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Mook KR ol oN OR ee 15 namely, Republic, 15,378 tons; Cretic, 13,507 tons; Canopic, 12,096 tons; and Romanic, 11,394 tons, making a total of 17 vessels, all fitted with twin screws and having a total tonnage of 249,037. But to return to the pamphlet under notice. It is pointed out at the outset that the company owns thirty-one steamers aggregating well over 350,000, constituting one of the largest shipping organizations in the world. Reference is also made to the Baltic, Celtic and Cedric, before mentioned, which are the three largest steamers in the world, and it is further stated that the Baltic, which was launched in Novem- ber last, will sail on ner maiden trip to New York on June 20. She will have accommodation for over 3,000 passengers and is designed on similar lines to the Celtic and Cedric. A capital description is given of the Queen of the Atlantic, the Oceanic, with photographs of the interior arrangements of the ship. Special chapters are devoted to the second and third class accommodation respectively, and these markedly indicate the wonderful progress that has been made in recent years in interior fittings in these classes. A feature in regard to the illustrations is that several are arranged like canvases on easels embellished with a white star, and three especially in- teresting views are those of the Baltic “on the stocks,” “leaving the ways,” and “launched.” Intending passengers will find much pleasure in perusing the pamphlet, which will be shortly issued to the public. According to German advices the Hamburg-American Line is not going to be outdone by the White Star Line in possess- ing the largest vessel afloat, for it is said that they have commissioned the Vulcan Shipbuilding yard at Stettin to build a twin screw passenger steamer which will surpass in size any ship hitherto constructed. The new vessel is to be 710 ft. long, 75 ft. wide and 54 ft. deep. The displacement will amount to 34,920 tons and will register 25,000 tons gross. Accommodation will be provided for 1,200 cabin passengers and 2,388 steerage passengers, and the vessel will be capable of attaining a speed of 17 knots per hour. The official dimensions of the new White Star liner Baltic, which holds the record at present, 1s: Length 725 tt, 0. ini, 75. ft. broad; 49° it, deep, gross tonnage 24,000 tons, capacity for cargo 28,000 tons, dis- placement at load draught, 40,000, and passenger accommoda- tion 3,000. It will be noted that the new German boat is in- tended to be 5 ft. deeper and have a gross tonnage of 1,000 tons over the Baltic. In consequence of the frequent réports of ice floes and bergs in the Atlantic in unusual quantities, an important decision has been arrived at by tne White Star, the Cunard and the other principal lines of mail and passenger steamers sailing from Europe to New York. The Lane route, usually followed by these vessels, is for the time being to pe diverted to the south- ward and the tracks will be: West bound from May 24, cross meridian 47 w. in latitude 41 n. East bound: From May 10, cross meridian 47 w. in latitude 40.10 n. The Great. Western railway has just established a record in the journey from the west of England by bringing the American mails from Plymoutn to London, a distance of 247 miles, in 3 hours 47 minutes, or seven minutes better than any previous performance. The mails were landed from.the Kron- prinz Wilhelm at 8.57 a. m. and at 9.23 the special train left for Paddington. A stop was made at Bristol to drop a portion of the mails and change engines, and the train reached the Great Western Metropolitan terminus at I.10 p. m., the entire distance having been covered at an average speed, in- cluding stoppage, of slightly over 65!4 miles per hour. II mention this fact to show that at last a serious effort is being made on this side in tnis and in other directions to make as perfect as possible the arrangements for handling the foreign mails, about which there have been so many complaints of late. By a majority of twenty-six the house of commons on Fri- day night passed the second reading of Mr. Plummer’s light- house bill, which proposes to transfer to the board of trade the management of the lighthouses, etc., of the British Isies, and also to abolish light dues hitherto borne by shipping, making the lighting of the coasts a charge upon the national exchequer. This same bill was defeated last year by 11 votes. This is a distinct victory for the ship owners who have long agitated for the removal of this iniquitous tax, but whether the bill will make further progress in this parliament is doubt- ful. The fact that the house of commons has approved the principle of the bill should, in the event of failure this session, ensure its being brought forward in the near future as a gov- ernment measure. SCOTCH SHIPPING LETTER. Glasgow, May 12, 1904.—Some months ago the engineering firms connected with the ship building industry in the north of England gave notice of a reduction of wages, both in time and piece rates, equal to 10 per cent. This was about the time reductions were being arranged in ship yard wages in Scotland as well as in the north of England, but elsewhere the wages of machinists were not touched. The north of England ma- chinists after several meetings declared they would not ac- cept the reduction and in the ordinary course the matter would have gone to conference with probable end in a rupture. But in the meantime came the little boom in ship building to which reference has been made in previous letters and the en- gineering employers were able to withdraw the notice of re- duction, which they did ostensibly for six months. It is not likely they would have revived it, seeing that while the ship yards are so well employed there is certainty of continued em- ployment in the marine engine ships. But the men have not waited, and taking time by the forelock have intimated to the employers that they now want an advance of 2s per week in time rates and 5 per cent in piece rates. This has taken the engineering employers very much aback, for while it is true the marine shops are busy it is also true that a great many, perhaps most, of the contracts for marine engines, like those for the hulls, have been taken at merely nominal prices and on long credits. There is no profit in the business and it can- not afford an increased charge in respect of labor. The fed- erated employers have therefore informed the men that the state of the trade does not warrant the advance asked for. But it is too much to expect that this response will be tacitly accepted, though whether it will become a federation question or not cannot yet be seen. According to the constitution of the Federation of Engineering Employers the local associations have the power to arrange local wages and only appeal to the federation when they are unable to come to an arrangement with the local branches of the Trade Unions. It so happens that there is a considerable demand for machinists outside the marine shops and that is what stiffens the back of the trade union, The turbine steamer Princess Maud built by William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, for the Larne and Stranraer Steamship Joint Committee ran her trial trip on the Firth of Clyde 1 few days ago. There was a large company on board. The Princess Maud is a handsome vessel and her internal fittings are of a complete character. She has large accommodation for first and third-class passengers . Her principal dimensions are: Length 300 ft.; breadth, 40 ft.; and depth, 24 ft. 6 in. to promenade deck. <A stiff north-westerly wind blew over the Firth during the trial and the stability of the vessel was thor- ougly tested. Throughout the passage she behaved admirably, maintaining an even keel all day with practically no vibration on deck or in the cabins. Mr. Peter Denny said the Stranraer and Larne run for which the Princess Maud was intended was now the shortest one between Scotland and Ireland. Four- teen or fifteen years ago the joint proprietors gave his firm an order for the paddle-steamer Princess Victoria, a steamer