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YACHTING. PELE - GERMAN \ EMPEROR’ S YACHT METEOR. The new cutter Meteor, for the German Emperor, was successfully launched at Glasgow on May 13. She was built from the plans of the eminent yacht designer, Mr. W. I. Watson, (the consulting naval architect to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution) by Messrs. D. & W. Henderson. In appearance she gives one the idea of a superb yacht, modeled on lines which might be termed a compromise of the leading points of excellence of the Valkyrie III. and the former yacht Meteor. The new yacht measures some 100 feet over all, and 89 feet on the load water-line, and she has a breadth of 25 feet at the deck height, and 24 feet 6 inches at the water. line. Her mast of Oregon pine is about 100 feet in length, and her topmast and gaff about half that length. She has a cylindrical steel boom measuring 108 feet in length. The christening ceremony was performed by Lady Lonsdale. A view of the yacht shortly before launching is shown in the accompanying illustration. The new yacht took part on June 4th, in the London Yacht Club race, and judging from her performance on that occasion, she is the most speedy cutter yacht ina light wind that has ever been turned out in Great Britain, and some yachting experts claim that in.a blow she will prove herself a dangerous rival to any racing craft afloat, being a considerable improvement on the Valkyrie III. She has the largest sail-spread ever put onasingle sticker, her sail area being much greater than that of the Valkyrie III. Her overhand is very like that of the latter. The course was the usual one at the mouth of the Thames, and is about 50 miles. The wind was light and variable, but she made the course in 6:33:50, the Britannia coming in next in 6:47:07. —- USE FOR THE LACHINE RAPIDS. The Lachine Rapids of the St. Lawrence are at last to be utilized. For some time past work has been carried on by the Lachine Rapids Hydraulic Company upon a large wing dam which runs out for more than a thousand feet into the St. Lawrence River. A fall of water is secured by means of this dam sufficient to de- velop at the low water season 15,000 horse power. This water power is to be transformed into electricity. Upon the dam a power house will be built which will run its entire length and show an unbroken interior of 1,000 feet long. ‘The basement of this will be occupied by the water wheels from the Stillwell-Bierce & Smith Vaile works at Dayton, O. The main floor will contain the dynamos, of which there will be twelve, each of 1,000 horse power or 12,000 horse power in all. They will be of the General Mlectric Company’s latest multi- phase type,and will generate current for transmission to Montreal for use therein lighting the city, operating the street railroads, and in any and all other lighting and power purposes. Apart from the fact that this plant will exceed in interest any yet installed, the con- tract for this electrical installation is the largest ever placed at one time for eleccrical dynamos. It is also worthy of note that, although it was completed for by every prominent electrical manufacturer in the world, the superiority of the American apparatus kept the order with home manufacturers. rt ee THE SEA SERPENT |IS.DEAD. The Sault Ste. Marie News relates the thrilling ad- venture of John Brasser and brother, of Sugar Island, which occurred a few weeks since. Mr. Brasser was crossing Little Rapids in’a small boat, when he noticed an object in the water a short distance away which ap- peared to be a drowned man. He rowed towards it, but on nearer inspection it proved to be a living: creature about fifteen feet long, which began swimming toward him. He put the boat about and rowed for shore, close- ly pursued by the apparition, which he says followed him into shallow water and then turned tail. Mr. Brasser and his brother shortly afterward returned to the place with a rifle, and once more found the monster, which again showed fight. After a short skirmish they gotashot at it. The animal raised its head several THE MARINE RECORD. feet above the water, then fell over on its side and dis- ‘appeared. Both men are positive they killed the serpent. The monster was described as dark brown in color. As closely as he can estimate, its head was eighteen inches long and tapered off to about four inches at the end of the nose. Its head on top appeared to be'twelve inches thick: Its eyes were at the extreme sides of the head and over them two bony protuberances stuck out about three inches. ‘The animal had a mouth similar to a serpent. The body was about twenty inches in diameter, and pointed at the tail. It was about fif- teen feet in length and in swimming had a sinuous movement. —_— ED —e STUCK ON THE WAYS. ~ Secretary Herbert will not advertise for bids for the construction of a torpedo cruiser in-accordance with the the act of June 30, 1890, appropriating $350,000 for a ves- sel of 750 tons displacement, having a speed of ‘not less than 23 knots per hour. The department at the time was tinable to find anyone willing to build a ship in ac- cordance with the provisions of this act and the money has remained unexpended in the Treasury Department. Since he began his emergency preparations coincident with the new departure in the administration’s policy with regard to Venezuela, Secretary Herbert has been strengthening the navy as much as possible, and_in line with this course he gave consideration to the act author- izing the construction of the vessel above referred to. The matter was referred to the chiefs of the Bureaus of EMPEROR WILLIAM’S YACHT METEOR. Construction and Repair and Steam Engineering, and it is their report which has caused the Secretary to aban- don the idea of building the vessel urless Congress agrees to make certain modifications in the act author- izing her.. The question referred to the bureaus by the Secretary was as to what modifications, if any, should be made in the plans and specifications prepared for her construction in order to that an efficient vessel might be built. The report of the bureaus states that a vessel of this class can now be built at a very much lower priee than was possible at the date of the act of June 30,1890. They are of the opinion that there is a possibility that if again advertised bids might be re- ceived for such a. craft at a price within the limit fixed by the act. The bureaus also submitted these three alternative propositions, neither of which can ke adopt- ed by the Department without the consent of Congress: That the limit of cost be increased to $400,000, thus pro- viding for the construction of a vessel of 750 tons dis- placement and 23 knots speed. That the speed require- ment be reduced from 23 to 22 knots, thus providing for a torpedo cruiser of 750 knots speed, with limit of cost fixed at $350,000. That the the displacement be reduced from 750 tons to 350 tons, the limit of cost reduced to $300,000, and the speed increased to 25 knots. It is not expected that Secretary Herbert will take any action in the matter at present, but will submit a recommen- dation to Congress in his next annual report.—Army and Navy Journal. _- 0-0 At Sheboygan the contract for dredging at the’ new city waterworks intake has been let to the Sheboygan Dredge & Dock Co. A PIECE OF IRON 2, 000 YEARS OLD. S. 'T. Wellman, the ‘well known metallurgist, of: the Wellman-Seaver Engineering Co., Cleveland, has a portion of a round bar of iron—and a few like pieces are held in the United States—that anteddtes the Christian era by two or three centuries. 1 which had been originally hammered into plates,~ “and was deeply rusted from age, was found a few years ago by Dr. Karl Humann, in the ruins of the Temple Artemis Leucophryne, at Magnesia, Asia Miner. ‘Dr. Humann sent it to Hallbauer, in Germany, and the latter made from a portion of it a memorial tablet. This was presented to Bismarck in April, 1894. It bore this inscription, in German: “Bor-you, Prince Bis- marck, the iron chancellor, Hermongenes forged thi iron at Magnesia, 200 B. C. Humann found it in the Temple of Artemis after 2,000 years and sent to Hall- | bauer, who gave it the form in which it shall bear wit- ness that your deeds shall outlive millenia.”” At the time of the presentation to Bismarck, Stahl and Hisen gavea photographic reproduction of the plate and an account of the discovery of the iron. The Temple of Artemis, one of the most magnificent of ancient monuments, was Te-_ built about 300 B. C., though by some the date is put at 200 B. C. ‘The metal is described as approximating steel — in its composition, though closely akin to malleable iron. It was made at low temperature and great care was nec- cessary in the forging. It was found rather difficult ‘to roll the pieces that were preserved as relics, these hav- ing a diameter of about % in. One analysis showed bs carbon, 0.20 per cent; phosphorus, 0. 016 per cent;. iron, 92.71 per cent. Another gaye carbon 0.23 per cent; phosphorus, 0.0223 per cent; sulphur, a trace, with no distinguished amount of man- ganese Or silicon. An analysis in the labratory of Prof. Ledebur showed 1.01 per cent of slag, 0.025 per cent of phosphorus, and 0.061 per cent of carbon. ee SSRERES Ma Ce eee MACHINERY EXPORTS. There isa steady, if not rapid, increase in the “ exports of American machinery, says the Iron Trade Review. The Treasury Department sta- _tistics for the nine months ending March 31 show ; that machinery valued at $12,897,897 was ship- ped from the United States for foreign coun— tries in that period,as compared with $11,209,428 worth in the corresponding period of the pre- ceding fiscal year. The most noteworthy in- crease is in exports to the United Kingdom : and other European countries. To the United — Kingdom machinery valued at $2,469,647 was, shipped in the period named, against $1,736, 024, in the nine months ending March 31, 1895; to Germany, the amount was $710,233, against $351,133; to France, $304,448, against $242,021; to “other Europe,” $1,610,703,against $538,472. Adding all up,and the total is $5,095,031, as against $2,867,650 in the corresponding’ nine months of the previous year. or an increase in machin- ery shipments to European countries of nearly 80 per. cent. Another conspicuous increase was in thecase of — Mexico, the totals for the two periods being $1,757,971. na and $1,278,076 respectively. African shipments, chiefly for mining operations, increased from $508,418 to $876,- 921. Cuba and Brazil fell away, the former from $1,570,. 684 to $324,277, and the latter from $1,778,413 to $908.799, Reciprocity abolition is plainly in evidence in these Be figures. -_e EEE —___ ON SALE AT THE RECORD OFFICE. Beeson’s Marine Directory for the season of navigation 1896 is a valuable publication and very much superior in every way to any of the previous publications. In- addition to containing the names of all vessels on the’ Great Lakes, the dimensions and information as toclass, when built, where built and name of owner or manager are given. In addition to this, there is a vast amount of. general information relative to the lakes and lake country. ‘I'he book contains many illustrations of lake’ vessels, scenes on the lakes and of men prominently connected with the maritime community.—Duluth News- ‘Tribune. _ LED —___ A new lighthouse pier will be built at Church’s Point, — St. Mary’s River, to replace the one carried away by ‘the. ice last spring.