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MARINE REVI WwW. "ag Thrust Bearings for Propeller Shafts. Although rapid strides have been made_in marine engineering during the last ten years, and the present use of pipe boilers, together with engines which utilize steam expansion to a wonderful degree, seems well nigh perfection, yet very little improvement seems to have been made in the thrust bearing on the main shaft. As this bearing must resist all the thrust required to drive the vessel through the water its durability and economical operation, as regards both coal consump- tion and lubrication, become a matter for the most serious consideration. Numerous devices are in use today, ranging from the simple adjusti- ble collar and pillow block on small launches to the large bearings on ocean greyhounds with their accompanying horseshoe rings, designed for easy removal and inspection. Latterly some of the smaller high- speed craft have been furnished with a ball bearing thrust, a simple grooved collar and block carrying a ring of balls. This, as is well known, although most practical on small launches of not more than 10 horse power, is useless on larger powers where the balis are quickly crushed and their groves worn out of line. The Mossberg & Granville Mfg. Co., Providence, R. I., has de- vised a plan which aims to overcome these defects. Their bearing was originally designed to take up the end thrust on the draw beds and broaching presses-made by them, they having previously tried all known forms of ball bearings with no success. In this form of bear- ing the strain is taken by conical rollers placed radially in a bronze cage, while the thrust block and shaft have conical steel disks, hard- ened and grooved to the same angle as the cones. The cage ra disk may be halved when necessary. In the illustration the application of this bearing to a propeller shaft is clearly shown. This bearing has been in constant use for two seasons, with no perceptible wear, although receiving a strain of more than 80 horse power. The owner of the vessel to which this bearing has been applied states that its use results in raising the rotative speed from 250 to 280 revolutions per - minute, with less strain on the engine and less coal consumption. On a test recently made at the factory the friction co-efficient of this bear- ing was found to be about 0.005, against the accepted 0.049 for plain bearings under similar conditions.--Iron Age, New York. At the beginning of 1896 the length of navigable rivers and canals of France was 8,594 miles, of which 5,211 miles were rivers and 3,383 miles canals, and of these, 2,627 miles only are classed as principal lines of navigation, that is, having a draught of 64 feet. These rivers and canals are now all in the hands of the state. The traffic on them dur- ing the year 1895 amounted to 27,173,904 tons, showing a decrease of 699,571 tons by comparison with 1894. The number of boats in the service on rivers and canals was, for the last year for which statistics are available, 15,925, giving employment to 19,579 men, 7,917 women, and 12,972 children. The principal elements of traffic were building eels coal and coke, agricultural products, fire wood, iron and steel, ete. Low holiday rates will be in effect via the Nickel Plate road on Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1, 1897. Tickets will be good returning until Jan. 4. A splendid opportunity of spending Christmas or New Year's day with the home folks and friends. 407 Dec. 31 Trade Notes A calendar issued by the Ashton Valve Co., 271 Franklin street, Boston, portrays one of those old homestead views that are pleasing to every one. Engineers and purchasing agents not already supplied) should apply for one. A contract for one of the longest highway bridges in the United _ States has just been awarded by the counties of Ocean and Monmouth, N. J., to the Berlin Iron Bridge Co. of Hast Berlin, Conn. The bridge -- will be 1,910 feet in length. The secretary of war has ordered a draw span consimugien in this bridge, which will give two a oe ; one of 45 feet and the other of 50 feet. 8 The Buffalo Forge Company, Buffalo, N. Y., has issued | oa. 400. page, library bound catalogue, and parties who use fans, blowers etc., not having received a copy, will do well to write the company. Tie. : trations and descriptions of Buffalo fans in every conceivable shape, and for every imaginable purpose, make up the book. Several pages -- are devoted to marine mechanical draft. illustrated and described. Marine engineers can obtain one of the handsomest calendars of the new year, free of charge, by addressing the Roberts Safety Water Tube Boiler Co., 41 Cortlandt street, New York, and giving full names and addvcnces with name of last vessel on which' they were employed. These calendars are a perfect picture and even superior to those issued by the Roberts company last year. mailing tube. not insisted upon. Blacksmith shop outfits are It is a well-printed and valuable book. ~ * They are sent in a Six cents in Bes ee can be Se if desired but a The use of Jeffery's patent "ee glue ee become $0. og that recommendations of it are hardly necessary. On the coast it is used for caulking deck seams of the smallest yachts and the largest passenger steamers. It has several advantages over the material ordi-' narily used. weather but sinks. In cold or wet weather a slight corrugation appears above the planks, but it does not crack even then, and does not stick to -- the feet in warm weather. It is in use in the 'United States and British. One i is that it does not spill out of the seams in hot navies and is sold by L. W. Ferdinand & Co., who have removed to 176-180 Federal street, Boston, and is aoe on hand Py lake an chandlers. Cargo and Speed Records--Lake Enea Steamers, "ye Tron ore--Coralia, Mutual Transportation Co. of Cleveland, 5 5088 - gross or 5,699 net tons, Gladstone to Ashtabula, draft of 16 feet 10 inches. inom Lake Superior--Steamer Sir Henry Bessemer, Bessemer Steamship Co. of Cleveland, 4,637 gross or 5,194 net tons, Ashland to Conneaut, draft of 15 feet 9 inches: Grain--Steamer Queen City, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, 207, 000, . bushels of. corn, equal to 6,210 net tons, Chicago to Buffalo, 16 feet, 8 inches draft; steamer Maricopa: inMeaaie Steamship Co., Cleve: jc land, 191,700 sill of corn, Chicago to Buffalo; steamer onan City,. ' ASHI: nuolae of Duluth, 289, 000 bushels of oats, Chicago to Buffalo. From Lake open ees Queen City, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, 156,256 bushels of barley and 58,000 bushels of wheat, equal to 5,490 net tons, Duluth to Buffalo. Goal Schooner Geo. N. Hartnell, 4,777 net tons of anthracite, : Buffalo to Milwaukee, draft 15 feet 5 inelen: 8. 8. Curry, Haw- good & Avery Transit Co. of Cleveland, 4,535 nee tons bituminous, Conneaut to Gladstone. Speed--Owego, Union Line of Buffalo, Buffalo. to Chicago, 889- miles, 54 hours and 16 minutes, 16.4 miles an hour; Centurion, Hop- kins Steamship Co. of St. Gin Mich., Buffalo to Danene 997 miles, 65 hours and 10 minutes, 15.3 miles an hour. 4 During. 1896 British ship builders launched new ships aggrega- -- Of this total the ting 1,326,822 tons,against 1,156,571 tons in 1895. national steal yards, five in number, turned out 71,970 tons, which compares with 70,350 tons in 1895, but even this total is eclipsed by that of one firm Eee & Wolff of Belfast--who, as stated in the Review a week ago, added 81,316 tons to the mercantile marine during the year. W. G. Armstrong & Co. turned out 54,147 tons with 67,770 horse power; Hartlepool comes next, where Sir William Gray & Co. turned. out 43,545 tons, and the fourth position on the list is occupied by Messrs. Geaneul & Co. of Scotstoun, who are repesented by 40,864 tons. The next largest output is at Newcastle, where Sir