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MARINE REVIEW. | 11 WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. Features of Direct Interest to the Shipping Trade-- Leading Foreign and Home Exhibits--Displays from Repre- sentative Concerns on the Lakes--Historic Relics and Curiosities. No one actively engaged in marine affairs can afford to miss seeing the exhibit of means for water transportation at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago. It may not be as complete as the electrical exhibit, nor cover as much space as the land transportation exhibits, but even to the visitor who is not directly interested, it is more attractive and instructive. On the corners of the "golden door", the most beautiful entrance to any building in the "white city', are quoted the words of two master minds: 'There be three things which make 4 nation great and prosperous--a fertile soil, busy work shops and easy to the advancement of Chicago as a lake city. The magnificent mining exhibits from Michigan and Minnesota, and great dis- plays from the iron furnaces, mills and coal mines of Ohio and Pennsylvania represent indirectly the advantages of cheap water transportation. Without the lakes as a means of cheap transpor- tation, the ore business of Lake Superior, now involving an in- -vestment of $175,314,785 in mines, railways, docks and vessels, could never have been developed. Cheap ore and cheap fuel could not have been united in Pennsylvania and Ohio but for low rates on water-borne freight. Therefore, in addition to the con- venience, it was quite fitting that the great exposition should be located on the shore of Lake Michigan, from the waters of which the finest view is obtained of the white buildings that cover 600 acres, the manufactures building covering so much ground that by walking around it and across the end one traverses a mile. In addition to visiting the transportation building the naval architect or engineer, and, in fact, any one interested in marine SSRIS SS Copyrigh THE TRANSPORTATION B UILDING. conveyance for men and goods from place to place.'"----Bacon. On the opposite corner are the words of Macaulay: '"'Of all in- ventions, the alphabet and printing press alone excepted, those inventions which abridge distance have done most for civiliza- tion." When it is considered that water transportation is com- paratively much cheaper than rail, the average charge, for in- stance, for carrying a bushel of corn from' Chicago to Buffalo last year being 1.9 cents, it is seen that water transportation comes in for a large share of the importance attached to com- merce. In fact, had it not been forthe commerce of the great lakes, the great exposition would not have been pitched so far inland, as Chicago would never have been the great center of western commerce that it is today if it were not for the develop- ment of lake navigation. With the present growth of this western metropolis,the importance ofthe lake business is dwarfed by other great industries, but Chicago river has at all times been an important factor in the city's progress. of lake commerce to the fair are not, however, confined alone 'The relations ~ affairs,iwill find much to attract attention on the war ship Illinois, in the Krupp building, the manufactures building, machinery hall, the electricity building and the White Star line building. He will certainly inspect the electric launches, which represent the first successful attempt to carry passengers on water by electricity. The gondolas may interest him, and when the Columbus fleet and the viking ship arrives the marine exhibit will receive more general atten- tion. No exhibit, however, will attract as much attention as the whaleback passenger steamer, illustrated in the REVIEW on June 1. 'Ihe bow and stern terminating in skeags and the cabins on top of the turrets are so striking that every eye is attracted whenever she puts in an appearance. In speed and in carrying capacity, having room for 5,000 excursion passengers, she is a notable boat. 'There is still another feature that has been added to marine exhibit lately. It is the electrically lighted buoys, on the twelve-mile course from Chicago to the fair grounds. They were fully described in the June 15 issue, and will no doubt be