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36 rence, and which is provided with a special pipe line for withstanding heavy storms. This dredge is of great power and holds the world's record for output, having dredged 750,000 cu. yds. in a calendar month and delivered 2,000 ft. The original pipe line of this dredge is still in use after having withstood the storms of five years. It was, of course, realized that Lake Michigan in its angry moods would be too rough to attempt continuous dredging operations, and that 'the most that could be done would be to provide a plant of large capacity so that the required output could be made after making allowances for - weather interruptions, and also sea- worthy enough to increase the work- ing time to the largest possible amount. It should also be designed for safe and rapid picking up _ of anchorages and pipe line in case of storm and to safely withstand any stress of weather when not working. To meet these conditions Mr. Rob- inson designed the dredge now on the work, which was built by the Atlantic Equipment Co. of 111 Broadway, New York, and put in service in June, 1907. 'The hull is of steel 148 ft. long, 38 ft. wide, by 10 ft. 6 m. deep. The main pump has 30-in. suction and dis- charge and the main engines are of the triple expansion marine type of 1200 1. H. PB. There are two double- ended marine boilers 11 ft. 6 in. diam- eter x 18 ft. long with eight corru- gated furnaces. The installation of engine room auxiliaries such as con: densing apparatus, pumps, _ electric light is most complete and well ar- ranged, the engine room space, in fact, resembling a small ocean liner. On the upper deck is a pilot house with large plate glass windows, where are arranged all the levers which con- trol the operation of the dredge. Here are also pressure and vacuum gages for all purposes, indicating exactly the work that is being done. The suction pipe is carried by a very strong steel frame and is fitted with a powerful cutter for digging the clay. This cutter is an improved de- velopment of a number of earlier ma- chines and: has demonstrated its ef- ficiency by being able to handle the heaviest clay up to the full capacity of the pump. It is 9 ft. diameter and weighs about 9 tons being formed of eight steel blades of peculiar curva- ture cast in one piece, and having re- newable hard steel cutting edges at- tached. The mechanism for driving and feeding this cutter is of the most powerful description. The secret of , TAE Marine REVIEW success of this dredge is that the ex- cavation of the stiff clay is done by an efficient cutting tool that will not clog and provided with a powerful feed, the main pump being only em- ployed for transportation of the spoil. A capacity rate of 3,000 cu. yds. per hour has frequently been reached in clay, the entire under side of the dis- charge appearing as continuous slices of blue clay some of the pieces being 4 ot 5 ft. lone. One. of the most serious problems to be dealt with was that of the floating pipe line. This is the most seaworthy pipe line on the lakes and is formed of semi-submerged _ steel pontoons about 100 ft. long, connected by ball-and-socket joints having spring connections of great strength. Long lengths of pontoon were neces- sary to give steadiness in waves and a yielding connection was essential to relieve the joints of the great stresses due to surging. The springs are of locomotive draw-bar size and: are ar- ranged similarly to railway car draft- rigging. There are also tension and compression springs 'to control the side 'deflection of the joint. In wave- action this pipe line is very satisfac- tory. A special flange connection is provided at the dredge so that the pipe line can be instantaneously dis- connected from the dredge at any time, simply by pulling out a toggle lever. On several occasions when it became too rough for the dredge to work owing to the difficulty of dis- charging over 'the breakwater, the pipe line was disconnected and towed to harbor by a tug through a rough sea which broke over both tug and pipes continuously with no harm what- ever to the pipe line. These occasions, however, are relatively rare and the operation of the dredge has proved not only that the clay of the bed of Lake Michigan can be dredged by this method, but also that the sea- worthiness of both dredge and pipe line is sufficient to reduce the delays On account of weather to a compara- tively small amount. The dredge is named the Francis T., Simmons and its operation is in charge of Messrs. Murphy and Bar- rett, to whose management the good work done by the dredge is due. NEW STEAMERS FOR UNITED FRUIT CO. _ The heavy increase in the volume of business between the United States and the tropics, and the development of new fruit growing countries in the West Indies has necessitated a heavy increase ,in the tonnage of the _ United 'the world. Fruit Co. which at the present time operate a fleet of something like 60 steamers. The company will shortly inaugurate a service between New York and Surinam, Dutch Guinea, with weekly sailings. This service may later be extended to Boston. The company has in course of construction abroad four large steamers which are building especially for this service. Two of the vessels are building at the ship yard of Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast, Ireland, and the other two are in course of construction at Am- sterdam. The steamers will be a trifle larger than the San Jose, Limon and Esparta, the three big refrigerator steamers running between here and Port Limon. The new boats will be 340 ft. long, 46 ft. beam, and 25 ft. depth of hold, with a net tonnage of 2,600 tons and a gross tonnage of 4,000 tons. They will be especially fitted for the service in which they are to -engage, and will have splendid pas- senger accommodations for about 70 passengers. The names selected for the new boats are, Coppename, Sara- macca, Suriname and Marowijne. It is not unlikely that Boston may have a direct service to the Windward Islands and Suriname when these steamers' are commissioned. In addition to these four steamers the fruit company has three refrigera- tor steamers building at Workman, Clark & Co.'s yards, which will be the largest and best equipped fruiters in They will have a grass tonnage of 6,000 tons, and will have a capacity of 65,000 bunches of bananas. These steamers in addition to having a refrigerating system in chambers, will, by means of an in- genious device, cool the saloons and staterooms by the same process, so that passengers in the tropical climate may enjoy a stateroom kept at as low a temperature as desired. These steamers will be fitted to carry over 100 saloon passengers, and will have all the luxuries of the ocean greyhounds. They will have several suites of cabin-de-luxe, with gymnas- ium, baths, etc. the cargo Rapid progress is reported in the construction of these three vessels. The first of the trio is half in frame, and her cellular waterbottom is fully completed. She will be christened Heredia. The name of the second fruiter will be Cartago, and the third will: be christéned Parismina. The Heredia will be in readiness to leave Belfast on May 15, and about a month later the Cartago will follow. The Parismina will be ready for delivery about July 15.