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e/o Detroit Dry-Dock Co., Detroit, Mich., Dear Sir •- In reply to your Letter of the I8th inst. inquiring about the results of the Howden System of Forced Draught now in use on our S. S. "Virginia", wii l say that since it has been in use we have had steady steam, burned slack coal, which costs us $1.10 per ton less than the coal we were forced to use before v*e introduced the Howden System. At tiie same time >ve applied the Forced Draught we also supplied the "Virginia" with new Condensing apparatus built by the Knowies Co., which gives a better vacuum requiring much less steam to operate than the original plant supplied by the builders. Our saving in the price of coal has been 50 o/o. We attribute 33 1/3 o/o of the saving to the Howden System, in enabling us to burn a cheaper grade of coal and maintain steady steam. The oalnace or 16 2/3 o/o we credit to the Condensers made by the Knowies Co.j we are so well satisfied with the results on the "Virginia" that we have since fitted the "Atlanta" with the Howden System and are now putting it in the "City of Racine," and "Indiana." 5