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( / | | } \ ) MARINE REVIEFW. 13 the yachts which is to compete as possible defender of the America's cup this season. These views showed the standard forms of the ice yacht, together with some of the earlier types, as well as some beautiful views of winter scenery on the Hudson. CLOSING DAYS OF THE CONGRESS. At Thursday's session the papers receiving most attention were "Forced Draft" by James Howden, "Liquid Fuel on Steam Vessels" by Col. Soliani, and "Coil and Tubulous Boilers" by Charles Ward, builder of the tubulous boilers on the U.S.S. Mon- terey. The main feature of the discussion attending Col. Soliani's paper was with regard to danger of explosion, and in answer to a number of questions on this point the distinguished author expressed the opinion that there was no danger in using the refuse that remains after all of the products of petroleum have been extracted. At present, on account of the high price and of the limited quantity available, petroleum refuse fuel, not- withstanding the many advantages that could be derived from tt, cannot be adopted for general use on board ships, at least in the mercantile navy. In war ships its military advantages may lead even now to its partial adoption. The combustion of coal and petroleum refuse combined in the same furnaces gives an easy and simple means of securing, to a certain extent, the advantages of power that can be derived from oil fuel, without endangering the supply of fuel to the ships, as the coal arrangements on board are left unaltered. The combined combustion will therefore probably be the form in which the oil fuel will at first be applied to war ships during the period of transition from coal to liquid fuel. It was alsod agree that petroleum fuel might be kept in reserve for use in emergency where its advantages would over- come the question of cost. Mr. Howden's paper on "Forced Draft'? was considered with that of Henry Benbow, chief inspector of machinery, British navy, on "Effect of Forced Draft in Causing Leaky Boiler Tubes, and the Remedies Therefor.'? The inventor of the system of draft in use on the New York and Paris went so thoroughly into the subject in his paper that there was little room for extended discussion. Mr. Howden treated the engineers to considerable additional information in extended remarks, however, and after he had finished Mr. Dickie remarked that he noticed that the chairman (Chief Engineer Melville of the U.S. navy) had listened very carefully and would probably require hereafter a guarantee of consumption of fuel, along the line of similar guarantees as to speed and horse-power. Then followed the reading of a portion of Mr. Charles Ward's paper on "Coil and Tubulous Boilers," which was accompanied by supplemental data from Mr. McFar- land. from the standpoint of the experience of the United States navy in adopting this type of boiler in the Monterey. There is no doubt that the navy is highly pleased with its experience in this regard. In concluding his remarks Mr. McFarland said that the great question with the tubulous type of boiler is in the life of the tubes, making the general claim that this is but about three years. 'he following data was presented as the result of tests made by the navy: Evap.,f. &a., Evap. per I. H.P.per Air pressure, 212° perlb. sq.inchheat-. ton of boiler inches of of coal. ing surface. and water. water. 11.90 1.40 15.6 Open fire room Th | 9.72 3.63 40.44 0.5 MMe CLONuseeveneeoscse sees 8 84 5.51 61.38 3.0 { 6.51 6.70 74.65 4.0 PRO WIM OReteccnctecs ss cecs coeesteces 5.82 5.32 33.90 2.0 WO WIGS eres osscseorsiso nee reece 7.45 6.96 61.07 2.0 Wier ines eeeaecGigss dows wes soe osarer Tol 8.62 76.98 2.0 Cyl. D. Hiee wc ecs ccs cccessse-sceese >| Sie eeennreil ae teeta 29.20 2.25 SOMA Stele, cree arccc cheeses sees 10.20 3.08 5.16 0.2 HEOCOMOLLV Ct ceseecnccdesseeneene 6.62 20.09 71.85 4.95 Mr. E. E. Roberts of the Roberts Water Tube Boiler Com- pany, followed with an extended and most interesting address that showed a wide knowledge of the subject, although, as he explained at the opening, his boiler has not figured largely in government tests, nor in the scientific discussion, as the com- pany has been very busy supplying hundreds of boilers through- out the country, but which are not, of course, for large ships. J. Harvard Biles' paper on '"'Fast Atlantic Steamérs" was not printed in time for the congress, and the discussion attending it was accordingly limited. Other papers considered briefly at Thursday's session, and which were left over from Wednesday were the following: 'Problems Confronting the Designer of Naval Machinery, and the success which has been Attained in their Solution'? by I. N. Hollis, passed assistant engineer,U.S.N. assistant to engineer in chief; 'The Strength of Ships" by F. I,. Middendorf, technical director of the Germanischer Lloyds ; "Practical Stability Information" by A. R. Liddell; 'Diagram of Stability for any Draught and Stowage" by Pedro P. Seoane, commandant of engineers in the department of Ferrol, Spanish Navy. THANKING FOREIGN VISITORS--THE PROCEEDINGS. On Friday, the last day given to the divisions for separate discussion, the programme included some very important papers as follows: "Speed Trials'? by Archibald Denny, partner in Wm. Denny & Bro., Dumbarton ; "Coasting Sailing Vessels of the Adriatic" by Rodolfo Poli, of the firm of Poli Bros., Chioggia, Italy ; "Steel Castings for Marine Machinery'? by Edwin S. Cramp, superintending engineer, Wm. Cramp & Sons; "Tests of Iron and Steel" by Jas. E. Howard, engineer of tests, Water- town arsenal; "Valves and Valve Gears, for High Speed En- gines" by N. P. Towne, chief engineer U. S. N., and consulting engineer to Wm. Cramp & Sons; "Western River Steamers" by J. M. Sweeney of Harvey, Ill.; "Steam Shipping of the Great Lakes" by Walter Miller, superintending engineer, Globe Iron Works Company, Cleveland, Ohio; "Steamers of the Great Lakes compared as regards Strength' by J.R. Oldham. Unfor- tunately two of the papers, on the programme Friday were not in print, which prevented an extended discussion, and a third, that of Mr. Miller of Cleveland, had not been fur- nished by the New York printers in time for study by the en- gineers. Such of the papers as were in readiness, however, were taken up and were discussed ina brief way during the few morning hours before the final adjournment. Just previous to the close, the foreign visitors were accorded votes of thanks for their at- tendance, and they responded with liberal compliments to their friends in the United States. Commodore Melville and Passed Assistant Engineer McFarland were warmly congratulated on the success of the gathering and thanked for their efforts of a year or more in preparing for the congress. There can be no doubt that the public volume of the proceedings, including the papers and the discussions, will be one of the most valuable collections of information in regard to marine engineering and naval architecture which has ever appeared. Arrangements have been made with Messrs. John Wiley & Sons, of No. 53 East Tenth street, New York City, for publishing these pro- ceedings in book form, and subscriptions may be sent to these gentlemen. It is the desire of Commodore Melville to have these proceedings circulated as widely as possible, so that any- one who wishes to purchase them can do so by addressing the Messrs. Wiley and remitting the price of subscription. The pro- ceedings will comprise some 1,500 large octavo pages, including about 200 plates. A general meeting of the divisions on Saturday, at which Vice-Chairman Chanute presided, closed the congress. .Chair- men of the several divisions made reports upon the work accom- plished, and then the engineers from abroad were called upon for remarks. 'They were astonished by the boldness of American engineers, who are solving most difficult problems. When rep- 'resentatives of all of the foreign nations had spoken the congress was declared closed. In the evening an informal reception was tendered the visiting engineers at No. 1o VanBuren street, the headquarters of the associated engineers of Chicago. Col. E. A. Stevens of Hoboken, president of the New York and Hoboken Ferry Company, was among the most prominent young men atthe Chicago meeting. He is ason of the late Edwin A. Stevens of Castle Point, N. J., who was one of the most prominent early promoters of steam navigation in America. Col. Stevens is a graduate of Princeton College of New Jersey, he having prefered a regular classical course in that institution to one of a more technical character in Stevens Institute of Technology, which was so liberally founded and endowed by the Stevens family. In the deliberations aud discussions of the congress Colonel Stevens remarks were invariably extremely in- teresting and showed a remarkable amount of empirical informa- tion relating to the uses of steam in navigation that might be in- structive to the closest student of science. With such young men around him as Passed Assistant En- gineer McFarland, it is no wonder that Commodore Melville is credited with having accomplished a great deal more than any of his predecessors in the navy. Although giving every evidence of the greatest respect and loyalty to his chief, Mr. McFarland's manner of carrying out the duties of the office of secretary of the congress was such as to cause most tavorable comment from nearly everybody in attendance. He iscertainly regarded among the brightest young men in the navy and is destined for a posi- tion of more than ordinary importance. It is unfortunate, in view of his valuable service in Washington, that he is soon to go to sea.