regulations of the steamboat inspection service of the department of commerce, requir- ing auxiliary lights, with an inde- pendent source of power, on passenger vessels, a number of such vessels at Baltimore, Md., have been equipped with emergency lights, using the emergency radio storage battery as an auxiliary source of power to oper- ate their emergency lights. The auxil- iary power furnished for the wireless telegraph is thus made to serve for emergency lighting. In order that the storage battery shall be properly charged, a charging panel board has been designed by Radio Inspector R. Y. Cadmus, of the bureau of navigation, department of commerce, which apparently meets these requirements. The board is so equipped as to disconnect automatic- ally the charging circuit when the battery has been charged. Should the lights be used for purposes other than emergency, the sangamometer (the instrument used to show the amount of current put in or taken out of a storage battery) can be so set as to cut out these lights when the discharge reaches a certain point, thereby re- serving the necessary emergency sup- ply. The board is equipped with over- load and underload automatic switches to prevent excessive charging. It is simple in construction and compara- tively inexpensive. Should an acci- dent require the use of emergency lights an officer or wheelsman on the bridge throws one switch or presses a push button on the steering head of the wheel. Emergency lights are placed in the main passageways; in the passageways THE MARINE REVIEW leading to the staterooms; over the doors leading to the decks; “on the stairways leading to the lifeboat decks; on the boat deck in immediate vicin- ity of lifeboats and rafts, and the aux- iliary current is also connected with the signal lights of the vessel. These lights are arranged on three circuits, one for each deck, leading to the charging panel. These circuits consist of two parallel wires run through a lead cable. Should one of the lamps get broken the circuit is SS SS ws Ss HE construction work at the | Pacific terminals, Panama canal, which includes the construction of the 1,000-foot dry dock, "a coaling plant and new wharves and piers, as well as the operation or the: Sosa = Hill quarry for “the east breakwater has been pushed forward during the dry season as much as possible. Considerable delay has been experienced on account of the non-delivery of material ordered from the United States. In order to hasten the work the force has been greatly increased and in many instances two and three shifts have been worked. It is the intention to have the dry dock and the entrance basin in such shape that it will be possible to break the cofferdam and allow water to come against the dock gate within a short time. In order to allow this, work is being advanced rapidly on the reinforced concrete pontoons on the floor of the dry dock, the installation of the green-heart on the dock gate, the placing of the flooding and sluice valves, and all other work below water level. Progress on the instal- lation of the dry dock pumping plant has been very satisfactory and the condition of the valves and bulkheads as well as the dock gate, will be seek that work can be continued in the pump well and machinery rooms even after the flooding behind the coffer- dam. The work on the unloader and re- loader wharves for the coaling plant at Balboa has been pushed, employing three shifts on nearly all items of the work. A great deal of difficulty has been experienced in placing the foun- dations of these wharves in the vicin- ity of and through the cofferdam, and it has been necessary to use ane in blasting and excavating the rock this vicinity. a The pourin crete in the os a of ae ee wharves is going on, as well as ex- Cavation for the wharf anchorages The unloader towers of the coal aed not interrupted. On the freight three-ampere fuses are used; 6 passenger deck five-ampere fys used, and on the boat deck 10-am, fuses are used. In the event of accident should the water reach freight deck circuit the lower ‘ will blow, allowing the lights on upper decks to remain lighted. T auxiliary lights can be so placed a illuminate the lifeboats, so tha case of accident light is provide the last where most needed. @ ling plant are already erected 4 during the past month the erection of the reloader towers and the tra former house has been under way. — The masonry work for the founda- tions for the extension of the entra pier on the north side of the entrance basin, which was authorized early the year, has been completed and thi erection of the superstructure has been begun. Fender piles are bei driven in place. The work on wharves and piers con- sists of completing docks Nos. 13 and 14 and pier No. 18. The placing of anchors behind docks Nos. 13 and — 14, and the placing of fill has engaged a large force. Upon the recetpt of the steel framework for the shed on pier No. 18, all items of work have — advanced, and it is estimated that ina few days the south half of the pier, facing No. 1 slip, will be ready for use. The work has consisted of erec- tion of the steel work, the building of the concrete walls of the shed and — offices, the installation of piping and S conduits, painting the exposed steel work, placing the tile roofing, and placing anchors through the piet, preparatory to paving the middle pote tion of the pier floor. | a The work around the shops has — consisted principally of placing fill, — grading off the yards, and the install- ing of the permanent roads and tracks. Sosa Hill quarry, which has been ~ operated for the past six months on account of the east breakwater im Limon bay, has produced 430,000 cubic yards of rock. Six shovels have — worked on the two levels for eight hours per day until the last two months, when the number of shovels — was reduced to four. The city of Philadelphia has leased — every inch of wharf or bulkhead in its possession, receiving $180,000 in am- nual rentals. The Pennsylvania rail road has taken pier No. 16, at a rental — of $20,000 a year.