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1900.] MARINE REVIEW. a tremendous crushing force under the stem and is depended upon to keep the Kertsch open in the most severe weather. _ The engine is of triple expansion type. One single-ended Scotch boiler supplies steam, developing under normal draft 350 H.P., and with the forced draft fan running 520 H. P. In the engine room is an electric plant for lighting the ship completely; also a large centrifugal pump, con- nected with the ballast tanks and which can empty these in a few minutes, g Some interesting particulars of the hull, which is to be built through- out of Siemens-Martin steel of German-Lloyd proof, are taken from the specifications. Stem and rudder frame are of wrought iron and stern frame of cast steel. The keel is formed of a vertical through plate 22 in. deep, supported on lower edge by two 6-in. flat pieces. Along the upper edge are two 3x2% in. continuous angles, connecting the middle plate with two 10-in. horizontal side plates, which rest on the floors. Floors are fitted on each frame 13 in. deep, with a 2-in. flange on upper edge. In engine room the floors are carried to inner bottom and: lighted by punched manholes. The inner bottom is laid with %4-in. plating. The frames are 3x8-in. angle, and to give additional strength forward against ice the frame spacing is reduced 2 in. from the normal forward ot frame 45, and a second 2 in. from frame 63 to the stem. The reverse frames are 244x2 in. and extend to bilge and main deck alternately. Two keelsons are fitted--a bottom keelson of two 3x2%-in. angles, with a bulb plate for two-thirds of length, and a second keelson at the water line formed of 38x2™%-in. angles and intercostal plates. The water tight bulkheads are of 4%-in. plate, excepting the lowest plate of each bulkhead, which is 1-8 in. thicker. These bulkheads are stiffened by horizontal and vertical angle stiffeners 4x2%% in., which over- lap, and are riveted to the boundary bar, so as to give sufficient rigidity to withstand the test of filling compartments with water. Coal bunkers are to be built of 4%4-in. plating, stiffened by 2x2%4-in. angles; the sides and flooring of the bunkers to be lined with 2-in. battens. NEW STEAMSHIP SERVICE SOUTH. - The Merchants & Miners Transportation Co. of Baltimore will establish a steamship service between Philadelphia and Savannah, begin- ning Oct. 1. The vessels will sail regularly from Philadelphia every five days, the Berkshire and the Allegheny of this line having been selected for the new service. Both steamers are large freight and passenger trans. porters of 3,000 tons, and have recently been overhauled at an expense of $125,000, and are modern in every respect. Other steamers will be added as required by the development of business. Arrangements have been made to connect at Philadelphia with all the trunk lines and at Sa~ vannah with all the railroads diverging from that port. This will enable © the company to give through rates and through bills of lading between Philadelphia and interior eastern points and Savannah and all other points in the south, southeast and southwest. Arrangements have also been made for through package cars from Savannah to important competitive points in the south, southeast and southwest, which, with fast through © freight schedules, should result in satisfactory service. Catroll H. Smith is the Philadelphia agent, with headquarters at Pier 24, South Delaware avenue. The Ocean Steamship Co., operating between Philadelphia and Sa- vannah, withdrew its steamers July 1, 1897. This action caused consider- able excitement among merchants and manufacturers shipping goods south, and led to a protest meeting at the Philadelphia bourse. A com- mittee was appointed, which included representatives from every com- mercial organization in the city, for the purpose of trying to establish 4 new line. This committee worked several months without success, and finally abandoned the effort. The trades league, however, continued to agitate the matter and began negotiations, hoping to induce an inde- pendent steamship company or some already established line to enter Philadelphia. The freight committee of the trade league after the war with Spain again instructed its freight commissioner, N. B. Kelly, to ICE-CRUSHING PILOT STEAMER BUILDING AT HOWALDTSWERKE, KIEL, GERMANY. Main deck beams (on alternate frames) re of bulb angle 6x2%4 in and connected to frames by knee plates. The forecastle deck beams are angles of 4x3 in. The main deck stringer is 24 in. wide, reduced slightly at ends of the ship. A 14-in. gutter is formed by the 8x8-in. stringer angle and a 214x2'%4-in. angle, which forms the boundary of 3-in. wood deck planking. Over the boiler a complete steel deck is laid, which is carried to the ends by 6-in. tie plates. The shell plating, as shown on the midship section, is of the great- est possible lengths. All the plating in the water line is of additional thickness to withstand shocks from ice. The plating in and above the water line is connected by butt straps and under the water by butt laps. All are double riveted. The engine and boiler casing is 'built up of light steel plating. The after deck house is of pitch pine, faced with teak, on a steel frame. The chart house is built of teak. The hull is to have a thorough painting inside and out and the bottom laid with cement. The keel of this vessel was laid in the latter part of July and all frames are set up at time of writing. The launch will take place about Oct. 1, and about two months later the vessel will start on her journey to the Black sea. AGING OF TRANSFORMER IRON. The General Electric Co. is distributing a ninety-two page pamphlet on the subject of "Aging of Transformer Iron," containin> five important articles that have been issued regarding this subject. as follows: "The Aging of Transformer Iron" by Prof. W. Elwell Goldsborough; "On Slow Changes in the Magnetic Permeability of Iron," by Mr. W. M. Mordey; "Effects of Prolonged Heating on the Magnetic Properties of Iron," by Mr. S. R. Roget, B. A." 'Hysteresis in Sheet Iron and Steel," by Mr. Arthur Hillyer Ford, and "The Aging of Transformer Steel," by Mr. J. A. Capp. This pamphlet is one that should be in the hands of everv central station manager, and will be furnished free of charge upon appli- cation to the General Electric Co. The Shipbuilding, Drydock & Wrecking Co. of Collingwood, has changed its name to the Collingwood Ship Building Co., Ltd. begin work toward the establishment of a line south. He visited most of the important cities and at last the 'Merchants & Miners' Transporta- tion Co. of Baltimore was induced to establish the present line, after re- . ceiving promises of co-operation from the Pennsylvania, Baltimore |& Ohio and the Reading Railroad companies. The 'Merchants & Miners' Co. has had an agency in Philadelphia since the Ocean company left and has secured considerable business for vessels sailing from Baltimore for Savannah. The company feels that with the aid of the railroads and the merchants it will be assured of a profitable business at once, and it is the belief of business men generally that the success will tbe so great that other steamers will be needed in a short time, leading to the establishment of a semi-weekly service. S THE NEW PROTECTED CRUISERS. Secretary Long has approved the circular prepared by the board of construction prescribing the features of the three protected cruisers" authorized at the last session of congress. The three vessels are to be of 9,000 tons displacement and are to cost $2,800,000 each. The question that awaited the secretary's decision was the amount of armor to be fitted to these ships. He concluded to accept the majority view which looks to side armor in addition to the protected deck, which has heretofore marked the full amount of armor supplied to a protected cruiser. The new ships are to be the speediest in the navy, the minimum speed requirement being 2214 knots. Rear Admiral Hichborn dissented from the majority report. He thinks that the new vessels outlined in the circular are really armored cruisers. STEEL BARGES FOR MISSISSIPPI. A tug to be used in the new Mississippi steel barge line projected by Alexander 'McDougall of whaleback barge fame, was launched last week from the sectional dock at Carondelet, St. Louis. The tug is con- structed entirely of steel and is 138 ft. long. President H. S. Potter of the barge company and Vice-President Alexander McDougall witnessed the launch. One of the company's barges will be launched Oct. 15.