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COMPOSITE vessels, mentioned as a special feature among- the many different types of vessels constructed by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, have two excellent examples in the Palmer and Livingstone built for the Percheron Steam Navigation Company and Michigan Navigation Company, in 1889 at a cost of $ 175,000 each and are rated in Inland Lloyds Al*, 1890. Their efficiency in speed and cargo carrying is equal to that of steel steamers of their dimensions, and it is believed they will hold their rating longer. The Fayette Brown, E. M. Peck and S. R. Kirby, owned by the Northwestern Transportation Company, and Capt. E. M. Peck, for whom the wooden sheathed steel ship Harvey H. Brown was recently built, are typical of the best class of lake steamers. In addition to these are the composite steamers Susan E. Peck, Manchester and John Owen, owned by different companies. In several accidents, strandings, etc., this class of vessel has shown its superiority over the steamer built of ordinary steel. While accidents are liable to happen to any boat, the stability of this type is unquestioned. However, steel boats seem to have come to stay. Maryland was the first of the great steel freight carriers. She was a cargo record breaker and, excepting the E. C. Pope, had probably the widest reputation of any lake freight boat ever built. She was peculiar in that her engines were nearly amidships, and more than peculiar in that she carried 3,475 net tons on 16 feet draught, her largest load being 4,103 net tons of ore from Escanaba to South Chicago. She was built in 1890 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, and is the flag ship of the Inter-Ocean Transportation Company. Her double bottom gives capacity for 1 200 tons water ballast. Length over all is 334}4 feet, keel 316, beam 42 and depth 24 feet. She has triple expansion engines 22, 35 and 56 inches by 44 inches stroke, indicating about 1,400 horse power. Two cylindrical boilers 14 feet, 2 inches by 11 }4 feet furnish steam at 160 pounds pressure. The wheel is 13 feet 2 inches diameter and has 16 feet pitch. She has made 13^ miles loaded. Of course the Maryland has the advantage of the deep draft of Lake Michigan, as she runs between Escanaba and South Chicago. If the Maryland was first the E. C Pope was a good second.