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8 MARINE REVIEW. ' Buffalo Harbor Matters. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. Burraxo, N. Y., Dec. 29.--The dissolution of the Lake Superior, Transit Company, which was announced two or three days ago, may mean what it is announced to mean, a mere conclusion that the component parts of this con- solidation of intecests can be run to better advantage separately, and it may * mean a good deal more. There was always more or less friction in the compa- ny, which was at first made up of the Western, Anchor and Union lines, each contributing as many boats as it pleased, and three years ago the Union line withdrew. Last season it was instrumental in forming the Union Transit Line, which ran fiye boats to Lake Superior. The lake propeller lines are in any- thing but a happy family when co-operation in holding up rates is the question at issue, though the all-rail lines are given most of the credit of rate cutting, The Canadian Pacific so persistently cut west-bound Lake Superior rates last summer that the Northern Steamship Company at last metthem and made a season rate of 42 cents, New York to St. Paul. Buffalo's strenuous objection to the narrowing in of the long breakwater and reducing the outer harbor to about a mile and a half frontage, is already justified by recent developments. Not only has the big syndicate for develop- ing a wide frontage beyond the Tiftt Farm, with the Lackawanna Railroad said to be behind it, been brought to the surface the past week, but the $1,000,000 Gatling gun plant, to be built on the shore still further out, is already a fact, -The Government should drop the small harbor nonsense before it is too late. There is evidence on the quiet that the elevator pool is going to meet with still more outside competition than was developed last season, when about 16,- 000,000 bushels of grain were handled at half rates by wild elevators, with a total handling of 183,000,000 bushels for the season. This is not a very large percentage, but it would not be pleasant to greatly increase the outside busi- ness. The regular charges wouid do well to come down, rather than suffer a very large division. : The underwriters special committee for devising rules governing the con- struction of steel steamers has not begun active work yet. Chairman Sandrock is still busy fixing up season losses, but will soon set about the new problem. It seems rather curious that the Government should order plans to be drawn for imprevements to the harbor at Dunkirk and then withdraw them. The bids were to be opened next Friday. - This may not be a great shipbuilding center, but it is keeping up its end very well this winter. Besides the steel steamer for the Lake Erie line there are four tugs and a large excursion steamer on the stocks. Did the Gilcher Take the North Passage? Epittor MARINE Review: Capt. Samuel Dodd, keeper'of the White shoals light ship, who is now ashore, claims that the steamer Gilcher on her fatal trip passed White shoal between 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and took the north passage. He says he knew the Gilcher very well, and although he may haye been mistaken in the boat, he is strongly of the belief that such is not the case. If Capt. Dodd is right, then the story of the boat breaking in two is certainly out of place, as no sea could make in that pasage,with a north- west wind, to cause her to break in two. Is it not possible that she might have been in collision or struck on the north end of Little Gull island, sprung a leak and foundered afterward in trying to make High island, which would ac- count for the reported find of wreckage on that island by Capt. Neal Gallagh- er. 1 know both of these men, and they are thoroughly reliable. It seems to me it would be well to follow up Capt. Dodd's reports. I will write to Capt. Neal Gallagher to find out what he knows of the wreckage at High island. He resides at St. James, Mich., a postal station on Beaver island. ; E. A. BoucHarp. Cheboygan, Mich., Dee. 26. Annual Meeting of Naval Engineers. Special Correspondence to the MARINE KEVIPW. Wasuineton, D. C., Dec. 29.--The annual meeting of the American So- ciety of Naval Engineers was held in the office of the engineer-in-chief of the navy a few evenings ago. The report of the secretary and treasurer showed the society to be in a flourishing condition with a balance of nearly $1,200 on hand. The membership is now about 400. The election of officers resulted in the choice of Chief Engineer H. Webster as president, Passed Assistant Engineer W. M. McFarland as secretary and treasurer, and Passed Assistant Engineers F. H, Bailey and J. N. Hollis and Assistant Engineer W. W. White -- as members of the council. Passed Assistant Engineer Hollis read a paper of much interest on 'The Influence of the Economy of Auxiliaries on Economical Speed," on the conclusion of which a vote of thanks was tendered him. It is stated at the navy department that Secretary Tracy may award to the Union Iron Works of San Francisco the contract for one of the two war ships, bids for which were recently opened. The bid of this company was slightly higher than that of the Cramps, but the difference allowed for construction, between the east and the west, 3 per cent., would more than wipe out the ex- cess of the Union Iron Works' bids. The contention is strongly urged that the Union company should be given the contract for one of the vessels, under the supposed intention of congress that at least one of them should be built on the Pacific coast. Mr. Scott, president of the Union company, and Mr. Charles H. Cramp, the head of the Cramps, have both been in the city for nd each will exert every influence to secure the contract. Al- some time, a : roe d reasons for dividing the work, the legal side of such a though there are goo move must be considered. Report of Engine Trials of Steamer Pioneer. This trial was made for the purpose of observing the economical working of the machinery, and the run was from Buffalo to the "Dummy"" a distance of 200 miles. The steamer was. light. Indicator cards were taken every hour. Boilers worked with Howden's forced draught, and the fuel used was good quality of lump coal and was weighed on platform scales. The steering s in use during the trial, and the electric light engine was running engine wa eleven hours. The record is as follows: Guages, Fan, Revolution Steam Vacuum Engine Time. Counter. lbs. inches. Revolutions. a 2:46 p.m. 29,385 140 22 148 3:30. 33,075 145 21.25 182 4:00 - 35,088 146 21.25 182 4:30 38,164 149 21.25 162 5:00 40,753 145 21.25 162 b 5:30 43,268 135 21.5 162 6:00 45,845 148 20.70 162 6:35 48 852 152 20.75 181 7:00 51,045 144 21.25 180 e 7:24 58,102 _ 149 Zl 180 7:40 54,496 140 21 181 8:00 56 ,256 147 21 180 8:38 59,602 143 ea 170 9:00 61,478 148 21.20 172 9:30 64,106 146 20.75 175 10:00 66,746 140 21.25 178 10:32 69,473 146 21.5 = aA 11:00 71,887 135 21.5 174 11:34 74,731 144 21.25 176 ASU Bias 1 OBE 135 21.5 175 12:37 80,118 148 21.25 ilevalt TOT 82,753 | 148 2A 174 1:35 85,208 143 21.25 176 2:15 88,724 147 21.25 168 2:45 91,222 185 21.75 194 3:30 95,072 145 21 Sn 4:03. 97,890 140. 21 175 d 5.22 104,768 146 21.5 170 a--Passed Buffalo light. -- - b--Steam ran up to 146 in five minutes. c--Abreast of Long point. d--Abreast of "Dummy."' During the run from Buffalo to Long point, the H. P. valve gear was linked up 3% inches, the I. P.1 inch andthe L. P.{ inch. At Long point the H. P. cut was changed to 2% inches, the intention being to make the run to the '"'Dummy"' at a higher speed, but the steam pressure did not keep up, the power developed remaining almost the same after as before changing cut. Following are results of the trial: TORK Oi EN ococdeoeuuncneannmvaneeana" on coon »....Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 1892. Draught of steamer at Buffalo, forward......... ..-eseeeeee AS tt.so) ane i s ne wEt ci. co eac on eee eeeee 2k s20) sine oe ores fe I CAN rian eos ceacoreane 8 ft. 6 in. 36 uf at "Dummy," mean, estimated......... Sifters EN Aceesirn cliente Eat CUT: 1 eee ree carte ate ear eee ee reenter 8 ft. 54 in, Durratloneonativalacssctsctesten: aotaecenas pene aaceesnee 14 hours 46 minutes. Distamee TUM. Bit alO ton: «Umm y 2 a. seceeaneneceeteetse aac mes 200 miles See igs men cee sees ce reed tee cate ees ae ete eee eee 13.7 miles Type of Engine........ nee nee ieee enact eee eee eee Triple (Ohabboelers, Ghinhaee Jobs Le ccd aneacinaunomeecndeadcot dasyssanssscoasseoo ee 20 inches se fi Ler Pic eee sete eh ase Ulett soe oe natalie noes tee ses Oo ene ae e Tes De ecsscranee. sesaetes capinacscctenesatae ces sean DAs es Strok @2 co. ftsencst aceite anaes peotome assess os tenants oeaec eee menos 40st Boilers,-Seoteh, mumbers.cc..ts sc cnceesesegeseecegseesse on casne cee eee 2 ee BOS © SOME NID EIEY PagnAtorndten choanenodsosee cnatenoocno ode 12 feet ee air lenge thiiivescss cnoseusest ss aetecron Soran 11 feet 6 inches Furnaces, total number... src cisecesseuuels tis cceae cer cenckic ayer eee eee 4 is CHIP RONEN FETE, dannGonean cogsoncetinnnasos sees eee aie ees 43 inches Feentime surlacesstotallawtansscs: 0. deeesetenatcadeicctactccce 3,102 square feet Grate suniaces tOlalac ss. csccrtcacrs-touncnnedrencncecema cn tne 82 square feet Ratio of heating to: otate SUPEACC. «cscs reds eects ses cra coe ane meee o7.7 Mean: boiler pressut@snnc.sctanssscesesies ccm tneeener ++. 143.8 pound Mean, vacuum in scond Gn seis syas.-esgecsea acest tree se eee 21.25 inches Revolutions-perminute,, Meat. ccc. ccesese. esse evyccsnste seen este aeeeee 86.5 OO Seana SS LOT) COSINE, MCA Myers. asec wceseleee Imdicated™horse power, mean bl les.ctecsaier sett cae neneen eet 254.86 Ks a Es (as Daa wd betas rere eee 301.42 as se ae Oo Tie oP vas ve dn ct lees day rear ee eee ee ea 315.49 Total indicated horsepower, WUea neg eecneeietees: cos eciens sees eee 871.777 Coalburned jentinemuicasaesnee-. ccm autores eee 25,901 pounds oe SS FOYE POU Kes parse porenoaic toon Mong aoeN Sa acaLanaASeD 129-00 e ees ie tee SPOT HOUM wens cissisane cece re seetoen anette seenete 1,774 ee e '¢ per square foot of grate per hour........... 21626 a =f sy Ke of heating surf.prhour.. 0.6572 " 'f+ per indicated horse power per hour........ 2.04 " Heatingisuntace: ofeboilen engl elgslewi cr setacccesnce eee 3.56 square feet TH. B. perssquare foot of grates cs<:.cce.secrssesy-cntensee es) eee 10.68 A report similar to the above regarding a trial of engines of the steamer Cadillac, owned by the same company, the Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Com- pany, was published in the last issue of the Review. The Pioneer was built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company and engined by the Dry Dock Engine Works.