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THE MARINE RECORD. 11 THE PURCHASE OF THE INMAN LINERS. It may require further diplomatic negotiations before the action of the present Congress is ratified in the course recently authorized for the purchase of the Inman Line steamers City of Paris and City of New York, both admittedly being the very choice of Trans-Atlantic ton- nage. Yet, although 90 per cent of the capital in the Inman and International Company is owned by citizens of the United States, these latest greyhounds were built in Scotland and registered in England, while the com- pany ostensibly owning them was, perforce a British company. The yessels were not only built and registered in Great Britain, but were tendered for and accepted as subsidised armed cruisers to the English Admiralty: The idea of the subvention of armed cruisers was evolved in that country because of the sale of the Stirling Cas- tle and the America to the Italians. It was pointed out that vessels of the class of the City of Paris and City of Rome were of the utmost value in war time, and that though the fastest vessels afloat all flew the British en- sign they might at any time, when a war scare arose, be purchased by foreigners from the private individuals who owned them, and it might be that they would be actually used against the power that had constructed them. The Liverpool Journal of Commerce in arecent editor- jal points out that, to remedy this, to prevent the Eng- lish Government having, on threat of war, to buy ves- sels it did not want and could not use in time of peace, it was resolved to make many of the principal merchant- men afloat “armed cruisers.” A retaining fee of 15s per annum per ton gross was to be paid in respect of these yessels, and in consideration of this payment the com- panies which accepted it in respect of their first-class j vessels built them on approved Admiralty designs, so as to enable them not only to carry guns, but also to with- stand fire by efficient subdivision, and by the position of the boilers, engines, and steering gear below the water- line. Not only were the designs of the vessels made in accordance with Admiralty requirements, but the man- ning of the vessels was carried out to suit their ideas. The commander was to be a lieutenant in the Royal Nayal Reserve, and a certain proportion of the crew were also to belong to that body. In addition to this, the companies engaged to hold the vessels at the disposi- tion of the Admiralty, for purchase or charter, on cer- tain agreed terms, and, to put it generally, the compan- ies placed themselves in a position auxiliary to the Ad- miralty, aud their allegiance, in honor at all events, was due to the Admiralty and the Crown to an extent to which commercial enterprises do not always feel them- selves bound to go. Providing that diplomatic negotiations are carried on successfully and these two large steamers are enrolled under the stars and stripes the little annual subsidy of £8,- 000in respect of each vessel goes by the board. In return they will get the $4 per mile for every mile on an eastern EMMONS BLAINE, President and Treasurer. WALTER F. COBB, Vice President. Subsidy Act to American vessels. This amounts to, say $12,000.a voyage, or $144,000. That is £28.800 a year for each vessel, less, we presume, the amount they already earn by carrying eastward mals. This is a distinct gain in the case of the two present vessels of something ap proaching £20,000, or $100,009 a year as long as they are ableto continue running. When they require extensive re- pairs however, the extra cost{of these will begin to cut into the profit, and in the case of the new vessels—not only the two new ones already spoken of, but all future built ships they will have to pay 50 per cent more in America than on the Clyde for construction. Thatis to say, in- stead of custing £350,000 each they will cost £500,000, and reckoning insurance, interest and depreciation, this extra éapital outlay will take away all the advantages gained by the transfer when the vessels are running to their utmost capacity. But interest, insurance and deprecia- ion run on whether a vessel works or is idle, whilst sub- sidy is only paid for a vessel at work. In this strain the tLiverpool Jowrnal of Commerce appears to think that the United States are playing a losing game allround and future developments will only decide such to be the case. Now whether, it is by purchase or otherwise, the United States desire to have a merchant marine com- mensurate with the importance of the country, foreign built tonnage only inso far as it is a stepping stone to accomplish this end is or will be only permissible’for over- sea tonnage, and while the coast and lake vessels are now equal to the best comparative tonnage afloat, ocean tonnage must and will be brought up to the same stan- dard. a Capr. JAMES REID, the well-known Bay City wrecker has released the Minnehaha from the rocks at Detour. She is in fair shape, has been well patched up, and has left Detour for Cleveland in tow of the Sea Gull. She will be thoroughly repaired by the Ship Owners’ Dry Dock Co. Work on the Golden Fleece, ashore off Dunkirk N. Y,, is not being hurried. She is in good shape and can be released at the captain’s convenience. The tug Geo.H.Parker, after lying for some years at Algonac, has been bought by Capt. Reid and taken to Bay City, where she is receiving a thorough rebuild, a new boiler, steam. steerer, and overhaul of her engine, and is now ready for service, valued at $22,000: She is about the size of the Castle and has plenty of power. oo ro Tux enterprise shown by Seaboard of New York in illustrating the wreck chart of the Great Lakes recently published by the United States Weather Bureau is highly commendable. This chart with the mass of data so closely worked up is we understand the first wreck chart. of the lakes ever printed andit is probably the only wreck chart ever published concerning any waters of the United States. THE BEST PROPELLER WHEELS, In an article on Propeller Wheels, the Marine Engineer has the following to say on this important question: “The subject of the best propeller for steamers of various draft and midship section is still as far as ever from scieutific solution, It is humiliating to read that, as a matter of coruse, in fitting Government vessels with propellers it is recorded that » certain gunboat will first be tested with her own twin propellers and then with the propellers of a sister gunboat, If this proves to be of any importance as a comparison, why should not the various tests go on indefinitely? Much attention has lately been drawn to the advantages of a propeller with adjustable blades, which may be reversed without reversing the engines, and much as may be the advantages of a propeller which may be reversed instantaneously from the bridge with- out affecting the speed of or jarring the engines, we think that an equal advantage may accrue from the use of such pro- pellers from the power they afford to adjust the pitch of the screw to that exact amount which proves in practice the best for the higest speed in certain conditions. In fact, if the design of a propeller issu much a matter of guess or adjust- ment it might pay well to test steamers with an adjustable propeller merely to ascertain with what pitch the best results are obtained, and then to cast the fixed propeller according to such acquired information. Unfortunately this covers only the question of pitch, and still leaves the diameter and area of blades « definite and unexperimented—upon quality. It is hoped, however, that the ingenuity of marine engi- neers might be equal to designing a test propeller in which even these qualities might be adjustable. We should then be much nearer to arriving at the knowledge of the laws which ought to govern such proportions. We haye, however, heard rumors from a good authentic source that the ordinary open bladed propellers are quite out of the case for best efficiency, when compared with turbine pumps invented as propelling engines. We were astonished to hear that the average slip of ordinary open bladed propellers, as compared with their theo- retical efficiency, averaged as much as 50 per cent. We should like to hear what any of our readers can say upon this subject as a result of their practical experience. If it be so, we say that it is a disgrace to our engineering proficiency in the design of this apparatus until the slip is brought down as low as 15 or 20 percent. One great point in which a turbine propeller will have a great advantage over an cpen-bladed propeller is that the draft of water to the turbine propeller may be induced from the sides or from underneath the hull of the vessel, that is in any direction other than that of the motion of the hull as taken by an open screw propeller, and we understand that this point in giving unbroken water, scores in itself a great advantage to the propeller so fed. We are waiting with interest further developments of the effic- iency of turbine propellers, as compared with open bladed screws. a —— THE loss to vessel interests through the flood in Chicago River is now estimated at $600,000. W. I. BABCOCK, Manager, O. R. SINCLAIR, Secretary and Asst. Treas. Chicago Ship Building Company, STEEL STEAM-SHIP BUILDERS. COLEHOUR, ILL. rorst Street and Calumet River, INCORPORATED 1794 ompany of North America, $3,000,050.00 9,273,220.00 lasurance C CAPITAL, Paid up in Cash, - - ASSETS, - - CHARLES PLATT, President. WILLIAM A. PLATT, e-President, EUGENE L, ELLISON, 2nd Vice-President. GREVILLE E FRYER, Sec’y & Treas. JOHN H. ATWOOD, Assistant Secretary. Lake Marine Department. GEORGE L. McCURDY, Manager, CHICAGO, ILLS. a Michigan Fire and Marine Insurance Co,, $ 400,000 ASSETS, 2 2 : = 900,000 LOSSES PAID, over - a ‘. 1,500,000 PD. WHITNEY, Jr., President. EUGENE HARBECKE, Secretary. i ill transact a Hull and Cargo business on the Lakes during oy tea Algal the season of 1892. PROMPTLY PAID, INSURE IN A STRONG HOME COMPANY. DETROIT, MICH, MARINE AND INLAND INSURANCE. ATLANTIG MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, (ORGANIZED 4842.) Office, 64 Wall Street, NEW YORK. st Marine and Inland ‘Transportation Risks and will issue Policies making Loss Payable in England. Assets over $10,000,000 for the Security of its Policies. The profits of the Company revert to the assured, and are divided annually upon the remiums terminated during the year; thereby reducing the cost of insurance. For such diy- idends, certificates are issued bearing interest until ordered to be redeemed, in accordance with the charter. J. D. JONES, Prest. Insures again: W.H.H. MOORE, Vice-Prest. A, A. RAVEN, 2nd Vice-Prest. J. H. CHAPMAN, Secy. CAPITAL $300,000. The Marine Bank Company, Incorporated in 1891 under State Law. CLEVELAND, OHIO. Successors to E. B, HALE & CO., established in 1852. DIRECTORS: H. ©. RANNEY, Vice-President, W. B, HALE, Cashier. THOS. FITZPATRICK. THOS, H. WHITE, MARTYN BONNELL correspond with an, oue whose present Banking relations are for any reason, »ropose to open a new account. W. H. BARRISS, President. C, E, BURKE. Would be pleased to meet or not entirely satisfactory, or who, » We promise to make every effort to make ouy Bank a safe, agreeable and profitable place to do business.