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Devoted to the Merchant Marine, the Navy, Ship Building, and Kindred Interests. ; Published every Thursday at No. 418-19 Perry-Payne building, Cleveland, Ohio. by John M. Mulrooney. SUBSCRIPTION--$2.00 per year in advance. Single copies 10 cents each. Con- venient binders sent, post paid, $1.00. Advertising rates on application. Entered at Cleveland Post Office as Second-class Mail Matter. -- The editorial and business offices of the Marine Review were removed this week from room 409 Perry-Payne building to rooms 418-19 on the same floor of the building. The Review has, in this new suite of rooms, more than twice the space 'heretofore available, and it is believed that the transaction of business will be proportionately facilitated. We will be happy at all times to see any of our friends in our new home, but we will be especially pleased to have our advertisers or their representatives make this office their headquarters when in the city. We believe, too, that we can enable them to save time and secure more satisfactory results, by giving them the benefit of information we may have as to the 'status of business in ship and engine building works, and as to managers of these works, as well as vessels owners, who can be seen most advantageously, particularly in the lake cities. Those small-spirited, if not narrow-minded, citizens who have evi- denced a half-hearted disposition to criticize the new naval program to be presented at the next session of congress would do well to compare our projects with those outlined by the aggressive new empire 'in the Pacific. These fault-finders have complained that it is proposed to rather overdo this thing of adding to our navy. 'Let us see. The new naval program of the United States, according to newspaper reports, contemplates the construction of three battleships, three armored cruisers, and nine pro- tected cruisers. Now Japan, on the other hand, has mapped out a pro- gram that calls for the construction of four battleships, four armored cruisers, and five protected cruisers. True, some of these latter will not ibe of as great tonnage as those of the United States, but Japan's 'battle- ships will each exceed those of this country by upwards of 2,000 tons, and on top of all this her program includes plans for three torpedo gunboats, one torpedo depot ship, eleven torpedo 'boat destroyers and the unheard-of flotilla of eighty-nine torpedo boats. In view of these facts and the neces- sity for the maintenance of the position of the United States on the Pacific, the objections raised would hardly seem either reasonable or con- sistent. Admiral Walker, 'president of the Nicaragua canal commission, who has returned to 'Washington and is again busy in the collection and com- pilation of material to 'be embodied in the report of the commission to congress, takes a decidedly 'hopeful view of the prospects for the ultimate accomplishment of the project. 'He says the commission now thas about 250 men at work along the line of the proposed canal and they will remain there throughout the rainy season. 'They are boring and ascertaining the character of the soil at every point where it is purposed to locate dams, locks or other heavy masonry structures. In addition to that, the field parties are taking accurate measurements of the rainfall and the flow of the various streams lying within the limits of the canal concession. 'This information is desired by the commission, owing to the fact that all calcu- lations made 'have been 'based on the condition in the dry season, at which time of year the 'commissions have always visited Nicaragua. Admiral Walker is confident that a report to congress will be made at the approach- ing session, and, while 'he says the necessary data have not been obtained accurately to determine the cost of the canal, he feels confident that it can be shown that the project is entirely practicable. The depths of animosity which have been aroused by competition between the various St. Lawrence river navigation companies 'have devel- oped some incidents which to the outsider are highly amusing. Not the least of these was the recent collision between the steamers Alexandria and Columbian, which, if newspaper reports are to be believed, was char- acterized by some, to say the least, peculiar circumstances. Indeed, it would appear to be very much, as Capt. Thomas Wilson intimated in a communication in the last issue of the Review, that tthe rival companies are devoting far more time and attention to fighting each other than to at- tending to the needs of their patrons. This is unfortunate, even from the standpoint of the companies, for the excursion business to the Ste Waw- rence country has been heavier this year than ever before, and there is every prospect of a steady growth in volume were tourists treated with ordinary civility. Mr. George Y. Wisner of Detroit, member of the Board of United States Engineers on Deep Waterways, reports that in all probability the surveys for the proposed ship-canal from the lakes to the Atlantic sea- board will be completed by Dec. 1. (This evidences a commendable en- ergy for which the board is deserving of credit. Dates thave been set for the launching of the only Uni L \ nly United States bat- tleships not already in the water. The Illinois, 'building by the ae News Ship 'Building & Dry Dock Co., will be launched Oct. 9, and the ee saebmiding at the yard of the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, REVIEW. A Couple of New Naval Books. Interesting and instructive at any time, "The 'Steam Navy of th United States," by F. M. Bennett, is especially so at this time, when the mass of material published regarding our naval affairs contains So little that is historical in character. 'This large and carefully compiled volume which has just come into its second edition, deals with the history 3 the United States navy as that history has been influenced by the acta ance of steam.as a motive power at sea. 'The first steam vessels ang i earliest experiments with steam in our navy are described in detaj] in the first chapters. Following, and extending through the book in historical order, will be found descriptions of every type of steamer taken into th naval service, from the Mississippi and Missouri of 1840 to Kearsarge Kentucky of 1896. Particularly interesting will be found the accounts of the ironclads, swift cruisers, and other types of vessels, successful and unsuccessful, that naval exigencies called into existence during the Ameri can civil war. The text is profusely illustrated with photographic repro. ductions of ships and drawings of machinery, boilers and propellers, The greater possibilities and wider scope of naval 'operations that followed the adoption of steam are fully set forth in the chapters of the book relating to the work of the navy during the civil war. Other chapters relate the important part played by steam vessels in the Mexican war, in the Japan expedition and in the famous Paraguay expedition of 1859. One chapter presents in a very interesting manner condensed narratives of the various attempts made by the United States to solve the polar problem by means of steam exploring vessels. Interwoven with the story of the growth of the naval steamer is the history of the corps 'of naval engineers--the men who made the growth of the steamship possible. 'In this we learn much of the duties and official position of steam officers in a navy, for the author quotes freely the laws and regulations that from time to time have goy- erned them, and the tells much of what they 'have done in peace and war for the navy and the country. Published by Warren & Co., 322 Third avenue, Pittsburg, Pa., and for sale by all newsdealers. "Our Nations Navy, Our Ships and Their Achievements," by Charles Morris, just from press, is a volume which, while avowedly eschewing the technical in its treatment of the subject, should still appeal with consid- erable force to naval and marine men, for a variety of reasons. The author thas dealt primarily with the evolution of the American navy. His resume of the early achievements of the nation wpon the water are com- plete, but not more ample than necessary to induce a proper understand- ing and appreciation of the changes which are detailed later. The devel- opment to present conditions is supplemented with very complete descrip- tions of the vessels of our new navy, with the details of their equipment for offense and defense. It is in this latter that the man in the service is likely to find the chief element of value in the book. Some space has also been expended in descriptions designed to enable an appreciation on the part of the lay reader of the technical terms associated with naval con- struction, but it is exceedingly well done and there is not enough space devoted to it to constitute an objection even to service readers. On the other jhand, the descriptions of the vessels of our navy are clear, concise and comprehensive. There is embodied much that does not find a place in the ordinary presentation of this character, and there is considerable data, which, if needed but seldom, iis desired very much when it does become necessary. The pictures, which are numerous, are from photo- graphs, and many 'of them are particularly good. The book is brought down to the late war with Spain, and as a frontpiece there is an excellent map of Cuba and the West Indies in colors. 'The book is published by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, and may be 'had of all dealers. Ship Building Plant at Richmond, Va. There seems to be a practical certainty that a new ship building plant will be established at Richmood, Va. William R. Trigg, president of the Richmond Locomotive & Machine Works, was one of the lowest bidders on torpedo boats and destroyers, for the construction of which the gov- ernment recently asked for bids, and it is understood that 'he will be given contracts for several of these vessels, but Mr. Trigg now says that even should the fail to receive this contract it will make no difference in the establishment of his ship yard. Naval experts who have visited Rich- mond and made a careful examination of the site of the proposed plant, as well as investigated governing conditions, have had no hesitancy in say- ing that it is entirely feasible to establish a successful ship yard in accord: ance with the plans mapped out iby Mr. Trigg. When the contracts for the torpedo boats and destroyers are formally signed, Mr. Trigg will be given three months by the government in which to make preparations for carrying out the contract, and there have already been submitted to the navy department satisfactory assurances of Mr. Trigg's ability to fulfill this stipulation. Engineer-in-Chief Melville of the bureau of engineering of the navy department is said to have long theld strong opinions regarding the possibilities of Richmond as a ship building port, and that this is shared by many other persons is proven by the fact that a number of capitalists. not nearly ail of whom reside in Richmond, have already made applica tion for all the 'stock that may be for sale in Mr. Trigg's company. Engi- neers who 'have investigated the matter say that a very moderate appro- priation would be sufficient to provide for the dredging of the Richmon river to a depth of 27 feet, which would accommodate warships and the largest type of merchant vessels. Proximity to the Norfolk navy yate; where war vessels could be fitted out, would, it is claimed, prove an adde advantage. Passenger Agent Whitslar of Chicago, who had charge of the excut sion business of the Christopher Columbus between Chicago and Mil waukee during the past season, said before the big whaleback started for a final trip to Lake Superior, Wednesday, that she had carried during ie summer months about 125,000 passengers. The Columbus will be laid up at Manitowoc after giving excursions at several points on Lakes Superior and Michigan while returning from Duluth.