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pumps are in proper condition and try all that are to be used. The boilers being connected -and all main stops opened, see all oiling ap- paratus ready, including oil cans, oil syringes, graphite and cylinder oil for swabbing ronds. See reserve-feed tank full and oil cups filled. The boiler stop valves are never opened wide; usually 2% to three turns of the wheel is sufficient. An efficient aid to internal engine lubrication is to introduce graphite in- to cylinders just before starting. This can be easily done by mixing it with water and putting it down an indicator pipe if no lubricator cups are fitted. Circulate -water through thrust bear- ing and slides. Make inspection to see that there is plenty of steam, good fires, good vacuum, and everything about engines ready and all men at stations. Permission to try engines should be obtained about fifteen or twenty minutes before time set to. be ready. Permission being granted, engines are tried. TRYING ENGINE. Before trying engine, pass order to stand clear. Then open throttle slight- ly and move links back and forth. The engine will then start one way or the other. If it does not start well, it is probably due to water in cylinders which must be gradually worked out. A well-handled and properly-adjusted engine will start without manipulating pass-over valves. Try engine both going ahead and astern and see that it reverses easily. Do not move engine more than a few ol revolutions, usually two, each way, as a greater amount of turning is likély to bring a strain on anchors or moor- ings, After trying engines, take final loox to ascertain if there is any heating of bearings or any indication of wrong adjustment; everything being ready, the department is reported ready to get underway. After this report is made, a machinist must stand by to answer any signal promptly. In try- ing engines, there may be _ several causes to prevent proper working; be- low are some of them. Water in cylinders--This will pre- vent the engines moving full stroke; the engine is likely to start, move a little way, and then bring up. The water must be got rid of by opening all drains and moving piston back and forth by reversing-gear till the engine will turn a complete revolution. Engine on center.--This can be guarded against by taking care when engine is stopped that the h. p. crank is up near middle of stroke. Re- TAE Marine. REVIEW versing engine, and bringing link back again, will throw most engines off the center. If this fails, pass-over valves can be used. In using pass-over valves, regard must be had for the position of cranks so that all efforts are to move the engine in the same direction. Sometimes an engine may fail to move on account of bad hand- ling of the pass-over valves, whereby one cylinder is trying to move the engine one way and another in the opposite direction, the result being that the engine fails to move. By opening pass-over too much at starting, in engines having attached air pumps and slide valves, a consid- erable pressure may be obtained in re- ceivers, and hence on back of valves, if slide valves be fitted. This may be sufficient to prevent the moving of the links. The remedy is to close pass- overs and open drains so that pres- sure on backs of valves may be re- duced. This failure of reversing-gear may also take place at any time engine is stopped during maneuvering when pass-over valves are left open or a considerable pressure on slide valves is produced by other means. as Whenever an engine fails to move with a slight opening of throttle, the cause of obstruction should be found, and the engine should not be forced by opening throttle wide, as by so doing something may be broken. Valve rods sticking--Valve rods sometimes stick; they may, be loos- ened by applying oil, loosening stuffing box or loosening up on _ valve-stem guide. Some of the moving parts may be caught in some way, and at times the jacking gear has not been disconnected. Excess water on starting --With at- tached air pumps, in starting up, a great deal of water will be thrown in- to tank; in such cases it is advisable to put a pump on the air-pump chan- nel ways and pump directly to boiler. This will prevent tank from _ over- flowing and losing fresh water in bilge. 'Handling, general--Some engines handle much easier than others, and all have some peculiarities which are only found out by experience; but a great many general features hold for all. The real handling of an engine can only be learned by practical ex+ perience where practically all the senses are developed to apply to the case. Turning over--When engine is turned over in answer to signal, wicks should be put in and then special look- out must be had for heating or any maladjustment. Throttle--The throttle must not be 29 suddenly opened or closed, but the en- gine, especially if a large one, should be allowed to work up to full power gradually. : Reversing.--When_ reversing, the throttle: should first be closed, and en- gine then reversed; but» when the emergency signal is received (that is, a signal to back full speed' when going ahead), the engine should be immedi- ately reversed, even at a risk of. break- ing something. This signal should never be given from deck unless it is an emergency signal. RUNNING ENGINES UNDERWAY. Whenever there is any doubt or trouble in connection with the opera- tion of the engines, the officer of the deck should be notified immediately so that he can make suitable disposi- tions to avoid danger. The most laborious work in connec- tion with the running of engines will be when steaming in squadron, when exact distance must be maintained. With same steam and vacuum and no change in links, the pressure in the h. p.. and. -i.. p. receiver will be the same for the same number of revolutions, so that, after some run- ning, these gauges can be used as a quick indication of the number of revolutions, ; Electric revolution indicators are fitted on some vessels which indicate by a pointer at the end of every min- ute or half minute the exact number- of revolutions the engine has turned during the preceding minute. With well-adjusted engines and or- dinary care in operation, the main en- gines are not likely to give much trouble. : | The points to look out for in the engine room underway are, in general: 1. A watchfulness and _ oversight where all the senses are used to de- tect any derangement or improper working. 2. Keep all moving parts properly lubricated. 3. Keep water out of cylinders. 4. . Keep steam pressure, links, and throttle so ad- justed that engines. work smoothly and economically, and that there is the proper distribution of work be- tween the cylinders. GENERAL OVERSIGHT AND WATCH. The senses that come into use in connection with the operation of en- gines are sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. The eye--The trained eye is able to detect when various moving parts are not moving with regularity, as" well as to notice movement in parts that should not be moving. The eye, of course, can detect such things as steam leaks, water leaks, cracks, and breakage.