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OcTroBER II, 1900. THE MARINE RECORD. oe THE TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYER BAILEY. : Illustrated.) ‘ BUILT BY THE GAS ENGINE & POWER CO. AND CHARLES go) 0: Ty \SEABURY™ & 'CO., (CONSOLIDATED )— howe i NEARLY “COMPLETED. Tn consequence of the preliminary trial and near approach ofithe/official trial trip of the Bailey, the first torpedo boat de- stroyer'to be built in Morris Heights, N. Y., for the govern- ment, we take pleasure in giving the readers of the MARINE RECORD a short description of this vessel accompanied by a half-tone taken froma photograph during a short builder’s trial trip on the Hudson. The contract for the Bailey was awarded the Gas Engine & Power Co. and Charles L, Sea- bury & Co., (consolidated), of Morris Heights, N. Y., July, 1897, and after the Navy Department furnishing the principal ‘dimensions and requirements, the design of the boat was left entirely with the company. The main feature after strength and adaptability were considered, was the speed, which was to be 30 knots per hour. This was a responsiblity that the builders did not hesitate to assume, and well known ex- perts who have examined the plans of the Bailey believe that she will be able to add three knots to the maximum speed imposed. It does not require much of an expert to become of the same opinion when considered that this craft of only 205 feet in length, 19 feet beam and 13 feet depth of hold, and a displacement of 235 tons when on her official trial, will be supplied with machinery that will develop 5,600 horse-pow- er—more than half the horse-power developed by some of our speediest 8,ooo ton trans-Atlantic steamships. The Bailey’s engines are of the four-cylinder triple-expansion type. The diameters in inches for the high, intermediate and low pressure cylinders respectively are 20, 30% and 32, stroke 18 inches, and when developing 5,600 horse-power her propeller wheels will be making about 4oo revolutions. Four Sea- bury water:tube boilers will furnish the steam, each one having’ its own separate smokestack. The working pressure of steam will be 250 pounds to the square inch. The armament will be a powerful one for a boat of this type. It will embrace four 6- pounder rapid-fire guns, and three 18-inch _torpedo discharge tubes. The latter are for Whitehead torpedoes. This is the first craft of this type to be supplied with six-pound guns. The Bailey is practically a seagoing vessel. » She’ will berth 33 men forward and seven officers aft. The officers’ berths are onthe Pallman -plan, folding against the side of the vessel. The bunker capacity is deemed sufficient to enable her to steam three thousand knots at economical speed. In time of war she may be expected to ac- company the battleship fleet, and to serve both asa scout and defense for the heavier vessels. ‘The official trial trip of the Bailey wiil take place some time about the middle of this month, and the event is one that will be watched witha great deal of interest by foreign naval officials as well as American. The trial weights of this vessel must not be under the following figures: Hull, 67.5 tons; machinery, 115 tons; water, io tons; ordnance, 12.6 tons; coal, 20 tons; and equipments, 9 tons. ; The torpedo boat destroyer Stewart and the torpedo boat Wilkes, the contracts for which were awarded the Gas En- gine & Power Co. and Charles L. Seabury & Co., in Septem- ber, 1898, are progressing as rapidly as material is received. These government vessels building by this company, while an important factor, are by no means their greatest industry. » Their steam yacht and naphtha launch business combined is the most extensive in that line of any one con- cern in the United States. The exclusive control of their own modérn and improved designs in naphtha engines, steam engines, and the well-known Seabury water tube boilers, enables them to furnish entire the very best possible _ machinery as well as. hull and cabin work; and to these they have added shops for furnishing, upholstering, decorating, electric lighting, etc., so that any boat built by them bears from keel to truck the impress of their methods, and is characterized in every part by the trustworthy qualities for which their product is especially distinguished. This con- _ cern also does all kinds of repairs, and furnishes all parts of 4 marine machinery. They have the best of winter accom- - modations, including commodious storage basins, inclosed sheds, marine railways, etc. Insurance and brokerage, buying and selling boats and charters on a commission basis at regular rates, are other departments of their busi-: ness. Anything that can be launched in the Harlem,river ' this company have room to lay down and complete in'every | part. sod tay This company’s naphtha launches (the original) ‘float upon the inland waters of the United States more exten- sively than any similar craft known. They are used’ not only for pleasure, but for business purposes, the United States government having purchased upward of one hund- red of them for service in the coast survey, customs, quaran- tine, light-house and engineering departments, and they. are largely employed in the transportation of passengers and light freight, towing of barges, working oyster beds, and, in fact, for almost everything in which a small power boat could be utilized. There are at the present time nearly 3,000 of this company’s naphtha launches in use in this and foreign countries. or oo or TOWING AT SEA. ; We notice continually articles and notices in the American press commenting on the development of towing, both on the Great Lakes and the ocean, and as the question, is fraught with great interest to the shipping community we have made some inquiries as to the methods used and the results. It appears in 1886 two American inventors, one of whom was a master mariner, and the other an engineer brought out a machine which they claimed made it possible to tow a number of barges in exposed situations with safety. The machine was constructed and placed with the consent of the Boston Tow Boat Co. on their steam collier Orion, in February, 1888. It was adopted by the campany, and has remained in use ever since, and proved to be the precursor THE TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYER BAILEY. of some hundred others now in use on the Great Lakes, the Pacific, and the Atlantic. One has even found its way to Europe, and has made it possible for an enterprising Swedish company to tow immense rafts of timber with great economy. An inquiry was made recently from this company, the Ohrvikens Aktiebolag, as to their experience, which now extends over two years. They reply in terse English that they could not do without the machine} as they would not dare 'to run the risk of towing in the old- fashioned way. They also state that they have had the same hawser in use for two years, and see no reason why it should not last a number of years longer. It will be under- stood in a matter like this, while it affects at the moment, a limited number of people, owing to the slight extent that towing is used in Europe, it may result in a radical reduction in freight rates for bulk cargoes. It is quite possible that in the next few years we shall see barges being towed to the coaling stations in the Mediterranean, not to speak of the coast of the United Kingdom. It is quite possible for a steamer to carry 3,000 tons, and to tow three consorts, each carrying 3,000 tons, with very little increased engine power, at a slightly increased coal consumption, and with perfect safety. The Shaw & Speigle towing machine has been shown to handle these immense weights with the skill and tenderness that a skilled whip will handle a team of horses. This simile givés as good an jidea of the working of the machine as we can suggest. It practically gives and takes to the surges of the tows, as the driver keeps the touch of the mouths of his charges. This action is entirely automatic, and renders it possible for a wire hawser to be used on which there is little wear and tear. All practical tugboat men agree that a great deal of energy is saved if a manila hawser can be done away with. The drag of a.heavy manila line in the water alone represents a great loss of power. Which of our shipping men will be enterprising enough to afford us an opportunity of inspecting this new wonder at work? We are now ten years behind America and two behind Sweden, _ and, although it is acknowledged that American capital is . now being invested in English, ocean-going steamers, we would be sorry to see it make an entrance into our home trades. The machine is manufactured by the American Ship Windlass Co., of Providence, R. I., whose celestial-sounding trade mark, ‘‘Providence,’’ is so well known to shipmasters. ~ While refering to them, they must be congratulated on securing an only gold medal for steam windlasses at the Paris Exhibition. Surely this is an award that might have been secured for England.—Liverpool Journal of Commerce. ! ee st ee EASTERN FREIGHTS. tion of the Eastern freight market as follows: Since our last advices the market for steam tonnage has developed a declining tendency in consequence of freer of- ferings of tonnage, to which charterers at Atlantic cotton ports have latterly responded by entire withdrawal from the market, whilst shippers of grain from range of ports, fol- lowing temporary decline in berth rates, have reduced their bids for prompt tonnage. Rates at the Gulf ports have been well maintained, and it appears-probable that charterers for timber will be in the market again at some concession from last rates bid. Time charters appear generally indifferent to further charters, and when compelled to go in the market will not engage themselves for long terms. Coal shipments are the unknown factor on the market; whilst it is conceded that at present freight rates, fresh sales can- not be effected, it is generally supposed that ample purchases, made some time ago, are still uncovered by freight. Should this sup- position turn out to be correct, these ship- ments will be of great value as a steadying quantity in our freight market. felt inincreasing measure, business becom- Distant tonnage is obtainable at much lower rates, but shippers are not anxious to commit themselves for such, > 2 <a A LARGE DREDGE LAUNCHED. | Maryland Steel Co. for the Metropolitan Dredge Co., New York, was launched on Oct. 2 from the ways of the builders at Sparrow’s Point. The dredge was christened Thomas. It is the largest seagoing, self- propelling dredge in this country, and her owners will employ her in dredging the new East Channel of New York harbor, for which they have received the Govern- ment contract. Her dimensions are: Length, 300 feet; beam, 5234 feet; depth of hold, 26 feet. The engines are triple-expansion, with cylinders 10, 28 and 45 inches in diameter, with a piston stroke of 28 inches. The dredging apparatus, which includes a 48-inch centrifugal pump and suction pipe forty feet long, are in the forward part of the dredge. The hull of the Thomas has a sufficient capacity for 28,000 cubic feet of soil, and an hour is the time required to load. —_ rr ANOTHER RACE. Sir Thomas Lipton informed a representative of the As- sociated Press that his challenge wason board the White Star Liner Germanic due at New York Thursday. But he peered allinformation as to its contents to be given out y the New York Yacht Club first. The letter challenging suggests, it is understood, that the race be held in August. ——————e THE introduction of the mechanical stoker for naval pur- poses has been under consideration, it is understood, for some time past, but thus far the various types have not been competitively tested, and the Navy Department feels some hesitation in installing anew departure without more ex- perience in the matter. rr oo H. W. JoHns MFc. Co., too William St., NewYork City, recently secured acontract from the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., Ford City, Pa., for furnishing and applying the Asbes- tos Fire Felt Covering’for their factory No. 3, in which plant they are now installing twelve new boilers and the necessary steam pipes. The contract in question will amount to over $2,000. Be The scarcity of sail tonnage is making itself : One of the two dredges being built by the: j | Messrs, Funch, Edye & Co., New York, report the condi- ing seriously hampered in consequence. |