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MARINE REVIEKW. 11 Method of End-on Launches. As nearly all vessels built in lake ship yards are launched beam-on, there is not so much computation necessary, but the incline of ways, thickness of grease, etc., are figured to a nicety when large steel merchant or naval vessels are launched on tide- water. Experience and guess work are not sufficiently reliable where the safe delivery of a $100,000 or $2,000,000 hull is con- cerned. With mathematics and applied science the time re- quired for a hull to travel from the-blocks to the water can be figured to a second. On tidal waters the launch must take place exactly on time. Preparations are made for it, says the New York Sun, before the keel is laid. 'The incline of ways has to be figured, and it usually is from % to 1 inch to the foot, the heav- ier the vessel the less incline, of course. 'T'he City of Paris had ¥-inch and the Columbia 13-16 of an inch. It was thought the latter would launch in 30 seconds, but it only required 29. Over five tons of tallow was used, and as it was very warm about 1 5 per cent. stearine was mixed with the tallow to keep it from run- ning. 'The weight of the vessel and buoyancy of the water are important factors to be determined. When the vessel is half off the ways, their height from the water and their incline must be sufficient to continue the vessel on the same line of projection. If the vessel is so heavy that her forward part sinks into the water so that the stern is lifted from the ways, a strain is put on the decks amidships, and if, on the other hand, the buoyancy is greater than the displacement, the bottom of the hull is strained amidships. Mr. Sheldon, now with the Globe Iron Works Company, Cleveland, has had a wide experience in launching vessels from Kuropean yards. He says that a simple method to determine if the hull has been strained in launching is to stretch a fine wire from stem to stern, having it fastened at intermediate points. If the hull is strained the wire will part. This is also done some- times before machinery is placed in the hull. When the hour for an end-on launch approaches, most of the props are taken down and the vessel rests on the keel blocks and one or two Sets of stocks at the sides. 'The ways and cradle have been fixed in place and wedges have been adjusted above the cradle and under the poppet blocks on which she rests. Four men take care of four wedges. 'The signal is given and the men drive home the wedges. The vessel is lifted just clear of the keel blocks and restson the ways. Alternate keel blocks are knocked away, beginning at the stern. Another "wedging up" follows, and then all the props at the sides are removed. After a rest the third wedging comes, and then all the keel blocks are knocked down, the word is given, and the planks that hold the cradle to the ways proper at the bow are sawed off, and the vessel starts down to the water. It requires about 600 men and it costs $5,000 to launch vessels like the New York and Columbia. Success of Electric Launches. The success of electric launches was demonstrated by the competitive trial at the world's fair grounds, which resulted in the lagoon transportation contract being given to the Electric Launch and Navigation Company. 'This company has contracts with the Detroit Boat Works for 25 launches and with the Rac- ine Boat Works for a like number. These launches will be 34 feet long and 6 feet beam, and will carry 78 storage cells, each of 125 ampere hours capacity, developing a total energy of 2,250 watt hours. At the trial the Electra ran 10 hours with 25 people aboard, and made a speed of from 9g to 11 miles per hour. The electric launch Corcyra, recently built for John J. Astor, is about the same dimensions of the Electra, and is the first craft of her kind in the country owned by private parties. The Corcyra can run 60 or 70 miles, and is used as a launch for the steam yacht Nourmahal, which has an electric plant, and can charge the launch batteries as she hangs in the davits. The starting and stopping is done with a switch, which can be turned to regulate the speed from 3 to ro miles per hour. The success of this type of launch is assured, but the first cost and expense of storage batteries will confine its use to millionaires for several years at least. Trade Notes. The Bucyrus Steam Shovel and Dredge Company will soon move to South Milwaukee, Wis., where a new plant, to be fitted with entirely new machinery, has been erected. No delay to their work will be caused by the removal. Electricity will be generally used as motive power in the new plant. The Detroit Dry Dock Company presents a handsome glass paper weight, showing the City of Detroit steaming out in the lake in the glass, as compliments of the season to their patrons and friends. 'There is probably no shipbuilding company on the lakes that puts out advertising in as attractive form as this com- pany. R. B. Dear and Winstoe Bros. of Minneapolis will build the new ore dock to be constructed at Two Harbors by the Duluth '& Iron Range Railway Company. The lumber required in the construction of the dock will amount to 6,500,000 feet. 'The structure will be 2,000 feet long and will contain 288 pockets with a capacity of 35,000 tons. 'The work will begin Jan. 2 and will be finished by the opening of navigation. © We are pleased to learn that the Penberthy Injector Com- pany of Detroit, Mich., has been compelled by the rapid increase in their business during the past twelve months to enlarge their factory. 'They are now erecting a new building and also making some changes and improvements in their present factory, which will give them nearly double their present capacity. Dur- ing the past year, they report that sales on their old reliable Pen- berthy injector have been exceedingly large, and also that their new specialty, the safety crank pin oiler,which was only recently placed on the market, has met with a most unprecedented sale. It will be some time before the bids opened at the navy de- partment last week for the construction of the battleship Iowa and armored cruiser Brooklyn will be passed upon, but it is almost certain that the vessels will be built by William Cramp & Sons. Bids submitted by Cramp & Sons, the Union Iron works, and the Newport News company for the Brooklyn were $2,986,- 000, $3,050,000, $3,147,000, and for the Iowa $3,010,000, $3,150,- 000, $3,233,000. The Bath Iron Works submitted their own de- signs for the Brooklyn at a cost of $3,165,000 and for the Iowa at $3,185,000. 'The Cramps made several bids on their own de- signs, one of which contemplates the use of quadruple engines. Do You Want a Photograph of Your Steamer? To accommodate subscribers who are anxious to secure photographs of lake steamers in which they are in any way in- terested the MARINE REVIEW has made a collection and is able to furnish 7x9 photographs, well mounted, of the following steamers at $1 each. Write to the MARINE REVIEW, 516 Perry- Payne building, Cleveland, O.: Sci Arabia, Harlem, Packer, R. A., America, Helena, Petoskey, Averell, W. J., Haskell, W. J., Peerless, Avery, Waldo A., Hall, John E., Parnell, GC. S., Alaska, Hudson, Philadelphia, Albany, Hurd, Jos. L., iPrimee: i Els, Atlanta, Italia, Perrett, J. C., Argonaut, Indiana, Pathfinder (whaleback), Boyce. Mary H., Tonia, Panther, ; Boscobel, Juniata, Pillsbury (engines), Baldwin, S. C., - James, H. R., Pontiac, ; Buffalo, Jewett, H. J., Rochester, Boston, Langdon, Jas. R.. Rosedale, Bieleman, C. F., Lackawanna, Rugee, John, City of Duluth, Louisianna, Russia, City of Rome, Lehigh, Smith, Goy., Caledonia, Lycoming, Saranac, City of Ludington, Lawrence, Syracuse, City of Racine, Manola, Susquehanna, Cayuga, Maruba, Seneca, City of Fremont, MeVittie, A., Sachem, City of Naples, Masaba, Smith, Ed., Chemung, Maryland, Schuyikill, Clarion, Marina, St.Lawrence, (do engines) Conemaugh, Mather, Sam'! (whaleb'k)Scranton, Conestoga, Maytham, Thos., Sheboygan, Shaw, John (schooner), shi Goodrich Line), Manchester Gee eee y Tilley, Sir S. L., Chicago (West'n Tr. Co.),Merrimac, City of Traverse, Minnesota, Tacoma, City of Paris, Manhattan, Tuscarora, -- Codorus, Massachusetts, Thomson, A.D. ,(whaleb'k) Donaldson, Jas. P., Marshall, Sam'1, Tioga, Eddy, John F., Mills, Rob't, Uganda (engines), Egan, W. M., Milwaukee, Viking, Eddy, C. A., Mahoning, Virginia, Fayette, Neosho, Vance, F. L., Foster, Parks, New York, Wheeler, F. W., Florida, Northern King, Wyoming, : Flower, R. P., North Wind, Williams, George F., Gilcher, W. H.., Owen, J. Emory, Wisconsin, Gogebic, Owego, Wixsahickon, Grecian, Owen, Ira H., Wilbur, E. P., Gladstone, Onoko, Westcott, J. W., Grover, M. B., Portage, Washburn, Gilchrist, J. C., Palmer, Thos. W., GET TWO SUBSCRIBERS TO THE MARINE REVIEW AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF THE LIFE AND VOYAGES OF CHRIS- TOPHER COLUMBUS, : oo